The games a 10, hardest game I've ever had to rate, it feels like it's getting a 10 by some form of technicality by the way I score games when my gut feeling is a 9. I spent the majority of today thinking about how to get this game down to that gut feeling 9 and I just can't get the negatives weighed up enough to tip the scales. Definetly the best simulator game there is and that's exactly what this is, not strand type but a simulator game with AAA production, action shooter with stealth mechanics and a story tacked on.
DS1 was an easy 10 but it had freshness and intrigue and lore dumps that matters and treks were more difficult so unlocking things felt really important and then the zen simulator experience that goes along with maxing everything out. This game looses some of that to a degree to follow a more streamlined approach and my biggest critique of the game is they tried to keep one foot in each pond when the obvious thing was to expand the action towards MGSV but for some reason stayed with the delivery system on the main path and nerfed it all. While it's a 10, it's not a masterpiece 10 and a very weak one but I just can't deny that it is quality of such a high degree, gets you feeling shit (even if it is cringe at times) and the game loop is still fantastic, fun and while less so still quite zen and even m9re strategic this time around despite it seeming easier with so much of other players structures placed in. If I lower to a 9 it w9uld only be f9r what they didn't do, the nessesity of the game (the point is the fun) and story (it's still great and some of the coolest scenes in all of gaming and film) and the fact that they do anything over the too mechanically which they could have focused on and none of those are strong enough points to lower a point, the only point that does come close is the selected songs to play in place of Low Roars strong songs does not often hit but even then the OST is great and there is some really good new music with some of DS1s best tracks returning.
The game is fantastic fun, near flawless on most fronts and it's still quite unique if it doesn't feel that way cause of DS1. Some aspects are absolutely next level like the scale of terrain on the map, the detail. The graphics, The VA etc.
The games quality very much depends on how you play it, I'd say B lining this game would bring it down to an 8 tops and I could see many people being bored to an early grave doing the main missions to progress the story and action moments but if you are over zealous, find fun in satisfying repition or micro managing and spend time doing side stuff in between story missions this game is utterly brilliant much like the first just for ever so slightly differing reasons. It's just a pity they were so close to creating a masterpiece and just choose (definetly chose) to not implanting the few small things that could make the game Kojimas PROs best. A real fucking pity.
