REVIEW: Metal Gear Solid V: Ground Zeroes

Metal Gear Solid V: Ground Zeroes

Reviewed By: Giuliano V. & Riley D.

Platform: PS4, XBO

Gameplay: 9, 9

Giuliano- Ground Zeroes offers a heavily refined and fluid stealth system using the new FOX Engine. Never before has a Metal Gear game felt so much in your control. Ground Zeroes displays many levels of gameplay from driving tanks to calling in helicopters, really giving a good example of what's to come in The Phantom Pain.

Riley- Very smooth and dynamic, although the aiming seemed a bit finicky. Feels slightly different from a typical MGS. However the sheer amount of options to accomplish given objectives make up for 

any feeling of discomfort for fans of the series who take time adjusting.

Story: 7, 8

Giuliano- The story is a good introduction to The Phantom Pain, but offers very little in terms of content. However, hidden audio logs add to the main mystery and are somewhat of a saving grace for the very short story.

Riley- While extremely short, it ended well and will give players reason to be excited for The Phantom Pain. The cassette tapes give greater insight, merely finishing the main mission would be doing oneself injustice.

Sound: 8, 7.5

Giuliano- While Kiefer Sutherland was not a bad voice-actor, David Hayter is extremely missed, as he was such a large part of what made the games so iconic. However, the music of the game, especially in the Deja Vu extra mission, were both nostalgic and fantastic. 

Riley- While the voice-acting is still far above-average, the lack of Hayter leaves a void that Keifer attempts admirably but does not entirely fill. The score is again superb, albeit lacking in variety.

Presentation: 9, 9

Giuliano- The game is easily one of the best looking games out right now, especially on the next-gen. While the one map in the game is designed extremely well, it is filled with generic soldiers that only change in the bonus mission. Once again, lack of variety is the problem rather than inherent faults. 

Riley- The graphics were incredible, despite being on X1 and the open world design is a revolutionary step in the MGS series. Omega Base is a very worthwhile environment to explore with something new to discover with every playthrough.

Lasting Appeal: 6, 7

Giuliano- The actual main mission of the game can last your anywhere between fifteen minutes and two hours, depending on how lost you get. While there are a few side ops and a bonus mission, most will find that they do not have an actual incentive to play them. However, the game is highly repayable, as it is fun to make new objectives for yourself, but a two hour game can only last you so long if you are not a diehard Metal Gear Solid fan. 

Riley- For fans of the series, Ground Zeroes can easily be played for tens of hours without becoming bland, however an MGS layman might not be so engrossed. The extra ops and collectible, along with the emphasis on discovery and creative thinking create a veritable sandbox of stealth that can be enjoyed from anywhere between 15 minutes to 30 hours and beyond.

Final Verdict: 8 / 10

Metal Gear Solid V: Ground Zeroes is a great taste of what is to come in The Phantom Pain. While suffering from length issues, one must remember that Ground Zeroes is intended as a prologue, which is why it is being offered from $20-$30. If you are a fan of the series, you will get countless hours out of the game, but if you are not, you will probably not get your money's worth. Either way, the only way to describe Ground Zeroes is "short, but sweet."