Metal Gear Solid V: Ground Zeroes - 10 Things We Now Know About The Phantom Pain

10. Refined Gameplay

Going into Ground Zeroes it was publicly known - and actually feared - that the series had adopted more conventional shooter tropes like regenerating health and slow-motion effects in favour of the traditional life bar and more restrictive elements that forced stealth over going in guns blazing. It almost feels as if the series is abandoning its roots to become more accessible, which is naturally a double-edged sword. Obviously more people buying and playing the game is a good thing, but the fanbase can't be kicked to the curb either. Having played Ground Zeroes it's safe to say that the changes feel like a logical progression for the franchise, and something that will definitely help provide a balance for longtime fans and newcomers. It's also a welcome addition that if players dislike the slow-motion reflex - which allows you to tranquilise or kill an enemy while they're entering the alert phase - it can be completely disabled for a pure stealth experience. The open world is also a fascinating addition and comes across as a monumental leap forward in the stealth action genre as a whole. As far as Ground Zeroes goes, the sandbox is elegantly laid out in a way that promotes stealth at all times, but doesn't really overbear gamers with a sense that exploration isn't welcome. There are also some truly revolutionary ideas updated from the original Metal Gear Solid such as the ability to hop into an enemy truck from behind and let them drive you straight into a heavily guarded area of a base. It's that sense of strategic freedom that the franchise is known for, and thankfully it hasn't been forgotten amidst the removal of trademark moves like rolling and knocking on walls. The Phantom Pain is being touted as 200 times larger than Camp Omega; it's so dense that Kojima is worried that gamers may not even be able to finish the game. Nevertheless, having an environment that much larger is only going to make these revolutionary stealth mechanics that much more engaging. What Kojima really should mull over is if The Phantom Pain is telling an overly dark story that might not balance out with all of his other idiosyncratic elements. Seriously, these next few pages cover some disturbing plot points.