I have such weird feelings about MGSV

[Confused Mark Wahlberg]

I will give them credit, they did make Eli the most punchable kid I have ever seen

[DZ: WF Legacy]

I feel the same exact way.

The general consensus is that it's a great stealth-action game and a poor Metal Gear game. And I agree 100% with that analysis. I also think people give Kojima way too much of pass when so many of the creative misses of this game are his fault, not Konami. Konami sucked here too, don't get me wrong, but it was Kojima that decided to go with a name brand actor, which greatly limited the dialog of said character. He did this with Death Stranding too, with the same amount of awkward silence since it was very costly to use the Walking Dead guy. A popular misnomer is that it was done for 'story' reasons in V, but in Japan, it's the same Snake VA, so that excuse doesn't fly with me. Kojima wanted a popular Western action star to star in his game; that's it.

I had a blast playing MGSV until the long drag at the end. It was absolutely gorgeous, the weapon upgrade system was deep and worth investing in with all the fun traps and modifiers you could get, and it is easily the best playing Metal Gear Solid game ever made. I just found myself rolling my eyes at the dry story, the repetitive missions, the overly confusing FOB stuff (which gets better when you're not forced to deal with it later on), the random heel turn of Major Zero that they started in MGS4 that didn't get a SINGLE CUTSCENE in this game (just in audio cassettes), Code Talker's endless babble, and everything to do with Skullface. The infamous jeep ride is where the game jumped the shark for me. They just stare at each other, it makes zero sense, this hilariously dramatic song blares though half the ride, and it falls flat of whatever impact it was supposed to have. There are a few bright spots - for one, the actual production of the cut scenes is top caliber. They are polished, use excellent lighting effects, and overall look very AAA. There are intriguing moments with Huey, and even though Quiet was more horny bullshit, she ultimately has the best story arc in the game at the end.

It's a game I was massively disappointed with but still loved at the same time. Easily the most conflicting video game I've ever played. When it's good, though? And you're coming up with fun and creative ways to take down a base? It's one of the best damn gaming experiences I've ever had.