In 1986, Konami launched a project to develop a game for the MSX. At the time, Hollywood action films featuring intense gunfights were gaining popularity, and Konami, having already found success with Contra, wanted to create a similar military-themed game. Midway through development, a new director named Hideo Kojima was assigned to the project—an appointment that would unknowingly lay the foundation for an entirely new genre in gaming.
Faced with the MSX’s hardware limitations, Kojima realized that he couldn’t make a fast-paced military shooter. Instead of forcing the hardware to accommodate a run-and-gun approach, he asked a simple but groundbreaking question: What if players had to complete their objectives through stealth rather than brute force? This question led to the birth of the stealth-action genre with the release of Metal Gear.
The sequel, Metal Gear 2: Solid Snake, refined this formula, introducing more intricate storytelling without relying on RPG mechanics. Then, in 1998, Metal Gear Solid was released for the PlayStation—one of my favorite Sony consoles. This was the game that redefined video game storytelling with deep characters, cinematic presentation, and innovative gameplay. Kojima meticulously designed missions and maps using LEGO bricks before coding them, ensuring tightly crafted level design.
This series shaped my love for the “special operative on a secret mission” concept, fueling my passion for gaming. It also led me to spend hundreds of dollars on Metal Gear collectibles over the years. With its tactical espionage action, the franchise continued to evolve, consistently pushing boundaries with each new installment.
I could write endlessly about the Metal Gear Solid series, but every article must have its focus. Instead of discussing the franchise as a whole, I want to highlight the importance of Metal Gear Solid V—one of the most controversial entries in the series. Despite its divisive reception, its gameplay depth remains unparalleled, and to this day, no other stealth game has surpassed it in terms of mechanics and open-ended mission design. This article will explore why MGS V is still a benchmark for stealth-action gaming. Hopefully, Death Stranding 2 will revive Kojima’s attention to intricate gameplay, bringing back the level of detail and freedom that MGS V perfected.
“Boss, send it to base with Balloon”
For the first time in the series, MGS V introduced an open-world structure. However, rather than designing a traditional open-world game, Kojima and his team created a vast sandbox—an expansive military playground with near-limitless freedom in mission execution. The core loop was simple: gather resources, upgrade your Mother Base, and expand your army.
The most ingenious aspect of this was the Fulton Recovery System. This hilariously over-the-top yet strangely immersive mechanic allowed players to attach balloons to vehicles, weapons, animals, and even enemy soldiers to extract them back to base. The satisfaction of fultoning an entire tank was unmatched.
But beyond its entertainment value, the Fulton system played a crucial role in MGS V’s unparalleled progression design. Almost every action in the game contributed to something. Whether upgrading your weapons, expanding your research team, or strengthening your base, the game ensured that players felt a constant sense of growth. It was the perfect blend of realism and “video game logic”—a reminder that games don’t need to sacrifice fun for the sake of immersion.
Get your strongest weapon the water gun!
MGS V not only featured one of the best stealth systems ever but also offered an astonishing variety of tools to approach each mission. As players expanded their R&D department, their arsenal evolved accordingly. The game provided countless options. Suppressed SMGs? Silent but deadly, like whispers in the dark. You take them out one by one, not even a breath of noise.
Tranquilizer sniper rifles? The ghost’s weapon. No one dies, but they all fall asleep. You watch from afar as they hit the ground, one after another, like a slow-motion dream.
Shotguns? Rocket launchers? Revolvers? That’s when the silence is long gone. Shit hits the fan. Fire, explosions, chaos turning the place into hell on earth.
And then, a squirt gun… Weird, right? But that tiny plastic toy is one of the most effective tools for frying electronics and dropping enemies without a single shot fired. Who would’ve thought a water gun could be such a secret weapon?
Every weapon, every gadget, and every vehicle had a purpose, and the game’s sheer variety encouraged experimentation. This level of mechanical depth is nearly extinct in modern AAA games, which often prioritize visual spectacle over intricate gameplay.
Your Arm Is More Than a Prosthetic!
In Metal Gear Solid V, Big Boss’s bionic arm isn’t just a replacement; it’s an extension of his willpower, a symbol of both his survival and his relentless fight. This isn’t just a piece of tech strapped onto his body—it’s a game-changing tool that elevates every fight.
The rocket-powered fist? It’s not just cool; it’s pure chaos unleashed. Watching it blast forward at full force, knocking enemies out of their stance, is like seeing a primal force of nature in action. But it doesn’t stop there. This isn’t just about power; it’s about control. The stun function gives you the chance to incapacitate foes with precise, non-lethal force, adding a layer of tactical depth that feels right in line with the stealth-heavy design of the game. And then, there’s the mind-bending teleportation ability. Big Boss, once limited to the ground, can now manipulate space and time, yanking enemies directly into his hands, instantly ready for a devastating close-quarters takedown.
It’s like you’re not just playing as Big Boss; you’re embodying him, feeling the power and versatility of that arm as an extension of yourself. This prosthetic isn’t some detached, lifeless tool—it’s a key to surviving, adapting, and dominating in a world that’s constantly shifting beneath your feet. Each function of the arm is carefully woven into the fabric of the game, turning what could have been a simple cosmetic into something much, much more: an essential weapon, a symbol of strength, and a testament to the ingenuity that makes MGS V so unforgettable.Unlike most games, where prosthetics are merely aesthetic, MGS V made it an integral part of gameplay, ensuring that every tool in the game had multiple practical uses.
“Now, Do It!”
Metal Gear Solid V taught me something important: The more a game respects your style and creativity, the more fun it becomes. Think about it—you’re given so many ways to approach a mission that sometimes you’re left wondering what the hell to do next. One minute, I’m calling in airstrikes, the next, I’m sending out a remote-controlled rocket punch, all while shouting, “Now, do it!” as that rocket fist slams into enemies. It’s not just fun—it’s a pure power trip, like watching everything get blown up in slow motion, and knowing you were the one to make it happen.
But the best part? No matter what path you take, the game adapts. Every choice you make, every move you make, the game responds. Like if you’re all about headshots at the beginning, suddenly, enemies are wearing helmets. If you only attack at night, they start rocking night vision goggles. It’s like the game is always a step ahead, making sure that no matter how many times you play, it always feels fresh. It’s a world that reacts to you, not just one where you react to it.
And let’s not forget the classic Playboy magazine trick. Yeah, a damn magazine became an integral part of your strategy. Sometimes all it took was tossing it somewhere and watching enemies completely lose focus. It’s those little things that made MGS V stand out. No other game gives you that much freedom to experiment and have fun with the mechanics.
Every mission felt like an opportunity to do something new. One time you sneak around, the next, you’re blowing everything up with helicopters and rocket punches. It’s all about how you want to play, and that’s the beauty of it. It encourages you to find your own rhythm, make your own choices, and constantly rethink your approach.
And then there’s the rocket-powered punch. When you give the “Now, do it!” command, enemies don’t just fly—they get launched into oblivion, while cars and debris go flying. It’s pure chaos in the best way possible. It’s a reminder that in MGS V, you don’t just play the game—you get to control it, shape it, and make it your own.
Big Boss Doesn’t Just Crawl
The animation in MGS V is something that truly set the game apart. I’m not talking about the usual “reloading” or “ducking for cover” animations you see in most games; I’m talking about the way every single movement in the game is crafted with such precision, it almost feels alive. The way Big Boss adjusts his stance depending on the environment—ducking behind cover, rolling to safety, or peeking around corners—everything flows seamlessly. It’s like the game knows exactly how you want to move before you do.
There’s something satisfying about watching Big Boss handle his weapons, making every shot feel deliberate, every reload purposeful. It’s not just a simple, static animation; it’s a dynamic, fluid movement that changes based on where he is and what he’s doing. The smoothness of the transitions between actions is what made the stealth gameplay in MGS Vfeel so natural, so immersive. It never feels clunky or out of place. Everything just… fits.
Even the little things matter. Whether you’re lying prone in the grass, crawling through the dirt, or rolling away from a firefight—each action feels real. It’s like you’re in Big Boss’s shoes, moving with intention and purpose, not just clicking through scripted sequences. It’s the kind of realism that still feels fresh today, even though many modern AAA titles still struggle to match that level of fluidity and responsiveness.
It’s crazy to think how many games try to achieve this level of smoothness, but MGS V made it feel effortless. The fluidity of every movement, the natural flow between actions—this wasn’t just a game; it was a showcase of how animation can elevate the experience to another level.
Everyone Can Stare at Playboy Magazine!
Enemy AI in MGS V was something else. We’re talking about the kind of intelligence you didn’t often see in stealth games. The guards weren’t just standing around, waiting for you to pop out of the shadows. They talked, they adapted, and in a crazy twist, they even learned from what you did. If you kept attacking from the same direction, they would beef up the defenses there, forcing you to think on your feet and change your approach. And if you tried to go all non-lethal on them? They’d start wearing gas masks, like they were finally catching on to your strategy. It was the kind of AI that made you feel like every move mattered.
The FOX Engine made it all possible, giving MGS V a level of detail that was just mind-blowing. The game didn’t rely on scripted moments to make things feel alive—it was all happening in real-time, every time you played. Guards would communicate, shout out warnings, and change their patrol patterns, all reacting to what you did. It was a living, breathing world, and it made every encounter feel fresh. At the same time, MGS V never lost sight of the fact that it was, at its heart, a game. The balance between realism and entertainment was just perfect.
But let’s talk about the elephant in the room: the story. While the gameplay was flawless, MGS V was still a controversial entry, thanks to its unfinished narrative. Kojima’s departure from Konami meant that a lot of plot threads were left hanging. Some people were angry about it, and understandably so. But to completely dismiss the game because the story wasn’t wrapped up is missing the point. MGS V is a mechanical masterpiece. The level of freedom, the depth of the gameplay, the intricate details—it’s something that no stealth game has managed to top, even years later.
While the story might have been incomplete, the game itself set a new standard for open-ended gameplay. No title since has come close to matching the level of freedom and intricacy that MGS V brought to the table. Sure, maybe Death Stranding 2 will bring back some of that Kojima magic, but until then, Metal Gear Solid V stands as the ultimate stealth-action experience. It’s the game that raised the bar for the entire genre, and nothing since has quite lived up to it.
