This game is like a distillation of everything metal gear into one magnificent game that honestly I was shocked when people told me it was unfinished because I obssessively looked for tapes, listened to conversations, explored for resources, animals, sneaking in general. Honestly, I put over 300 hours into the game, and most of that was single player, I S ranked every mission because it was fun the more equipment you unlocked, the more you tried different tactics you were always rewarded with a satisfying or surprising reaction.
The CQC is somewhere between MGS3 and 4, with the multi CQC from PW. All of the movement feels like MGS4, with a tinge towards the feel of the older titles. What I mean by this is notice how responsive Big Boss, Solid Snake, Raiden, etc are in each game. The the depth of the mechanics has constantly expanded, and refined, with each entry, MGS1,3, and V are my favorites but I also love MG1 and 2(thanks subsistence for making the better versions of these titles). In this came there is a camo system, there are benefits to using the different camouflages over the Sneaking Suits. If you read their descriptions, you usually get a bonus to your overall camo index depending on the terrain the camo is designed for. In MGSV, there just isn't a lot to indicate this except, how visible you are from Enemies. This reminds me of how the vanilla version of Snake Eater encouraged you to use your binoculars and FPV to observe and scout the area before moving through it. There are also CQC options from prone.
Honestly, if you turn off reflex, it feels exactly like MGS. Also, the expanded AI in TPP over GZ is amazing, and while there were clearly either changes in development or not enough time to implement some things, I feel overall the game is mostly complete from beginning to end, to get to the final episodes all you have to do is play side ops.
Honestly, I was super fucking surprised how much I loved what is essentially a sequel to MGS2 in a spiritual way that also closes the story and plot holes within the greater mythos in a very interesting way that I didn't expect. The way the final cutscene transitions, with the noises from the first MSX game, the background transitions. It all just kind of clicked, listening to the tapes it painted a clearer picture of Big Boss and Zero's private war, as well as the fallout of the events Snake Eater itself. I liked Skullface, I liked the jeep ride. I didn't use quiet much until I could put her cool sneaking suit on because that character is mostly a fan-service, even if her final mission actually had some good writing and voice acting.
Like I said there are things in this game that are just masterpiece level, the gameplay which is a throwback to something that feels like an evolution of the series and not a dumbing down or reduction. I liked MGS4 but it was too complex, and the best element was the full octocamo set, as well as some of the movement options while prone, like playing dead, or hanging off slightly from a ledge to attack someone.The different disarms you can perform. That said MGSV has the same amount of depth, you can switch from shooting to CQC and back to CQC fluidly and believably. There are quite a few different animations for disarming even though they kind of all look similar, especially if you actually watch Venom's hands. It is amazing how much detail they put into the character animation, also the Dive button is the single greatest addition in any stealth game I've ever played, game changer.
MGS4 is a game I enjoyed, but there wasn't enough of the actual gameplay to it, the installation between acts(which was fixed with the trophy patch, they let you install the whole game eliminating the smoke breaks and installs) was not fun after the first time. Some of the game was...very cringeworthy, and I cringed less and found myself more intrigued in TPP than I thought I would. I still kind of love MGS4 just for the absurd ending, where Big Boss kills a 105 or something year old man that is Major fucking Zero(and it looks like him). Like this was insane.
MGO3 is okay, FOB is fun, MGO2 was the far better game and seeing as how that has a revival it makes me yearn to have a PS3 and a copy of MGS4. Since MGO2 gave me more of the gameplay I craved, even though it was different but coming from the fact that I loved MGO1 in subsistence, I was more than happy with it.
The one thing I don't understand is that people say Ocelot is super bland, I felt like in the tapes and cutscenes we do seem him in, he is pretty great. It feels like what I think a middle aged Ocelot would be, kind of this weird bored dude that adores Big Boss and guns. I do feel like he was underused, even though the torture scenes with Huey are absolutely amazing, and really feel like Ocelot's sadistic nature from MGS1 and his canon.
Damn, now I might have to reinstall MGSV again.
