
DEV: Kojima Productions
PUB: Konami
RELEASE DATE: 20/03/2014
FORMAT: PS3, PS4, Xbox360 and XboxOne
Short but sweet, Ground Zeroes stars fan favourite Big Boss/Snake, set not long after Peace Walker, as he sets out to the military base Camp Omega to rescue comrades and foes from old. The story itself was short but impactful, setting the ground work for the upcoming Phantom Pain perfectly, the story can be completed around 60 minutes by the average player, much quicker or longer depending on how much exploration is carried out, the game itself has major replay value which makes the story length more acceptable, including various side op missions set on the base, collectibles detailing the backstory to the game and various trials and difficulty modes to ensure the story’s length does not detract from the quality game at hand.
Camp Omega is the only setting for the entire game, every mission taking part somewhere on the base, the base itself is amazingly vibrant and looks beautiful in the Fox Engine, the gameplay also has evolved, anyone who has played Peace Walker will have a fair idea on how the game handles, enemy AI is incredibly brutal with 20/20 vision , which encourages the player to use everything they can to their advantage, the weapon arsenal is limited so the players equipment plays a massive part, you can mark enemies from a distance using your binoculars, giving you the ability to get the jump on them, using the surroundings to hide yourself, crawl at a snails pace to get yourself into the best positions, roll to the side for quick change of pace, and so on, all which feels a lot more natural that previous games in the franchise.
The asking price for this game coupled with the story length may put some people off buying, but the multitude of extras will keep a player playing well after they’ve completed the main mission of the game, coupled with the amazing graphics, slick controls and the evolved gameplay, the signs are good for The Phantom Pain, but until then, Ground Zeroes will more than keep you busy, and let you know that the future is good for the series.
PUB: Konami
RELEASE DATE: 20/03/2014
FORMAT: PS3, PS4, Xbox360 and XboxOne
Short but sweet, Ground Zeroes stars fan favourite Big Boss/Snake, set not long after Peace Walker, as he sets out to the military base Camp Omega to rescue comrades and foes from old. The story itself was short but impactful, setting the ground work for the upcoming Phantom Pain perfectly, the story can be completed around 60 minutes by the average player, much quicker or longer depending on how much exploration is carried out, the game itself has major replay value which makes the story length more acceptable, including various side op missions set on the base, collectibles detailing the backstory to the game and various trials and difficulty modes to ensure the story’s length does not detract from the quality game at hand.
Camp Omega is the only setting for the entire game, every mission taking part somewhere on the base, the base itself is amazingly vibrant and looks beautiful in the Fox Engine, the gameplay also has evolved, anyone who has played Peace Walker will have a fair idea on how the game handles, enemy AI is incredibly brutal with 20/20 vision , which encourages the player to use everything they can to their advantage, the weapon arsenal is limited so the players equipment plays a massive part, you can mark enemies from a distance using your binoculars, giving you the ability to get the jump on them, using the surroundings to hide yourself, crawl at a snails pace to get yourself into the best positions, roll to the side for quick change of pace, and so on, all which feels a lot more natural that previous games in the franchise.
The asking price for this game coupled with the story length may put some people off buying, but the multitude of extras will keep a player playing well after they’ve completed the main mission of the game, coupled with the amazing graphics, slick controls and the evolved gameplay, the signs are good for The Phantom Pain, but until then, Ground Zeroes will more than keep you busy, and let you know that the future is good for the series.
SECOND OPINION
As great and refreshing the gameplay of Ground Zeroes is, it's hard not to find it underwhelming. There isn't enough content to justify the price with one story mission and lazy side ops missions. However, that aside the game is exciting to play and does an excellent job of showcasing the new fox engine, the visuals and animations look fantastic. It also fulfilled the duty of increasing the hype for The Phantom Pain. Connor Wood |