“Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain” Is the Reason to Own a Next-Gen Console
Impressive E3 Demo Demonstrates Open-Ended Gameplay
Earlier today, Kojima Productions showcased a 30-minute slice of gameplay from the highly anticipated "Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain."
The demo starts at 50 minutes:
The demo begins with Snake being briefed by series favorite Revolver Ocelot (this time voiced by Troy Baker) on a mission to acquire intel about the whereabouts of Kaz Miller. Kaz has been taken captive by Cypher, and it’s up to Snake to find and rescue him.
Set in the same desert location as the E3 2013 trailer, the first thing that hits you is just how gorgeous the game’s setting looks. "Ground Zeroes" took place in a rainy Military base. The demo contrasts the wet atmosphere of the earlier title with a sun-drenched desert village. Seeing the game in motion is simply a marvel; the superb lighting of the Fox Engine bringing the dusty environments to dazzling life.
The stealth gameplay runs impressively smooth, demonstrating some new features such as the time skipping function, capturing enemy soldiers (and hilariously animals) with the Fulton Recovery System and getting air support from your comrades at Mother Base. The fan favorite cardboard box returns, this time with some new uses, such as popping out to shoot an enemy or diving out in times of desperation. Some other features like the wall knock return too, suggesting that Kojima Productions is working hard to improve the game, even at this stage, incorporating fan feedback.
Of course this type of demo is always rehearsed and scripted to a certain degree, but even with that in mind, the superb base mechanics cannot be faulted. After some stealthing through the enemy camp, Snake finds the intel and is caught by the enemy. It’s here that Snake calls in air support from his comrades at Mother Base, this time dropping explosives on the enemies as Snake makes a hastily escape.
The meta-game of building up your Mother Base is also returning from "Peace Walker" along with the currency GMP. The costs incurred during the demo may hint at a deeper economy this time around.
We also got our first glimpse at Mother Base itself, which now acts as a kind of hub to return to between missions. Expect mission briefings to take place here akin to the ones in the aircraft in "Metal Gear Solid 4".
Right now, the game looks impossibly impressive. Running at 1080p and 60 frames per second, "The Phantom Pain" is a showpiece for your new next-gen system. After the disappointment that was "Watch Dogs", "The Phantom Pain" may be the reason to join the new console generation.
Source: Konami
Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain
Release:2015 Q1
Publisher: Konami
Platforms: PS4, Xbox One
Purchase: Amazon
