Metal Gear Solid V: Ground Zeroes

A promising look forward for the series but the price-point is an unfortunate distraction.

Game Name: Metal Gear Solid V: Ground Zeroes

Platforms: PlayStation 3, PlayStation 4, Xbox 360, Xbox One

Publisher: Konami

Developer: Kojima Productions

Genres:Open World, Stealth action, Third person shooter

UK Release: 

For as long as I can remember, quality over quantity was at the forefront of importance. Without fail, I would always choose to play a few hours of the highest quality than dozens of mediocrity. That being said, a balance must be struck in the tri-factor tree of quality, quantity and value. It’s all well and good having a tremendous title, or one packed with an obscene amount of content, but if it’s priced incorrectly then it does the title a huge disservice. Unfortunately, that is exactly the scenario that Metal Gear Solid V: Ground Zeroes finds itself in.

Concerns over the games pricing are merited as at around an hours worth of gameplay there is a criminal lack of content available. That being said, there is a strong replay appeal to Ground Zeroes and one that – with unlockable side missions, mission scoring and variable progression routes – substantially increases the length of time you’ll spend with Konami’s latest outing in the hugely popular franchise. There is validly more time to be spent with Ground Zeroes than a single playthrough and to do so would restrict yourself from experiencing what is a tremendously crafted title.

As with any Metal Gear Solid title, Ground Zeroes plays out with superb cinematic direction and an abundance of cutscenes (even for its miniaturised length). There’s a back-story section that fills in the details prior to Ground Zeroes but this is done via the medium of text rather than a cutscene, which feels rather jarring – almost as if it was an afterthought – in comparison to the rest of the slick presentation.

The core story section is set after the events of Peace Walker in 1975 and sees players return as protagonist Big Boss – though now voice by Keifer Sutherland who fills the role suitably. Narrative wise there’s not much here and it is very much a prologue for what’s to come.

Stay in the shadows