is a 2015
action-adventure
An action-adventure game is a video game genre, video game hybrid genre that combines core elements from both the action game and adventure game genres.
Definition
An action adventure game can be defined as a game with a mix of elements f ...
stealth game
A stealth game is a type of video game in which the player primarily uses ''stealth'' to avoid or overcome opponents. Games in the video game genre, genre typically allow the player to remain undetected by hiding, sneaking, or using disguises. S ...
developed and published by
Konami
, commonly known as Konami, , is a Japanese multinational entertainment company and video game developer and video game publisher, publisher headquartered in Chūō, Tokyo, Chūō, Tokyo. The company also produces and distributes trading card ...
. Directed, written, and designed by
Hideo Kojima
is a Japanese video game designer. Regarded as one of the pioneering auteurs of video games, he developed a strong passion for film and literature during his childhood and adolescence, which in turn has had a significant influence on his game ...
(as his final work at Konami), it is the ninth installment in the ''
Metal Gear
is a Media franchise, franchise of stealth games created by Hideo Kojima. Developed and published by Konami, the first game, ''Metal Gear (video game), Metal Gear'', was released in 1987 for MSX, MSX home computers. The player often takes con ...
'' franchise, following ''
Metal Gear Solid V: Ground Zeroes'', a stand-alone prologue released the previous year. Set in 1984, nine years after the events of ''Ground Zeroes'', the story follows
mercenary
A mercenary is a private individual who joins an armed conflict for personal profit, is otherwise an outsider to the conflict, and is not a member of any other official military. Mercenaries fight for money or other forms of payment rather t ...
leader
Punished "Venom" Snake as he ventures into
Soviet
The Union of Soviet Socialist Republics. (USSR), commonly known as the Soviet Union, was a List of former transcontinental countries#Since 1700, transcontinental country that spanned much of Eurasia from 1922 until Dissolution of the Soviet ...
-occupied
Afghanistan
Afghanistan, officially the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan, is a landlocked country located at the crossroads of Central Asia and South Asia. It is bordered by Pakistan to the Durand Line, east and south, Iran to the Afghanistan–Iran borde ...
and the
Angola
Angola, officially the Republic of Angola, is a country on the west-Central Africa, central coast of Southern Africa. It is the second-largest Portuguese-speaking world, Portuguese-speaking (Lusophone) country in both total area and List of c ...
–
Zaire
Zaire, officially the Republic of Zaire, was the name of the Democratic Republic of the Congo from 1971 to 18 May 1997. Located in Central Africa, it was, by area, the third-largest country in Africa after Sudan and Algeria, and the 11th-la ...
border region to exact revenge on those who destroyed his forces and came close to killing him during the climax of ''Ground Zeroes''.
The game is played from a
third-person perspective
Narration is the use of a written or spoken commentary to storytelling, convey a narrative, story to an audience. Narration is conveyed by a narrator: a specific person, or unspecified literary voice, developed by the creator of the story to del ...
in an
open world
In video games, an open world is a virtual world in which the Gamer, player can approach objectives freely, as opposed to a world with more linear and structured gameplay. Notable games in this category include ''The Legend of Zelda (video game ...
which can be explored either on foot or by modes of transport. Snake can use a wide repertoire of weapons and items and receive assistance from several
AI companions, allowing the player to combat enemies either stealthily or directly. Enemy soldiers and resources found in the world can be transported to Snake's headquarters, allowing for its expansion and the development of further technology. The game includes two separate multiplayer modes, ''Metal Gear Online'' (also known as ''Metal Gear Online 3'') and
Forward Operating Bases (FOBs); the latter mode allows players to develop FOBs, which can then be invaded by other players.
''Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain'' was released for
PlayStation 3
The PlayStation 3 (PS3) is a home video game console developed and marketed by Sony Computer Entertainment (SCE). It is the successor to the PlayStation 2, and both are part of the PlayStation brand of consoles. The PS3 was first released on ...
,
PlayStation 4
The PlayStation 4 (PS4) is a home video game console developed by Sony Interactive Entertainment. Announced as the successor to the PlayStation 3 in February 2013, it was launched on November 15, 2013, in North America, November 29, 2013, in ...
,
Windows
Windows is a Product lining, product line of Proprietary software, proprietary graphical user interface, graphical operating systems developed and marketed by Microsoft. It is grouped into families and subfamilies that cater to particular sec ...
,
Xbox 360
The Xbox 360 is a home video game console developed by Microsoft. As the successor to the Xbox (console), original Xbox, it is the second console in the Xbox#Consoles, Xbox series. It was officially unveiled on MTV on May 12, 2005, with detail ...
, and
Xbox One
The Xbox One is a home video game console developed by Microsoft. Announced in May 2013, it is the successor to Xbox 360 and the third console in the Xbox#Consoles, Xbox series. It was first released in North America, parts of Europe, Austra ...
on September 1, 2015. It received critical acclaim, with praise for its gameplay, open world, graphics, themes, and performances. Its narrative and certain changes to the series formula divided critics, while the appearance of the character
Quiet
QUIET was an astronomy experiment to study the polarization of the cosmic microwave background radiation. QUIET stands for Q/U Imaging ExperimenT. The Q/U in the name refers to the ability of the telescope to measure the Q and U Stokes parameters ...
drew criticism. The game's repeated missions, ending, and evidence of removed content led some to label it unfinished. ''The Phantom Pain'' shipped 6 million units by December 2015. It received several awards and is considered to be one of the greatest stealth games of all time. ''Metal Gear Solid V: The Definitive Experience'', a bundle that includes both ''The Phantom Pain'' and ''Ground Zeroes'', along with all additional content for both games, was released in October 2016.
Gameplay
''Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain'' is a
stealth
Stealth may refer to:
Military
*Stealth technology, technology used to conceal ships, aircraft, and missiles
**Stealth aircraft, aircraft which use stealth technology
** Stealth ground vehicle, ground vehicles which use stealth technology
** Ste ...
game in which players take the role of
Punished "Venom" Snake from a
third-person perspective
Narration is the use of a written or spoken commentary to storytelling, convey a narrative, story to an audience. Narration is conveyed by a narrator: a specific person, or unspecified literary voice, developed by the creator of the story to del ...
in an
open world
In video games, an open world is a virtual world in which the Gamer, player can approach objectives freely, as opposed to a world with more linear and structured gameplay. Notable games in this category include ''The Legend of Zelda (video game ...
. Gameplay elements are largely unchanged from ''Ground Zeroes'', meaning that players must stealthily traverse several areas in the game world, avoiding enemy guards and remaining undetected.
Included in Snake's repertoire are
binoculars
Binoculars or field glasses are two refracting telescopes mounted side-by-side and aligned to point in the same direction, allowing the viewer to use both eyes (binocular vision) when viewing distant objects. Most binoculars are sized to be held ...
, a variety of weapons,
explosive
An explosive (or explosive material) is a reactive substance that contains a great amount of potential energy that can produce an explosion if released suddenly, usually accompanied by the production of light, heat, sound, and pressure. An ex ...
s, and stealth-based items such as cardboard boxes and decoys.
Following one of the series traditions, ''The Phantom Pain'' encourages players to progress through the game without killing, using
non-lethal weapon
Non-lethal weapons, also called nonlethal weapons, less-lethal weapons, less-than-lethal weapons, non-deadly weapons, compliance weapons, or pain-inducing weapons are weapons intended to be less likely to kill a living target than convention ...
s such as
tranquilizer
A sedative or tranquilliser is a substance that induces sedation by reducing irritability or excitement. They are central nervous system (CNS) depressants and interact with brain activity, causing its deceleration. Various kinds of sedatives c ...
darts to subdue enemies. Players may traverse the game world with vehicles such as jeeps and tanks, in addition to traveling on foot or on horseback, and as certain locations are mountainous, players may opt to go
rock climbing
Rock climbing is a climbing sports discipline that involves ascending climbing routes, routes consisting of natural rock in an outdoor environment, or on artificial resin climbing walls in a mostly indoor environment. Routes are documented in c ...
as a shortcut. They may call for helicopter support against enemy soldiers or request airstrikes that can bombard the target area or
change the weather
''Change the Weather'' is the second album released by Underworld, in 1989. It contains the single
"Stand Up", which became the band's biggest US hit, peaking at number 69 on the ''Billboard'' Hot 100 and number 14 on the Alternative Songs
...
.
Snake can call on one of a few
AI "buddy" companions: D-Horse, a horse capable of wearing armor and hiding Snake during travel; D-Dog, a wolf pup raised to assist Snake in the field;
Quiet
QUIET was an astronomy experiment to study the polarization of the cosmic microwave background radiation. QUIET stands for Q/U Imaging ExperimenT. The Q/U in the name refers to the ability of the telescope to measure the Q and U Stokes parameters ...
, a mute female sniper with supernatural abilities; and D-Walker, a manned, highly agile mobile weapons platform that can provide heavy weapons support.
The companions' abilities and their effectiveness depends on the player's relationship with them.
There is a large emphasis on tactics in ''The Phantom Pain''.
As in ''
Metal Gear Solid: Peace Walker'', ''The Phantom Pain'' features a base-building system that allows players to develop weapons and items from their headquarters, Mother Base. Recruitment of enemy soldiers and
prisoners
A prisoner, also known as an inmate or detainee, is a person who is deprived of liberty against their will. This can be by confinement or captivity in a prison or physical restraint. The term usually applies to one serving a sentence in priso ...
has returned for this purpose, allowing the base to grow through organization. The player is given the option to access their base from their real-life smartphones and other devices via a companion app.
Unlike in ''Peace Walker'', where players can only view Mother Base from the air, ''The Phantom Pain'' allows players to control Snake as he explores the complex on foot. The
Fulton surface-to-air recovery system
The Fulton surface-to-air recovery system (STARS), also known as Skyhook, is a system used by the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA), United States Air Force, and United States Navy for retrieving individuals on the ground using aircraft such a ...
, an item introduced into gameplay in ''Peace Walker'', returns as well, with players able to transport captured soldiers and other objects such as animals and vehicles back to Mother Base. An in-game currency called GMP is used for upgrading Mother Base's defenses and technology, and can be collected from objects found all over the map, such as rough diamonds, shipping containers, and special blueprint boxes,
as well as sending recruited soldiers on combat missions around the world. The income is invested in upgrades to the appearance and abilities, weapons and equipment of Snake, his companions, and vehicles. For example, Snake's prosthetic arm can be modified with a
taser
Taser (stylized in all caps) is a line of handheld conducted energy devices (CED) sold by Axon Enterprise (formerly Taser International). The device fires two small barbed darts intended to puncture the skin and remain attached to the targe ...
,
echolocation function, or remote controls that allow it to fly as a missile-like
drone
Drone or The Drones may refer to:
Science and technology Vehicle
* Drone, a type of uncrewed vehicle, a class of robot
** Unmanned aerial vehicle or aerial drone
*** Unmanned combat aerial vehicle
** Unmanned ground vehicle or ground drone
** Unma ...
.
Game design direction allows the player to choose in what order the story events take place by selecting missions in any order they like, and yet still "understand the encompassing message by the end".
The enemy AI has improved in terms of situational awareness. If players frequently use particular weapons or tactics to subdue enemy soldiers, enemies will increase in number and be outfitted with better equipment; for example, frequent use of headshots will result in enemy soldiers donning metal helmets to make targeting the head harder. Other actions from the player can affect the wider game world further; for example, sabotaging a radar installation will open up a new
landing zone
In military terminology a landing zone (LZ) is an area where aircraft can land.
In the United States military, a landing zone is the actual point where aircraft, especially helicopters, land (equivalent to the commonwealth landing point.)The Han ...
.
The game has a dynamic weather system and day-night cycle that runs in real-time.
The cycle is able to be fast-forwarded when Snake lights a "Phantom Cigar", a type of
electronic cigar; a digital silver
Seiko
, commonly known as Seiko ( , ), is a Japanese maker of watches, clocks, electronic devices, and semiconductors. Founded in 1881 by Kintarō Hattori in Tokyo, Seiko introduced the world's first commercial quartz wristwatch in 1969.
Seiko is ...
watch
A watch is a timepiece carried or worn by a person. It is designed to maintain a consistent movement despite the motions caused by the person's activities. A wristwatch is worn around the wrist, attached by a watch strap or another type of ...
panel appears on screen to denote time. The passage of time enables players to analyze the movement of marked enemy forces in the area, such as shifts in sentry patrols and individual patrol routes. Weather conditions, such as sandstorms and rain, affect the gameplay environment by reducing visibility or masking the sound of footsteps.
Multiplayer
''Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain'' includes two multiplayer modes: first, the new ''Metal Gear Online 3'', developed by Kojima Productions' newly formed Los Angeles division (now known as Konami Los Angeles Studio). The second multiplayer mode is an extension of the Mother Base base-building feature. Players are able to expand their operations to include Forward Operating Bases, which can be used to generate resources and income for the single-player campaign.
These facilities can be attacked by other players, making a player-versus-player mode available whereby the attacking team attempts to steal resources and/or soldiers and the defending team tries to protect the Forward Operating Base from the intruder. Defenders are able to call on their friends to aid in the defense, especially if their Forward Operating Base is attacked during a story mission. Players are able to customize the security, staffing, and layout of their Forward Operating Bases, allowing for a large number of compound configurations. Following the success or failure of the intrusion, the location of the attacking player's Forward Operating Base is revealed to the defending player; however, defending players can only launch a retaliatory strike if the attacker was discovered during their infiltration. The Forward Operating Base feature is a separate multiplayer experience to ''Metal Gear Online 3''
and is needed to increase the number of combat units the player can deploy.
Synopsis
Setting
In the aftermath of the events of ''Ground Zeroes'' and the destruction of
Militaires Sans Frontières
The ''Metal Gear'' franchise, created by Hideo Kojima and featuring character and mecha designs by Yoji Shinkawa, features a large cast of characters, several of whom are soldiers with supernatural powers provided by scientific advancements.
...
(MSF),
Big Boss (
Kiefer Sutherland
Kiefer William Frederick Dempsey George Rufus Sutherland (born 21 December 1966) is a Canadian actor. He is best known for his starring role as Jack Bauer in the Fox Broadcasting Company, Fox drama series ''24 (TV series), 24'' (2001–2010, 20 ...
/
Akio Ōtsuka
is a Japanese actor, voice actor, and narrator from the Tokyo Metropolitan area. He is attached to Mausu Promotion.
The astringent and calm quality of his deep voice has landed him many roles in films, dubbing, animation, and video games. He i ...
) falls into a coma. Nine years later, he awakens and helps lead a new mercenary group,
Diamond Dogs
''Diamond Dogs'' is the eighth studio album by the English musician David Bowie, released on 24 May 1974 through RCA Records. Bowie produced the album and recorded it in early 1974 in London and the Netherlands, following the disbanding o ...
. Adopting the codename "
Venom Snake", he ventures into
Afghanistan
Afghanistan, officially the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan, is a landlocked country located at the crossroads of Central Asia and South Asia. It is bordered by Pakistan to the Durand Line, east and south, Iran to the Afghanistan–Iran borde ...
during the
Soviet–Afghan War
The Soviet–Afghan War took place in the Democratic Republic of Afghanistan from December 1979 to February 1989. Marking the beginning of the 46-year-long Afghan conflict, it saw the Soviet Union and the Armed Forces of the Democratic Republic o ...
and the
Angola
Angola, officially the Republic of Angola, is a country on the west-Central Africa, central coast of Southern Africa. It is the second-largest Portuguese-speaking world, Portuguese-speaking (Lusophone) country in both total area and List of c ...
—
Zaire
Zaire, officially the Republic of Zaire, was the name of the Democratic Republic of the Congo from 1971 to 18 May 1997. Located in Central Africa, it was, by area, the third-largest country in Africa after Sudan and Algeria, and the 11th-la ...
border region during the
Angolan Civil War
The Angolan Civil War () was a civil war in Angola, beginning in 1975 and continuing, with interludes, until 2002. The war began immediately after Angola became independent from Portugal in November 1975. It was a power struggle between two for ...
to track down the people responsible for MSF's destruction. Along the way, he becomes reacquainted with his former rival
Ocelot
The ocelot (''Leopardus pardalis'') is a medium-sized spotted Felidae, wild cat that reaches at the shoulders and weighs between on average. It is native to the southwestern United States, Mexico, Central America, Central and South America, ...
(
Troy Baker
Troy Edward Baker (born April 1, 1976) is an American voice actor and musician. He is known for his numerous roles in video games, including Yuri Lowell in ''Tales of Vesperia'' (2008), Joel Miller in ''The Last of Us'' franchise, Booker DeWi ...
/
Satoshi Mikami
is a Japanese actor and voice actor from Tokyo. He is the best known official dubbing roles for Benedict Cumberbatch, especially in ''Doctor Strange'' and the film series '' Avengers''.
Filmography
Television dramas
*'' Bakuryū Sentai Abarang ...
) and encounters
Quiet
QUIET was an astronomy experiment to study the polarization of the cosmic microwave background radiation. QUIET stands for Q/U Imaging ExperimenT. The Q/U in the name refers to the ability of the telescope to measure the Q and U Stokes parameters ...
(
Stefanie Joosten
is a Dutch actor, singer and former model. She first gained widespread public attention when Japanese developer Konami revealed she would be providing the motion capture, voice, and likeness for the character Quiet in the 2015 video game '' Me ...
), an assassin and sniper with supernatural abilities. While he and
Kazuhira Miller (
Robin Atkin Downes
Robin Atkin Downes is an English actor. He is known for his work in animation and video games.
Early life
Downes was born in London. He earned an MFA from Temple University in Philadelphia.
Career
Downes has voiced characters in animated f ...
/
Tomokazu Sugita
is a Japanese Voice acting in Japan, voice actor and author. He mainly plays young men and is characterized by his "deep bass voice," and he often performs ad-libs and imitations.
He is best known for his roles as Gintoki Sakata in ''Gintama'', ...
) are initially driven to exact revenge, Snake unearths a plot by the
Cipher
In cryptography, a cipher (or cypher) is an algorithm for performing encryption or decryption—a series of well-defined steps that can be followed as a procedure. An alternative, less common term is ''encipherment''. To encipher or encode i ...
organization to develop a new model of the
Metal Gear
is a Media franchise, franchise of stealth games created by Hideo Kojima. Developed and published by Konami, the first game, ''Metal Gear (video game), Metal Gear'', was released in 1987 for MSX, MSX home computers. The player often takes con ...
system known as the ST-84 "Sahelanthropus".
Characters
In contrast to previous ''Metal Gear'' installments, Kojima Productions conducted the
voice acting
Voice acting is the art of performing a character or providing information to an audience with one's voice. Performers are often called voice actors/actresses in addition to other names. Examples of voice work include animated, off-stage, off-sc ...
and
motion capture
Motion capture (sometimes referred as mocap or mo-cap, for short) is the process of recording high-resolution motion (physics), movement of objects or people into a computer system. It is used in Military science, military, entertainment, sports ...
with English-speaking actors and stuntmen first. While
facial motion capture
Facial motion capture is the process of electronically converting the movements of a person's face into a digital database using cameras or laser scanners. This database may then be used to produce computer graphics (CG), computer animation for mo ...
was used before for ''
Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots'', it was done separately from the actual voice acting. The Japanese voice acting was dubbed over the English cast's performance afterward, in contrast to previous releases in the series since ''
Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty'', which had the characters' vocal and facial expressions lip-synched specifically to both, Japanese and English voice acting.
At
E3 2013
The Electronic Entertainment Expo 2013 (E3 2013) was the 19th E3 held. The event took place at the Los Angeles Convention Center in Los Angeles, California, with many press conferences taking place at nearby venues including the Microsoft Theate ...
, Konami confirmed that actor
Kiefer Sutherland
Kiefer William Frederick Dempsey George Rufus Sutherland (born 21 December 1966) is a Canadian actor. He is best known for his starring role as Jack Bauer in the Fox Broadcasting Company, Fox drama series ''24 (TV series), 24'' (2001–2010, 20 ...
would provide Snake's voice and motion capture work for the game, taking a role over voice actor
David Hayter
David Hayter is a Canadian-American actor, screenwriter, director, and producer. He is well known as the English-language voice actor for Solid Snake and Big Boss (Metal Gear), Naked Snake in the ''Metal Gear'' video game series. He wrote the fi ...
. Kojima's reason for replacing Hayter was to "have a more subdued performance expressed through subtle facial movements and tone of voice rather than words", and that he "needed someone who could genuinely convey both the facial and vocal qualities of a man in his late 40s". Hollywood producer and director
Avi Arad
Avi Arad (; ; born August 1, 1948) is an Israeli-American studio executive and producer of film, television and animation. He became the CEO of Toy Biz in the 1990s, was the chief creative officer of Marvel Entertainment and is the founder, ...
suggested to Kojima that Sutherland could fulfill his requirements.
Akio Ōtsuka
is a Japanese actor, voice actor, and narrator from the Tokyo Metropolitan area. He is attached to Mausu Promotion.
The astringent and calm quality of his deep voice has landed him many roles in films, dubbing, animation, and video games. He i ...
was unaffected by this casting change and continued to voice Snake in the Japanese version.
On March 4, 2015, Kojima revealed that Snake would have less dialogue in ''The Phantom Pain'' than previous installments. The reasoning behind it was to make Snake come across as an extension to the player and that he "will act based on
layer's actionsrather than doing things like making spontaneous comments or flirting with women."
Other members of the voice cast include
Troy Baker
Troy Edward Baker (born April 1, 1976) is an American voice actor and musician. He is known for his numerous roles in video games, including Yuri Lowell in ''Tales of Vesperia'' (2008), Joel Miller in ''The Last of Us'' franchise, Booker DeWi ...
as
Ocelot
The ocelot (''Leopardus pardalis'') is a medium-sized spotted Felidae, wild cat that reaches at the shoulders and weighs between on average. It is native to the southwestern United States, Mexico, Central America, Central and South America, ...
,
Jay Tavare
Jay Tavare is a Native American actor. He is known for portraying Vega in the 1994 film adaptation of the video game ''Street Fighter
is a Media mix, Japanese media franchise centered on a series of fighting games developed and published by C ...
as Code Talker,
James Horan as Skull Face,
Robin Atkin Downes
Robin Atkin Downes is an English actor. He is known for his work in animation and video games.
Early life
Downes was born in London. He earned an MFA from Temple University in Philadelphia.
Career
Downes has voiced characters in animated f ...
as Kazuhira Miller,
Christopher Randolph
Christopher Randolph (born 1959 in Boston, Massachusetts) is an American actor known for providing the English voice for Otacon, Hal "Otacon" Emmerich and List of characters in the Metal Gear series#Huey, Dr. "Huey" Emmerich in the ''Metal Gear ...
as Dr. Emmerich, and Piers Stubbs as
Eli
Eli most commonly refers to:
* Eli (name), a given name, nickname and surname
* Eli (biblical figure)
Eli or ELI may also refer to:
Film
* ''Eli'' (2015 film), a Tamil film
* ''Eli'' (2019 film), an American horror film
Music
* ''Eli'' (Jan ...
. The Japanese dub features
Tomokazu Sugita
is a Japanese Voice acting in Japan, voice actor and author. He mainly plays young men and is characterized by his "deep bass voice," and he often performs ad-libs and imitations.
He is best known for his roles as Gintoki Sakata in ''Gintama'', ...
as Miller,
Hideyuki Tanaka
is a Japanese actor, voice actor and narrator from Tokyo who is attached to Aoni Production. He is a graduate of the Toho Gakuen School of Music. He is most known for his roles in ''One Piece'' (as Donquixote Doflamingo), '' Dokaben'' (as Tarou ...
as Emmerich, Takaya Hashi as Skull Face,
Satoshi Mikami
is a Japanese actor and voice actor from Tokyo. He is the best known official dubbing roles for Benedict Cumberbatch, especially in ''Doctor Strange'' and the film series '' Avengers''.
Filmography
Television dramas
*'' Bakuryū Sentai Abarang ...
as Ocelot,
Osamu Saka
is a Japanese actor and voice actor. He is affiliated with Aoni Production.
Filmography
Anime series
;1960s
*'' Gigantor'' (1963) – Gavan
*'' Kamui the Ninja'' (1969) – Sukumi
;1970s
*'' Andersen Stories'' – King Neptune
*''Space Battle ...
(whose previous roles include Sergei Gurlukovich in ''
Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty'' and The End in ''
Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater'') as Code Talker,
and Yūtarō Honjō as Eli. Dutch model Stefanie Joosten
is a Dutch actor, singer and former model. She first gained widespread public attention when Japanese developer Konami revealed she would be providing the motion capture, voice, and likeness for the character Quiet in the 2015 video game '' Me ...
provides the likeness, voice and motion capture for the new character Quiet, a mute sniper with supernatural abilities who may assist Snake on missions depending on the player's actions during a certain mission. She provides the vocals for "Quiet's Theme".
Plot
In 1984, nine years after the destruction of MSF, Big Boss awakens from a coma in a hospital on a British military base in Cyprus
Cyprus (), officially the Republic of Cyprus, is an island country in the eastern Mediterranean Sea. Situated in West Asia, its cultural identity and geopolitical orientation are overwhelmingly Southeast European. Cyprus is the List of isl ...
. Quiet
QUIET was an astronomy experiment to study the polarization of the cosmic microwave background radiation. QUIET stands for Q/U Imaging ExperimenT. The Q/U in the name refers to the ability of the telescope to measure the Q and U Stokes parameters ...
, a Cipher assassin, attempts to kill him, but he is rescued by a heavily bandaged man called "Ishmael
In the Bible, biblical Book of Genesis, Ishmael (; ; ; ) is the first son of Abraham. His mother was Hagar, the handmaiden of Abraham's wife Sarah. He died at the age of 137. Traditionally, he is seen as the ancestor of the Arabs.
Within Isla ...
". The pair escape the hospital while evading pursuit from Cipher soldiers and two superhumans, the "Third Child" and the "Man on Fire". Big Boss loses Ishmael, but is recovered by Revolver Ocelot
Revolver "Shalashaska" Ocelot (known in his youth as Major "ADAM" Ocelot) is a fictional character and the main antagonist of Konami's ''Metal Gear'' series, created by Hideo Kojima. Throughout the series, he takes on a variety of roles: the arche ...
and brought aboard Diamond Dogs
''Diamond Dogs'' is the eighth studio album by the English musician David Bowie, released on 24 May 1974 through RCA Records. Bowie produced the album and recorded it in early 1974 in London and the Netherlands, following the disbanding o ...
, a new mercenary group founded by Kazuhira Miller on an offshore platform near Seychelles
Seychelles (, ; ), officially the Republic of Seychelles (; Seychellois Creole: ), is an island country and archipelagic state consisting of 155 islands (as per the Constitution) in the Indian Ocean. Its capital and largest city, Victoria, ...
.
Big Boss adopts the code name " Venom Snake" and begins searching for Cipher. Snake becomes involved in the Soviet–Afghan War
The Soviet–Afghan War took place in the Democratic Republic of Afghanistan from December 1979 to February 1989. Marking the beginning of the 46-year-long Afghan conflict, it saw the Soviet Union and the Armed Forces of the Democratic Republic o ...
and the Angolan Civil War
The Angolan Civil War () was a civil war in Angola, beginning in 1975 and continuing, with interludes, until 2002. The war began immediately after Angola became independent from Portugal in November 1975. It was a power struggle between two for ...
. He recruits the superhuman mute sniper Quiet; scientist and MSF associate Dr. "Huey" Emmerich; and Code Talker, a Navajo
The Navajo or Diné are an Indigenous people of the Southwestern United States. Their traditional language is Diné bizaad, a Southern Athabascan language.
The states with the largest Diné populations are Arizona (140,263) and New Mexico (1 ...
expert on parasites forced to work for Cipher. Snake captures Eli
Eli most commonly refers to:
* Eli (name), a given name, nickname and surname
* Eli (biblical figure)
Eli or ELI may also refer to:
Film
* ''Eli'' (2015 film), a Tamil film
* ''Eli'' (2019 film), an American horror film
Music
* ''Eli'' (Jan ...
, a British child believed to be a clone of Snake and the leader of several child soldiers; a DNA test
Genetic testing, also known as DNA testing, is used to identify changes in DNA sequence or chromosome structure. Genetic testing can also include measuring the results of genetic changes, such as RNA analysis as an output of gene expression, or ...
confirms that Venom Snake and Eli are not genetically related.
Snake learns that Cipher's leader Zero
0 (zero) is a number representing an empty quantity. Adding (or subtracting) 0 to any number leaves that number unchanged; in mathematical terminology, 0 is the additive identity of the integers, rational numbers, real numbers, and compl ...
was usurped and XOF, a rogue faction of Cipher, was responsible for destroying MSF. XOF's leader Skull Face considers Cipher's plan for world peace akin to making it culturally American, and intends to release a parasite that kills anyone who speaks English. A modified parasite gave Quiet and XOF's elite soldiers, the "Skulls", their unusual abilities. After releasing the English strain of the parasite, Skull Face plans to use the threat of the latest Metal Gear "Sahelanthropus" to make nuclear weapons desirable, believing that nuclear deterrence
Deterrence theory refers to the scholarship and practice of how threats of using force by one party can convince another party to refrain from initiating some other course of action. The topic gained increased prominence as a military strategy d ...
will attain world peace while protecting other cultures; in secret, he will retain remote control of the weapons. Skull Face refuses to use an AI for Sahelanthropus, so is dependent on the Third Child's psychic abilities.
During a test, the Third Child betrays Skull Face, having Sahelanthropus seriously wound him and crush the Man on Fire. Snake defeats Sahelanthropus and recovers two of Skull Face's three parasite vials to destroy them; the third is missing, while one of those recovered is taken by the Third Child and given to Eli. Skull Face is left to die by Snake and Miller, but Huey executes him. Sahelanthropus is brought to Mother Base. Eli, the Third Child, and the child soldiers later steal Sahelanthropus and flee. It is revealed that the Third Child's powers enthralled him to the will of the most vengeful person nearby, meaning that Sahelanthropus' attack was instigated by Eli.
A parasite epidemic occurs on base, forcing Snake to kill many of his men to contain it. To honor them, he has their cremated remains turned into diamonds to carry into battle. Huey is accused of causing the epidemic while attempting to mutate the parasites to sell as weapons
A weapon, arm, or armament is any implement or device that is used to deter, threaten, inflict physical damage, harm, or kill. Weapons are used to increase the efficacy and efficiency of activities such as hunting, crime (e.g., murder), law ...
. Alongside suspicion of his role in MSF's destruction and evidence that he murdered his wife Dr. Strangelove
''Dr. Strangelove or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb'' (known simply and more commonly as ''Dr. Strangelove'') is a 1964 political satire black comedy film co-written, produced, and directed by Stanley Kubrick. It is loosely ...
for preventing him from using their son Hal
HAL may refer to:
Aviation
* Halali Airport (IATA airport code: HAL) Halali, Oshikoto, Namibia
* Hawaiian Airlines (ICAO airline code: HAL)
* HAL Airport, Bengaluru, India
* Hindustan Aeronautics Limited an Indian aerospace manufacturer of fight ...
in experiments, Snake exiles him from Diamond Dogs.
Quiet disappears in Afghanistan; Code Talker reveals that Quiet was infected with the English parasite to spread it within Diamond Dogs, but her allegiances shifted and she remained silent to prevent an outbreak. Huey's mutation of the parasites convinced Quiet that she could not guarantee the group's safety. Snake finds her and helps fight off Soviet forces before they hide. Quiet is forced to speak to summon a Diamond Dogs helicopter when Snake is bitten by a venomous snake, and flees into the desert to prevent another epidemic.
It is revealed that Venom Snake is not Big Boss, but a medic caught in the explosion
The Explosion is an American punk rock band from Boston, Massachusetts. On February 13, 2007, the band announced that they had left Virgin Records, and on April 30, 2007, that they were to split up. On September 4, 2007, the band played their ...
that injured the real Big Boss (Ishmael). During his coma, the medic was transformed via plastic surgery and hypnotherapy
Hypnotherapy, also known as hypnotic medicine, is the use of hypnosis in psychotherapy. Hypnotherapy is generally not considered to be based on scientific evidence, and is rarely recommended in clinical practice guidelines. However, several p ...
to serve as a body decoy while Big Boss wages a covert war. Miller and Ocelot discuss Big Boss' plans to create Outer Heaven. Ocelot remains supportive, while Miller is disgusted at the deception and vows to assist Big Boss's son David
David (; , "beloved one") was a king of ancient Israel and Judah and the third king of the United Monarchy, according to the Hebrew Bible and Old Testament.
The Tel Dan stele, an Aramaic-inscribed stone erected by a king of Aram-Dam ...
in hopes of contributing to the downfall. Venom Snake would go on to set the events of the Outer Heaven uprising in motion, resulting in his death. Big Boss would then resurface during the Zanzibar Land disturbance.
Development
In February 2012, a site owned by Konami, "Development Without Borders", promoted development for a new ''Metal Gear'' title, for "The "next" MGS". The site was recruiting staff for the 2012 GDC pavilion in March, and requested applications for several positions for the latest ''Metal Gear Solid'' targeted for "high-end consoles" and a "next-gen Fox engine". As the year went on, screenshots and videos of the newly announced Fox Engine
The Fox Engine was a proprietary game engine by Konami. The engine's development began with Hideo Kojima after the completion of 2008's '' Metal Gear Solid 4'', with the goal of making the "best engine in the world." The first commercially releas ...
were unveiled by the team. This media demonstrated many random settings and characters, although none related to the ''Metal Gear'' series. Certain screenshots, however, were noted to feature a character who resembled the Big Boss character of ''Metal Gear'', walking up to a Stryker
The Stryker is a family of Eight-wheel drive, eight-wheeled armored fighting vehicles derived from the Canadian LAV III. Stryker vehicles are produced by General Dynamics Land Systems-Canada (GDLS-C) for the United States Army in a plant in L ...
AFV previously seen in ''Metal Gear Solid 4''.
Konami unveiled ''Ground Zeroes'' at a private function celebrating the twenty-fifth anniversary of the ''Metal Gear'' series on August 30, 2012. The game made its public debut two days later at the 2012 Penny Arcade Expo
PAX (originally known as Penny Arcade Expo) is a series of gaming culture festivals involving tabletop, arcade, and video gaming. PAX is held annually in Seattle, Boston, Philadelphia, and Melbourne. Previously, it was also held in San Anton ...
. Kojima revealed very little detail about the project at the time other than that it was a prologue to ''Metal Gear Solid V'', and that it would be the first game to use the Fox Engine
The Fox Engine was a proprietary game engine by Konami. The engine's development began with Hideo Kojima after the completion of 2008's '' Metal Gear Solid 4'', with the goal of making the "best engine in the world." The first commercially releas ...
, a game engine
A game engine is a software framework primarily designed for the development of video games which generally includes relevant libraries and support programs such as a level editor. The "engine" terminology is akin to the term " software engine" u ...
developed by Kojima Productions. In January 2013, Kojima revealed that ''Ground Zeroes'' would be the first title in the series to be subtitled in Arabic
Arabic (, , or , ) is a Central Semitic languages, Central Semitic language of the Afroasiatic languages, Afroasiatic language family spoken primarily in the Arab world. The International Organization for Standardization (ISO) assigns lang ...
, a feature the team had planned for previous games. He also confirmed that the length of the cutscenes
A cutscene or event scene (sometimes in-game cinematic or in-game movie) is a sequence in a video game that is not interactive, interrupting the gameplay. Such scenes are used to show conversations between characters, set the mood, reward the ...
was reduced, as he believed that long cutscenes had become outdated.
In an interview with VG247
Gamer Network Limited (formerly Eurogamer Network Limited) is a British digital media company based in London. Founded in 1999 by Rupert and Nick Loman, it owns brands—primarily editorial websites—relating to video game journalism and ot ...
, Kojima expressed concerns over whether or not ''Ground Zeroes'' would be released. He claimed that his aim was to target taboos and mature themes, which he considered to be "quite risky", adding that his roles as creator and producer were in conflict with one another; as creator, Kojima wanted to take the risk of exploring themes that might alienate audiences, but as producer, he had to be able to tone down the content in order to sell as many copies of the game as possible. Ultimately, the role of creator won out, and Kojima described his approach as "prioritizing creativity over sales".
At the Spike Video Game Awards
The Spike Video Game Awards (in short VGAs, known as the VGX for the final show) was an annual award show hosted by American television network Spike from 2003 that recognized the best computer and video games of the year. Produced by '' GameT ...
in December 2012, a teaser trailer for a game known as ''The Phantom Pain'' was shown, credited to a new Swedish developer known as Moby Dick Studio, and was described as being "100% gameplay". Allegedly led by Joakim Mogren, the studio's mission statement read that it aimed to "deliver an uncompromising, exciting, and touching game experience to people all around the globe." After the presentation, commentators speculated that ''The Phantom Pain'' was actually a ''Metal Gear'' game, noting the protagonist's resemblance to Big Boss, graphics similar to those produced by the Fox Engine, the quote "V has come to" at the end of the trailer, and that the title ''Metal Gear Solid V'' fits in the negative space
In art and design, negative space or negative volume is the empty space around and between the subject(s) of an image. In graphic design this is known as white space. Negative space may be most evident when the space around a subject, not th ...
and indentations of the game's logo when using the same font. The name "Joakim" was an anagram of "Kojima", the domain name
In the Internet, a domain name is a string that identifies a realm of administrative autonomy, authority, or control. Domain names are often used to identify services provided through the Internet, such as websites, email services, and more. ...
for the studio's website had only been registered about two weeks prior to the announcement, and that several people wearing Moby Dick Studio shirts were sitting in a VIP area intended for Konami staff. Kojima stated he was impressed by the trailer and how Mogren was inspired by ''Metal Gear''.
An actor playing a heavily bandaged Mogren appeared in an interview on the March 14, 2013 episode of ''GameTrailers TV
''GameTrailers TV with Geoff Keighley'' (or ''GT.TV'') is a television show about video games hosted by video game journalist Geoff Keighley. Originally titled ''Game Head'', on January 25, 2008, the show relaunched under its current name with a ...
''; while stating that he could not reveal many details, he confirmed that more details about ''The Phantom Pain'' would be revealed at the upcoming Game Developers Conference, and showed a series of screenshots on an iPad
The iPad is a brand of tablet computers developed and marketed by Apple Inc., Apple that run the company's mobile operating systems iOS and later iPadOS. The IPad (1st generation), first-generation iPad was introduced on January 27, 2010. ...
to the show's host Geoff Keighley
Geoff Keighley ( ; born ) is a Canadian video game journalist and television presenter, best known for his role as the host of several video game industry conferences and presentations. He is the executive producer and host of the Game Awards s ...
. After Keighley pointed out the Fox Engine logo in the screenshots, Mogren appeared nervous and the segment abruptly ended.
On March 27, 2013, at GDC 2013, Kojima confirmed that his studio was behind the trailer, and announced that ''Metal Gear Solid V'' would be two separate games; ''Ground Zeroes'' would now serve as a prologue for the main game, which was officially announced as ''Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain''. He subsequently presented a trailer for the game and showcased the Fox Engine
The Fox Engine was a proprietary game engine by Konami. The engine's development began with Hideo Kojima after the completion of 2008's '' Metal Gear Solid 4'', with the goal of making the "best engine in the world." The first commercially releas ...
. The trailer featured the song "Not Your Kind of People" from Garbage
Garbage, trash (American English), rubbish (British English), or refuse is waste material that is discarded by humans, usually due to a perceived lack of utility. The term generally does not encompass bodily waste products, purely liquid or ...
's 2012 album of the same name.
In an interview with ''GameTrailers'' on March 29, 2013, Kojima revealed that ''The Phantom Pain'' was initially presented as an independent game so as to assess the public and industry response to the Fox Engine
The Fox Engine was a proprietary game engine by Konami. The engine's development began with Hideo Kojima after the completion of 2008's '' Metal Gear Solid 4'', with the goal of making the "best engine in the world." The first commercially releas ...
, as he felt that announcing the game as part of ''Metal Gear Solid V'' would bias reactions to the engine. He stated the idea had been conceived and planned with Keighley over the course of two years and was designed to encourage social media activity from fans.
While the official trailer announcing the game was running on a PC, the game was released for the seventh and eighth generations of video game consoles. In an interview during E3 2013
The Electronic Entertainment Expo 2013 (E3 2013) was the 19th E3 held. The event took place at the Los Angeles Convention Center in Los Angeles, California, with many press conferences taking place at nearby venues including the Microsoft Theate ...
, when asked about a PC release, Kojima stated: "We are making it, and it will be on par with the PlayStation 4 and Xbox One versions." However, he made it clear that the PC port was not their priority. Kojima confirmed that the visuals seen in the trailer would look close to those in the final game. He also stated that he would like ''Metal Gear Solid V'' to be his final ''Metal Gear'' game, noting that unlike previous titles where he had announced that he had finished making games in the series, only to return for subsequent games, his involvement with the franchise would be over this time around. Although the trailer had Snake suffering from hallucinations in the form of a flaming whale, Kojima assured that there would be a balance in realism.
At E3 2013
The Electronic Entertainment Expo 2013 (E3 2013) was the 19th E3 held. The event took place at the Los Angeles Convention Center in Los Angeles, California, with many press conferences taking place at nearby venues including the Microsoft Theate ...
, a fourth trailer was shown at the Microsoft
Microsoft Corporation is an American multinational corporation and technology company, technology conglomerate headquartered in Redmond, Washington. Founded in 1975, the company became influential in the History of personal computers#The ear ...
press conference, demonstrating the new gameplay mechanics, as well as the cast of characters. The development of an Xbox One
The Xbox One is a home video game console developed by Microsoft. Announced in May 2013, it is the successor to Xbox 360 and the third console in the Xbox#Consoles, Xbox series. It was first released in North America, parts of Europe, Austra ...
version was also announced at the conference. The PlayStation 4
The PlayStation 4 (PS4) is a home video game console developed by Sony Interactive Entertainment. Announced as the successor to the PlayStation 3 in February 2013, it was launched on November 15, 2013, in North America, November 29, 2013, in ...
version was announced the following day when Konami uploaded the red band version of the trailer on their YouTube channel in addition to the standard green band version.
The trailers for ''Metal Gear Solid V'' showed the game running on a PC hardware, but according to Kojima with textures and character models somewhat based on seventh generation hardware. The developers aimed to improve the technical quality for the versions released for the eighth generation of consoles.
Kojima alluded to the game possibly being "too big to clear", adding that the game is "200 imes largerthan ''Ground Zeroes''". He spoke about the restrictive nature of previous ''Metal Gear Solid'' titles, saying that they "set he player
He or HE may refer to:
Language
* He (letter), the fifth letter of the Semitic abjads
* He (pronoun), a pronoun in Modern English
* He (kana), one of the Japanese kana (へ in hiragana and ヘ in katakana)
* Ge (Cyrillic), a Cyrillic letter call ...
on one rail to get from point A to point B, with a certain amount of freedom between". In stark contrast, ''The Phantom Pain'' offers players new ways of traversal and sneaking methods, such as taking a helicopter to the mission area. Players are able to traverse the game world or deploy directly to landing zones that allow for different approaches. A video published after the E3 2015 convention showcased this, with the same mission played four times in a number of different ways: with the player opting for stealth, launching a direct assault via helicopter gunship, attempting to assassinate a target with a sniper rifle, and smuggling an explosive device into an enemy base by way of an unsuspecting patrol vehicle crew. Weapons are unlicensed and fictional in ''The Phantom Pain'', just as they were in ''Ground Zeroes''. It was confirmed that players who have previously played ''Ground Zeroes'' are able to import save data into ''The Phantom Pain'' and gain special perks.
Kojima wanted the player to connect with Snake in ''The Phantom Pain''. To accomplish this, the loss of Mother Base, which the player developed throughout ''Peace Walker'', would serve as motivation for revenge for both Snake and the player. Kojima also tried making Snake more relatable to newcomers of the series by making him unaware of what happened in the nine years during which he was in a coma.
At E3 2014
The Electronic Entertainment Expo 2014 (E3 2014) was the 20th E3 held. The event took place at the Los Angeles Convention Center in Los Angeles, California. It began on June 10, 2014, and ended on June 12, 2014, with 48,900 total attendees.
Ma ...
, a fifth trailer featuring Mike Oldfield
Michael Gordon Oldfield (born 15 May 1953) is an English retired musician, songwriter and producer best known for his debut studio album ''Tubular Bells'' (1973), which became an unexpected critical and commercial success. Though primarily a gu ...
's song "Nuclear
Nuclear may refer to:
Physics
Relating to the nucleus of the atom:
*Nuclear engineering
*Nuclear physics
*Nuclear power
*Nuclear reactor
*Nuclear weapon
*Nuclear medicine
*Radiation therapy
*Nuclear warfare
Mathematics
* Nuclear space
*Nuclear ...
" was shown, unveiling more plot details surrounding the Diamond Dogs and Snake's antagonistic descent. It was leaked a day earlier via an accidental post from Konami's YouTube
YouTube is an American social media and online video sharing platform owned by Google. YouTube was founded on February 14, 2005, by Steve Chen, Chad Hurley, and Jawed Karim who were three former employees of PayPal. Headquartered in ...
channel. Alongside the new trailer, the website for ''Metal Gear Solid V'' was updated and included new information and images such as the developmental progress of the in-game map and the evolution of Snake's design across all games in the series. On August 25, 2015, Kojima released a launch trailer showing "Metal Gear's Evolution and Harmony" with clips from the previous games along with the reveal of the new "Metal Gear Sahelanthropus".
The first footage for ''The Phantom Pain''s multiplayer was revealed in December 2014. While originally set for launch alongside the release of the game, ''Metal Gear Online'' was postponed to October 6 for consoles and January 2016 for Windows.
During development, Kojima Productions and Konami attracted criticism for their decision to include microtransactions
Microtransaction (mtx) refers to a business model where users can purchase in-game virtual goods with micropayments. Microtransactions are often used in free-to-play games to provide a revenue source for the developers. While microtransactions ...
; a system that allows players to pay for access to content in the game. However, a spokesperson for Kojima Productions confirmed that the system was included to benefit players who may not have the time to complete the game, given its scale, and that no content would be available exclusively through microtransactions. Further controversy emerged following the publication of an article claiming that the Forward Operating Base mode was behind a paywall, which Konami refuted, saying that microtransactions acted as an accelerator rather than a paywall.
Over $80 million was spent on the development of the game.
Music
The music of ''The Phantom Pain'' was produced by Harry Gregson-Williams
Harry Gregson-Williams (born 13 December 1961) is a British composer, conductor, orchestrator, and record producer. He has composed music for video games, television and films including the ''Metal Gear'' series, '' Spy Game'', '' Phone Booth' ...
, making it his fourth ''Metal Gear'' title, and composed by Ludvig Forssell, Justin Burnett
Justin Caine Burnett (born May 2, 1973) is an American film and video game music composer.
Career
Justin Burnett started his career working for Hans Zimmer from 1995 through 2000. During this tenure he worked on films such as '' Broken Arrow'', ...
, and Daniel James. Also featured in ''The Phantom Pain'' are collectable music tapes the player can listen to in-game, with a mixture of licensed music from the era and music from past ''Metal Gear'' titles.
''Metal Gear Solid V Original Soundtrack'' was released on September 2, 2015, containing 50 tracks selected from both ''Ground Zeroes'' and ''The Phantom Pain''. Following this on December 23, 2015, was ''Metal Gear Solid V Extended Soundtrack'', containing 114 tracks again selected from both ''Metal Gear Solid V'' games. ''Metal Gear Solid V Original Soundtrack The Lost Tapes'' was released on March 30, 2016, primarily consisting of tracks written by Ludvig Forssell for the in-game cassette tapes. The latter two releases also include music that went unused in the game, with ''Metal Gear Solid V Extended Soundtrack'' in particular containing two tracks from the cut "Mission 51: Kingdom of the Flies".
The game's soundtrack later won the award for Best Score/Soundtrack at The Game Awards 2015
The Game Awards 2015 was an award show that honored the best video games of 2015. It was produced and hosted by Geoff Keighley at the Microsoft Theater
The Peacock Theater, formerly Nokia Theatre and Microsoft Theater, is a music and theat ...
. The event had Stefanie Joosten
is a Dutch actor, singer and former model. She first gained widespread public attention when Japanese developer Konami revealed she would be providing the motion capture, voice, and likeness for the character Quiet in the 2015 video game '' Me ...
, Quiet's voice actress, on stage performing "Quiet's Theme".
Konami–Kojima dispute
In March 2015, Konami announced plans for a corporate restructuring that saw them part ways with Hideo Kojima and his development studio Kojima Productions. As part of the separation, Kojima's name was removed from the game cover, all of its associated paraphernalia, and future releases of ''Metal Gear Solid V: Ground Zeroes'' and ''Metal Gear Solid: The Legacy Collection''. A Konami spokesperson stated that Kojima would still be involved with Konami and the ''Metal Gear'' franchise, and despite the dispute, the company expressed confidence that the game would be declared Game of the Year
Game of the Year (GotY) is an award given to a video game by various award events and media publications that they feel represented the pinnacle of gaming that year.
Events and ceremonies
British Academy Games Awards (BAFTA Games Awards)
...
.
In July 2015, series composer Rika Muranaka
Rika Muranaka is a Japanese composer and music producer renowned for her songs in Konami’s ''Metal Gear'' video game series.
Some of her most notable works include "The Best Is Yet to Come" (''Metal Gear Solid (1998 video game), Metal Gear Solid ...
told ''Fragged Nation'' in an interview that over 30 commissioned songs for the series were never used, with Muranaka believing that Kojima had a lack of business sense that played a part in his split from Konami.
Release
''Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain'' was released in different editions. Special Day One editions of the game for each platform featured downloadable content
content (DLC) is additional content created for an already released video game, distributed through the Internet by the game's publisher. It can be added for no extra cost or as a form of video game monetization, enabling the publisher to gain ad ...
(DLC) vouchers for special weapons and ''Metal Gear Online'' experience points. The North American Collector's Edition (which was available for PS4 and Xbox One) comes with a steelbook and a small-size replica of Snake's bionic arm; the Premium Package for the Japanese release (which was available for PS4, PS3, and Xbox One) features a full-size replica, which was also sold separately in May 2016. Sony released a PlayStation 4 bundle with the unit painted in the colors of the arm.
The physical PC release of ''The Phantom Pain'' only includes a CD key and a disc with a Steam
Steam is water vapor, often mixed with air or an aerosol of liquid water droplets. This may occur due to evaporation or due to boiling, where heat is applied until water reaches the enthalpy of vaporization. Saturated or superheated steam is inv ...
installer contained within. Game files are not included on-disc and must be downloaded.
Tie-in products were released for the game. Sony Mobile Communications
Sony Mobile Communications Inc., originally Sony Ericsson Mobile Communications AB, was a Multinational corporation, multinational consumer electronics and telecommunications company, best known for its Mobile phones, mobile phone products. The ...
released special edition Walkman
is a brand of Personal stereo, portable audio players manufactured by Sony since 1979. It was originally introduced as a portable Compact Cassette, cassette player and later expanded to include a range of portable audio products. Since 2011, ...
, Xperia Z4, Xperia Z3 Tablet Compact, and Xperia J Compact devices, each featuring Outer Heaven emblems, soundtrack audio, and wallpapers. Watch manufacturer Seiko
, commonly known as Seiko ( , ), is a Japanese maker of watches, clocks, electronic devices, and semiconductors. Founded in 1881 by Kintarō Hattori in Tokyo, Seiko introduced the world's first commercial quartz wristwatch in 1969.
Seiko is ...
released a digital watch resembling Venom Snake's watch from the game. Eyeglass
Glasses, also known as eyeglasses (American English), spectacles ( Commonwealth English), or colloquially as specs, are vision eyewear with clear or tinted lenses mounted in a frame that holds them in front of a person's eyes, typically ...
maker JF Rey produced themed eyewear patterned after what Kaz and Ocelot wear in the game. Japanese toy company Sentinel, which previously made an iDroid casing for the iPhone 5 and 5S, produced a transformable figure of the Sahelanthropus, while Kotobukiya readied a 1/100 scale kit of the unit. Sports apparel company Puma joined the project through a line of sports jackets, T-shirts, and footwear, including Snake's sneaking boots.
Square Enix's PlayArts ''Kai'' figure line featured several of the game's characters, while Kaiyodo produced Venom Snake and a Soviet Army soldier for the RevoMini figure category. A Japanese language novelization of ''The Phantom Pain'' was written by author Kenji Yano (under the pen name Hitori Nojima) and published by Kadokawa Shoten in ''bunkobon
In Japan, are small-format paperback books, designed to be affordable and space-saving.
The great majority of ''bunkobon'' are A6 (105×148mm or 4.1"×5.8") in size. They are sometimes illustrated and like other Japanese paperbacks usually ...
'' and e-book
An ebook (short for electronic book), also spelled as e-book or eBook, is a book publication made available in electronic form, consisting of text, images, or both, readable on the flat-panel display of computers or other electronic devices. Al ...
formats on October 25, 2015, following the author's two-part novelization of the original ''Metal Gear Solid'' and ''Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty'' published the prior two months. An art book, titled ''The Art of Metal Gear Solid V'', was published by Dark Horse Comics
Dark Horse Comics is an American comic book, graphic novel, manga and Artist's book, art book publisher founded in Milwaukie, Oregon, by Mike Richardson in 1986. The company was created using funds earned from Richardson's chain of Portland, O ...
on November 2, 2016.
A complete edition of the game, titled ''Metal Gear Solid V: The Definitive Experience'', was released for PlayStation 4, Xbox One and Steam on October 11 in North America, October 13 in Europe, and November 10 in Japan. The bundle includes the ''Ground Zeroes'' prologue and ''The Phantom Pain'' in one package, along with all previously released downloadable content for both games.
Removed content
The Collector's Edition of the game includes a supplemental disc containing a video for an unused in-game mission titled "Episode 51: Kingdom of the Flies", depicting the events of said mission through unfinished cinematics and concept artwork. Taking place after the end of the campaign, it sees Snake locating and confronting Eli and the stolen Sahelanthropus on a remote island. The official story ending was criticized for feeling abrupt, and critics felt that Episode 51 would have given the game a more satisfying conclusion, due to it resolving several plot threads. Others also thought it allowed certain characters further development
Development or developing may refer to:
Arts
*Development (music), the process by which thematic material is reshaped
* Photographic development
*Filmmaking, development phase, including finance and budgeting
* Development hell, when a proje ...
that tied into their previous appearances in the series.
Some critics found fault with ''The Phantom Pain''s structure. The requirement of replaying missions during its second half to progress resulted in theories that they had been used in place of original content that had not been incorporated due to time constraints. This was supported by further evidence of removed content: shortly after the discovery of Episode 51, Facepunch forum users who had been extracting data from the game's PC version found evidence of another story chapter that was not included in the final version. The game's producer Kenichiro Imaizumi refused to comment on fans' enquiries, while ''Metal Gear Solid'' community manager Robert Allen Peeler refuted the possibility of story downloadable content. Some fans theorized a link between Chapter 3 and Konami's "Nuclear Disarmament Event", which was opened shortly after launch with the goal of revealing a secret in the game once all in-game nuclear weapons manufactured by players were disposed of; a cutscene linked with the event had been discovered by data miners some days after the game's release. Peeler did not deny that further events may occur once the disarmament had concluded, but stated that "the simplest answer is... the correct one, no need to overthink it." On February 2, 2018, the completion of the Nuclear Disarmament Event was triggered prematurely on the Steam version of the game, despite there being over 9000 player nukes in existence at the time, resulting in the release of the aforementioned cutscene. After investigation, Konami announced that this was the result of a technical error owing to the game's servers being sent incorrect values. Similarly, the event would apparently go on to be achieved by players of the PlayStation 3 version of the game on July 27, 2020, although in October 2020 Konami clarified this had been the work of a cheater
Cheating generally describes various actions designed to subvert or disobey rules in order to obtain unfair advantages without being noticed. This includes acts of bribery, cronyism and nepotism in any situation where individuals are given pr ...
.
Critics attributed the missing content to the disclosed tensions between Konami and Kojima during development. The general consensus was that Konami had given deadlines for the game's release, owing to Kojima's increasing spending on development.[Multiple sources:
*
*
*
*
*
*] Data miners uncovered other examples of content that had not been included in the game, ranging from gameplay features to audio files. Jorge Jimenez of ''PC Gamer
''PC Gamer'' is a magazine and website founded in the United Kingdom in 1993 devoted to PC gaming and published monthly by Future plc. The magazine has several regional editions, with the UK and US editions becoming the best selling PC games m ...
'' wrote it was possible that content had been cut for other expected reasons. Due to the perceived narrative flaws and evidence of removed story content, the game was labeled by critics as being unfinished.[Multiple sources:
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*] Conversely, ''GamesRadar+
''GamesRadar+'' (formerly ''GamesRadar'') is an entertainment website for video game-related news, previews, and reviews. It is owned by Future plc. In late 2014, Future Publishing-owned sites ''Total Film'', '' SFX'', '' Edge'' and '' Compute ...
''s Dan Dawkins argued that what fans saw as being unfinished could have been deliberate on Kojima's part, and wrote that claims of the game being incomplete were neither right nor wrong. Speaking to ''IGN
''IGN'' is an American video gaming and entertainment media website operated by IGN Entertainment Inc., a subsidiary of Ziff Davis, Inc. The company's headquarters is located in San Francisco's SoMa district and is headed by its former e ...
'', Kojima stated that the new intellectual property he was developing since leaving Konami (later revealed as ''Death Stranding
''Death Stranding'' is a 2019 action-adventure game developed by Kojima Productions and originally published by Sony Interactive Entertainment. It is the first game from director Hideo Kojima and Kojima Productions after their split from Konam ...
'') would be "a complete game". After the announcement of ''Metal Gear Solid V: The Definitive Experience'' in 2016, which would include all previously released downloadable content, several fans voiced their concerns via Twitter
Twitter, officially known as X since 2023, is an American microblogging and social networking service. It is one of the world's largest social media platforms and one of the most-visited websites. Users can share short text messages, image ...
about the missing content, particularly with regards to Episode 51. Konami responded that Episode 51 had been removed in the early development stages of the game as it had not been intended to be a pivotal story ending, and that there were no plans to have the mission available to play. In 2021, ''PC Gamer''s Jorge Jimenez and ''Collider
A collider is a type of particle accelerator that brings two opposing particle beams together such that the particles collide. Compared to other particle accelerators in which the moving particles collide with a stationary matter target, collid ...
''s Ernesto Valenzuela expressed the desire for a director's cut of the game with the removed content, though feeling that the possibility of one would be very unlikely.
Reception
Critical reception
''Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain'' received "universal acclaim" from critics, according to review aggregator
A review aggregator is a system that collects reviews and ratings of products and services, such as films, books, video games, music, software, hardware, or cars. This system then stores the reviews to be used for supporting a website where user ...
Metacritic
Metacritic is an American website that aggregates reviews of films, television shows, music albums, video games, and formerly books. For each product, the scores from each review are averaged (a weighted average). Metacritic was created ...
. Reviewers considered it to be one of the best ''Metal Gear'' games, and it has been cited as one of the greatest stealth games ever made. Rich Stanton of ''Eurogamer
''Eurogamer'' is a British video game journalism website launched in 1999 alongside parent company Gamer Network.
In 2008, it started in the formerly eponymous trade fair EGX (Eurogamer Expo until 2013) organised by its parent company. Fr ...
'' wrote that "every hand-polished element slots together into a head-spinningly ambitious structure and they combine into something you can only call visionary." ''IGN''s Vince Ingenito felt they had never expected a game to exist "where every minute gameplay detail has true purpose", and Spencer Campbell of '' EGM'' described ''The Phantom Pain'' as "changing the idea of what can be accomplished with an open world game, both narratively and mechanically." ''GameSpot
''GameSpot'' is an American video gaming website that provides news, reviews, previews, downloads, and other information on video games. The site was launched on May 1, 1996, created by Pete Deemer, Vince Broady, and Jon Epstein. In addition ...
''s Peter Brown wrote that there had never been a ''Metal Gear'' game "so consistent in tone, daring in subject matter, and so captivating in presentation ..with such depth to its gameplay, or so much volume in content." ''The Phantom Pain'' was the twenty-third game—and the third in the ''Metal Gear'' series—to receive a perfect 40/40 review rating from Japanese magazine ''Famitsu
, formerly , is a line of Japanese Video game journalism, video game magazines published by Kadokawa Game Linkage (previously known as Gzbrain), a subsidiary of Kadokawa Corporation, Kadokawa. ''Famitsu'' is published in both weekly and monthly f ...
''.
Critics lauded the gameplay systems and mechanics, controls, and open world design. ''GameSpot''s Brown wrote that playing was an "engrossing and varied experience", calling the gameplay "near-impeccable" and discoverable scenarios "the third pillar" of the world design. Stanton of ''Eurogamer'' commended how the open world felt alive through "density and intimacy" over scale, making tasks like crossing a guarded bridge "thrilling". Writing for ''Time
Time is the continuous progression of existence that occurs in an apparently irreversible process, irreversible succession from the past, through the present, and into the future. It is a component quantity of various measurements used to sequ ...
'', Matt Peckham described the world as an "unparalleled tactical toybox", a sentiment echoed by other critics; ''Game Informer
''Game Informer'' (''GI'' is an American monthly Video game journalism, video game magazine featuring articles, news, strategy, and reviews of video games and video game console, game consoles. It debuted in August 1991, when the video game reta ...
''s Joe Juba likened each mission to a playground
A playground, playpark, or play area is a place designed to provide an environment for children that facilitates play, typically outdoors. While a playground is usually designed for children, some are designed for other age groups, or people wi ...
that encouraged players to experiment with tools. ''Destructoid
''Destructoid'' is a website that was founded as a video game-focused blog in March 2006 by Yanier Gonzalez, a Cuban-American cartoonist and author. Enthusiast Gaming acquired the website in 2017 and sold it to Gamurs Group in 2022.
Histor ...
''s Chris Carter noted the "hundreds" of loadout variations to confront scenarios in "completely different ways". Some praised the artificial intelligence
Artificial intelligence (AI) is the capability of computer, computational systems to perform tasks typically associated with human intelligence, such as learning, reasoning, problem-solving, perception, and decision-making. It is a field of re ...
of enemies, and how their tactics changed to combat the player's favored playstyles. David Roberts of ''GamesRadar+'' felt that the game's handling of its systems respected the player's intelligence during mistakes. Conversely, ''USgamer
Gamer Network Limited (formerly Eurogamer Network Limited) is a British digital media company based in London. Founded in 1999 by Rupert and Nick Loman, it owns brands—primarily editorial websites—relating to video game journalism and ot ...
''s Kat Bailey wrote that the game was sometimes too unforgiving in its room for error. The action set pieces were praised as "exhilarating" by ''PC Gamer''s Jorge Jimenez, and "terrifying" for their consequences by ''Eurogamer''s Stanton, though some voiced frustration at encounters with the Skulls. Campbell of ''EGM'' noted that attacks on the player's Forward Operating Bases could distract from completing concurrent story missions. ''Time''s Peckham found the requirements to unlock the fast travel system excessive.
The narrative divided critics. ''EGM''s Campbell praised it as "one of the strongest yet" in the ''Metal Gear'' series, writing some of the game's final moments were exceptionally moving. ''Polygon
In geometry, a polygon () is a plane figure made up of line segments connected to form a closed polygonal chain.
The segments of a closed polygonal chain are called its '' edges'' or ''sides''. The points where two edges meet are the polygon ...
''s McWhertor described it as "captivating" but often "a bit messy". Brown of ''GameSpot'' was similarly captivated by the story and characters, and lauded the tonal consistency and handling of mature themes. Other critics echoed praise of the latter aspect; ''Eurogamer''s Stanton commended how the theme of war was used to explore subject matter, contrasting with other game series "in thrall to the military". Conversely, ''IGN''s Ingenito felt the subject matter was only acknowledged, while plot-related questions were answered in a "rushed and unsatisfying" way. Roberts of ''GamesRadar+'' described the narrative as being uneventful between brief periods of exposition, and criticized the game's handling of its villains. Jimenez of ''PC Gamer'' called the story "aimless" and the worst in the series, due in part for its "mostly dry" script and the opening and ending sequence for feeling extraneous. Jason Schreier of ''Kotaku
''Kotaku'' is a video game website and blog that was originally launched in 2004 as part of the Gawker Media network. Notable former contributors to the site include Luke Smith, Cecilia D'Anastasio, Tim Rogers, and Jason Schreier.
History ...
'' considered the story "damn unfulfilling" and incomplete, criticizing its pacing, dialogue, and characterization
Characterization or characterisation is the representation of characters (persons, creatures, or other beings) in narrative and dramatic works. The term character development is sometimes used as a synonym. This representation may include dire ...
. Reviewers disapproved of the requirement that missions were replayed on higher difficulty settings to unlock the final missions; some felt that it added unnecessary padding to the most emotional section of the plot.
''PC Gamer''s Jimenez found the ending twist that the player character
A player character (also known as a playable character or PC) is a fictional Character (arts), character in a video game or tabletop role-playing game whose actions are controlled by a player rather than the rules of the game. The characters tha ...
is not Big Boss as "one perfect moment in a bad story". He felt that by removing their identity, the epilogue became "a perfect thematic match" for the game by reflecting the player's own gameplay experience. Carter of ''Destructoid'' wrote that the series had always "dabbled in the concept of "the legend" being stronger than the actual person". ''GamesRadar+''s Roberts called a player-created avatar
Avatar (, ; ) is a concept within Hinduism that in Sanskrit literally means . It signifies the material appearance or incarnation of a powerful deity, or spirit on Earth. The relative verb to "alight, to make one's appearance" is sometimes u ...
for Big Boss as "purely and distinctly ''Metal Gear''", but felt that the reveal lacked closure and caused the story to feel "hollow" because of the "slapped in" ending and repeated missions. ''Kotaku''s Schreier thought that experiencing a character arc that was not Big Boss' cheapened the rationale for the player's actions, and that the story failed to explain how Venom Snake and Big Boss would become villains.
Many noted changes to typical conventions of the series. ''USgamer''s Bailey felt it was the right approach that risks were taken to distance ''The Phantom Pain'' from the usual ''Metal Gear'' formula. Jimenez of ''PC Gamer'' described the boss fights as being "pretty dull" to previous installments, but appreciated the lack of an "overbearing mythos" in the story; ''Polygon''s Michael McWhertor and ''Eurogamer''s Stanton praised the shorter length of the cutscenes. Conversely, Ingenito of ''IGN'' felt they would have preferred excessive cutscenes and emotional moments that they thought ''Guns of the Patriots'' had suffered from. Some criticized the choice to include story information in optional audio logs, noting it left certain plot points without necessary context. Others commented on the game's more serious tone; Roberts of ''GamesRadar+'' wrote that the "brilliantly horrifying and bizarre-even-by-''Metal''-''Gear''-standards" prologue establishes an "equally harrowing plot". ''PC Gamer''s Jimenez was disappointed in the tone and reduced humour, and that the story felt non-canonical
The adjective canonical is applied in many contexts to mean 'according to the canon' the standard, rule or primary source that is accepted as authoritative for the body of knowledge or literature in that context. In mathematics, ''canonical exampl ...
as a result. The voice acting received particular praise, with ''Eurogamer''s Stanton commending the cast as "a leap" over the game's predecessors. Some expressed bemusement at Venom Snake's minimal dialogue; ''Kotaku''s Schreier and ''IGN''s Ingenito wrote that his silence during emotional cutscenes was "jarring", the latter feeling it went beyond "mere stoicism
Stoicism is a school of Hellenistic philosophy that flourished in ancient Greece and Rome. The Stoics believed that the universe operated according to reason, ''i.e.'' by a God which is immersed in nature itself. Of all the schools of ancient ...
".
Carter of ''Destructoid'' praised the power of the Fox Engine, calling the graphical rendering "beautiful" and the sound design "impeccable". Schreier of ''Kotaku'' lauded the game as being "exceptionally polished" and looking "phenomenal", praising Snake's character model and animations. ''USgamer''s Bailey similarly wrote that D-Dog "exhibits almost Pixar
Pixar (), doing business as Pixar Animation Studios, is an American animation studio based in Emeryville, California, known for its critically and commercially successful computer-animated feature films. Pixar is a subsidiary of Walt Disney ...
-like levels of detail" in his movement and interactions. ''GameSpot''s Brown and ''IGN''s Ingenito described the cinematography as "top-notch" and "beautiful", respectively. Juba of ''Game Informer'' felt that the visuals were "great", though noted some occasional texture pop-in. Critics praised the game's performance as "smooth" in spite of its high graphical fidelity.
Portrayal of Quiet
Before the release of the game, the presentation of the female character Quiet became a topic of controversy concerning her appearance. ''Halo
HALO, halo, halos or haloes may refer to:
Most common meanings
* Halo (optical phenomenon)
* Halo (religious iconography), a ring of light around the image of a head
* ''Halo'' (franchise), a sci-fi video game series (2001–2021)
Arts and en ...
'' content producer David Ellis criticized her for being oversexualized and a negative affirmation of the stereotype of the game industry as "full of man babies". Kojima and Konami released Quiet figurines in May 2015 as part of the game's promotion. The figure's soft, pliable breasts were criticized by some in the West in social media and in the press.
The finished game drew more criticism of Quiet's portrayal in both reviews and opinion pieces. Michael McWhertor of ''Polygon'' described the justification for Quiet's lack of clothing as "inextricably tied to the game's convoluted story", and criticized how the game similarly presented other female characters by "zeroing in on their jiggling breasts and panning across their asses in a silly, oversexualized way." ''GamesRadar+''s David Roberts described Quiet as "one of the most complex and conflicted characters in ''MGS5''", but that her depiction was an example of a "juvenile approach to sexuality" that typifies Kojima's work and the ''Metal Gear'' series as a whole. ''IGN''s Ingenito called Quiet the most interesting character in the game, writing that her "warm, childlike sincerity and battlefield ferocity cause her to steal every scene she's in." However, he felt disappointed that she was also "required to be a lust-object."
Conversely, ''GameZone''s James Wynne felt that the game's story explanation was a valid enough reason for her scantily-clad appearance and succeeds in Kojima's aim to make Quiet "a true antithesis to sexy-just-because female characters." He also wrote that "Fan service
, fanservice or Example: A frame (numbered "25") from the English opening sequence of '' New Cutie Honey'', in which character Danbei Hayami fires a Rocket Punch as main character Honey Kisaragi lies topless and prone in the background, i ...
doesn't erase the fact that Quiet is a strong, well-written character that doesn't need a man to save her. That puts her on a level comparable to The Boss, who was the most impressive female character to ever grace a video game."
Sales
''Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain'' shipped 3 million physical copies within its first five days of release, across all platforms. On its release date, the game grossed US$
The United States dollar (Currency symbol, symbol: Dollar sign, $; ISO 4217, currency code: USD) is the official currency of the United States and International use of the U.S. dollar, several other countries. The Coinage Act of 1792 introdu ...
179 million, higher than the combined opening day box office of the films '' Avengers: Age of Ultron'' and ''Jurassic World
''Jurassic World'' is a 2015 American science fiction action film directed by Colin Trevorrow, who co-wrote the screenplay with Rick Jaffa, Amanda Silver, and Derek Connolly from a story by Jaffa and Silver. It is the first installment in the ...
''. ''The Phantom Pain'' debuted at number one on the United Kingdom charts. It became the third biggest video game launch of 2015 in the UK, behind '' Batman: Arkham Knight'' and '' The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt''. ''The Phantom Pain'' was the most successful launch for the series in the UK, beating the previous record holder, '' Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty'', by 37 percent. The game sold 411,199 physical retail copies on PlayStation 3 and PlayStation 4 within the first week of release in Japan, topping the Japanese software sales charts that week.
In the United Kingdom, the game sold noticeably more on the PlayStation family of consoles than the Xbox. Excluding computer sales, ''The Phantom Pain'' moved approximately 72 percent of copies on PlayStation 4, roughly three times the amount sold on the Xbox One, which accounted for 22 percent of sales. three percent of sales were on PlayStation 3, and two percent on Xbox 360. By the end of September 2015, ''Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain'' had shipped over five million copies worldwide, which had raised to over six million by December 2015.
Awards
''Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain'' was awarded Game of the Year
Game of the Year (GotY) is an award given to a video game by various award events and media publications that they feel represented the pinnacle of gaming that year.
Events and ceremonies
British Academy Games Awards (BAFTA Games Awards)
...
from several publications, including ''PC Gamer
''PC Gamer'' is a magazine and website founded in the United Kingdom in 1993 devoted to PC gaming and published monthly by Future plc. The magazine has several regional editions, with the UK and US editions becoming the best selling PC games m ...
'', ''GameRevolution
Mandatory (formerly CraveOnline Media) is a lifestyle website based in Los Angeles with sales offices in New York City, Chicago and San Francisco. The site is owned by media company Evolve Media, LLC. Mandatory focuses its contents into the male ...
'', ''GamesRadar+
''GamesRadar+'' (formerly ''GamesRadar'') is an entertainment website for video game-related news, previews, and reviews. It is owned by Future plc. In late 2014, Future Publishing-owned sites ''Total Film'', '' SFX'', '' Edge'' and '' Compute ...
'', and ''Entertainment Weekly
''Entertainment Weekly'' (sometimes abbreviated as ''EW'') is an American online magazine, digital-only entertainment magazine based in New York City, published by Dotdash Meredith, that covers film, television, music, Broadway theatre, books, ...
''.
Notes
References
Further reading
*
Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain - Strategy Guide
', Gamer Guides, 2015
*
The Art of Metal Gear Solid V
', Dark Horse Comics, 2016
* Amy M. Green,
Posttraumatic Stress Disorder, Trauma, and History in Metal Gear Solid V
', Palgrave Macmillan
Palgrave Macmillan is a British academic and trade publishing company headquartered in the London Borough of Camden. Its programme includes textbooks, journals, monographs, professional and reference works in print and online. It maintains offi ...
, 2017
External links
*
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