Metal Gear Survive: My Thoughts

Hey Guys, I am about a day late with this, but I just watched this trailer yesterday and didn't get a chance to write about it. I wanted to write about the No Man's Sky controversy, but I never played the game and have a passion for Metal Gear, so I decided to write about Metal Gear Survive.

Just the obvious connection to The Phantom Pain is sickening...

What can I say that hasn't been said already? Seriously, there is almost nothing good to say about this pathetic excuse for a game. I'm ashamed to even give my opinions on this game because I am only drawing more attention to it.

Either Konami has run out of ideas or just needs a way to earn a quick buck. Regardless, they thought this new "game" of theirs would sell just based on the concept and the game.

Zombies? Is that the best they could come up with? How about a second Metal Gear Rising? However, I prefer they don't even make another Metal Gear game because the franchise is pretty much over with. Well, it's technically been over since Metal Gear Solid IV, but I guess prequels are okay. I expected Konami to make pinball machines, but I had no idea they would fall back to a zombie game(let alone a zombie Metal Gear game).

Essentially, this is just Call of Duty Zombies mode, but with different variations of zombies and with the Metal Gear name. Horde mode only works if done in different ways that doesn't seem so monotonous. However, zombie horde mode is just overdone. Additionally, it's Konami, so anything they really do is just awful.

Konami recently announced that the game will not be full priced. However, watch it be like $50. I will only give a little respect if the game is way under $15. Even if the game were reasonably priced, I wouldn't even play it because it's not done by Kojima. Metal Gear will not be the same with Kojima. Well, Metal Gear Rising did great, but I'm positive we're not getting a sequel to the game.

Honestly, I would rather let the franchise die peacefully rather than just suffer at the hands of a god awful company that betrays its employees.
Till Next Time!!

Metal Gear Solid Pachinko: My Thoughts

Hey Guys, it's been about eight months since Metal Gear Solid V released. It's easily one of the best games of 2015 and maybe the best Metal Gear Solid game in terms of gameplay. Anyways, fans have doubted the continuation of the series due to Kojima's departure from Konami.

However, this trailer released back on Monday shows a remastered Snake Eater using the Fox Engine, which powers Metal Gear Solid V. The trailer itself isn't bad, but the reception to the trailer is not good at all. Before I go more in depth about the trailer, let me show you a screenshot.

Just admire the beauty....

Seriously, Snake Eater was a great looking game when it was released back in 2004. Just looking at what the Fox Engine is capable of shows us how far we have come in terms of graphical technology. It even shows that Konami is capable of re-re remastering Metal Gear Solid 3.

This brings me to my main beef with the trailer. Metal Gear Solid 3 is being turned into a pinball machine just in case you didn't know what a pachinko was.

What the hell Konami!? You're telling me that you have the budget to make a pinball machine and not a full remaster? I understand that Metal Gear Solid 2, 3, and Peace Walker were remastered in HD for both Xbox 360 and PS3 a while ago, but this is using the Fox Engine!

Imagine if Metal Gear Solid 3 was released as a full remaster. It would sell like hotcakes! I know I would be willing to buy it since Metal Gear Solid 3 is a great game.

Instead of actually remastering the game, why not release Chapter 3 for Metal Gear Solid V. I have no idea if it exists anymore, but if it does you might as well bring it back and release it for free to make up for all your wrongs.

Nonetheless, Konami is only going down the drain. If they did decide to make a remaster of Metal Gear Solid 3, then they would actually gain some respect back.
Till Next Time!!

The Metal Gear Solid Fan Remake is Cancelled: My Thoughts

Hey Guys, I was in such a good mood today. The weather was finally nice outside and a new episode of Better Call Saul is coming on tonight. However, there were actually two things that happened today that made me pretty upset. Lionhead Studios is being shut down, which means that Fable Legends is canceled. Additionally, the fan made Metal Gear Solid remake was canceled.

Although I would love to talk about the cancellation of Fable Legends, I have been playing Metal Gear Solid longer, so it really pains me to see that remake get canceled.

According to The Shadow Moses team, "We have to cancel the Shadow Moses Project for reasons beyond our control".

I have this feeling in my gut that tells me that this has Konami written all over this. They probably threatened the team to not say it was them who ordered the cancellation of the game in order to protect their reputation. Considering how far Konami dug themselves in their own graves, I would not be surprised if they did have something to do with the game's cancellation.

This remake had real potential just based on the trailer that dropped about a month ago. Everything about the trailer was just breathtaking and shows how far we've come in terms of graphical technology that a game made on PS1 can be remastered on next generation hardware.

It was also clear that this development team put in time and effort into this project while treating the franchise with great respect. It was something that Metal Gear fans would be totally willing to pay for.

Imagine if the game were not canceled. It would probably be a lot better than the original game in terms of gameplay of course. Additionally, it would have content that the orignal game did not have or may even improve the flaws (if any) that the original game had.
Till Next Time!! #FuckKonami

A fan-made remake of Metal Gear Solid is in the works: My Thoughts

Hey Guys, this is one of the coolest things that I have seen this year. A fan-made remake of Metal Gear Solid is in the works using Unreal Engine 4. If you want to see the video for yourself, you can check out the video here.

Just look at how amazing the graphics are!

The project is currently called "Shadow Moses Remake". It's important to note that Konami has no involvement in this game whatsoever, so the create even admitted he wouldn't be surprised if the game were to be canceled. Keep in mind too that everything shown in the trailer is not representative of how the full game will look.

Now onto my thoughts.

Seriously, I would totally buy this if it were to release on consoles. This is more than just a remaster. If you couldn't tell by the screenshot I took, this is built from the ground up. You can easily tell that a lot of work has been put into this project.

However, it really is disheartening that we may not be able to experience this amazing game because Konami could shut it down. Knowing how Konami is today, I wouldn't be surprised if they just said pulled the plug on this. Imagine being the creator's shoes for a second. You would probably be devastated to find out that a company shut down something you have been putting your hear and soul into.

Regardless, the only way we would be able to play this is if Konami gave the okay to the creator to release this since Konami does hold the rights to the series. I wouldn't be surprised if Konami took most of the profit to this game should they give it the okay.

Besides just focusing on the game itself, just look at the visuals! It really shows what Unreal Engine 4 is capable of. I'm going to admit that I was not a huge fan of the Unreal Engine, but Unreal Engine 4 has shown that it is headed in the right direction. If it was able to rebuild Metal Gear Solid, just imagine what else can be done with Unreal Engine 4.

Here's hoping we get to be able to play this game! As a matter of fact, I actually hope it comes to consoles.
Till Next Time!!

A Response to Samuel Roberts's Article "Why MGS5's ending is one perfect moment in a bad story"

Hey Guys, it's been a while since I mentioned anything about The Phantom Pain. First, I loved the game. It's easily a competitor for Game of the Year! I even gave the game a high score on my review of it. However, I did not give it a perfect score due to the story. Although I may not be a big fan of the story, I would not say it is bad.

I stumbled upon this article and have a mixed response to it. If you want to check out Samuel Robert's article, be sure to click here. If you did not already guess it, but this post will contain spoilers for Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain. Please, do not read on if you plan on playing the game and/or are currently playing the game.

As my usual response posts, I will be breaking down some key quotes made in the article. I will not just be focusing on quotes that I disagree with, but this article does have some valid points that I need to address. Anyways, let me get started,

• "As someone who's followed the series very closely since the original Metal Gear Solid, though, I find so many of the creative decisions behind the story baffling in tone, approach and content". He does have a good point here, but I would not say that there is a complete loss of creativity is this game. A vocal parasite that effects the English language? That sounds pretty unique to me. However, I did feel that this game really did lack a lot of what made the previous entries in the franchise's story so good. 
• "Like a lot of observers I was onto this from the start of MGSV's story. In my review-in-progress piece in September, I called this version of Snake 'an anonymous action hero' and ‘an empty vessel'". If you're confused as to what he was talking about in the first part of the quote, he was talking about how most people were already aware of the fact that you were not playing as Big Boss. If you went into the game without knowing that you were not playing as Big Boss, then you would have already caught on to the fact that Big Boss really lacked in character in the Phantom Pain. Seriously, I think Big Boss had like 5 or 10 minutes worth of dialogue in the entire game. Why the decision was made for Big Boss to remain silent is beyond me, but I think it had something to due with the fact that this is not the real Big Boss.
• "Having lost nine years of his life to a coma, he then gives up his own identity to assume that of his ally for his protection, through both hypnotherapy and plastic surgery, then builds an entire army and forges relationships on an entirely false premise". The Medic is essentially a nobody. Mr. Roberts even addresses this later in the article. If anything, it really makes you want to feel bad for him since everything the Medic did means nothing since most people saw him as Big Boss including himself.
• "But the story feels deliberately unfinished—Quiet, Huey and Eli (Liquid Snake) all just vanish in various ways throughout chapter two, stripping more and more of Metal Gear’s lore away from The Phantom Pain". Honestly, the game does feel unfinished. Chapter 3 must have been cut from the main game because Chapter 2 was just painful to play through. Personally, I felt it was just filler at that point. There really was no closure to the game, but I feel there is as future DLC that will give this game a proper closing. 

In the grand scheme of things, Metal Gear Solid V is a great game. However, it is easily the worst game in the series in terms of story. Honestly, I do not feel the "ending" was great either. When I found out I wasn't playing as Big Boss, I felt so cheated. At the same time, it was still a genius ending as it was Kojima's way of giving the ol' tip of the hat to fans of the series.

We can't help but feel bad for the medic since his story is pretty tragic. Although we are not playing as the real Big Boss, it does not take away from core gameplay. As I said before, the story isn't bad in terms of video games in general, but I would say it's bad in terms of Metal Gear standards.

Till Next Time!!

Metal Gear Online Impressions

Hey Guys, I feel that I put in enough time to give a fair impression on Metal Gear Online. I didn't start on the first day it released because I didn't want to deal with bugs or glitches. However, I heard that people had technical problems with the game, but I haven't dealt with any major bugs yet. I had a couple of small bugs with the game itself as well as the CQC, but I'll get to that later.

Let me begin with the character customization,

Trust me, there really isn't much..

How can I put this in the most simplest terms without sounding bias? The character customization sucks. In essence, there really isn't much variety starting out. Yeah, you get to unlock more items and weapons as you level up, but there is going to be a high possibility that someone will have the same character appearance as you since your starting character's appearance will be based off the avatar you created in Metal Gear Solid: TPP.

You can even change your character's voice. I don't think many people know about this as I'm always hearing people who have Big Boss's voice as their own.

There are a total of 3 classes you can play as which are Scout, Enforcer, and Infiltrator. The Scout is recommended for beginners, but I hardly see anyone using this class. Infiltrators are pretty much everywhere since they have a stealth camo and Enforcers are ideal for people who are into fast-paced gameplay. There is variety in the game, but it's really nothing special.

Now, let me talk about the game modes,

Yes, you can play as a female

Bounty Hunter is your basic team deathmatch with a twist. You can either eliminate your enemies with lethal weapons or use non-lethal weapons and takedowns to Fulton them. Basically, whoever has the most tickets (indicated the numbers in the circle), wins the game. When you Fulton an enemy, you gain a certain amount of tickets based on their bounty.

Exactly where does the bounty come in? Well, if you kill enemies then your bounty increases and your position is revealed. Let's say that you killed 8 players in the game. If someone were to Fulton you, you would gain 8 tickets back. This could be good or bad for your team. Basically, you're a walking hazard if you kill too many enemies. Your bounty can be reduced if you Fulton enemies.

However, I find this to be the most enjoyable mode.

I'll talk about the stealth camo later

Cloak and Dagger is pretty much Search and Destroy. However, it's pretty fun because you will get a true Metal Gear experience because you just have to use stealth to win!

I really don't like to play this game mode because there is always that one guy on your team who doesn't play stealthy! Well, except for the defender side because they are given the lethal weapons and the attackers are given the non-lethal weapons. The stealth camo will only work if you know how to use it. It doesn't muffle the sound of your footsteps, so don't even bother to sprint or even stand for the matter. I would recommend crouching or lying on the ground behind a wall or in grass to make it harder to spot you.

If you're going to play this game mode, please use stealth if you're on the attackers side and coordinate with your team. Otherwise, you will have little to no chance of winning. Nonetheless, it's pretty fun.

Does this look familiar?

Comm Control is pretty much your typical domination game mode. It's actually pretty fun and it rewards a lot of XP, so you can count on this mode to help you level up a lot faster.

However, it can be really frustrating if your teammates focus on trying to get kills rather than actually going for the objective itself. At the same time, it could be very helpful because you still have the potential to win if you have a lot of points. I'll explain this shortly.

Now, let me talk about the gameplay itself,

Wow, this REALLY looks familiar!

The spawn system works very similarly to Battlefield, but it has one problem. You can spawn next to an enemy on accident! This could either work with you or against you. You could spawn next to your buddy or spawn point, and the enemy will be right next to you. You do have spawn protection, so you will have to be quick to get ready to kill the other player, but you could only shoot once you're out of the spawn protection. Overall, this could be both frustrating and helpful.

Now, let me talk about the biggest problem with the online component to Metal Gear Solid V. People just don't want to use the stealth elements. I'm not going to lie as I mix between going loud and going silent. However, people really should play stealthy especially in Bounty Hunter and Cloak & Dagger. The game doesn't necessarily punish you for not playing stealthy, but you get more incentives for doing so.

I'm not one to dictate what style of gameplay you should be using, but think about your team. If you go sprinting or firing your weapons, then the enemy is going to know your exact location. The mini-map is what really kills the experience as well! If the mini-map wasn't available, then the game would keep players on the edge of their seats and encourage them to play stealthy.

There is a reason why I'm not giving this game a number. There is going to be more content, so it wouldn't be fair to judge this online mode without really seeing its full potential. However, what we got was very enjoyable. It's not great, but it's pretty good. Please, don't even bother reading critical reviews of the game as it's still too early to judge this.
Till Next Time!!

Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain Review

Hey Guys, it's been about 3 weeks since Metal Gear Solid V released. Critics are praising this game like it was the second coming of Jesus. However, does the game really deserve perfect scores? To be completely honest, no it doesn't. Please, just be sure to hear me out and understand where I'm coming from. I will keep this Spoiler free as I'll have a spoiler talk in a separate article. Anyways, onto the review!

Story: 7 out of 10
That's right, I'm giving this story a "solid" 7 out of 10. You want to know why? Well, the game does have strong voice acting, despite the fact that Big Boss barely talks in the game, and the story rarely has a dull moment during Chapter 1. This game will keep you on the edge of your seat. However, this game lost 3 whole points due to the fact on how weak Chapter 2 was. Please, don't even get me started on that ending. If you've beaten the game, then you'll know what I mean. This has to be one of the most polarizing endings I've seen all year. The ending is both genius and disappointing. Essentially, the second half of the game is a huge slap in the face. Most of the missions are just challenges from older missions once you get to Chapter 2. Just enjoy Chapter 1 for as long as you can. The story will keep you busy though. I think I put in above 40 hours worth of gameplay once I finished the story.

Graphics: 10 out of 10
We all already know how awesome the Fox Engine looks! This has to be one of the best looking games on current-gen consoles. I played this the Xbox One version and I have to say that it can stack up the PlayStation 4's level of graphics.

Gameplay: 10 out of 10
It's clear as to where all the focus was at. This is an open-world stealth game. It's similar to Far Cry, but it's so much different in every way at the same time. You don't even have to play stealthy either! The game doesn't penalize too much for going guns-blazing other than making it more difficult to survive and a lower score, but most of us really don't care about the score.

I would also recommend taking full advantage of the buddy system. D-Dog and Quiet are especially helpful buddies that can really help you out if you're feeling stuck. D-Dog is more for stealth-players while Quiet is pretty much versatile. The more you use them on the battlefield, the more your bond with them grows. Once they reach a certain bond level, you can unlock new commands for them as well as new outfits.

How could I forget to mention Mother Base? It's amazing getting to upgrade Mother Base while progressing through the game. You have to gather resources in order to do this as well as recruit some soldiers for your base. You can even play as some of them as part of your Combat Unit! FOB Mother Base really isn't that good. I think it's just there just to be there. However, make sure to upgrade Mother Base as it allows you to develop new weapons and new weapon upgrades. The Fulton device is a huge help, so make sure to upgrade that, so you're able to capture vehicles and larger weapons such as turrets and mortars.


VGT Score: 9 out of 10
Look, Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain does not deserve a 10 score. However, it doesn't change the fact that this game is awesome. This game has an insane value for only $60, so I would highly recommend that you get this game at full price. Trust me, it's worth it.
Till Next Time!!

Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain Impressions #2

**I just finished the game last night, but I will not spoil anything. I will have a review up soon on this game.**

Hey Guys, it's been a while since I made the first impressions post for The Phantom Pain. I finally finished Chapter 1 of the game, but I still have not completed Chapter 2.

For those of you wondering on how many missions there are in Chapter 1, there are exactly 31 main story missions that make up Chapter 1. I got up to mission 43 on Chapter 2 which has to be one of the most brutal, yet most emotional part of the game.

However, I don't like the fact that most of the missions in Chapter 2 are pretty much pointless. Seriously, a lot of them are just difficulty spikes of older missions while only a few of them actually continue on with the story.

My Mother Base has also been making some real progress as well. It might be a joke when compared to people who put in 70 hours or so into the game, but I still feel like I've been putting up more of an effort.

I still can't connect online. I'm really getting frustrated with this because I just want to transfer my save progress from Ground Zeroes into the Phantom Pain, but I have no idea if I will ever be able to do so.

Sorry I couldn't say much more, I can't a whole lot without spoiling the game to you guys. If you have not played the game yet, please go out and buy a copy. It's worth the $60.
Till Next Time!!

Awful Craigslist Sellers #6

Hey Guys, it's been around 4 days since the release of the 5th edition of Awful Craigslist Sellers. You won't believe the one seller on this list. As a matter of fact, you can see it right now! Unfortunately, this was the only bad seller I can find for today, but I promise to find more in the next edition!

#1

Is this guy being serious or is he just this dumb? What PlayStation user didn't download this game before it was gone!? I was angry over this, but I still couldn't help but laugh at this.

I thought Konami was pulling these listings off!? I know they did it for eBay, but what about Craigslist!? How are idiots like these guys still getting away with this!? I really hope nobody is dumb enough to buy this unless you are really that desperate to play PT.

Seriously, PT can be completed in under an hour if you know what you're doing or probably even less than that! There is no way this game is worth a $1,000!
Till Next Time!!

Kojima's name removed from The Phantom Pain's Box Art

Hey Guys, with Kojima Productions officially disbanded means that Konami has pretty much disowned anything having to do with Hideo Kojima. Want some proof? Konami has been reported to tell interviewers not to even mention Kojima's name as if he's some kind of evil being. Want even further proof? They removed his name from his own game. Take a look,

Image provided by IGN. I added in the circles to highlight where Kojima's name and his studio used to be

I actually find this really funny to say the least. Konami is trying really hard to get rid of any trace of Kojima. They even got rid Kojima Productions from their own website. This is just a childish move from such a good company.

Well, Konami used to be good company, but now that they officially got rid of Kojima they are pretty much over with. They are still going through and adding microtransactions into the game. What is wrong with you Konami? Once you transition into the mobile gaming market, you are pretty much over with. Nobody including myself is going to want to purchase games from a company that booted one of the greatest video game designers to ever live and canceled the highly anticipated Silent Hills.

I'm sorry Konami. However, you're just going to get knocked out of the market.
Till Next Time!!

Kojima Productions is officially closed

Holy Cow. Hey Guys, Konami has been in a lot of turmoil ever since they apparently gave Hideo Kojima the boot. Additionally, they gained even more controversy when they wanted to start branching off into the mobile gaming industry. However, this has got to be the final blow to Konami. Japanese voice actor for Solid Snake, Akio Otsuka , confirmed that Kojima Productions has finally disbanded.

Otsuka confirmed the news via his Twitter post. He even stated that Kojima Productions was "forced to disband".

The next question is. What's next for Konami? They are pretty much nothing with Hideo Kojima! Remember Silent Hills? Anyone who tries to argue that Konami can still be amazing without Kojima is a complete idiot! They canceled Silent Hills because Kojima was the only one who knew what to do with the project!

Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain will be the final game from Kojima Productions. I bet that this game will be a masterpiece and would have shown how much potential Konami would have had in the future if they didn't get rid of Kojima. As a matter of fact, Silent Hills probably would have resurrected the survival horror genre had it not been canceled.

What's wrong with you Konami? After Metal Gear Solid V releases, I am no longer buying any product of theirs. They got rid of one of the most influential video game designers of all time and have nothing to show for it. I'm sorry, but Konami is pretty much done for at this point in time.
Till Next Time!!