Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain | Review Thread | Words That Kill

enigmatic_alex44 said:
INCREDIBLE!

This is going to be the best reviewed game of the year, isn't it? I bet Metacritic ends up 95 or higher :*) 2015 has been such a flop year, with nothing truly outstanding being released on consoles so it's nice to see MGSV is living up to the (and my) hype :)

Looking forward to MGSV raking in all the GOTY awards as well.

bTfAO3S.gif
Click to expand...

You must have missed Bloodborne And The Witcher 3 then : )
 
MrS said:
I've spoken to somebody who was at the event - it was nowhere near as bad as you're making out and, believe it or not, they actually enjoyed the event and the game. I was probably a bit rash with my last post though, admittedly.
Click to expand...

I was definitely exaggerating, but that was to match your post.

Also the worst details I mentioned were from a post on the indianvideogamer.com forums where a guy did sort of say it was that bad – but that person seems to have been the exception. They said it was so bad because the Indian press had less time than other regions to review the game, so PR were leaning on them heavily to curtail their experience.

slackern1nja said:
Thanks for posting this. Glad I told Konami's local PR that their terms and conditions for me to have a review out day and date were a no show. I knew it would be rubbish but I didn't know it would be *this* bad.
Click to expand...

As I said above to MrS, I was exaggerating a bit to highlight the worst-case aspects of something like that. It's unlikely it's as bad as I said in that post, haha. But still, definitely not an ideal situation to play an expansive, detailed, story-dense game!

RandomSeed said:
No thanks, I didn't want spoilers, just shame.
Click to expand...

Someone PM this guy then.

And (hopefully) shame him
 
If the game has adopted a "storytelling by what characters do, not say" approach, like Mad Max, or any story that lives by "show don't tell," then I am extremely happy. I don't dislike exposition, but after MGS4, this is great to hear.
 
A french reviewer who hasn't posted his review yet said he refused to rush the game like so many other reviewers and that in his opinion, most reviews complaining about the story being unconclusive and lacking the Kojima moment have simply not seen the true ending.

He says that to get the whole picture, you NEED to listen to tapes and see the actual ending.

He also said that, had he written the review right after the final mission without playing the extra content, the score would have been much lower.

He said he went from being a little disappointed to blown away.
 
I really didn't expect these scores. I thought KojiPro may have bitten off more than they could chew, what with multiplatform and cross generation development and an open world.

In Kojima we trust.
 
Fitts said:
Thanks for the responses!



I've played Ground Zeroes. Just wasn't going to take for granted that anything carried over.
Click to expand...
The gameplay footage showed of multiple times that you can listen to tapes while running around or flying in a helicopter. So dob't worry.
Iceternal said:
A french reviewer who hasn't posted his review yet said he refused to rush the game like so many other reviewers and that in his opinion, most reviews complaining about the story being unconclusive and lacking the Kojima moment have simply not seen the true ending.

He says that to get the whole picture, you NEED to listen to tapes and see the actual ending.

He also said that, had he written the review right after the final mission without playing the extra content, the score would have been much lower.

He said he went from being a little disappointed to blown away.
Click to expand...
This is the kind of information I can jerk off to.
 
Iceternal said:
A french reviewer who hasn't posted his review yet said he refused to rush the game like so many other reviewers and that in his opinion, most reviews complaining about the story being unconclusive and lacking the Kojima moment have simply not seen the true ending.

He says that to get the whole picture, you NEED to listen to tapes and see the actual ending.

He also said that, had he written the review right after the final mission without playing the extra content, the score would have been much lower.

He said he went from being a little disappointed to blown away.
Click to expand...

Sounds like so much game, but so little time for me ... :(
 
OSHAN said:
If the game has adopted a "storytelling by what characters do, not say" approach, like Mad Max, or any story that lives by "show don't tell," then I am extremely happy. I don't dislike exposition, but after MGS4, this is great to hear.
Click to expand...

Either the GameTrailers or Videogamer review states exactly this, that long winded exposition cinema takes more of a backseat (though it's still there) in favour of cutscenes that show action and development through character behaviour and scenes.
 
Iceternal said:
A french reviewer who hasn't posted his review yet said he refused to rush the game like so many other reviewers and that in his opinion, most reviews complaining about the story being unconclusive and lacking the Kojima moment have simply not seen the true ending.

He says that to get the whole picture, you NEED to listen to tapes and see the actual ending.

He also said that, had he written the review right after the final mission without playing the extra content, the score would have been much lower.

He said he went from being a little disappointed to blown away.
Click to expand...

OH MAN.
 
EatChildren said:
Either the GameTrailers or Videogamer review states exactly this, that long winded exposition cinema takes more of a backseat (though it's still there) in favour of cutscenes that show action and development through character behaviour and scenes.
Click to expand...

Mad Max style? :>
 
Iceternal said:
A french reviewer who hasn't posted his review yet said he refused to rush the game like so many other reviewers and that in his opinion, most reviews complaining about the story being unconclusive and lacking the Kojima moment have simply not seen the true ending.

He says that to get the whole picture, you NEED to listen to tapes and see the actual ending.

He also said that, had he written the review right after the final mission without playing the extra content, the score would have been much lower.

He said he went from being a little disappointed to blown away.
Click to expand...

OMG
 
Iceternal said:
A french reviewer who hasn't posted his review yet said he refused to rush the game like so many other reviewers and that in his opinion, most reviews complaining about the story being unconclusive and lacking the Kojima moment have simply not seen the true ending.

He says that to get the whole picture, you NEED to listen to tapes and see the actual ending.

He also said that, had he written the review right after the final mission without playing the extra content, the score would have been much lower.

He said he went from being a little disappointed to blown away.
Click to expand...

This makes me so excited. I love shit like this.
 
Freedom = $1.05 said:
i never said it came from an emotional place, just that it came from an ignorant place given that the majority of those whining about it haven't played a second of it yet.
Click to expand...
oh well I agree with playing it for yourself, I know Verendus a little bit from his posting style so I'm more sure his sentiments will reflect my own, but definitely still going to play it day one for myself. It's Metal Gear...
 
Iceternal said:
A french reviewer who hasn't posted his review yet said he refused to rush the game like so many other reviewers and that in his opinion, most reviews complaining about the story being unconclusive and lacking the Kojima moment have simply not seen the true ending.

He says that to get the whole picture, you NEED to listen to tapes and see the actual ending.

He also said that, had he written the review right after the final mission without playing the extra content, the score would have been much lower.

He said he went from being a little disappointed to blown away.
Click to expand...
AWESOME!
 
Sn4ke_911 said:
OH MAN.
Click to expand...

He also mentioned that the true ending not only broke the fourth wall but completely shattered it in his opinion. With an incredibly powerful message to the players.

And he said you DON'T need to replay missions in higher difficulties (for the story content at least).

He compared the story content after the initial ending to MGSV episode 2. ( though not presented the same way)
 
Gametrailers and others who weren't satisfied with the story should probably go back and play the game more lol.
 
it would be good, if reviews of a reviewevent were marked at MC. This game seems to show how important it is to take your time when you write a review.
 
Iceternal said:
A french reviewer who hasn't posted his review yet said he refused to rush the game like so many other reviewers and that in his opinion, most reviews complaining about the story being unconclusive and lacking the Kojima moment have simply not seen the true ending.

He says that to get the whole picture, you NEED to listen to tapes and see the actual ending.

He also said that, had he written the review right after the final mission without playing the extra content, the score would have been much lower.

He said he went from being a little disappointed to blown away.
Click to expand...

HYPE ! (Source ?)

My only concern right now is how much micro transactions are staining the masterpiece.
 
Iceternal said:
He also mentioned that the true ending not only broke the fourth wall but completely shattered it in his opinion. With an incredibly powerful message to the players.

And he said you DON'T need to replay missions in higher difficulties (for the story content at least).
Click to expand...
Hold me! I feel like I can't stand anymore.
 
Iceternal said:
A french reviewer who hasn't posted his review yet said he refused to rush the game like so many other reviewers and that in his opinion, most reviews complaining about the story being unconclusive and lacking the Kojima moment have simply not seen the true ending.

He says that to get the whole picture, you NEED to listen to tapes and see the actual ending.

He also said that, had he written the review right after the final mission without playing the extra content, the score would have been much lower.

He said he went from being a little disappointed to blown away.
Click to expand...

Oh my god. I need this.

Iceternal said:
He also mentioned that the true ending not only broke the fourth wall but completely shattered it in his opinion. With an incredibly powerful message to the players.

And he said you DON'T need to replay missions in higher difficulties (for the story content at least).

He compared the story content after the initial ending to MGSV episode 2. ( though not presented the same way)
Click to expand...

Nice.
 
Iceternal said:
He also mentioned that the true ending not only broke the fourth wall but completely shattered it in his opinion. With an incredibly powerful message to the players.

And he said you DON'T need to replay missions in higher difficulties (for the story content at least).
Click to expand...

STAAAAAHP!


Wait what? some outlets said you have to replay missions ....hmm
 
god, why did this game have to come out on September 1st. Why not tomorrow? Where I'd at least have a week before school starts. Instead, I'll finally get to play this game the day before classes start, and I'll be trying to settle in to 4 difficult classes, and play this at the same time :(
 
How many "Kojima Moments" have past MGS games had? I guess it depends how one defines it, but for me it would be something like: something you're likely to never see outside the MGS universe. In that case:

MGS 1-4 has like 20 each
PW had...maybe 2?
GZ actually had a good amount for being so short. Maybe 5.
 
Iceternal said:
A french reviewer who hasn't posted his review yet said he refused to rush the game like so many other reviewers and that in his opinion, most reviews complaining about the story being unconclusive and lacking the Kojima moment have simply not seen the true ending.

He says that to get the whole picture, you NEED to listen to tapes and see the actual ending.

He also said that, had he written the review right after the final mission without playing the extra content, the score would have been much lower.

He said he went from being a little disappointed to blown away.
Click to expand...

WOW. The true ending must be that damn good. I've seen this sentiment echoed quite a bit.
 
As someone who loves MGS for its (admittedly batshit crazy) storyline first and foremost, I'm a little disappointed to hear that the story takes a backseat in this game. The story-lite approach is why MGS3 is my least favorite of the series (and conversely, why MGS2 is my favorite).

On the other hand, I don't know I really have the time or patience to withstand hours-long cutscenes anymore, and I liked Ground Zeroes' balance of storytelling and gameplay just fine. So maybe there won't be any issue here.
 
TGO said:
That's a bit concerning.
Click to expand...

I have a strong feeling that some reviewers simply didn't have the time to go through all the tapes and whatnot. If it's anything like Peace Walker, a lot of the "story" will be in those.

I've expected this game would be lighter on story during gameplay, and instead focus on a few big moments where there is a lot of story.
 
wild wild rice said:
How many "Kojima Moments" have past MGS games had? I guess it depends how one defines it, but for me it would be something like: something you're likely to never see outside the MGS universe. In that case:

MGS 1-4 has like 20 each
PW had...maybe 2?
GZ actually had a good amount for being so short. Maybe 5.
Click to expand...

I can't think of MGS 1-4 having that many moments. The handshake. The crawl. They have a few, but 20?

And Ground Zeroes has 5?

I think an MGS moment is something more than an event that only occurs in MGS.
 
Verendus said:
I think going in with the thinking that this is going to be some epic finale for the franchise, or is the swansong of the franchise, is going to lead to disappointment. It's not really that game. That was MGS4, for better or for worse. The story in this game isn't necessarily bad, and I'll certainly take it over the character assassination of Solid Snake present in MGS4 (one of the main reasons why I hate that particular game), but it's not like there's a whole lot here. The truth is, all of this extra content detailing the exact nature of Big Boss's journey is superfluous.

I feel MGS3 alone was good enough, and it would've been great to just have that. It's nice to leave things to the imagination sometimes, and I feel this whole journey is a testament to that. MGSV's story kind of feels unfinished if someone tries to take it as some kind of conclusion, because it's not. Not necessarily in the sense that there's a lot more to tell, but just that it's not a conclusion to the saga. And it's not necessarily a good way to bring things full circle since it doesn't really do that in some great way either.

Basically, it's a story in the life of Big Boss. That's about it. It really doesn't do anything thematically important for Big Boss's journey nor does it provide some greater understanding of his character that we didn't already have. So superfluous I feel is the best way to describe it. That doesn't mean it's bad, but in a game which is probably 2-3 times longer than the previous main entry, there really isn't that much there, and the crappy pacing kind of hinders it in that sense.

I think MGS5 is a game that gets a lot right, and a lot wrong. And how much you like it is going to depend on the type of design you like in games, and what made you a fan of the franchise. It really does kind of jump to the other end of the spectrum in comparison to MGS4.

With MGS4, I feel if there had been a better balance in the game design, it really could've been something special (even though I hated that story). With MGS5, I don't really think that way. I don't dislike it more than MGS4, but MGS4's disappointment for me was because it really could've become something far greater than what it was. Even if you were to rectify some of the issues I have with MGS5, I don't think it could become that, since you'd have to pretty much overhaul it. Then you basically have a different game.

Plus, I was kind of blindsided by the length of this game. I really didn't expect that. That's a backfire of a blackout I guess. Although I likely would've enjoyed it far more if the pacing wasn't the way it was. It does get very repetitive.

Still, though. Seven years for this. Kind of sucks really to feel this way.
Click to expand...

This is the vibe I've been getting. Glad I read your post, as it's tempered my expectations. Pretty disappointing, but what can you do?
 
OSHAN said:
If the game has adopted a "storytelling by what characters do, not say" approach, like Mad Max, or any story that lives by "show don't tell," then I am extremely happy. I don't dislike exposition, but after MGS4, this is great to hear.
Click to expand...

This. A billion times, this.

I like every Metal Gear, and love several of them, but their approach to narrative has always been idiotic and mainly redundant. They could still have long cutscenes whilst slicing a load of the bullshit, and the storytelling would be so much better just for reducing the waffle.

And I think the 'show, don't tell' and 'actions not words' is definitely the mantra for this one. It might almost be like if Cormac McCarthy wrote an MGS game. Taut, meaningful, tense.

Holy shit the hype.

Vampirolol said:
So apparently everything that has a silent character is now Mad Max just like a hard game is Dark Souls.
Click to expand...

... Not what the guy was saying.

The 'actions not words' thing applies just as much to Furiosa as Max, and she's hardly silent.

Iceternal said:
He also mentioned that the true ending not only broke the fourth wall but completely shattered it in his opinion.
With an incredibly powerful message to the players.

And he said you DON'T need to replay missions in higher difficulties (for the story content at least).

He compared the story content after the initial ending
to MGSV episode 2.
( though not presented the same way)
Click to expand...

This is a fucking spoiler, dude. I think you've done this before, too.
 
Iceternal said:
He also mentioned that the true ending not only broke the fourth wall but completely shattered it in his opinion. With an incredibly powerful message to the players.

And he said you DON'T need to replay missions in higher difficulties (for the story content at least).

He compared the story content after the initial ending to MGSV episode 2. ( though not presented the same way)
Click to expand...

Interesting to see this. I hope the story and it's ending is also engaging to newcomers.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

Do you think there will be Metal Gear Solid 6?
2
79
2K
newtypepilot replied
Metal Gear Solid Delta Releases August 28th, 2025
2 3 4
157
9K
amigastar replied
GmanLives: Metal Gear Solid 5 Is Almost A Masterpiece
Opinion Analysis Trailer 
43
2K
MandingoMcThickens replied
Metal Gear Solid Delta Will Let You “Peep” on Eva Confirmed
NSFW  2
59
4K
Breakfast at Noon replied
Metal Gear Solid the board game was just released and it is seems awesome
10
1K
TheInfamousKira replied
Top Bottom