It's spectacular that a series that once demanded a third thumb to control well is now so intuitive. Metal Gear Solid 5: Ground Zeroes (the two hour demo that came out last year) controlled wonderfully – and The Phantom Pain is even better. After the dramatic two hour prologue – Metal Gear Solid V: Ground Zeros – this may leave fans more than a little surprised, but this is a game about making your own story on the battlefield rather than having it told to you.

Featuring notably fewer cut-scenes, most of the plot is told through tapes that you can collect during missions. Perhaps the one downside of MGSV for fans of the series is that it is not as story heavy as previous installments. But, when it works, you feel unstoppable.

Sure things can go wrong, and often you will find yourself improvising. Technical marvelsĮvery time you arrive at an enemy base you must carefully scan the area, scoping out the soldiers and planning your approach. MGSV places a premium on being clever, stealthy, and cautious – while still providing the tools to deal with situations if things go wrong. Even GTA V, which offers so many possibilities, feels restrictive when the two are viewed side by side. The result is that MGSV is the freest sandbox I have ever seen in an action game. Do you infiltrate the enemy base during daylight, or will you wait until dusk? Steal the truck or distract your foes with an explosion? Kill or capture a mercenary? Snipe, or go in guns blazing with your faithful dog to distract guards? The choices are exhausting.

You can do what you want, how you want, where you want, when you want, with whoever you want. It doesn’t take long until this initial confusion dissolves into delight, as I become the legendary soldier Big Boss. During the first hours of MGSV I found myself overwhelmed by the possibilities – do I sneak in and out unobserved, or wreak havoc at every turn? But as I explore and learn, I find out what works for me – and as I gather resources, arsenal, allies, and more, I begin to expand the options available to suit my style.

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