Please support Game Informer. Print magazine subscriptions are less than $2 per issue
Opinion – Being Excited For Metal Gear Solid V: Ground Zeroes
So far I don't think Konami nor Kojima has done a great job with the marketing and publicity behind Metal Gear Solid V. Don't get me wrong: I found the Phantom Pain prank humorous if transparent, but for some gamers Konami has lost the PR war with its strategy to release MGS V: Ground Zeroes – a prologue to the main experience: MGS V: The Phantom Pain. That being said, I couldn't be more excited to play Ground Zeroes.
I don't begrudge that many gamers have already blanched at paying $20 to $40 (depending on which system and delivery method you choose) on what is a prologue to the main attraction: The Phantom Pain. For me – a big fan of the series – I don't see it in terms of money as much as weighing Ground Zeroes' overall value. In that light, it fits right in with other games in the series and how I play them.
I always take the first few hours of a Metal Gear game slow. I proceed with extreme caution and use the time to get a grip on the gameplay. Since Metal Gear games' controls have traditionally been different than other titles (oftentimes irritatingly so), running before you can walk does me no good. Thus, I'm excited to play and approach Ground Zeroes similar to the way that I poured through every aspect of Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty's tanker opening, the intro forest portions of Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater, and soaked in the graphics of PlayStation 3's Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots.
Given some of the new tweaks for MGS V, such as tagging enemies with your binoculars, the lack of hard indicators for when the coast is clear, and the new driving, there should be plenty to master in Ground Zeroes. I also don't expect to simply plow through the prologue because of the added content of the side missions, XOF badges collecting, and the PS4-exclusive return to Shadow Moses.
Then again, for me it's not simply about a laundry list of time-sucks to artificially boost and justify how much time I spend with the game. I'm looking forward to Ground Zeroes because it sounds like a fun Metal Gear experience that is more than just a slight demo. I'm sure I'm going to dissect its events with fans like my coworkers Tim and Joe, and that's a part of the involvement that I don't want to miss out on. I also don't want to forgo the chance to have some of my progress in the prologue give me a head start in The Phantom Pain.
Through the years, I haven't always agreed with all the moves that Kojima has made with his franchise, but I've also maintained my great excitement for the each entry. That tradition continues with Ground Zeroes.
For more on Ground Zeroes, Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain, and Kojima himself, check out our cover story hub by clicking on the banner below.
I’d like to ask you to support Game Informer’s continued coverage of games with a subscription. For less than two dollars per issue, we mail you a full year of 10 print magazines, each with cover stories and preview features filled with exclusive details about the most exciting upcoming games. We profile and interview game creators. We look back on the rich history of gaming, and we celebrate what’s next.
Here on the website, we offer much of our content for free, including game reviews, daily news, videos, event coverage, and more – all with minimal ads.
We do so with a small editorial team, alongside contributing paid writers from around the world – over 65 individuals from 9 countries around the world, just in the last couple of years.
It’s not possible without support.
In a time when game makers and games coverage have faced hard struggles and layoffs, the future of this 30+ year magazine and community is at risk. Our new standalone magazine subscription is the number one way you can keep us alive – and we believe you’ll get a pretty fantastic gaming magazine in your mailbox every few weeks for your trouble.
Thank you.
