MGS V: The Phantom Pain Review
The Metal Gear game series comprises of stealth and action games where you play as many iterations of the hero Snake across a diverse and interweaving timeline spanning multiple console generations. The story behind the franchise is long and makes quite the web as it crosses back and forth through time between the varying games. Due to it's length, I won't go into detail on all of it, but you can always refer to this excellent article by Steven Schneider over at Tech Times for a comprehensive breakdown of the timeline by game in chronological order.
The aim of all of the Metal Gear games is to basically stop the Metal Gear super weapons, and every game since the first one in 1987 tasks the player with taking a new Metal Gear down. The earlier iterations of the franchise allowed only for a bird's eye or third person gameplay perspective on maps that were small in scale compared to what a lot of triple-A title's boast today. Levels were pre-designed to funnel players through limited areas via a closed-world setup where players had little choice in their approach to an area.
In the latest installment of the franchise, MGS V: The Phantom Pain, the game layout changes dramatically. Players are placed into a gorgeously designed free roam style map, made possible by the amazing FOX ENGINE, that allows them to choose their own entry points and plan accordingly. This is the only game in the franchise (aside from the introductory Ground Zeroes game that leads up to this one) that gives players the freedom of an open-world.
One of the most interesting inclusions in the open world of The Phantom Pain is the "Motherbase". This serves as a base of operations for the Diamond Dogs and a hub for the player. Motherbase needs to be built as you proceed through the game, and the bigger it becomes, the more opportunities become available, so it encourages you to explore the world and conduct missions in order to keep progressing. While you are out in the vast landscapes of Afghanistan and Central Africa, you'll come across staff members and resources such as diamonds and currency. The more staff members you obtain, the more areas of Motherbase can be filled and operated opening up new items and opportunities for the player. Combat Unit members that you gain can even be sent out on separate side missions, and you can equip them with anything from your developed equipment including vehicles to potentially help them succeed with their mission.
You'll also obtain the added ability to take buddies with you on missions. Each buddy offers a different play style and abilities. Once you discover them, you can choose from D-Dog, D-Horse, D-Walker, and Quiet. You're also able to take a vehicle into your missions to help you get around quicker and allow for quick escapes.
On October 1st, 2015, Metal Gear Online 3 was released for consoles with the PC servers being opened up on January 1st, 2016. This brought a lot of new features to the game. For players who completed the story, these changes brought some very unique and fun gameplay elements including the introduction of multiplayer modes, and more free DLC updates are still to come.
I feel that, aside from the amazing single player experience, these additional DLC's will continue to add life into an already excellent game making it highly worthy of a second look if you didn't pick it up the first time or if you had but beat it and have yet to come back.