MGSV: TPP was a mess in almost every way and I absolutely loved it.
Let's get this out of the way - this game had so much potential and it ultimately didn't end up meeting it. Whether that's due to Kojima's direction, or his friction and fallout with Konami, it doesn't matter - it feels unfinished and it will probably always remain that way.
With that being said, however, I think this game is great. This is the best open-world sandbox I've ever played in, and I was shocked when I saw that I had put almost 60 hours into this game because it definitely didn't feel like it - it's just that fun to play. There are so many ways to approach each objective, and everything just felt so satisfying; the combat, stealth, vehicles, movement - everything was polished to perfection.
While the story did leave something to be desired, I didn't think it was that bad. I thought chapter 2 was a lot stronger than chapter 1 (which was probably the most uneven/unsatisfying part of the game for me), which is a bummer because I think a lot of people who play this will think the game formally ends at the end of chapter 1 and will let that part of the story influence their opinion of the game. I wish Big Boss had some more spoken lines and was utilized within the story a bit better, but I thought the the supporting characters were all really well done. I really loved the Fox Engine too - for a game that came out in 2015, TPP is gorgeous, although I think Kojima could've lightened up on the lens flares a bit during the cutscenes.
From a cinematic standpoint, this game is remarkable. It honestly feels like you're watching a really well directed/shot movie a lot of the time, and the use of camera movement in particular is really impressive. That's something I've always admired about Kojima's work, and it's clear that he takes a lot of inspiration from film for his games.
I'm sad to see my Metal Gear Solid journey come to an end with TPP, but I'm so grateful I got to experience this incredible series. I was always hesitant about playing it because I've never been too big on stealth games, but looking back at the end of this journey, MGS has become one of my all-time favorite series. I'm already looking forward to my replay of the series, and can't wait to dive in to Death Stranding to continue experiencing that Kojima weirdness.
Let's get this out of the way - this game had so much potential and it ultimately didn't end up meeting it. Whether that's due to Kojima's direction, or his friction and fallout with Konami, it doesn't matter - it feels unfinished and it will probably always remain that way.
With that being said, however, I think this game is great. This is the best open-world sandbox I've ever played in, and I was shocked when I saw that I had put almost 60 hours into this game because it definitely didn't feel like it - it's just that fun to play. There are so many ways to approach each objective, and everything just felt so satisfying; the combat, stealth, vehicles, movement - everything was polished to perfection.
While the story did leave something to be desired, I didn't think it was that bad. I thought chapter 2 was a lot stronger than chapter 1 (which was probably the most uneven/unsatisfying part of the game for me), which is a bummer because I think a lot of people who play this will think the game formally ends at the end of chapter 1 and will let that part of the story influence their opinion of the game. I wish Big Boss had some more spoken lines and was utilized within the story a bit better, but I thought the the supporting characters were all really well done. I really loved the Fox Engine too - for a game that came out in 2015, TPP is gorgeous, although I think Kojima could've lightened up on the lens flares a bit during the cutscenes.
From a cinematic standpoint, this game is remarkable. It honestly feels like you're watching a really well directed/shot movie a lot of the time, and the use of camera movement in particular is really impressive. That's something I've always admired about Kojima's work, and it's clear that he takes a lot of inspiration from film for his games.
I'm sad to see my Metal Gear Solid journey come to an end with TPP, but I'm so grateful I got to experience this incredible series. I was always hesitant about playing it because I've never been too big on stealth games, but looking back at the end of this journey, MGS has become one of my all-time favorite series. I'm already looking forward to my replay of the series, and can't wait to dive in to Death Stranding to continue experiencing that Kojima weirdness.