5. The Late-Game Mission Progression Feels Broken
Phantom Pain takes huge chunks of its appeal and game design from Peace Walker; and although for the most part it all comes together better than ever before (Fulton'ing soldiers and building your own Poké-Mother Base looks incredible now you can actually walk around it), but the one thing that also transfers is the late-game idea of replaying the hardest missions to further the story. After Episode 32 in the main list, you'll start to see things like or listed next to the upcoming mission; and rather than be modifiers on new content, instead you're literally going back to replay a handful of select episodes from across the game, with modifiers like "Game over if seen" or "Extra damage" applied. This wouldn't be too bad if it was framed differently, like Kaz saying "Hey Boss, I think you could've done this mission better", only for BB to daydream and boot you back in - something other than replaying the old cutscenes, getting the same progression beats ('Here's the guy who can modify your arm') and all the requisite dialogue. It feels like you're doing something wrong, and when characters like Quiet can be re-added to the Brig for replaying her mission regardless of her place in the story, almost completely broken. These missions are required to unlock a handful of 'proper' story episodes (you'll trigger random cutscenes or cassette tapes upon completion), but it's a very odd way to frame the run-up to the big finish, especially when it doesn't make a lick of sense outside of the game literally telling you to replay old missions for the hell of it.