Summary
Metal Gear Solid 5: Ground Zeroesturns 10 years old today, and despite its incredible technical and mechanical achievements, some fans remember the game for one particular reason more than any other. As one of the most infamous franchises in the world,Metal Gear Solidwill forever be associated with visionary Japanese video game designer Hideo Kojima, andMetal Gear Solid 5: Ground Zeroesmarked the beginning of the end of his tenure with developer and publisher Konami. The game’s stellar reviews and revolutionary gameplay should not be overlooked, though, and the mechanics still hold up just as well today.
Ground Zeroespresented a brand-new version of Big Boss to the world for the first time. An older, wiser man than the one whose last mainline series starring role wasMetal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater, this Big Boss was at the peak of his powersand infamy. On top of the new moves in his arsenal, such as the ability to dive straight into a prone position, or roll whilst shooting from a prone position, perhaps Snake’s biggest and most noticeable change was long-time voice actor, David Hayter, being replaced with Hollywood action star Kiefer Sutherland. This was met with mixed opinions from fans who felt that Hayter was the personification of Snake, but it was a change that Kojima felt was necessary to help make Snake’s facial animations feel more real than ever before.
MGS 5: Ground Zeroes Marked the Beginning of Kojima’s Split From Konami
After the release ofMetal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots in 2008, it was becoming increasingly clear thatKojima and Konami had a difference of opinionover some key details. Konami felt at the time that its efforts would be best placed by focusing on mobile gaming, with things like free-to-play models that emphasized new revenue streams through microtransactions being seen as the most lucrative outlet for the Japanese developer. Kojima’s strength has always been in storytelling, creating characters, worlds, and narrative themes that would be talked about for years to come. This is in direct contrast to the free-to-play microtransaction model, so the writing was on the wall for the enigmatic developer.
AAA games are extremely costly to produce, both in terms of money and the time it takes to make them, and Kojima’s tendency to go over budget on projects he was attached to was becoming frustrating for Konami. Kojima, who by this point was Konami’s Executive Vice President and corporate officer, unveiledGround Zeroesto the world in 2012 and discussed at length the technology used to make it.Kojima’s new Fox Enginewas purpose-built and used photo-realism to bring characters to life like never before. This was another costly measure and would ultimately prove to be another nail in Kojima’s coffin.
AAA games are extremely costly to produce, both in terms of money and the time it takes to make them, and Kojima’s tendency to go over budget on projects he was attached to was becoming frustrating for Konami.
Just afterGround Zeroeswas released, reports began to surface that Kojima and Konami would be parting ways. Konami began suspiciously removing Kojima’s name from theMetal Gear Solidwebsite, and promotional material for bothGround Zeroesand the upcomingMetal Gear Solid 5. Despite Kojima’s reassurance to fans that he was still committed to Konami and the franchise, by mid-December his contract with Konami expired, and he very quickly entered into a partnership with Sony, forming Kojima Productions, where he could finally be free of the proverbial shackles he felt Konami had placed on him. This would bethe end of Kojima’s association with theMetal Gear Solidfranchise.
MGS5: Ground Zeroes' Gameplay Still Holds Up Today
Metal Gear Solid 5: Ground Zeroessees Big Boss infiltrating an American Black Sitecalled Camp Omega, to rescue two individuals, Paz and Chico, and attempt to get them to safety via helicopter. The game’s short length was also a big talking point on release, as it could be finished in as little as two hours. Replayability comes in the form of secondary missions that can be undertaken separately. The camp’s impressive size means that large parts of it could be missed entirely if solely focused on rescuing the two prisoners, so side missions give the player a chance to explore a little more thoroughly.
The gameplay was a significant step up from anything theMetal Gearseries had seen before. Shooting mechanics were revamped, and Snake was more mobile than ever, allowing for smooth transitions between stealth, shooting, and hand-to-hand combat wherever necessary. The game’s cinematic look and feel, along with impressive visuals that still look just as good today, gave the whole thing amovie-style experience, which is exactly what Kojima was hoping for, and went some way to justifying David Hayter’s shock replacement.
Metal Gear Solid is Back in the Headlines
After a period of relative silence for the franchise,Metal Gear Solidhas enjoyed a renaissance over the last 12 months. The release of theMetal Gear Solid Master Collection: Vol 1, packaging together the first five entries in the series, allowed fans to experience the games on modern platforms.Metal Gear Solid Delta: Snake Eaterwas also announced, and is expected to be released this year. Despite Kojima having no association with either, thanks to Konami owning all rights to the franchise, his name will forever be synonymous withMetal Gear Solid, andGround Zeroeswill always be remembered for signaling the beginning of the end for Kojima and Konami.
Metal Gear Solid 5: Ground Zeroes
WHERE TO PLAY
World-renowned Kojima Productions showcases another masterpiece in the Metal Gear Solid franchise with Metal Gear Solid V: Ground Zeroes. Metal Gear Solid V: Ground Zeroes is the first segment of the ‘Metal Gear Solid V Experience’ and prologue to the larger second segment, Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain launching thereafter.MGSV: GZ gives core fans the opportunity to get a taste of the world-class production’s unparalleled visual presentation and gameplay before the release of the main game. It also provides an opportunity for gamers who have never played a Kojima Productions game, and veterans alike, to gain familiarity with the radical new game design and unparalleled style of presentation.The critically acclaimed Metal Gear Solid franchise has entertained fans for decades and revolutionized the gaming industry. Kojima Productions once again raises the bar with the FOX Engine offering incredible graphic fidelity and the introduction of open world game design in the Metal Gear Solid universe. This is the experience that core gamers have been waiting for.
