Metal Gear Solid V: Ground Zeroes Reviews
It is surprising, and not a little depressing, that all people want to talk about with this game is the running time.
It's a game that understands everything about itself and how it works. It's the best stealth game ever made and feels like a game-changer for the medium as a whole - through its scope, the freedom it offers its players, and its deft structure. Metal Gear Solid 5: The Phantom Pain is the apex of the series and a fitting way for Kojima et al to bow out: as one, as best, as Big Boss.
Ground Zeroes is a short, but perfectly formed, experience. With outstanding graphics, a fully immersive playground and new features, Ground Zeroes still very much feels like classic Metal Gear Solid, but the new Fox Engine, particularly accompanied with next-gen technologies, brings it off the rails and gives the classic franchise the scope and settings for an even more incredible experience. Snake is back!
Metal Gear Solid V: Ground Zeroes is a small appetizer for what could be one of the greatest meals on this generation of consoles. It's true the initial mission in the game is short, but the extra content, missions, items and a first-look at the visuals more than makes the $29.99 price tag worth it. Definitely don't miss this.
Welcome back, Snake. You've been missed.
Ground Zeroes is excellent, it really is. Not only is it one of the best-looking games ever made, there is simply nothing I would change about the gameplay at all. It's an appetiser that has me drooling for the main course, and that means it has done its job. If you can overlook the price tag and the fact that there's DLC out there for other games that provides more bang for your buck, then this is absolutely worth picking up.
So here we have a glorified prologue which showcases the new generation with aplomb and makes the mouth water at what Kojima Productions can do over the course of a full game. You'll revel in the backstory provided and audio logs littered throughout if you're a Metal Gear aficionado and you'll just about get what's happening in this mission at least if you're not. Either way when playing it all out you'll find a wonderful bag of tricks that doesn't bore a great many hours after first reaching the closing cutscene and its unsurprising lack of closure (it is a prologue/prequel after all). After all of this you'll still be salivating. If this truly is a sign of things to come, then we might just get that perfect score.
Ground Zeroes is an interesting game to score. The way that it has been presented is to show off the features of the FOX Engine, and each mission is clearly designed to showcase some new gimmick or other. And yet, it doesn't feel like a demo. Although I do feel the main mission is too short, it feels like a stand-alone experience that will connect to something much greater in the future. My only gripes with Ground Zeroes, a prequel, is its length, so you can only imagine the game changer The Phantom Pain will be.
Metal Gear Solid V: Ground Zeroes is clearly an appetizer for die-hard fans who want to take on the role of Snake before the release of "The Phantom Pain". Those who are willing to explore the additional side missions in advance, apart from the short main story, will get a nice game package with Ground Zeroes, with which you can have many hours of fun. Newcomers prefer to wait for the main game.
Review in German | Read full review
A deep, entertaining stealth sandbox with endless scope for mastery. You kept us waiting, Kojima, but it was worth it.
The greatest achievement in Ground Zeroes is how bold it feels. There's so much new, and none of it obfuscates what originally made Metal Gear Solid special. There's still thrilling stealth and an attention to detail that's rarely seen, but all of it is smarter and streamlined. Ground Zeroes may only be a taste of what's to come, but it looks like Metal Gear is heading in the right direction.
Ground Zeroes is a great slice of stealth-action gaming, filled with heaps of content and strategic value -- even if it isn't quite the epic adventure some had hoped for.
As Metal Gear Solid V: Ground Zeroes is considered to be a prologue, the game only takes about 20 minutes to complete, bringing out what we should expect in the upcoming The Phantom Pain. With the Big Boss story arc in place once again, we will inevitably know how the Patriots are built.
Metal Gear Solid V: Ground Zeroes is the perfect opening for a much richer experience that Phantom Pain promises to offer. Ground Zeroes is intense, philosophical, dark, brutal, but full of hope at the same time.
Metal Gear Solid V: Ground Zeroes is the prologue to The Phantom Pain. Quite frankly this short but sweet sampled taste of a sure-fire masterpiece is an amazing demonstration of what's to come.
Greatest. Demo. Ever.
Metal Gear Solid V: Ground Zeroes is a highly accomplished, technically impressive introduction to a brave new world. Even the most legendary franchises have to adapt and assimilate eventually, and Ground Zeroes is an example of a long-running, established IP embracing new technology and trends while still retaining its core. The story's construction is a little concerning, the length will be a definite issue for some, and I have to say, the AI could use some tweaking.
While short, a Metal Gear game has never looked or played as good as Ground Zeroes. Bring on The Phantom Pain.
Metal Gear Solid V: Ground Zeroes has a brief narrative, but its short length is bolstered by flexible side missions and exceptional replayability.
Ground Zeroes makes up for its initial brevity with plentiful side content, a gorgeous look, and the most dynamic, satisfying stealth gameplay Metal Gear has seen in some time.