Metal Gear Solid 5, Nearly After A Decade, Is Still A Timeless Classic

Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain was released in 2015, developed by Kojima Productions and published by Konami. The game is directed, produced, and written by the man himself, Hideo Kojima, who introduced the world to the stealth video gaming genre and resided in this niche.

Despite the game being nine years old, it still stands the test of time and is a cult classic. From deliberately destroying the Afghani check posts to quietly taking out the enemies, sneaking on them one by one, the options are limitless; let us dive deep into it.

The Approach To The Outskirts Of Afghanistan

The game starts with (spoiler warning) you playing as Venom Snake, unknowingly and perceiving that you are Big Boss (Solid Snake) up until the end of the game. Venom Snake is on a revenge killing spree against the Soviets occupying Afghanistan; hence, the game has a structure to follow. The game is an open-world stealth title that makes the map so vast and gives you, the player, the choice of what to do and how to do it.

Knowing that the world is extensive, you would presume that the game is dry and barren, but it is filled with minor details and full of life. You would think that a game designed in an open-world environment would take away the complexity of the puzzles or tactics of going through or solving a segment, but oh boy, are you wrong.

Despite bringing an open world, Kojima left no crumbs behind in the stealth complexities of the game, making the gameplay as immersive or even more immersive than the previous titles.

Breaking The Stereotype Of Linearity In Stealth Games

Usually, stealth video games are designed in a continuous level design with going from point A to point B, you are limited to some options and have to figure your way out of the situation based on those limits; in Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain, you are the god of your world.

You can use classic stealth techniques in which you have muscle memory from the previous game, or you can switch it up by going Rambo on the enemies and taking them out with open fire.

MGSV is still better than 99.99% of games today and also since its release, change my mind.
byu/pastreaver inmetalgearsolid

However, in my opinion, taking out the enemies one by one with a plan is more satisfactory and rewarding to you. At the end of the day, Konami and Hideo Kojima have given you, the player, to deal with the situation however they want. When the game was first released in 2015, the internet was taken by storm, with players from all over the world showcasing creative ways to take out an entire fortress or even a small check post.

Hideo Kojima’s Goodbye To Konami

In Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain, Hideo Kojima went all out and implemented many features that worked wonderfully. The game’s dynamic AI is an example. Enemies respond intelligently to player action, such as increasing security measures if they feel something eerie is happening. Realistic stealth mechanics include the enemy’s field of vision, visibility, and even the player’s noise levels.

Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain comprises a diverse range of missions, ranging from assassinations to rescue operations, each requiring different approaches and tactics. This variety keeps the gameplay fresh and engaging. Overall, I do not think Hideo Kojima could have given such a perfect end to the Metal Gear Series, a masterpiece until the end.