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- Metal Gear Solid 5 was released nine years ago and remains the best stealth game.
- I’ve wanted to try the game for a while, but I finally got the chance to jump in recently.
- While I found the story slightly disappointing, the gameplay made up for it.
Hideo Kojima’s games are a work of art, and everyone should try them once in their life. As someone who’s played nearly every title this developer has ever released, I couldn’t recommend his work enough, especially the Metal Gear series.
Despite my admiration for the developer, there is one release that I have been sleeping on for quite a while: Metal Gear Solid 5. However, this changed recently, and the experience left me wondering why I was nearly nine years late to the party.
Why it matters: Metal Gear Solid 5 is one of the best examples of how to implement stealth in a modern title, especially since this genre is often overlooked today.
The Story Is Undeniably Weak
Having loved almost every second of my time with Metal Gear Solid 5, I must say that the story isn’t its forte. I have seen many people complain about the story, and it is understandable why. The story is poorly put together, possibly due to the differences between Konami and Kojima at that time.
I mainly love this franchise for its stories and gameplay. While gameplay matters the most to me, I still think the story should be compelling enough to carry the experience. That is where Metal Gear Solid 5 faltered, and I will not defend it.
Many fans claim that the story is incomplete, but this is not the case since there won’t be a follow-up. I can agree that the conclusion was poor, and there’s no defending Hideo Kojima here.
However, this is where my tiny list of complaints ends. In my opinion, the game excels in pretty much every other department.
Best Stealth Experience Ever
If you are looking for a great combat experience, do yourself a favor and try out Hideo Kojima’s last release for this series. Having played tons of games, I have never enjoyed stealth as much as I did in Metal Gear Solid 5.
Even if you are bad at the genre, you have to try this one, believe me. This is one of those games that encourages you to use stealth without forcing it upon you. The enemy AI isn’t stupid, either.
In most stealth games, the enemy AI isn’t that impressive, but Metal Gear Solid 5 heads in a different direction. Once the enemies are alerted, you won’t be able to lose them quickly by just hiding. Also, if you have alerted the enemies, they won’t be able to pinpoint your location automatically.
The enemies will try to find you, and that is where stealth plays an important role. One thing I love about the gameplay is that the enemies don’t spawn infinitely. Sure, the backup arrives soon after they are alerted, but you can take care of that, too.
You can also use C4 to distract your enemies or lure them into one of your traps. As I said earlier, the enemy AI is extremely polished, and this is something I’ve rarely seen in the stealth genre, even if it should be the standard.
My Final Thoughts
I am a little biased regarding games from Hideo Kojima, but that doesn’t mean I won’t point out the big negatives. The story is easily the weakest aspect here, and it certainly has a lot of room for improvement.
However, focus on the gameplay, and you’ll quickly forget this drawback. There doesn’t seem to be much repetition, and the gameplay forces you to sit through the entire experience because it is just so fun.
The boss fights are quite compelling, too. However, I agree that they aren’t as spectacular as they were in the previous Metal Gear Solid entries. If you want to fight unforgettable bosses, I recommend playing the first and fourth entries.
Still, the bosses here make for an engaging experience once all is said and done. Ultimately, I enjoyed my time with Kojima and Konami’s last collaboration. I’m now looking forward to Death Stranding 2, which comes out next year. Konami is set to launch Metal Gear Solid 3 Remake soon, so that’s also on my list.
Thank you! Please share your positive feedback. 🔋
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[News Reporter]
Obaid is pursuing a Law degree, while working as a content writer. He has worked as a gaming writer for over a year because of his passion for the medium and reporting the latest updates in the industry. Having played hundreds of games, Obaid finds himself coming back to Elden Ring and Red Dead Redemption 2, with these games being among his favorites. He has also been mentioned on highly regarded websites, such as Wccftech, Metro UK, PS Lifestyle, GamePressure, VGC, and Gamespot.
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