Metal Gear Solid: Ground Zeroes Review

Genre: TPS (Third-Person Shooter), Open world exploration, Espionage

Released for/Reviewed on: Released on Playstation & X-Box (both gens), reviewed on PS4

Publisher/Developer: Konami/Hideo Kojima

Notable Voice Actors or Writers: Kiefer Sutherland (24) as Big Boss, Troy Baker (Delsin Rowe in inFamous: Second Son)

Alluring Element: True Next-Gen visuals combined with genre leading stealth and action gameplay

Check it out if you liked: MGS series, Splinter Cell series, having two thumbs connected to a brain

Rated: M

 

SCORECARD (each category ranked on a 10-point scale):

Storyline – 8

Gameplay – 10

Animation – 10

Replay Value – 9

Entertainment Value – 10

Captivity – 10

Variety – 7

Originality/Creativity – 8

Soundtrack – 9

Overall awesomeness – 10

Hideo Kojima is one of the most important video game directors of our time and his Kojima productions is one of the last Japanese companies to consistently create major selling and highly rated AAA titles. Ground Zeroes is the prologue to the highly anticipated sequel, Phantom Pain. This was done as a way to give players a taste of the new stealth and gameplay mechanics due to the long wait for Phantom Pain. This game also showcases the new style of storytelling that Kojima would like to utilize in the next installment.

 

The game picks up where Peace Walker left off. If you haven’t played that it isn’t surprising seeing as how it was a canon sequel on the PSP platform; however, it has been given the HD treatment and added to the PS3’s HD Collection and the Metal Gear Legacy collection, both of which are under 40 bones. The story is pretty simple: infiltrate the prison and recover two people. While the main story is pretty short, you can beat it in two hours even while playing in a slow pace, the game opens up a handful of side missions once it is complete. These main missions take place during the day and are used to showcase the daytime graphics of the Fox Engine being used.

 

I played on PS4 and most of the reviews tend to say it has the best graphics as well. That being said, this is one of the most gorgeous games I have ever seen. I don’t really know what else to say; the rain looks absolutely stunning, with the way it interacts with everything from the buildings to the mud, it’s just beautiful. The gameplay has changed quite a bit, with Big Boss seeing many improvements to his repertoire. The movement is more fluid this time around with his transition to different stances being flawless. He is given a few new moves and some have been added from Peace Walker, the multi-CQC takedown being one of them. He is also given a diving button that allows him to dive behind cover and remain prone if he is close to getting spotted.

The stealth mechanics overall have been changed; there are no more cones of vision or even a radar, for that matter. He now has an iDroid that displays the map, proving that Apple was ubiquitous even in the 1970’s. If for some reason you are actually spotted,  Big Boss now has the ability to enter “Reflex Mode,” which slows down time, allowing him to silence a guard before he is able to call for help or alert anyone. This is meant to be used as a crutch and can be turned off in the menu option at any time but is definitely fun to use when just running around exploring the island.

You, sir, are screwed.

My only real complaint with this game is it is too short. I am a major Metal Gear fan, so much so that both of my gamer tags involve Solid Snake in some facet and right when I was getting in my groove and enjoying things, it was all over. The ever-present need to know what is going to happen next wasn’t satiated in any way whatsoever. This only served to whet the appetite and since the next installment won’t be released until next year, at the earliest, I am left feeling hungrier than when I began playing. There are still side missions to play but they really only serve as a way to add more to an already minimalistic package. They are plenty of fun, but I would have preferred just extending the story instead. All that being said, I still feel that this is worth the price of admission at 30 dollars. No true Metal Gear fan should miss this game.

All media credited to Konami and Kojima Productions

Shut Up and Take My Money: Gunnar Advanced Computer Eyewear

The money in our bank account is limited, so how unfair is it that there are endless gadgets, collectibles and toys out there that demand to be purchased? Let us help you sift through the crap, so you don’t can save that hard-earned cash for the things that deserve it. In other words, we give you the power to go to the counter and say, “Shut Up and Take My Money!”

Item: Gunnar Advanced Computer Eyewear

What it is: Now that school is back in session, it’s that time again to spend hours in front of the computer studying and typing papers. If you are anything like me, not only will you be spending tons of time on the computer, the majority of your downtime will be spent in front of the television or computer screen playing video games. These glasses are a god-send for those of us that get eye-strain from those long hours in front of the screen. According to Gunnar’s website:

“GUNNAR computer eyewear is engineered to reduce digital eye strain while increasing contrast, comfort, and focus. All GUNNAR glasses include our patented lens technology with our proprietary shape to protect your eyes from drying air currents, enhanced focusing power to improve detail for clearer vision, and custom tints and coatings to filter out harsh artificial light and glare.”

How Much it Costs: With different styles coming and going along with accompanying sales going on at different websites the lowest that I have found a pair for is around $50 and they go all the way up to $150. If you have to get them with a prescription the website tops out at $350 for some of the higher end models, but lands pretty comfortably in the low $200 dollar range for most of the models. If you don’t have to get prescription, or can wear contacts like I do, I highly recommend looking for a sale on non-RXed models.

Is It Worth It?: If you sit in front of a computer for school or work or spend a considerable amount of time playing video games, then I would highly recommend buying a pair. I bought these on a whim and wasn’t sure they would be of any real value but after spending many late nights of writing code for classes I came to realize that my eyes felt much better on the nights when I wore these glasses. I also noticed that I could wear my contacts longer without getting a headache from dry eyes due to these glasses as well. These are something I would definitely recommend to have lying around the computer/gaming desk.

Robert doesn’t just own GUNNARs, he swears by them.

Bottom Line: If you spend any time in front of a screen consider buying a pair. With such a low price point for entry, even if you aren’t crazy about them you still won’t have wasted a ton of money for something that can improve your overall eye health. Otherwise I see no reason to buy these, unless you are a D-bag or middle schooler that likes to wear colored lenses for absolutely no reason.

Written by Robert Michael