TL;DR: This is by far the best game I have played in 2016. Everything about it is excellent, from the graphics to the story and the gameplay, this game is almost flawless. Hideo Kojima has really outdone himself on this one. Don't be afraid of buying this if you have no previous Metal Gear experience/knowledge. That is the same situation I was in and I became a fan in a matter of days. You'll have no problem enjoying the game nonetheless.


I will begin by saying that this game won two awards back in 2015 when it was first released: best soundtrack and best action/adventure. Does it deserve them? Absolutely yes. This game is a masterpiece, not that it wouldn't be expected from Kojima. Right off the bat if you like good stealth experiences, variety in gameplay, an in-depth upgrade system and a magnificent plot, this game is for you.


There are a total of 50 missions in the game, even though the "main" story ends at mission 31. After that, there are some more of the old missions to play but with different twists, like total stealth or "extreme", and 7 missions which expand on the story, the "real" ending of the game being mission 46, which is the first mission in the game but iwth some bonus cutscenes that make for one of the most radical plot twists in gaming history. A brief introduction to the story: you are Punished "Venom" Snake, a soldier of legend fueled by a lust for revenge against the organization that destroyed everything he has built. From the ashes of his former team rises his own private military task force, the Diamond Dogs. Will you be able to exact your revenge?


The main thing you do in the game is infiltrate enemy bases and gather intel. That can be either done by stealth or by going in guns blazing, which isn't really recommended. There are always alternate paths you can take and more than one way to complete a mission. The game encourages you to try out different strategies with the vast toolset at your disposal. You can also go for a non-lethal approach (by tranquilizing enemies) or a lethal one, having plenty of upgrade choices for your weapons and gadgets as well as getting different ranks in a mission based on your performance while playing.Also, the game uses negative feedback loops meaning that the AI will react to your playstyle. Infiltrating at night? If you do that several times, the guards will be supplied with night vision goggles. Going for headshots most of the time? Guards will wear helmets. And so on. This forces the player to adopt a more varied playstyle and try out different strategies and techniques. Or you could just say "♥♥♥♥ it" and still go for headshots (with a helmet it takes 2 shots to kill a guard, one for the helmet and one for him). It's your choice, really. The Fox Engine gives you so many options that it almost feels like a sandbox at times, the only thing that limits your approach being your imagination.


The aforementioned Fox Engine can also make for not only varied gameplay but some quite beautiful moments. The game's take on Afghanistan and the Angola-Zaire border region (the two maps the action takes place in) is unique and even magnificent at times. In addition, the soundtrack perfectly fits the game's theme featuring some classics from the 80's. You are sure not to get bored with all the tasks Metal Gear Solid V puts on the table. From rescuing former mother base soldiers to finding cassette tapes and upgrade blueprints, your average completionist will feel right at home. There is also an aspect of the game in which you have to rebuild Mother Base's platforms in the Seychelles. Different upgrades feature different resources being mined or new technologies for weapon upgrades being unlocked. There is a multiplayer component as well besides Metal Gear Online (in which you fight other players in deathmatch environments). FOBs (forward operations bases) let you build a second "Mother Base" for other players to test their skills in by infiltrating it, and it also allows you to infiltrate those players' bases so you can get to hone your tactical skills too.


In the end, it all boils down to how you want to play the game or how much time you are willing to invest into it. I assure you it will take you 50+ hours to complete the story of this amazing game and at least 100 more if you are a completionist like me and want to find all the blueprints and to get the S rank in every mission. I can safely say, that, with 230 hours of playtime at the time of writing this review, I don't see myself getting bored soon thanks to the online play. If you want a solid stealth experience, just buy this game. You won't regret it.

TL;DR: This is by far the best game I have played in 2016. Everything about it is excellent, from the graphics to the story and the gameplay, this game is almost flawless. Hideo Kojima has really outdone himself on this one. Don't be afraid of buying this if you have no previous Metal Gear experience/knowledge. That is the same situation I was in and I became a fan in a matter of days. You'll have no problem enjoying the game nonetheless. [h1][b]INTRODUCTION[/b][/h1] I will begin by saying that this game won two awards back in 2015 when it was first released: best soundtrack and best action/adventure. Does it deserve them? Absolutely yes. This game is a masterpiece, not that it wouldn't be expected from Kojima. Right off the bat if you like good stealth experiences, variety in gameplay, an in-depth upgrade system and a magnificent plot, this game is for you. [h1][b]STORY[/b][/h1] There are a total of 50 missions in the game, even though the "main" story ends at mission 31. After that, there are some more of the old missions to play but with different twists, like total stealth or "extreme", and 7 missions which expand on the story, the "real" ending of the game being mission 46, which is the first mission in the game but iwth some bonus cutscenes that make for one of the most radical plot twists in gaming history. A brief introduction to the story: you are Punished "Venom" Snake, a soldier of legend fueled by a lust for revenge against the organization that destroyed everything he has built. From the ashes of his former team rises his own private military task force, the Diamond Dogs. Will you be able to exact your revenge? [h1][b]GAMEPLAY[/b][/h1] The main thing you do in the game is infiltrate enemy bases and gather intel. That can be either done by stealth or by going in guns blazing, which isn't really recommended. There are always alternate paths you can take and more than one way to complete a mission. The game encourages you to try out different strategies with the vast toolset at your disposal. You can also go for a non-lethal approach (by tranquilizing enemies) or a lethal one, having plenty of upgrade choices for your weapons and gadgets as well as getting different ranks in a mission based on your performance while playing.Also, the game uses negative feedback loops meaning that the AI will react to your playstyle. Infiltrating at night? If you do that several times, the guards will be supplied with night vision goggles. Going for headshots most of the time? Guards will wear helmets. And so on. This forces the player to adopt a more varied playstyle and try out different strategies and techniques. Or you could just say "fuck it" and still go for headshots (with a helmet it takes 2 shots to kill a guard, one for the helmet and one for him). It's your choice, really. The Fox Engine gives you so many options that it almost feels like a sandbox at times, the only thing that limits your approach being your imagination. [h1][b]OTHER ASPECTS[/b][/h1] The aforementioned Fox Engine can also make for not only varied gameplay but some quite beautiful moments. The game's take on Afghanistan and the Angola-Zaire border region (the two maps the action takes place in) is unique and even magnificent at times. In addition, the soundtrack perfectly fits the game's theme featuring some classics from the 80's. You are sure not to get bored with all the tasks Metal Gear Solid V puts on the table. From rescuing former mother base soldiers to finding cassette tapes and upgrade blueprints, your average completionist will feel right at home. There is also an aspect of the game in which you have to rebuild Mother Base's platforms in the Seychelles. Different upgrades feature different resources being mined or new technologies for weapon upgrades being unlocked. There is a multiplayer component as well besides Metal Gear Online (in which you fight other players in deathmatch environments). FOBs (forward operations bases) let you build a second "Mother Base" for other players to test their skills in by infiltrating it, and it also allows you to infiltrate those players' bases so you can get to hone your tactical skills too. [h1][b]CONCLUSION[/b][/h1] In the end, it all boils down to how you want to play the game or how much time you are willing to invest into it. I assure you it will take you 50+ hours to complete the story of this amazing game and at least 100 more if you are a completionist like me and want to find all the blueprints and to get the S rank in every mission. I can safely say, that, with 230 hours of playtime at the time of writing this review, I don't see myself getting bored soon thanks to the online play. If you want a solid stealth experience, just buy this game. You won't regret it.