From one controversial game to another, the fifth main instalment in Metal Gear's ludicrously fun canon decided to reign things back in some very key areas, whilst expanding gameplay to become the total embodiment of everything the past titles have been shooting for. David Hayter was taken away from Snake's iconic pipes and replaced by Kiefer Sutherland, who gives a far more muted take on the character, thanks to creator Hideo Kojima's direction. It results in a story that's a bit sporadic in the delivery of its major beats, but favours the all-new open-world entirely. See, you're out to build your own private army, and that means air-lifting soldiers out with balloons, tackling missions and exploring every section of the two sizeable maps for endless hours - a task made endlessly enjoyable thanks to some exquisitely perfected controls. MGS V could've been the game of the year if Konami's company meltdown hadn't impacted the various pieces of cut content that then impact the continuity of the story, but as it stands, Phantom Pain is the best-playing Metal Gear by a landslide, an extremely fun mix of experimentation and execution that'll ensure no two missions ever play out the same way.
