Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain, or simply known as MGSV: TPP, is the fifth main installment in the Metal Gear Solid franchise and developed by Kojima Production and published by Konami Digital Entertainment. It was first unveiled for the PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, and PlayStation 4 on June 1, 2014, and was released on September 1, 2015. The game was the last of the series to be directed by Hideo Kojima and due to the conflict between Kojima and Konami, was the last of the series to be released by Konami.
The plot of MGSV:TPP focuses on the protagonist Venom Snake, or also known as BigBoss, and his mission to avenge his comrades as he embarks on a story filled with twists and turns. The game starts out with Venom Snake working with a private military company, Diamond Dogs, in Afghanistan, located in the year 1984. He is sent to a restricted Soviet base in the middle east named "Lufwa Valley" to acquire the new secret weapon that the Soviets were working on, a powerful metal gear called Peace Walker. After a successful mission, Venom Snake is then led to a large scale military base in the middle east. With the aid of Diamond Dogs, Venom Snake takes on the base and learns about a mysterious organization, XOF, who was responsible for the destruction of his previous group, Militares Sans Frontieres. After infiltrating and taking down XOF's leader, Skull Face, Venom Snake begins a plan to take revenge for his comrades by fufilling the "Plan for Outer Heaven".
This plan is executed by the use of his new military weapons and advanced technology, dubbed the "Phantom Limbs", which are designed to prevent nuclear weapons from being launched by the enemy. He also obtains allies to help him in his plan, including his loyal companion Quiet, as well as other characters such as Huey, Eli and Paz. The main conflict in the story is between Venom Snake and Skull Face, a rivalry which is driven by their conflicting ideologies.
The gameplay of MGSV:TPP is split between two styles: one in the open-world sandboxes of Afghanistan, Angola and Central Africa and one in the battlefield missions. The open-world sandbox elements are made up of side missions and collectible content, accompanied by sneaking and infiltration sequences. The side missions may involve rescuing or eliminating key personnel and completing various tasks such as constructing and upgrading mother bases, as well as gaining new equipment and technology. In the battlefield missions, the gameplay is focused on completing objectives and overcoming obstacles with the use of the introduced mechanics of the Phantom Limbs. This can involve shooting down enemy sentries, stealthily infiltrating behind enemy lines or sabotaging targets with explosives and C4.
The Phantom Limbs are an integral part of the experience in MGSV:TPP, as they provide some unique tools for the player to utilize, such as the Fultoning Device, which can capture enemy personnel and items, as well as the Wormhole Generator, which can teleport players past heavily guarded areas and obstacles. The player also can choose to play in different playstyles with the use of the varying loadouts, which can dramatically alter how they approach missions and the different strategies they can utilize in order to conquer the enemy.
The weapon selection in MGSV:TPP is comprehensive and varied, to the extent that it provides players with an arsenal rivaled by no other in the series. Combining, crafting and upgrading weapons and items is an important part of the experience and adds a much needed layer of tactical decision making. With the introduction of the iDrone, players can also equip their weapons with upgrades and gadgets to provide them with different maneuverability and tactical options while on their missions.
Along with the single player elements of MGSV:TPP, there is a multiplayer component, where players can partake in cooperative and competive missions, as well as taking part in a ranking system. The multiplayer also allows players to join forces against powerful bosses in raids and team up to complete specific requests, providing a huge and expansive online experience.
Overall, MGSV:TPP is a masterpiece of a game and stands as one of the best in the Metal Gear series. The massive open world locales, the varying and extensive list of weapons and gadgets, the thrilling story, and the intense ground battles, all make this game much more than just a simple stealth game. It has all the elements of a compelling and captivating experience that puts players in the shoes of BigBoss. As a result, Konami was able to create a game that will forever remain as one of the greatest in the gaming industry.
