How long has it been?

[A.G.]

How long has it been since you played something from Metal Gear? Has the series died off for you? Replaced by something new?

I’m still keeping up with my annual playthroughs. Something about just feels right. About to kick off the new season with MGS3. Always start it on my birthday.

August - MGS3
October - MG1
December - MG2
February - MGS1
April - MGS2
June - MGS4

I recommend giving it a try.

Though it’s been years since I touched the other games. Part of me is tempted to replay Ghost Babel. It’s gotta be close to 15 years since the last time I played it start to finish. Maybe I’ll add it to my MG1 playthrough.

[fgdj2000]

Happy belated birthday! (I guess). May you be healthy, happy and enjoy the moments with the people in your life that truly matter.

With that out of the way ^^

I occasionally play MGSV, but haven't touched any of the other games in... probably years now, mostly for my "I don't just want to play one game, but the entire series"-Naziism

Honestly, I'm currently in my teacher training and it is extremely demanding and I'm lucky if I have time to watch like an episode of Star Trek ... and don't fall asleep from exhaustion halfway through. I also spend a lot of time at the fresh air with our shetland ponys... so, sadly, I don't have time to play video games, unless it's the holidays.

Last year, I managed to catch up on Red Dead Redemption and I spend the summer playing Red Dead Redemption 2. Man, that was one hell of a game. Best storytelling I've seen maybe aside from The Witcher 3 and Metal Gear Solid 3. Very heartbreaking story. In terms of gameplay, it really depends on what you're looking for. Most missions were very linear and if it weren't for all the spectacle and variety Rockstar cramped in there, it could have become very boring, but they kept my attention through most of the 60-80 hours of the main campaign. Aside from the main story, the game was really great as a horse-riding simulator... and I am not meaning that in a pejorative sense in any way. Riding around the beautiful vistas, camping at (in-game) night, maintaining your character (eat food, wash him, shave him), spending time with the other characters in your gang as it slowly deteriorates, really pulls you into this world and made me care and the ending was truly heartbreaking.
For me, both RDR games clawed their way from almost total obscurity to the top 2 spot on the list of my favorite video game series.

Recently booted up the new Hitman 2 (with the Legacy pack that unlocks all the missions from the first game, making this an all-in-one package). I have never played any of the Hitman games, but this is actually very similar to Metal Gear, in that you are dropped into a location, are given an objective and lots and lots of tools to achieve it. Also has some really funny dark humor. Highly underrated game(s) imho.

As for Kojima... I am still looking forward to Death Stranding, but I probably won't play it until Christmas. On top of that, I also want to catch up on the Yakuza games. Played through 1-3 and loved them all as a Japan fan. But hadn't found the time yet to continue. Then there's lots of other games on my to do list: Kingdom Come Deliverance, Shenmue, Dark Souls Remastered, Deus Ex Human Revolution and Mankind Divided, God of War 2018, Days Gone, Spider-Man 2018 and I have never finished The Last of Us.

[A.G.]

Oh man, keeping busy indeed! You definitely need to finish Last of Us. One of the strongest endings in a game. Maybe just behind MGS3.

[fgdj2000]

I know. I don't know what it was that always made me stop, but I actually liked the game.
Admittedly, I haven't played anything in the past four or five weeks. Aside from Death Stranding, my most anticipated game is Star Wars: Jedi - Fallen Order. I didn't like what EA did with Star Wars recently, but this game looks to be basically Uncharted plus lightsabers. Death Stranding could also be interesting, but I haven't followed the coverage lately, so, at least I won't be spoiled much. I like the idea of a calm game that lets you hike across vast distances - especially since I enjoyed that type of gameplay in Read Dead Redemption 2 quite a bit. Not kidding.

So, anything besides Metal Gear and TLOU on your gaming-plate?

[A.G.]

Started to replay the Uncharted series too. But don’t have any new games besides Last of Us on the horizon. I’ll wait for reviews on Death Stranding. Right now I’m still on the fence about it. Just a little too out there for my liking.

[fgdj2000]

Yeah, the Uncharted games are just so easy and uncomplicated to get into. Just a great package: demanding shooting, a bit of puzzle work and exploration, a fun story with great characters, and good pacing. Which is why I'm looking forward to Jedi: Fallen Order being that type of game for Star Wars, IF they get it right.

I've also got to say, most of the newer games that have been announced don't interest me, mostly because it all starts to feel generic and samey. I used to love the Assassin's Creed games, but I haven't finished Origins and haven't even bothered booting up Odyssey, just because, in spite of the impressive visuals and the recreation of historically accurate locations (by video game standards anyway), the gameplay and stories are just so... dull, especially after a game like Red Dead Redemption 2, which also isn't always that great on the gameplay department, but at least comes with cool set pieces, an amazingly beautiful and interactive world (even if it's just surface details) and most importantly a genuinely engaging narrative to boot. Also, virtually every open world game now plays like an Assassin's Creed game: dull and samey. There are few exceptions.

So, a quirky weird game like Death Stranding sticks out. Maybe around Christmas I'll have the time for TLOU, but maybe Death Stranding gets me first. There are school holidays coming up next week, but I have to do a lot of preparation for an upcoming "Lehrprobe", basically an exam.

Really weird, being a teacher who evaluates students, while also being evaluated yourself...


Anyways...