Metal Gear Solid 5 – Ten Years Later, I’m Finally Free of The Phantom Pain

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As a devoted gaming enthusiast, I’ve sunk countless hours into the rebooted masterpiece, “Metal Gear Solid Delta: Snake Eater.” In my humble opinion, it ranks among the franchise’s all-time greats. After immersing myself in its rich gameplay and captivating storyline, I found myself pondering about another title that, in my view, had tremendous potential and could have, if not should have, been even more exceptional.

I’m referring to the game “Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain“, which unfortunately made headlines for unfavorable reasons about a decade ago. It seems hard to believe that it’s been so long, yet it also brings back memories of my initial playthrough and the sense of letdown I felt upon completing the game. This was due to the creative differences between Kojima and Konami, which I felt marred an otherwise promising experience.

In my eagerness to label The Phantom Pain as another casualty of corporate conflicts versus creative ambitions, I found myself experiencing a lingering sense of disappointment – akin to a phantom pain. I mourned for the game that I believed should have been mine, and my long-standing dedication to the series played a significant role in fostering these feelings. Despite my bitterness, reflecting on it after ten years helped me find some closure with The Phantom Pain – a video game that was once a source of frustration.

Lately, I’ve been immersed in discussing Metal Gear Solid quite a bit. It’s brought me a sense of resolution, a sort of healing for my lingering feelings about the series. Specifically, I’ve managed to come to terms with MGS5, not because it has undergone any transformation, but because it remains unchanged in its essence.

Occasionally, the game you anticipate might not be the one you end up with, and that’s alright. However, when it comes to MGS5, I’ve found forgiveness as I’ve come to grasp its unique approach to storytelling.

A Bridge Between Timelines

At this moment, I find myself eagerly anticipating delving into the anticipated narrative joy wrapped within an excellently crafted stealth-action game – The Phantom Pain’s release has me scratching with excitement.

A significant part of my excitement stemmed from the title “Ground Zeroes“, which functioned as a prelude to Metal Gear Solid V. It provided an excellent demonstration, in my opinion, of what was to come with “The Phantom Pain“. The numerous impressive alterations it introduced made me think that its sequel would excel not only in storytelling but also in gameplay, potentially reaching unprecedented heights.

Unfortunately, only one of those predictions proved accurate. From the moment I first played it at fourteen, the gameplay loop in that franchise has been utterly captivating for me. While my gaming friends were engrossed in other violent rampages in popular games, I found myself enthralled by the stealth-action gameplay in any Metal Gear Solid title I encountered.

Ground Zeroes took the series to new heights in numerous ways! The substitution of visual and audio alerts for the detection tools from past games created a more engaging experience. It was particularly appealing to use Snake’s binoculars more intuitively, and being able to track enemy movements after marking them with the iDroid proved quite useful. The Reflex System stood out as a personal favorite, since stealth games can sometimes result in being discovered frequently. Having the ability to react swiftly and rectify the situation with this feature was a valuable improvement.

The tale shared many similarities with an exhilarating plotline, centering around characters like Snake, Skull Face, Cipher, and other pivotal figures from a remarkably gifted acting ensemble. This story provided an ideal platform for a follow-up that would wrap up the series, offering closure while also filling in the blanks between Snake’s transformation into the character we later came to recognize from Metal Gear 1.

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The narrative was equally engaging, crafting a highly dynamic sequence of events for characters such as Snake, Skull Face, Cipher, and several other key figures from a remarkably skilled acting troupe. This captivating tale served as an excellent foundation for a sequel that aimed to culminate the saga, resolving loose ends while also explaining how Snake eventually evolved into the character we know from Metal Gear 1.

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The story was equally gripping, weaving together an exciting plotline involving Snake, Skull Face, Cipher, and other critical characters from a highly talented acting crew. This riveting yarn laid the groundwork for a sequel that sought to conclude the series on a high note, providing closure while simultaneously illuminating Snake’s metamorphosis into the persona we came to know in Metal Gear 1.

The prologue in The Phantom Pain set high expectations, carrying not only the exciting gameplay experience but also the responsibility to deliver emotional resolution to fans who had been waiting for quite some time.

Promises, Promises

The topic now shifts to marketing strategies for “The Phantom Pain”. Eagerness filled me as I anticipated an expansive, more intricate open-world sandbox than what was offered in “Ground Zeroes”. Furthermore, the awe-inspiring trailers, which we all eagerly watched together with the fan community, were equally thrilling.

As a dedicated fan, I found myself fully captivated by the tantalizing hints suggesting a portrayal of a youthful Solid Snake. The possibility of immersing myself back into the early events of Metal Gear 1 was a compelling prospect, albeit one that wasn’t explicitly guaranteed. Nonetheless, the intriguing discourse left me thoroughly convinced.

Initially, my initial few hours within “The Phantom Pain” were dominated by pure enjoyment as its stealth elements closely resembled the peak of Metal Gear Solid’s gameplay. In fact, I found myself so captivated that the narrative seemed to take a backburner for a short while. Every moment during those hours was an absolute delight.

Initially, I found myself drawn into the intricate and rich storyline of this series. My eagerness to understand how various events would play out led me to pay closer attention to the plot. However, as I delved deeper, I noticed some flaws that became more apparent.

For instance, the significant decrease in cutscenes was a surprise, given their high quality across the franchise’s numerous installments. Additionally, I felt that the change of voice actor from David Hayter to Keifer Sutherland as Snake felt disjointed, and there seemed to be fewer dialogue exchanges from the character, which left me questioning why the cat had been silenced.

Towards the end of the tale, I suspected Venom Snake’s real identity might be revealed, but even so, it felt uninteresting given my limited understanding at the time. I overlooked the fact that Kojima was skilled in using the hook-and-switch trick, a tactic he had previously employed in MGS2. Few would have foreseen we’d be controlling Raiden rather than Solid Snake, considering the surprise from that twist.

In a bit, I’ll re-explore why the unveiling of Venom Snake in ‘The Phantom Pain’ seemed more logical, but at first, it felt like a disappointment rather than a smart integration of anticipations that left the story feeling incompletely told by Kojima, a masterful storyteller who still leaves me amazed ten years later. It was as if I had been unexpectedly drafted for a magic trick without my consent.

From personal experience, diving into Mission 46 and the concept of “becoming the legend you forge” has been intriguing. However, I feel it could have been even more impactful if the storyline had been more seamlessly woven together. The game itself seemed to lack a solid connection to its overarching narrative, which was disappointing considering the rich history the series has built up over the years. Oh boy, let’s just say that Episode 51 left me with mixed feelings!

So What’s Changed?

Ever since I tackled The Phantom Pain back in 2018, I’ve found myself struggling to find enjoyment from it, no matter how much improved the game seemed. My criticisms lingered on, and even after trying various mods, community fixes, and hunting down Episode 51 mods, I couldn’t shake off that disinterest. In contrast to other Metal Gear Solid installments that I’d replay multiple times, The Phantom Pain has remained an enigma – a game I just can’t seem to find the desire to return to.

In a world post “Death Stranding” and after working on the recent “Metal Gear” Saga summary video, I’ve had an opportunity to delve further into the concept behind The Phantom Pain as envisioned by Kojima.

Through a deeper appreciation for the developer and his work, it’s become clear that The Phantom Pain required a thoughtful analysis that transcended mere enthusiasm from fans, delving into a more mature and nuanced exploration of the game.

Delving once more into the tales of Snake, The Boss, Volgin, Cobra Unit, and other key elements, as well as a comprehensive exploration of the saga, has given me fresh insights. Exploring the background of Peace Walker, among other essential storylines, made it apparent how much context I had overlooked during my previous encounters with The Phantom Pain. The answer to my predicament was surprisingly simple; it was right there in front of me all along.

In The Phantom Pain, the omission of lengthy cutscenes and the use of less conventional methods to reveal key plot points were its primary features. All my major questions were already addressed; I simply had to delve deeper into tapes, intelligence, interrogations, or even listen in on conversations between soldiers to uncover the story.

In simpler terms, these seemingly unrelated items I used to think of as optional or nice-to-haves, were actually essential parts of an innovative storytelling mechanism in older games, showcasing Kojima’s genius. They offered fresh perspectives on missions I had already completed and moved important information from cutscenes to player discovery. It’s interesting to note that this approach is starting to be seen more often in today’s generation of games.

Looking at it from another perspective now, Skull Face’s endeavor to manipulate language for control seems more akin to an innovative strategy in modern conflict. Initially, I believed Big Boss had deceived me, but upon reflection, it appears that he fulfilled his intended betrayal, not Kojima as I initially assumed.

In essence, Venom Snake serves as an extension of the player, allowing Kojima to seamlessly incorporate players into his narrative as the “ghost” of Big Boss. This role served as a link back to the initial game, making it easier for me to embrace the storyline that unfolded before me.

The Pain Fades

I now consider The Phantom Pain as one of my top Metal Gear choices due to these revelations. It was intentionally designed to be somewhat incomplete for players who didn’t fully immerse themselves, serving as an encouragement to bypass the “git gud” barriers found in other games and to genuinely invest time into understanding this game.

I’ve come to terms with the absence of Big Boss gameplay and the missing cut content from Episode 51 in the game, as my sense of resolution didn’t stem from these elements, but rather from gaining a fresh perspective on the storyline.

Looking back on the past decade, the pain I experienced doesn’t feel like a distant memory anymore; instead, it’s become a significant milestone that led me to wholeheartedly appreciate the video games I play now. That lingering discomfort was a crucial stage in my progression towards finding greater enjoyment in gaming.

Through realizing The Phantom Pain’s lessons, I’m determined to scrutinize every future game more closely, especially if it’s a Kojima production! I’m eager to revisit The Phantom Pain again and truly immerse myself in the experience as intended by its creator.

I just wish it hadn’t taken me ten years to get there.

Keep in mind that while this article reflects the opinions of its author, it does not automatically align with or be endorsed by GamingBolt as a whole.

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2025-09-11 15:54