I've recently gotten around to purchasing Ground Zeroes, though not on its own, obviously. I saw it bundled with Peace Walker on the PSN store for $20, and given that both games cost $20 separately anyway I saw it as akin to getting a free demo alongside the main feature.
Having played through GZ now, demo definitely feels like the most accurate way to describe it. A good one, I won't deny, but a demo nonetheless and certainly not worth $20 dollars on its own (or $30 or $40 for that matter.)
As I said though, it was good for what it was. Playing it felt natural and fun in a way that no game in the series has for me since the first. The controls are simple, intuitive and well explained without being as over bearing as MGS usually is, the animation is fluid and the level design allows for a lot of freedom while still maintaining its focus as a stealth game. I would be a little more annoyed with some of the concessions to modern game design, such as the "reflex mode" and seeing enemies through walls and such, but these are thankfully optional.
That said, I did have issues too. I've been playing through again on hard and I'm impressed to see a stealth game, particularly in this franchise, where enemies have a half-way realistic line of sight and don't have to stare slack-jawed at you for five seconds before sounding the alarm, but once combat starts it's far too easy for my liking. Regenerating health was a bad choice, I think, and while the AI has improved considerably since MGS4, people seem to have a very hard time shooting you from more than ten meters away. I stood around a big open parking lot area for a good ten minutes or so taking down wave after wave of soldiers and, as long I kept low found that very few of them could hit me.
All in all, though, GZ got me interested in MGS5 again. Still wouldn't recommend it at full price, but if you can get it bundled with another game or maybe just seriously discounted, it might be worth a look.
Having played through GZ now, demo definitely feels like the most accurate way to describe it. A good one, I won't deny, but a demo nonetheless and certainly not worth $20 dollars on its own (or $30 or $40 for that matter.)
As I said though, it was good for what it was. Playing it felt natural and fun in a way that no game in the series has for me since the first. The controls are simple, intuitive and well explained without being as over bearing as MGS usually is, the animation is fluid and the level design allows for a lot of freedom while still maintaining its focus as a stealth game. I would be a little more annoyed with some of the concessions to modern game design, such as the "reflex mode" and seeing enemies through walls and such, but these are thankfully optional.
That said, I did have issues too. I've been playing through again on hard and I'm impressed to see a stealth game, particularly in this franchise, where enemies have a half-way realistic line of sight and don't have to stare slack-jawed at you for five seconds before sounding the alarm, but once combat starts it's far too easy for my liking. Regenerating health was a bad choice, I think, and while the AI has improved considerably since MGS4, people seem to have a very hard time shooting you from more than ten meters away. I stood around a big open parking lot area for a good ten minutes or so taking down wave after wave of soldiers and, as long I kept low found that very few of them could hit me.
All in all, though, GZ got me interested in MGS5 again. Still wouldn't recommend it at full price, but if you can get it bundled with another game or maybe just seriously discounted, it might be worth a look.
