BRAND NEW STORY WITH A FRESH CHARACTER
THINGS WE WANT FROM A MGS V SUCCESSOR
Since the release of the first Metal Gear Solid twenty years ago, the series has heavily relied on its history to bring fans back to each entry. Metal Gear Solid IV brought people in with the return of Solid Snake, while Metal Gear Solid V continued the story of Big Boss. With Hideo Kojima out of the picture this time around, I think the best option for the next game in the series (if Konami wants to go that route) is to have a brand new story with a fresh main character.
Having new characters, a unique setting, and an interesting (not so convoluted) plot would make it easy for newcomers to join the fray and have some fun without carrying the extra baggage that the name ‘Metal Gear’ brings with it. As much as fans of the series love the characters of Solid Snake and Big Boss, it would be exciting to get to know a new character or even a fan favorite like Boss or Revolver Ocelot who have never been in the spotlight before. A side-story that takes place sometime in the Metal Gear universe with an established character that features a confined story might be a neat route to take, something that doesn’t require past knowledge on the subject. I think both options will be the only way to continue Kojima’s legacy without getting fans angry. I mean, just look at Metal Gear Survive.
BRING ON THE STEALTH
THINGS WE WANT FROM A MGS V SUCCESSOR
The first few Metal Gear Solid titles focused heavily on stealth to make your way through enemy camps and fortresses – the game punishing you if you were to go in guns blazing. With Ground Zeroes and The Phantom Pain, Konami toned down the focus on stealth elements a little bit in favor of action. The games were developed with newcomers in mind who might not find stealth to be quite as fun as it is to just go in and shoot everyone you see. We think that the stealth that the older entries offered was ahead of its time and really revolutionized the stealth genre.
For the next big Metal Gear Solid entry, we’re not saying that stealth should be the main component of the game, but it should take precedence over action; make stealth the easier option for players to choose, and if they want to go guns blazing, it should make things slightly more difficult (giving players the choice is important). Players in 2018 might not want a game that focuses primarily on stealth; having a good mix of both would be the most viable course of action. The open-ended nature of Metal Gear Solid V was a fresh take on the series that appealed to many, but often left us feeling nostalgic for the linear structure that the oldies had to offer, which brings us to our next point.
MIX OLD WITH NEW
THINGS WE WANT FROM A MGS V SUCCESSOR
Th Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain did extremely well in terms of reception, but the next game should not have to emulate that entire open-world experience, at least not for the entire game. Bring it back in full-form in a few years, but the successor to The Phantom Pain should induce some nostalgia and give us some facility infiltration and that semi-linearity that the classic titles delivered on, with back-tracking and all.
The open-world sections can come back and if done right, can mix in the old linear sections in a tasteful manner. Having this in the game would most definitely appeal to old-school MGS fans as well as newcomers. Just think about last year and how Nintendo managed to throw in those rad 2D retro platforming sections in Super Mario Odyssey without taking anything away from the 3D platforming that made up the base game. We’re imagining exploring an outside open area but then once you enter a facility or an enemy base, the game changes to a top-down stealth section with retro PlayStation graphics and all – imagine the possibilities! The Phantom Pain seemed to drop the story beats that the series is recognized for in favor of locking down the gameplay elements, which is awesome and everything, but leaves something to be wanted for veterans of the series. Give me something like Shadow Moses or Big Shell again and I would happily plop down money for a Metal Gear Solid game in a post-Kojima world.
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