5 out of 5 stars.

The critically acclaimed Metal Gear Solid series has always produced amazing espionage titles spanning several console generations, and The Phantom Pain is no different. Expanding upon the fundamentals of the series’ story and gameplay, as well as the narrative set forth by Ground Zeroes, The Phantom Pain is a beautiful and moving game that is sure to excite and shock. Despite the controversy surrounding its release, The Phantom Pain did not disappoint and deserves a place among the best Metal Gear games. The long-awaited 11th installment in the Metal Gear series is perhaps the best yet.

The Phantom Pain is the first Metal Gear title to include a truly open world mechanic. Players can find numerous ways to complete the various missions and side missions that scatter the vast soviet-occupied Afghanistan desert, including anything from typical stealthy infiltration to all out bombardment in an attack chopper. This new freedom is a welcome addition, as it allows players to choose new ways to complete missions, experimenting with different solutions to the same problem.

Metal Gear’s story has spanned several years and can be quite intimidating to newcomers. To remedy this several changes have been made to accommodate new fans, such as Snake lapsing into a coma for nine years and forgetting certain characters and locations that require his friends to explain such things to him. The introduction to the game helps characters share the feelings of fear and confusion that Snake experiences as he escapes from a hospital under siege by both agents of classic antagonist group Cipher, as well as strange paranormal aggressors. The game does an excellent job of connecting the feelings of Snake to those of the player, building relationships with the character on a personal level.

Speaking of Snake’s coma, the storyline follows the near death of ‘Punished’ Snake, also known as Big Boss, as well as the destruction of his PMC Militaires Sans Frontières and the capture of his partner Miller. Snake must rescue his friend and embark on a mission for revenge, as well as build up his new PMC, Diamond Dogs. With the introduction of Diamond Dogs, players can now run and manage yet another mercenary company. Snake can collect recruits and materials in the field, and later use them to his benefit in future missions. Apart from finding raw materials, there are plenty of collectibles to find in the desert villages and footholds. There’s nothing like finding a boombox playing Kim Wilde while you infiltrate a Soviet guard post.

The PMC is a key plot device as well. The destruction of the original Mother Base, which characters had helped build in Peace Walker, helps players share their desire for revenge with the characters in the game and makes the quest feel personal. New players may miss out on this feeling of loss, but the game does not depend on its previous titles to create a gripping and tense story.

Various new characters make appearances in The Phantom Pain, each with interesting and compelling storylines that players can choose to explore and enhance. One of the new characters that has created a lot of controversy is Quiet, a mute female sniper who Snake can befriend and call on to help in missions. Beyond this, however, Quiet has a unique and somewhat somber background which serves as the driving force for both her inability, or refusal, to speak, as well as her questionable and revealing fashion sense. Quiet’s character arc is slightly limited, however, and players may struggle to see her as anything more than a helpful side character before the truth of her mission is revealed.

Picking up where Ground Zeroes and Peace Walker left off, and expanding upon the magnificent story of the Metal Gear series as a whole, The Phantom Pain offers plenty of fun and suspense for old and new fans of the series with its beautiful open world and carefully constructed plot. Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain is simply a stunning game, and a must-have for any fans of the series.