Change in style

[A.G.]

So it's June 12. MGS4 came out 8 years ago today. I started my annual play through.

I must say, the style of Metal Gear games certainly changed after MGS4. While there are bigger reasons to consider, like the fact that in MPW and MGS5 you have an army, I think for me the biggest difference is in the small details. The games up to MGS4 had them. The games after did not. I don't know why they matter so much, but to me they do. I guess it's what made Metal Gear feel different than other games. Taking the time to show Snake put away his cigarette into a small container and see and hear it close, using the knife to check the gun on the ground for traps only to reveal a the Kojima name, heck... Having guards smell the smoke of your cigarettes! It all feels simple and yet real. Like the melting ice cubes in MGS2, the peeing wolf puppy in MGS1, or the damn near limitless amount of hidden details in MGS3. Games after MGS4 seemingly went away from that.

[Cerberus_0408]

Well, I've never played MGS5 but here's what another person typed...

"To me, it just speaks volumes that in a time when games have to be released on an anual to bianual basis, Kojima takes his time with his triple A game and adds details like functioning toilets or the ability to kidnap sheep to his game and actually listens to criticism and adds functioning garbage bins to hide bodies, the ability to knock and lure guards and cardboard boxes to his games, because fans were missing them in Ground Zeroes."

[A.G.]

The difference is that before the fun details aimed at realism. Parachuting sheep is rediculus. The flushing toilets and lockers to hide bodies is nothing new. Cardboard box concept was raped by MGS5 and MPW turning into a pun. The worst part about MGS5 is the massive open world filled with nothing. And a mother base with nothing to do.

[Cerberus_0408]

Well dude, in defense of the game "there are at least 10 million things to do in MGS5"

n4g.com/news/1786058/11-things-to-do-first-in-metal-gear-solid-5-the-phantom-pain

More info can be found here.
au.ign.com/wikis/metal-gear-solid-5-the-phantom-pain/What_to_Do_First_in_MGS_5%3A_The_Phantom_Pain?utm_source=IGN%20hub%20page&utm_medium=IGN%20(front%20page)&utm_content=1&utm_campaign=Blogroll

[A.G.]

Why do you argue with me when you haven't played the game? The things you are showing in the links are the equivalent of managing a spreadsheet. They are not details inside the game that make it feel real. That's what I'm talking about. If anything, the process of building your base and army in MGS5 are less realistic than the abilities of the Cobra Unit.

But I'm going to stop there. There will not be pages of arguments on this like in other threads. Until you actually play the game I do not expect you to understand what I'm talking about.

[fgdj2000]

Well, to be fair, Peace Walker was on a hand-held. And for a hand-held it was pretty detailed. Actually, I think next to MGS3 it holds up pretty well in terms of looks. In terms of interactivity, most of the details were already starting to fade in MS4 where they streamlined a lot of elements from MGS3, such as the survival viewer and the camouflage systems (In a way, the act structure is also a precursor to the mission-structure of later games and you can freely exchange a massive inventory and quickly get new ammo from Drebin, which also makes Drebin and Otacon a precursor to the later games' support units). And most of the details you described were from cutscenes. As for MGSV, I agree. It is a missed opportunity that the areas were so devoid of anything but military bases. I don't think a ton of side-activities a la GTAV would have benefitted the game, but it would have been nice so see and maybe even interact with some non-soldier NPCs, some villagers, that may help you or give you away depending on your actions. Also, there were far less animals in the game than there seemed to be in some of the previews.

I think Kojima wanted much more for Motherbase. At E3 2014 they said you can meet and interact with important characters like Ocelot and Miller and you can fully customize your own motherbase. But in the final game most of that wasn't there. Motherbase is actually where you feel MGSV's unfinishedness the most imo. If MB was more interactive and more complex, Mission 41 (? the one where you have to shoot your comrades) would have been much more impactful.

[Cerberus_0408]

Jun 14, 2016 5:44:40 GMT -5 fgdj2000 said:

Well, to be fair, Peace Walker was on a hand-held. And for a hand-held it was pretty detailed. Actually, I think next to MGS3 it holds up pretty well in terms of looks. In terms of interactivity, most of the details were already starting to fade in MS4 where they streamlined a lot of elements from MGS3, such as the survival viewer and the camouflage systems (In a way, the act structure is also a precursor to the mission-structure of later games and you can freely exchange a massive inventory and quickly get new ammo from Drebin, which also makes Drebin and Otacon a precursor to the later games' support units). And most of the details you described were from cutscenes.

I dunno how PW was involved when he was clearly referring to MGS5.

Also, there were far less animals in the game than there seemed to be in some of the previews.

I think Kojima wanted much more for Motherbase. At E3 2014 they said you can meet and interact with important characters like Ocelot and Miller and you can fully customize your own motherbase. But in the final game most of that wasn't there. Motherbase is actually where you feel MGSV's unfinishedness the most imo. If MB was more interactive and more complex, Mission 41 (? the one where you have to shoot your comrades) would have been much more impactful.

I suppose the fact that I didn't play MGS5 SEVERELY limits my opinions here and I'm not qualified to provide my views, but I'll go ahead anyway. About this, perhaps E3 and the previews showcased much more than what the actual game has. It happens sometimes; demos and sh*t like that might not necessarily be EXACTLY like the actual game. As I mentioned before, stuff always gets swapped around, changed, revised, reworked, etc. in development.

[fgdj2000]

I dunno how PW was involved when he was clearly referring to MGS5.

Then I suggesst you re-read A.G.'s post.

I suppose the fact that I didn't play MGS5 SEVERELY limits my opinions here and I'm not qualified to provide my views, but I'll go ahead anyway. About this, perhaps E3 and the previews showcased much more than what the actual game has. It happens sometimes; demos and sh*t like that might not necessarily be EXACTLY like the actual game. As I mentioned before, stuff always gets swapped around, changed, revised, reworked, etc. in development.

Exactly. I have nothing to add.