Award It Will Win: Game Of The Year Ground Zeroes was criticised for being unbelievably short in length when it was released earlier this year but that's almost the point of its prologue nature; it's left the world desperate for The Phantom Pain. Everything revealed about The Phantom Pain is something to get hugely excited about. The game looks incredible with sweeping landscapes bringing the open world environments to life. The character models are amazingly well detailed too; Konami's investment in the FOX Engine has paid off. The plot is set in an unexplored time period for the series as many important but unseen events take place in the Metal Gear Solid universe's version of the 1980s. The game will undoubtedly be full of references and easter eggs which will drive fans crazy, fleshing out the world dramatically. The shift into open world might have detrimented the series' stellar stealth gameplay but Kojima has introduced a number of clever ideas to ensure strategy and tactics are still key to the experience. The game features a day and night cycle which runs in real-time with certain events taking place at a specific time, creating an ever-changing world. An example used by Kojima is the idea of patrol routes and enemy numbers - these will change according to what time it is in-game, lending a realistic feel to the game while also offering Big Boss a wealth of opportunities when scouting a location. Enemies will also learn Big Boss' attack patterns and traits and will defend themselves accordingly as the game progresses. Scoring headshots on enemies and eliminating them from afar will see future opposition donning steel helmets to prevent the player from abusing certain tactics. These ideas merely scratch the surface of the potential that The Phantom Pain offers. Kojima's love to tease and shock fans is widely known - there will definitely be surprise, game-changing features which haven't been revealed yet. If even half of the creative ideas implemented by Konami pay off, Metal Gear Solid V might establish itself, not just as the best game of 2015, but as the best in the series - and that's saying something. Agree? Disagree? Is there a game you're particularly looking forward to playing and judging in 2015? Let us know in the comments below.
I have an addiction to achievements, a craving for new bands and a dream to become Captain America. I once finished second in a Mario Kart 7 tournament so I'm kind of a big deal.
