I haven't finished the game still. Put 70 hours already and looking into the 40s missions. I find it to be a great game, with endless possibilities. Its a bit repetitive, but when you get the hang on the transport system, it becomes pure fun. I have finished missions in so many different ways, tackled problems in so many different ways. The Side ops are excellent for this.
Regarding the story it is what I expected. The story was finished on MGS 4, there shouldn't even be any twists or surprises. You can read on the Piggyback official guide, that Kojima wanted to create the perfect sandbox stealth game, and he did it. It is damn perfect. The story is irrelevant. There are some nice details, it goes on well, the tapes are necessary because the game's missions take so much time that putting story in those parts is welcomed.
I am 25 years old now, I don't have patience for the anime bullshit that the other MGSs were, except MGS 3. Funny enough, I found MGS 3 at the time to be so lacking in story because it really didn't have the twists and turns of the other games. But now looking at it, it has better storytelling of the first 4. I grew up and I expect games I played 15 years ago to grow up as well. I don't know what people expected of this game, but anyone that grew with these games can't say that MGS had great story telling and narrative. MGS V has great story telling and narrative. It says what it needs to be said, and holds info for those who care to listen.
I know I won't be dissapointed by the true ending or anything because I don't really care for it. Big Boss is Big Boss, Gray Fox, Liquid Snake, Solid Snake, Miller, Ocelot, The Patriots, Zero, we all know who they are and what they did. What matters is that we have an amazing game, gameplay wise, and aren't games about fun, addictive gameplay?
