I really do like MGS5, but the gameplay doesn’t always feel right to me. I played MGS1 through MGS4 a long time ago, and coming back to MGS5, there are some things that just don’t make sense to me.
1. Weapons being stored on your hip
Why is your main weapon always on your hip, even when it’s equipped? I know the primary weapon is attached to a magnetic/floating mount on the character’s side, but it still feels strange. It’s not a sword or revolver—you only actually hold the weapon when you aim it.
In MGS1 through MGS4, your equipped weapon would actually be in your hands. The same goes for the knife when using CQC.
Imagine being in the military and your boss says, “Equip your weapon,” and you reply, “It’s equipped and ready on my hip, sir!” 😂
I know this is a gameplay design choice, but it makes the game feel less believable to me.
2. Weapon selection
It would have been nice to have the option to select weapons like in the older MGS games, using L2/R2 instead of the D-pad.
I understand that some people prefer MGS5’s faster gameplay, but Metal Gear is still a stealth game. I think it would have been great to have an option in the settings to choose between the old and new control styles.
It would also be nice to have an option to actually hold your equipped weapon in your hands when you’re carrying it.
3- The open world doesn't always work for Metal Gear
I like the idea of an open-world Metal Gear game, but sometimes it feel like the open world works against what made the older games so good.
In MGS1–MGS4, the environments were designed around stealth. You had specific areas, patrol routes, locked doors, cameras, vents, rooms, and other things that made you think about how you wanted to move through the area.
In MGS5, you have a huge open map, but a lot of the time you're driving or going across empty areas just to reach your next objective. Once you understand the enemy bases and have the right equipment, many encounters can be approached in the same way.
The open world gives you freedom, which is fun, but I sometimes feel like there is too much space and not enough meaningful stealth gameplay happening inside it.
I think a more focused level design, similar to the older games but with MGS5's freedom and mechanics, would have been much better.
4. The game becomes too easy toward the end
The story missions, Side Ops, and stealth gameplay become pretty easy once you reach the endgame, especially if you have things like Stealth Camo.
Once you have the right equipment, there isn't much left in the open world that feels truly challenging. FOB missions are a different story, though—they can actually be very challenging.
FOB missions (raiding player base) do give you more focused infiltration, but they also have their own disadvantage, the layouts and areas can start to feel repetitive because you're repeatedly infiltrating similar platforms and they all look the same. They can be challenging, but after playing them many times, the environments don't have the same variety or memorable feeling as the different locations in the older MGS games.
5. The story feels unfinished
The biggest problem for me is the story. It feels like the game was cut short before the story could properly finish. There are interesting characters, missions, and story moments, but the game never gives you the satisfying conclusion that you would expect after spending so much time playing it.
By the time you reach the later parts of the game, it feels like there should be more to come, but instead the story just stops. It leaves a lot of questions unanswered and makes the whole experience feel incomplete.
I know there were development issues behind the scenes, but as a player, it doesn't change how it feels when you're playing the finished game. I really enjoyed the story that was there, but I wish we could have seen the complete version of it.
Final thoughts
MGS5 is a good game, and I really did have fun playing it. The gameplay gives you a lot of freedom, and there are many things I like about it.
But personally, I would still prefer to play MGS4, the older MGS games, or Ground Zeroes if I want a better stealth challenge and the classic Metal Gear feeling.
