Game reviews / Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain
Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain
2015 · PC · PlayStation 3 · PlayStation 4 · Xbox 360 · Xbox One · Action-adventure · Stealth · Open world
3 scored sources · 2 countries contributing scores
Review consensus
Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain is widely praised for transforming stealth into an exceptionally flexible open-world sandbox. Its responsive controls, dense tactical systems, inventive equipment, companions, and Mother Base progression let players approach missions in dramatically different ways. Critics also highlighted its audiovisual presentation and ambitious themes. The consensus is less enthusiastic about the narrative structure: uneven pacing, repeated missions, limited variety in later objectives, and an ending that feels incomplete or insufficiently satisfying weaken the story. Even so, its extraordinary freedom and depth make it one of the most mechanically accomplished stealth games ever released.
Limited geographic coverage. Treat this score as an early indication.
Last researched: 2026-09-20
Pros
- Highly flexible stealth sandbox with multiple viable approaches
- Responsive controls and deep tactical systems
- Rewarding Mother Base, recruitment, research, and companion mechanics
- Strong audiovisual presentation and ambitious themes
Cons
- Uneven story pacing and an unsatisfying or incomplete conclusion
- Repeated missions and backtracking in the latter portion
- Open-world spaces and side content can feel repetitive
- Narrative delivery is less focused than earlier Metal Gear Solid games
Review sources
3 sources found across 2 countries. This is not exhaustive worldwide coverage.
- PC Gamer · United Kingdom · 93/100
- Destructoid · United States · 90/100
- GameSpot · United States · 100/100