Since September 1st, Metal Gear fans of all affiliations have been getting well and truly stuck into one of the greatest games of all time, but it's the accompanying online component (released a month later, GTA V-style) that truly makes you realise just what an incredibly well-designed experience it really is. From the satisfying gun controls to the meaty and visceral melee attacks and hugely controversial ending, The Phantom Pain looks like it took so long to produce simply because there were so many elements to the base game that needed testing and refining. Now that MGO's finally out and the servers are holding steady in the face of a few thousand intrepid fans battering it mercilessly, it's time to pick apart everything that makes up the game from all angles; analysing the best ways to win, items to procure, weapons to spec and tactics to use. The past Metal Gear Online games have sadly been short-lived experiences (the first Substance pack-in hampered by reliance on an optional PS2 modem, and the second locked behind some godawful password recognition on Konami's side), meaning with Hideo Kojima leaving and Konami delving into gambling for the foreseeable future, this third instalment is purely make-or-break stuff. All the more reason then, to savour it while it lasts.
