vrataski
3 reviews liked by vrataski
Picayune Dreams
2023
i think picayune dreams is what breakcore would feel like as a video game (it's really good)
I deleted my initial review because I thought about giving the game a second chance, but upon recalling my thoughts, I think that would just be a waste of time. This is maybe this series' most disappointing outing, and it feels like Kojima lost some of the vision of what makes this series great in pursuit of the modern video game and the narrative/visual advancements that allows. I'm sure some Konami meddling definitely didn't help, but this ultimately feels like the worst Metal Gear Solid game possible.
That being said, I think this is (on paper) the most fun gameplay in the series. Snake has never controlled better and the freedom and openness in how you can approach each mission is genuinely pretty inspiring. This doesn't really hold up that well when every mission is just a reskin of the last one, so it just becomes really boring doing these menial tasks in the same spot. This is compounded by the fact that side ops require the same thing, ultimately making the actual application of the new gameplay mechanics pretty lacklustre and tedious.
I also really don't like how the story is presented. I'm fully in MGS4's camp when it comes to how it delivered that story, and this game takes the complete opposite approach. This is the last game in the saga, man; I'm okay with being trapped in a 15-minute-long cutscene rather than having to be spoonfed bits and pieces through separate cassette tapes. I only got up to Chapter 13 in this playthrough, so maybe it improves later down the line, but I was super disappointed in how little development the characters got here. This series is known for its passionately told stories with really compelling characters, but I saw none of that in these chapters. Miller is destroyed as a person, Ocelot is back and working under his idol, Venom (which I know the twist of, to be clear) is a permanently changed Big Boss, and yet none of that is explored in any meaningful way. Maybe they are through the tapes, but that feels so pathetic when I KNOW the series can do better.
Also, I still don't like how the concept of "building Outer Heaven" is applied here. It feels like tacked-on mobile gamey bullshit and hampers the flow and progression overall rather than adding to it.
Really, I was expecting so much here but was just really let down.
That being said, I think this is (on paper) the most fun gameplay in the series. Snake has never controlled better and the freedom and openness in how you can approach each mission is genuinely pretty inspiring. This doesn't really hold up that well when every mission is just a reskin of the last one, so it just becomes really boring doing these menial tasks in the same spot. This is compounded by the fact that side ops require the same thing, ultimately making the actual application of the new gameplay mechanics pretty lacklustre and tedious.
I also really don't like how the story is presented. I'm fully in MGS4's camp when it comes to how it delivered that story, and this game takes the complete opposite approach. This is the last game in the saga, man; I'm okay with being trapped in a 15-minute-long cutscene rather than having to be spoonfed bits and pieces through separate cassette tapes. I only got up to Chapter 13 in this playthrough, so maybe it improves later down the line, but I was super disappointed in how little development the characters got here. This series is known for its passionately told stories with really compelling characters, but I saw none of that in these chapters. Miller is destroyed as a person, Ocelot is back and working under his idol, Venom (which I know the twist of, to be clear) is a permanently changed Big Boss, and yet none of that is explored in any meaningful way. Maybe they are through the tapes, but that feels so pathetic when I KNOW the series can do better.
Also, I still don't like how the concept of "building Outer Heaven" is applied here. It feels like tacked-on mobile gamey bullshit and hampers the flow and progression overall rather than adding to it.
Really, I was expecting so much here but was just really let down.
This review contains spoilers
AY. People hate this game for some reason but I fw mgs4 hard. I’m all for the long ass cutscenes so I didn’t mind that at all. The gameplay was great as usual. Even though there was more emphasis on action this time, I think the stealth has never played better. The B&B bosses werent really characters but they were representations of the consequences of war, so it fit imo (and who don’t like psycho waifus). ACT V was fucking glorious. This game is all the Kojima greatness with modern gameplay, so how can it be anything but peak. The series couldn’t have asked for a better ending.