I kinda just block out any criticisms they have for the story at this point. If they're not listening to the tapes, then the story will only feel fragmented, especially in chapter 2.
I don't understand the staff's distaste for the post-release updates. What exactly is wrong with the game as it is now? None of the stuff that Konami added changes the game all that much. It really seems like their assuming its terrible based on pure ignorance. The only negative change added to the game is that you lose access to FOB resources when you're offline. I admit, that does totally suck. However, they've also added challenge tasks that reward you heavily for simply playing the game. Overall, the experience is still essentially the same as it was on release. You can also just opt out of the online portion altogether, which is honestly a better way to play the game. Most of the upgrades you get with the added FOB resources make the game insanely easy.
The fact that they took such a long break from the game (more than a month) and they STILL don't know how they should approach chapter 2 is just crazy to me. When you hit a wall in the story, go do side ops or a remixed mission, that's all you need to do. And you only need to do this TWO times in the story. This idea of listening to yellow tapes to progress the story is just made up bullshit that everyone latched onto for some reason.
Also, it's a bit late to be listening to cassette tapes. Pretty sure that ship sailed a long time ago. The context for the tapes will be completely lost on Drew at this point.
I've had a lot of technical problems, but none of them were bad enough to actually annoy me. Even the game performance is okay in my experience. Sure, it's dropping below 15 fps every time an explosion happens, but this is a turn based experience free from quick reactions and accurate aiming. It doesn't impact the "playing" part of the game that much if at all.
And Metal Gear was never a series to praise America; in fact it leans more towards the opposite. Which makes me a bit surprised that Dan likes these games. But also not surprised given how oblivious he is to the meta-messages of these games.
The story in the MGS games is largely science fiction with characters having personal conflicts spanning decades. To take any of it as shots at the US is a pretty big stretch.
Only Ground Zeroes felt anti-American with its Guantanamo Bay like setting, but even that's a bit of a stretch considering that most Americans find such detention facilities to be quite detestable.
The shittiness of chapter 2 is seriously over-exaggerated.
Once you hit a wall with story progression, you have to replay an older mission or do some side ops. Yes, this does kind of suck, but you only have to do it TWO times. The game gates your progression after a major story beat, but its not like you have to play hours of "boring" content to continue the game. Many people call it a "grind," it's literally only like 30 minutes, maybe an hour at most. Not to mention, you are getting TONS of tapes in chapter 2. Chapter 2 has more story in it than the entirety of chapter 1.
It is weird how they built this entire game. Once I understood the progression, it actually makes a lot of sense. If KojiPro restructured MGSV slightly, then the game probably wouldn't be getting such a large vocal backlash from some people.
I agree completely! I hustled my way through chapter 2 w/o ever playing the old missions by just doing a couple side ops. I really think chapter 2 has the best content in the game (despite Quiet's rescue/palace defense mission). My only concern is that Drew really needs to get some info from the tapes about what is going on for chapter 2 to actually land like it should.
Kojima probably should have structured the story-flow a little better and funneled the player to the tapes as opposed to leaving them on the side. However, there is a complete and cohesive story there. There are loose ends but they're aren't story critical, more like branching paths that you get a glimpse of but don't take.
The game could have definitely explained the structure of chapter 2 better so it wasn't so confusing. But yeah, the idea going around that you have to build mother base to a certain level, play x amount of side ops, listen to specific tapes, etc. is completely false.
The story pacing could use some tweaks, but the tapes don't really need to be funneled. If you want to care about the story in the game, then they are right there for listening. The game even gives you a button prompt every time you get back on the chopper. KojiPro also colored the plot essential cassettes gold, so it's not like you have to listen to all of them. Honestly, I knew Metal Gear Scanlon V would be a mistake. I knew Drew wouldn't care about listening to tapes or getting deep into mother base development. It's really not a game built for a "let's play" format. Just following the critical story path to "beat the game" is not how you should play MGSV.
The shittiness of chapter 2 is seriously over-exaggerated.
Once you hit a wall with story progression, you have to replay an older mission or do some side ops. Yes, this does kind of suck, but you only have to do it TWO times. The game gates your progression after a major story beat, but its not like you have to play hours of "boring" content to continue the game. Many people call it a "grind," it's literally only like 30 minutes, maybe an hour at most. Not to mention, you are getting TONS of tapes in chapter 2. Chapter 2 has more story in it than the entirety of chapter 1.
It is weird how they built this entire game. Once I understood the progression, it actually makes a lot of sense. If KojiPro restructured MGSV slightly, then the game probably wouldn't be getting such a large vocal backlash from some people.
Why do I get the impression that Dan is judging the entire quality of MGSV as a game just by watching Drew play? I mean, I didn't see him do that with the other games. Sorry, but MGSV is not a fun movie to simply watch like the other games.
It's not a movie-game like the other games. It's a game that benefits more from the player immersing themselves into the mechanics and world through their own actions. I think simply rushing through the main missions and not developing the base, listening to cassettes, doing core side missions, etc is a poor way to enjoy the game. Honestly, Metal Gear Scanlon V was a mistake. I know there is an audience they want to entertain, so that's why they simply rush through the story, but it really undermines a lot of what the game is about.
Drew would be completely justified in hating that mission (I certainly loathe it myself), its the worst one in the entire game. Its a terribly terribly designed boss fight that in no way takes advantage of the games strengths and instead hinders largely on its weakness'. The best strategy I found was to literally just spam whatever high powered weapon you happen to have (armor piecing rifle is best though) because that's all it is is a fight against 4 annoying damage sponges with bullshit cheap attacks you have you constantly run from.
Theirs no strategy or tactics or smart thinking, it literally just comes down to what's the laziest fastest way I can deal with these guys. Why they felt the need to make it that way I've no idea especially with the series having so many great boss fights in the past.
I had the complete opposite reaction. I thought it was fast paced and exciting. I honestly don't get what's so difficult about it. Simply call in an assault rifle and LMG/rockets and go to town. The Skull's attacks are easy to learn and predict. There is definitely a skill to dodging attacks and countering the skulls, and that can definitely be a change gameplay change that many are not used to. However, that's true for basically every boss fight in Metal Gear. You're always having to change your tactics for specific points in the plot.
I'm somewhat flabbergasted that the a vocal portion of the internet dislikes this mission to such an extreme. You have a large arsenal of weapons to pick from, unlimited ammo through supply drops, buddies like Quiet or D-walker helping you out, etc. The tools are there, you simply need to make use of them. Honestly, you just need to be shooting better if you're having so much trouble. Mission 45 is actually a mission that is cheap bullshit, this is not.
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