Except that this isn’t the complete game just yet. Rather, series creator Hideo Kojima and Konami have released what is considered a “Prologue” chapter and first part of the overall new sequel - intended to tide fans over until the real meat of the experience, Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain, is released. With development for that game still ongoing, Ground Zeroes literally gives us a taste of things to come, and is honestly quite short to finish for a standard released next generation title.
However, don’t let the length of the game fool you, as Ground Zeroes is still very much a must play title despite its short main narrative. Utilizing the new and proprietary Fox Engine developed by Kojima Productions, this prequel has a lot to show for itself by displaying how immersive the new gameplay mechanics are as well as the realistic new graphics rendered to bring the entire MGS experience to life. Those who’ve played past Metal Gear Solid games will be familiar with the basic layout of controls to navigate Snake, but there’s plenty of new tricks as well, with an open-world like experience delivered by the Fox Engine that adds new depth and tension to the sneaking game experience like never before.
Set chronologically in 1975 and a year after the events of “Metal Gear Solid: Peace Walker”, Ground Zeroes continues the story of Naked Snake, better known as the legendary mercenary soldier “Big Boss” and the commanding officer of the Militaires Sans Frontieres or “Soldiers Without Borders”.
Now voiced by Hollywood actor Kiefer Sutherland in place of longtime series actor David Hayter, Big Boss is sent to infiltrate an American black site called “Camp Omega” in Cuba to rescue two individuals he was involved with during the “Peace Walker” incident – a young Sandanista soldier named Ricardo “Chico” Valenciano Libre, and former ally/ Cipher agent Pacifica Ocean, aka “Paz Ortega Andrade”. With help and intel provided via communications by his trusted friend and second in command Kazuhira “Kaz” Miller, Snake returns to the field for a new mission… Not knowing the dangers the lie in store for him and his comrades.
It’s been far too long since the last Metal Gear game for a next-gen gaming system attempted to push boundaries, but Ground Zeroes has done an impressive job of introducing new combat and stealth tactics thanks to the immersive open-world gameplay and dynamic environment the Fox Engine introduces.
The player can choose how to move Snake in the field, and assisted by Codec communications and surveying the field by using Binoculars, it is clear that Hideo Kojima isn’t handing things on a silver platter, and that sneaking and clever planning are your tools to fulfilling your mission objectives with absolute precision.
Of course, that’s not to say that Big Boss doesn’t have any weapons at his disposal. The legendary soldier is equipped with an assault rifle and assortment of pistols and secondary weapons before infiltrating Camp Omega, and players can guide Snake to procure other weapons they find around the base. Literally, how one plays is entirely up to them, and beyond the main prologue chapter there are several other missions based around the black site that will prove different and entertaining at the same time to add some replay value to the game.
No walk in the park
Bearing the “Tactical Espionage Operations” tagline is not an exaggeration for Metal Gear Solid V: Ground Zeroes, and there’s plenty to do in conjunction with sneaking and taking out enemy soldiers during the mission. Much like past installments, Snake can use Close Quarters Combat or CQC together with his stealth methods to take out a guard or interrogate them for vital information.
Soldiers are more resilient and aware though thanks to the new gameplay mechanics, and they can easily spot Snake through any careless noise or movements made. Thankfully, a slow-motion “quick reaction” effect has been added by Kojima Productions to give the player time to take out their adversary before he alerts his comrades and the entire base. Also, it’s no walk in the park to rescue prisoners either, and you’ll have to carry them to predetermined extraction areas and call for a chopper via a new device developed by Mother Base and handily used to assist Big Boss in completing his mission.
iDroid app for iOS, Android
Introduced to the series is a new tablet-like device called an “iDroid”, which helps Snake survey the map of the base, add markers, and review mission objectives as indicated. Additionally, the iDroid can be used by iOS and Android users, as Konami has released an App that players can download and sync into their existing accounts with their gaming system to play in real-time. This is a new and unique feature to the MGS V experience that Kojima has incorporated to give a sense of realism and urgency, and the creator plans to carry over to The Phantom Pain, which he expressed in several interviews will be much larger in depth and scope.
With a tag price of about $20 dollars and out now for the Playstation 3, Playstation 4, Xbox 360, and Xbox One, Metal Gear Solid V: Ground Zeroes is very much like a tasty fast food meal to satiate the cravings of a hungry customer. It may not be the complete MGS V experience yet, but it certainly carries a lot of new elements and extra missions beyond the main prologue that fans of the franchise will definitely want to experience firsthand and sample before The Phantom Pain comes around. Whether you consider it an “extended demo” or “short game”, it still is an essential part of Metal Gear canon, and Hideo Kojima and Konami have only promised through this that the best is yet to come. — TJD, GMA News
source: gmanetwork.com
