Metal Gear Solid 5: The Phantom Pain Is Game of the Year, Guaranteed, Says Konami

Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain is almost here, and it seems as though Konami is feeling pretty confident about the game’s prospects. In the wake of the multiple 10/10 reviews and scores that The Phantom Pain garnered when the review embargo lifted a few days ago, Konami has stated that it believes that consumers will recognize the quality of the game, and flock to it in response.

Basically, it is the most engrossing and stunning game of the year,” marketing executive Jon Edwards said to MVC UK.

“Anyone who has spent any amount of time with it has been blown away by its depth, scope and ambition. It is one of those games where people go: ‘I wonder if I can do this?’ and they inevitably can. Many games claim to be sandbox, open-world affairs, but Metal Gear Solid V does offer incredible freedom. Yes, there are missions, but it is truly up to you how they are tackled. When we have shown it to the press, the interesting thing is that they don’t discuss just the missions or what they played, but how they did it. You get people swapping different stories, and discussing how they beat certain elements.

“Every new Metal Gear Solid title has seen Mr Kojima moving closer to his vision of a game that can match his scope. The Phantom Pain sees ideas formed in the PSP title Peace Walker come to fruition, as [the player’s HQ] Mother Base is not only explored, but shown – and used to add a tactical bent to the game. While the open-world idea first hinted at in Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater and then Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots is finally realised, with the game worlds boasting huge scale but incredible detail, too.

“It’s the game of the year – guaranteed.”

He also discussed how Konami plans on promoting The Phantom Pain- as well as the future of the franchise, which is currently in jeopardy.

“It is a very key title for us and will have a huge retail presence,” Edwards said. “We have cinema ads, blanket editorial coverage, a series of online take-overs, and outdoor ads all over the country. We have worked with Sony to produce the MGSV-themed PS4 – which is a stunning piece of kit – and we will be everywhere around launch. I do not exaggerate when I say MGSV is probably the best game of the year. Our push will remind people of that.”

“Metal Gear Solid is a key Konami franchise,” Edwards added. “The company has already committed to future iterations, which we look forward to.”

Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain launches on Xbox 360, Xbox One, PS3, PS4, and PC on September 1.