Multiplayer Mode

Konami have delivered not one, but two online ways to play MGSV! Alongside Online Mode is Multiplayer mode. Multiplayer mode is completely optional to take part in, but if you do choose to play this way, you’ll experience a game that is basically an extension of the Mother Base building feature. By expanding your operations to include “Forward Operating Bases”, you can generate resources and income for the single-player campaign.

Other players can attack these facilities in a PVP style mode that has the attackers attempting to steal resources or troops, and the defenders have to protect the Forward Operating Base. Defenders can call on friends to help defend, which is particularly useful if their FOB is being attacked during a story mission.

You can customise your security, staffing and layout of your FOB which allows for heaps of different configurations. After the successful or failed defence of your base, the location of the attacking player’s FOB is revealed to the defending player. But, defending players can only retaliate if the attacker was discovered during the infiltration.

Aesthetic Charm

Talk about charming! Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain has the best graphics I’ve ever seen. Using the Fox Engine, environments are incredibly photo-realistic, character models are superbly detailed, environmental effects such as clouds are mesmerising and character movements are genuine and pragmatic.

What I really love about MGSV is that the transition between cut-scenes and in-game gameplay are perfectly seamless. Not only that, but I’m amazed at how quick loading times are. It takes a little while to initially launch the game, but after that, missions launch in seconds.

There are amazing little details that have had a lot of thought put into them, like Snake having blood all over his face/clothing. Whilst at Mother Base, you can take a shower and come out nice and sparkling clean! Who doesn’t love little additions like this?

Voice acting is excellently delivered by all involved and Kiefer Sutherland doesn’t do too bad a job at voicing Snake. Sorry Hayter fans, David doesn’t appear in this installment. And with good reason too! You’re not actually playing as the Snake we all first met and loved. This is Big Boss, and with a name that epic, you’ve gotta get someone in who can deliver such a big experience.

MGSV has one of the most astounding soundtracks a game can deliver. All music can be listened to via your iDroid. Though I really wish MGSV came with a real life iDroid…

Final Thoughts

Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain has got be the best game released in 2015. Perhaps ever! It stays loyal to the series and at the same time manages to inject new life into an otherwise timeless game.

Online mode delivers a nice bit of extra gameplay, but what will really have you coming back is the main game itself. Loaded with heaps of side-ops to complete, you’ll have your hands full for quite some time.

If you’re playing MGSV on PS3, PS4 or XboxOne, you can download the companion app which lets you link up with your console game and display maps, call for support helicopters and listen to music. However, PC gamers can’t currently link in with this app.

MGSV has some of the best graphics known to gaming, and the entire cinematic experience of the story in Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain is so in-depth and engaging, you could very well find yourself coming back to play through all over again.

Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain comes highly recommended by GameReviewsAU and we implore you to save up those pennies/cents to nab yourself a copy on whichever platform you want.

Score

5 stars – epic, gigantic, flawless and filled with heaps that’ll make your jaw drop