I recently finished playing the entire MGS series for the first time, from MGS1-MGS4, Peace Walker, Ground Zeroes, and finally The Phantom Pain. Considering Kojima was forced to make this (when MGS4 was meant to be the final Metal Gear game), and he managed to make the story fit as well as it did, being the story of how MGS3 links to Metal Gear 1/2 - it's very impressive. Boasting some of the most cohesive, enjoyable gameplay for a modern audience, the game looking beautiful, and an intriguing story that... feels like it was abruptly cut off. There is unfinished business that has to be "assumed" during the end of the MGSV:TPP story. There is a large amount of controversy surrounding the supposed "Chapter 3: Peace", which you can find very easily online. I am leaving this review to say that this game is Kojima's last Metal Gear Solid project, and while amazing, fun, enjoyable, all that - it had large chunks of story left on the cutting room floor, thanks to Konami and ♥♥♥♥♥♥ business practices. Business practices which are now being used in the upcoming Silent Hill 2 "Remake", and the awful " "Master" Collection" for MGS1, MGS2: Sons of Liberty, and MGS3: Snake Eater. Those games deserve better treatment than to be shoved out the door in the state they were released in, and are currently in.

MGSV: The Phantom Pain is a great time. I would highly recommend playing Metal Gear Solid 1 - 4, Peace Walker, and Ground Zeroes beforehand to get the full experience.

♥♥♥♥ Konami.

I recently finished playing the entire MGS series for the first time, from MGS1-MGS4, Peace Walker, Ground Zeroes, and finally The Phantom Pain. Considering Kojima was forced to make this (when MGS4 was meant to be the final Metal Gear game), and he managed to make the story fit as well as it did, being the story of how MGS3 links to Metal Gear 1/2 - it's very impressive. Boasting some of the most cohesive, enjoyable gameplay for a modern audience, the game looking [i]beautiful[/i], and an intriguing story that... feels like it was abruptly cut off. There is unfinished business that has to be "assumed" during the end of the MGSV:TPP story. There is a large amount of controversy surrounding the supposed "Chapter 3: Peace", which you can find very easily online. I am leaving this review to say that this game is Kojima's last Metal Gear Solid project, and while amazing, fun, enjoyable, all that - it had large chunks of story left on the cutting room floor, thanks to Konami and shitty business practices. Business practices which are now being used in the upcoming Silent Hill 2 "Remake", and the awful " "Master" Collection" for MGS1, MGS2: Sons of Liberty, and MGS3: Snake Eater. Those games deserve better treatment than to be shoved out the door in the state they were released in, and are currently in. MGSV: The Phantom Pain is a great time. I would highly recommend playing Metal Gear Solid 1 - 4, Peace Walker, and Ground Zeroes beforehand to get the full experience. Fuck Konami.