So this is to illustrate just how open the gameplay is, I have never played anything like this. These two videos are the same mission, mission 8. Two totally different ways to complete it. And there is a whole lot of other stuff you can do in the mission in these vids I stuck to the main stuff. In this mission I need to eliminate a major traveling with two tanks and kill him before he reaches the base.
First the assault route (BUDDY SPOILERS):
Next is the perfect stealth, no kill S rank:
I still have no clue how to embed videos.
So I played the prologue again and there were a few things that seemed...off. Things that I might not think twice about in any other game but, with Metal Gear, I pay closer attention to dialogue, etc. now, this is just a theory of mine re: the prologue, but please do NOT read if there's any chance that it might ruin the game for you.
When you meet Ishmael for the first time and ask him a question, he responds with " you're talking to yourself." Huh? What does that mean? Am I the only one to see Ishmael? Doesn't make sense considering he fought off my attacker. But where does Ishmael go once the ambulance crashes? I first thought he could be Ocelot, but I'm not too sure.
So now I do some digging and...warning this IS a real spoiler!
I google " Who voices Ishmael" and lo and behold, it's Keifer! Wtf?
Not reading any of that but I am intrigued. That said I wont watch the intro again until I finish the story.
I don't really want to know the answer to that yet, just found it odd.
40 hour mid game report. I am at mission 20 so still have a long way to go. I enjoy replaying missions for ranks and stuff so that is why I am so slow.
Doesn't need to be said again but in terms of gameplay this is a monumental game for stealth games. I have never experienced such gameplay freedom. Never played a game where both stealth and action are equally as fun and unpredictable. This is one of the most fun games to play that I have ever experienced. The missions keep getting more and more elaborate. The way enemies develop new tactics is super impressive. This is almost the game of my dreams.
But it is not quite there because this game seems to be missing an important ingredient of MGS games and what I expect of my favorite games. I want my games to break up the normal flow with exciting moments, usually boss fights handle this. In MGS games of the past the story served as a hype machine for those awesome boss and scripted action moments. It was the perfect blend of the stealth gameplay with the unpredictable bosses and situations that made this my second favorite franchise.
MGSV is lacking in that area. The story is mostly in the background with almost no interesting characters. The unique cast is support team members or bosses is missing. I have fought two bosses in 40 hours, not exactly the ratio I was looking for. Yes there was an incredible moment mid game, and I am sure there will be more but it's spread out too far.
That's all that is missing, a sense of energy pushing you forward. Unique surprising moments that break the flow of the normal gameplay. I am not saying this game doesn't have those, I feel it could use more. It's a shame cause with this gameplay the level of creativity in boss design should have been taken to a new level.
I enjoy the base management, it gives a nice steady flow of progress. I have never once felt the need to grind, though I do fulton everything. In terms of replayability this game is off the charts, finding alternate ways to finish missions is a blast, also trying to get high on those leaderboards as well. I have yet to even unlock FOB which will consume my soul I assume.
So as of now it's a flawed masterpiece. Maybe it ends in the most spectacular way possible, who knows. Either way this is easily my GOTY.
I hate that pacing is going to be an issue. It's supposed to be enjoyed like mini episodes of Metal Gear and the nitpicker in me doesn't like that. I wished they would have eliminated the credits before and after every episode. I don't like that it's distracting in a sense. Nitpicky, I guess.
Having said that, after seven hours, I'm confident this will be my goty as well. The good far more outweighs the bad. There's too much content here.
Reading your impressions I kinda feel like if it wasn't called MGS the issues with pacing might not actually be issues, because it sounds like it does break things up (due to how spontaneous the gameplay is), just not in the same way you'd expect from MGS.
Nine hours in and had my first boss battle. Well, several bosses. Not much to it except run and shoot. I also picked little DD. I wonder how long until he grows big enough to join me? I've now completed six main missions and probably about that many side missions.
I loved "Over the Fence." I played it two different ways and both were satisfying. Cutting power and listening to soldiers panic is very fun. I enjoy stumbling upon a new tape to collect. It's pretty cool to hide behind portables, waiting on the alert to be over, then catching some tune on someone's stereo.
Awesome game so far, really loving it. I'm about 8 or so hours into it now. So when do I leave the hospital bed?
Leave it? There's so many options there like changing the TV channels with a remote or jerking off and letting the nurse clean it. 
What are you crazy?! LEAVE THE BED!! It then becomes a game of Follow the Man-Ass!! 
Sweet!
Oh man, I'm heading to the beach this Labor Day weekend and I'm slightly disappointed because I won't be playing this. Mission 8 was crazy fun. I decided to bombard the hell out of the village, then do the same to the tanks. So much fun. Plus I picked up " The Final Countdown," my new helicopter music.
I can see how this game can be a big turn off to some fans. There's tons of missions and they're kind of the same in some ways. I'm still having ball in this big open world. I'm hearing rumors of a sniper the locals call "Quiet." I can't wait for that confrontation.
Oh, now I can give my horse the order to defecate.
Is there continuity in the missions or is it more like Peace Walker. Sounds like Koji fleshed out several ideas he was messing about with from Peace Walker
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Listen to Wu-Tang and watch Kung-Fu
Mission 16 Spoilers [spoiler] I left myself with a really shitty scenario against the skulls and mad zombies, so I called in Quite, and had her rain death on these assholes, while I hid like a bitch in this like vent. Where they totally knew i was there so they throw exploding boulders at me, but this vent was apparently better than bomb shelters as I survived them all and watched her just wreck face.
SUCK A DICK SKULLS
Oh oh oh oh oh oh and for my stealthy performance...I got an A rank, mad resources, and like 8 elite soliders [/spoiler]
Did I mention for 38 hours I love this game? Because I love this game.
Hall and Oates are the best.