Metal Gear Solid V: Ground Zeroes Huge Disappointment

[BigBoss]

I bought Metal Gear Solid V: Ground Zeroes for fourty bucks (next-gen price) for the PS4. Kojima had said it was going to be a "little short", but this... this is ridiculous. Metal Gear Solid is my second favorite series, and this was a huge disappointment. After 2 hours of gameplay (including the lengthy cinematics which MGS is known for, so about an hour and 20 minutes of gameplay), I beat Metal Gear Solid V: Ground Zeroes. If you like Metal gear Solid, wait to buy this. If you like MGS only for the stealthy gameplay and don't care for the story, don't buy this because the gameplay is limited and it will be a huge let down. If you like MGS for the storyline or for both reasons, again don't buy this because theres nothing the story won't tell you that you probably don't already know if you follow it, or won't know once you get Phantom Pain. All in all, wait until Phantom Pain comes out to buy this.

Metal Gear Solid V was supposed to be split up into two games, Ground Zeroes and Phantom Pain. Ground Zeroes was supposed to be an introduction of sorts, so people were pre-warned that it was going to be shorter than Phantom Pain. But two hours is... ridiculous. Of course there are the "Bonus Missions", but these take place in the same small area with simply different objectives or changing day to night. Again, ridiculous.

Also, this was supposed to be Kiefer Sutherland's "debut" as Big Boss after David Hayter (who voiced Solid Snake and Big Boss in all the previous games) was replaced. I have to say, I'm not impressed. Kiefer Sutherland barely even says anything, and sounds nothing like David Hayter or the character Big Boss (which to fans of MGS like me, is kind of important to our expectations of the game).

Any of you play it? What are your thoughts as either MGS fans or first-time MGS players?

 

[Lexx]

I liked it. Also there is more than just the Ground Zeroes mission. Besides, it's really just the prologue, therefore the lack of real story and everything. It's like you paid for the MGS2 tanker mission or the MGS3 beginning chapter. One can argue about the good and bad of that whoring out, but oh well... I just don't really give a damn.

Spend around 20 hours on it so far, which makes the price (around 20€, PS3 version) ok for me.

And I like all the changes in controls and stuff that they did since MGS4. The game feels smooth and the animation system is p.cool too.

Btw. expecting Kiefer Sutherland to be like David Hayter... Well, it was kinda clear that they won't be similar, because they just aren't.

 

[.Pixote.]

$40 for a tech demo...Konami are the masters of squeezing very little dollar out of hapless gamers...

 

[BigBoss]

I just don't understand why David Hayter was removed from the role anyways? If it was because he was asking for a few extra dollars then thats pretty disappointing. I can understand if they wanted to give Big Boss some kind of separation from Solid Snake to ensure the players that they are indeed two different characters even though Solid Snake is his clone (and got all the recessive genes while Liquid Snake got all of the important genes).

I just felt David Hayter had established the personality of Big Boss already through his voice. However the few words Kiefer Sutherland actually spoke on the Ground Zeroes mission just didn't seem like Big Boss. Unless they are going for the "BigBoss had a life changing experience during MGS3, and thus has changed alot from when we last saw him".

 

[34thcell]

Selling demos is appalling, but the design puts the rest of the AAA stealth genre to shame (not saying much).

I just don't understand why David Hayter was removed from the role anyways? If it was because he was asking for a few extra dollars then thats pretty disappointing. I can understand if they wanted to give Big Boss some kind of separation from Solid Snake to ensure the players that they are indeed two different characters even though Solid Snake is his clone (and got all the recessive genes while Liquid Snake got all of the important genes).

Big Boss having Solid Snake's voice was always pure fan service and never made much sense. David Hayter also kind of sucked after MGS2, but I guess the writing had been deteriorating since MGS1 (correlating with the lack of oversight over Kojima's scripts as he became more successful).

Btw, I think Solid Snake had the dominant weak genes, whilst Liquid had the recessive strong genes (whatever are weak and strong genes for a supersoldier). As I understand it, recessive/dominant simply refers to the likelihood of genes asserting themselves.

 

[Lexx]

I just don't understand why David Hayter was removed from the role anyways?

Facial animations. Studios are using real actors nowadays to get their mimik to the voice with motion capturing techniques.

http://youtu.be/7Lh0gnSerOA?t=1m10s

 

[Stanislao Moulinsky]

Big Boss having Solid Snake's voice was always pure fan service and never made much sense.

Why? Snake is his clone. A lot of twins have nearly identical voices. If anything it's strange that while Naked, Solid and Solidus Snake all have the same voice (in japan) Liquid has a different one.

 

[zegh8578]

Not very familiar with it, but I'm pretty sure this is the title that a friend of mine beat in 10 minutes, during a speed-run, and completed with 0 kills and 0 alerts. His main complaint was the same, and he added that there was of course a lot more content, but that either way, it shouldn't be that easy to speed-run a game like that

His opinion was the same, that it is a game demo, disguised as a proper game.

 

[Yamu]

Big Boss having Solid Snake's voice was always pure fan service and never made much sense.

Why? Snake is his clone. A lot of twins have nearly identical voices. If anything it's strange that while Naked, Solid and Solidus Snake all have the same voice (in japan) Liquid has a different one.

The proper answer to any and all MGS questions is "Kojima is a nutcase." We could probably rationalize the voice thing away as Liquid's inferiority complex subconsciously causing him to speak in a manner and tone that he perceived to be less masculine and more calculating than his "superior" brother and father, and it would make far more sense than anything Word of God would supply.

As to Ground Zeroes, I'm with the general consensus. Looks great, plays great, not worth the money, boo Kiefer Sutherland. I do wish people would stop paying for it, though. Konami's going to get the idea that this sort of thing is okay.

 

[Wastewander]

I just don't understand why David Hayter was removed from the role anyways?

Facial animations. Studios are using real actors nowadays to get their mimik to the voice with motion capturing techniques.

http://youtu.be/7Lh0gnSerOA?t=1m10s

That's what they say, but every other character has retained the same voice actor. Don't get me wrong, I have no issues whatsoever with Hayter being replaced. His voice got so ridiculous to the point where it's almost like he's doing a parody of himself.

Big Boss having Solid Snake's voice was always pure fan service and never made much sense.

Why? Snake is his clone. A lot of twins have nearly identical voices. If anything it's strange that while Naked, Solid and Solidus Snake all have the same voice (in japan) Liquid has a different one.

Not an exact clone, and even then, regardless of what the Japanese voices are like, none of the other clones share voice actors in English. The only reason they had the same voice was for thematic reasons in MGS3. Well, supposedly. Later on I realized that all protagonists are too similar that it comes across as lazy writing. Which makes it for even worse when Kojima decides to regress character development.

As to Ground Zeroes, I'm with the general consensus. Looks great, plays great, not worth the money, boo Kiefer Sutherland. I do wish people would stop paying for it, though. Konami's going to get the idea that this sort of thing is okay.

I almost feel bad for Konami at this point. Silent Hill was greatly mishandled, I don't think too many people are interested in Castlevania anymore, and all their other franchises besides Metal Gear (not counting stuff like PES and DDR) are practically dead.

It was nice that we at least got Hard Corps: Uprising a few years ago.

 

[Lexx]

Not very familiar with it, but I'm pretty sure this is the title that a friend of mine beat in 10 minutes, during a speed-run, and completed with 0 kills and 0 alerts. His main complaint was the same, and he added that there was of course a lot more content, but that either way, it shouldn't be that easy to speed-run a game like that

His opinion was the same, that it is a game demo, disguised as a proper game.

Fallout 1 and 2 both can be played through in 10 minutes with little to no kills at all. Of course there is a lot more content, but either way, it shouldn't be that easy to speed-run a game like that.... Oh wait.

 

[woo1108]

Isn't that just a demo?
charging demo for 30$ isn't good idea I think...
30$ isn't small money to spent.

 

[Walpknut]

Yeah, 30 dollars demos set a pretty nasty prescedent. Specially with japanese developers, we will probably start seeing more of those in the future.

 

[Stanislao Moulinsky]

Why? Snake is his clone. A lot of twins have nearly identical voices. If anything it's strange that while Naked, Solid and Solidus Snake all have the same voice (in japan) Liquid has a different one.

Not an exact clone, and even then, regardless of what the Japanese voices are like, none of the other clones share voice actors in English. The only reason they had the same voice was for thematic reasons in MGS3. [/QUOTE]

On one hand you are saying that it's not a good reason for having the same voice because he's not a 100% identical clone. On the other you are using the flawed english adaptation of MGS2 as proof even though in japan Naked, Solid and Solidus all have the same voice and the latter IS a 100% identical clone.

 

[Wastewander]

On one hand you are saying that it's not a good reason for having the same voice because he's not a 100% identical clone. On the other you are using the flawed english adaptation of MGS2 as proof even though in japan Naked, Solid and Solidus all have the same voice and the latter IS a 100% identical clone.

Not quite. You could justify the voice if he was an exactly clone, but he's not. And regardless of what the Japanese version does, it isn't entirely out of the question for Solidus' voice to be different (or any else's for that matter) since your environment and other factors can affect what you sound like. Solidus -- as well as Liquid and Solid -- are clones who have been genetically engineered, and altered. Solidus aged a lot faster than a normal human being, and so does Solid (and so would've Liquid I assume) but to a lesser degree. That alone is more than enough to justify having different VAs.

But really, it's erroneous to use what the Japanese version does as an argument. If Solidus should've had the same voice in English, then that means that in Japan, Big Boss should've had the same voice as Solidus in MGS4. Would've been one hell of a thing to see Akio talk to himself.

Also, unlike Hayter, Akio Otsuka is an actual voice actor. Solidus was a better for having a different VA in English. I mean, John Cygan > David Hayter any day of the week.

 

[Lexx]

But Solidus wasn't in MGS4? Except for that half-dead corpse that wasn't talking at all. That guy at the end of MGS4 is the real Big Boss.

 

[Stanislao Moulinsky]

On one hand you are saying that it's not a good reason for having the same voice because he's not a 100% identical clone. On the other you are using the flawed english adaptation of MGS2 as proof even though in japan Naked, Solid and Solidus all have the same voice and the latter IS a 100% identical clone.

Not quite. You could justify the voice if he was an exactly clone, but he's not. And regardless of what the Japanese version does, it isn't entirely out of the question for Solidus' voice to be different (or any else's for that matter) since your environment and other factors can affect what you sound like. Solidus -- as well as Liquid and Solid -- are clones who have been genetically engineered, and altered. Solidus aged a lot faster than a normal human being, and so does Solid (and so would've Liquid I assume) but to a lesser degree. That alone is more than enough to justify having different VAs.

But really, it's erroneous to use what the Japanese version does as an argument. If Solidus should've had the same voice in English, then that means that in Japan, Big Boss should've had the same voice as Solidus in MGS4. Would've been one hell of a thing to see Akio talk to himself.

Also, unlike Hayter, Akio Otsuka is an actual voice actor. Solidus was a better for having a different VA in English. I mean, John Cygan > David Hayter any day of the week.

Solid Snake maybe less than a perfect clone but is certainly more than a son and given how bonkers the series is with genetics that's not conclusive proof. And again, Solidus. It isn't entirely out of a question for a twin to have a different sounding voice but the opposite is also true. Also there are a couple of others reasons that Solidus should have had the same voice as Snake in that , but that's secondary.

Big Boss in MGS4 had a different VA in that game, but guess who voiced him? The father of Snake's VA. And guess instead who is vocing again Big Boss in MGS5? Snake's VA. Mh...I'd go for thematic reasons on that one.

Edit. Long story short, Solid Snake is a clone in a world of comic book science. If that explanation isn't enough to you to explain why he has the same voice pretty much all sci-fi doesn't make sense then.

 

[Wastewander]

But Solidus wasn't in MGS4? Except for that half-dead corpse that wasn't talking at all. That guy at the end of MGS4 is the real Big Boss.

I worded that poorly. Solidus has Akio Otsuka as his VA in MGS2, and we all know he's a perfect clone of Big Boss. Then in MGS4 we have Big Boss being old and all. So it stands to reason that Big Boss should've been voiced by Akio in MGS4 as well (just like Solidus and Snake was). I was being facetious about the Japanese version.

Solid Snake maybe less than a perfect clone but is certainly more than a son and given how bonkers the series is with genetics that's not conclusive proof. And again, Solidus. It isn't entirely out of a question for a twin to have a different sounding voice but the opposite is also true. Also there are a couple of others reasons that Solidus should have had the same voice as Snake in that , but that's secondary.

Don't know what the "more than a son" aspect has anything to do with this. And I know about Kojima wanting to fool the player into thinking Solidus really was Solid Snake (iirc), but that would've been a waste of everyone's time as no one would have fallen for it. Doesn't matter.

Big Boss in MGS4 had a different VA in that game, but guess who voiced him? The father of Snake's VA. And guess instead who is vocing again Big Boss in MGS5? Snake's VA. Mh...I'd go for thematic reasons on that one.

Ha, what are these so-called thematic reasons? Regardless, that's not even the point. The Japanese script isn't holy scripture, and sometimes changes are made for the better. Had MGS1 been translated more directly, those scenes between Meryl and Snake would've been incredibly more sappy and we would've had more lines like "Do you think love can bloom on the battlefield?".

Otherwise I'd go, "but they're clones!!1! and they shud all have the same (mediocre) voice actor"

Edit. Long story short, Solid Snake is a clone in a world of comic book science. If that explanation isn't enough to you to explain why he has the same voice pretty much all sci-fi doesn't make sense then.

I know why, that doesn't mean I have to agree with the reasons. But if that's the case then because it's comic book science, Solidus and Liquid are allowed to have different voices just like Big Boss.

 

[Stanislao Moulinsky]

Big Boss in MGS4 had a different VA in that game, but guess who voiced him? The father of Snake's VA. And guess instead who is vocing again Big Boss in MGS5? Snake's VA. Mh...I'd go for thematic reasons on that one.

Ha, what are these so-called thematic reasons?

The paralled between VAs and the characters, obviously. Nothing deep.

But if that's the case then because it's comic book science, Solidus and Liquid are allowed to have different voices just like Big Boss.

Of course. Never said otherwise. Every single Snake could have had a different voice (well...in the west they do now) and I wouldn't bat an eye. Never had a problem personally with the change of VA in MGS5.

 

[Wastewander]

The paralled between VAs and the characters, obviously. Nothing deep.

Uh-huh...

Of course. Never said otherwise. Every single Snake could have had a different voice (well...in the west they do now) and I wouldn't bat an eye. Never had a problem personally with the change of VA in MGS5.

Well, then I must've greatly misinterpreted these lines then.

On the other you are using the flawed english adaptation of MGS2 as proof even though in japan Naked, Solid and Solidus all have the same voice and the latter IS a 100% identical clone.

Also there are a couple of others reasons that Solidus should have had the same voice as Snake in that , but that's secondary.

Bolded parts for emphasis, obviously. But if I did misinterpret these, then I apologize.