It was pretty obvious from the start that you weren't going to be playing as Big Boss himself. He didn't know Russian when The Boss herself taught the Big Boss how to speak it, he also smoked real cigars, not 'phantom cigars' even if they were meant to help pass time. "V Has Come To." Kojima had this planned since MGS2. I thought the story was good. This whole time we learned that Big Boss was planning his resurgence with no doubt the creation of Zanzibarland. If you remember the speech Liquid Ocelot had with Old Snake in MGS4 when they were at the top of his new "Outer Heaven". He was also talking about his recollections with Big Boss when he was helping him with the original Outer Heaven which we now know is Mother Base 2.0 in Phantom Pain. I can't remember which section, but they had even mentioned Big Boss's phantom in MGS4 and the possibility that the body Eva was protecting was probably Big Bosses phantom since the real Big Boss appeared in the end of MGS4 with Zero. What I didn't like about Phantom Pain was Quiet's ending, I had just unlocked her Sniper Wolf equipment but was never able to use it. I only get to see glimpses of it when replaying Cloaked In Silence on Extreme Difficulty. I spent alot of GMP on her weapons only to never be able to use them since they required high R&D levels. Getting the anti-material sniper rifle for her would've helped alot for replaying missions where I had to deal with soldiers in Riot Suits. But there's already a change.org petition going about in bringing Quiet back as a playable buddy. Players are even willing to pay for a DLC that bring Quiet back as a buddy.

*plays mad max*

What a load of shit. Wasn't the entire purpose of this game meant to be demonstrating Big Boss's path to madness and warlord nature? Not once did we see either Venom or Big Boss do anything morally reprehensible, or even hint that they would. And what's the deal with the cut mission 51? I had a lot of fun with this game, and I wouldn't be so down on it if it didn't have the Metal Gear name on the cover, but as far as plot goes (I remind you that plot is one of the main draws to the Metal Gear series) it just had absolutely no reason to exist.

After finishing the story and letting it sink in for a bit, I have to say I like it. That isn't to say there aren't problems with pacing and some plot developments coming out of nowhere (Quiet leaving, Truth), but overall I enjoyed the ending and the twist. I know for some people, the trailers hyped up the game to be something it wasn't, but I learned a long time ago not to trust Metal Gear trailers, though I do think the marketing for this game was brilliant. For the first time in the series, what we saw in the trailers was what we got, curbing expectations in that regard yet at the same time it hyped up the "legend" of Big Boss with marketing like "THE MISSING LINK", " MEN BECOME DEMONS", etc. And that marketing ties in with the overall theme of the game. Metal Gear Solid, and Hideo Kojima by extension, has always favored the meta when it comes to themes, and this is probably the most meta game in the series since MGS2, though unlike 2 it isn't about the expectations of sequels and the main character (Raiden) throwing away the player's control. It's the exact opposite. It's about Venom/Ahab/Medoc embracing his role as Big Boss instead of throwing it away like Raiden did. And the twist works in that regard because [b]the gameplay is the story[/b] in MGSV. All of our actions and experiences in the game contribute to the legend of Big Boss. "I'm Big Boss, and you are too. No, he's the two of us together." We, the players, are Big Boss and all of our stories that we have to tell are grandiose, personal, silly, fun, contradictory, and simultaneously true. But while we build up the legend of Big Boss, we also learn that John, the man behind the legend, isn't all he's cracked up to be. And that is another theme of the series. Remember in MGS1 when Solid Snake tells Meryl or Mei Ling that "the reality (himself) is no match for the legend", or how in MGS2 he tells Raiden that "legends are stories passed from person to person"? We see that in this game; Big Boss' phantom (the player) is the one doing all the work and spreading the name around while the original, John, is content with sitting in the shadows and taking the credit. The "real" Big Boss' actions highlights a very gradual descent into villainy, one that started at the end of MGS3 when he refused to shake the President's hand, followed up in Peace Walker by him forcibly kidnapping soldiers (including children) in order to conscript them into his army and building a nuclear weapon, and finally in Ground Zeroes where he hides said nuke and orders the destruction of all documents pertaining (that is not what a hero does). In the Phantom Pain, he becomes exactly what he hated and fought against, a manipulator hiding behind the scenes influencing events just like Zero/Cipher/The Patriots. He goes along with the plan to use an identical body double (and that double did not consent to the plan), whereas before he split off from Cipher due to the Les Enfants Terribles project. He puts an entire hospital in jeopardy, and mostly everybody there dies for the sake of the plan. He lays down his weapon and stops fighting, the very thing he criticized The Boss for doing at the end of Peace Walker. To put it simply, John is a coward and a hypocrite. He is not what the legends build him to be. To be continued (?)

Was anyone else upset with quiet's interrogation scene? Kaz and Ocelot just decide to torture a mute because she has a vocal cord parasite, along with the tattoo of the assassin in the prologue. Kaz keeps commanding her to speak, then Ocelot tells her not to because he is afraid that she will infect them. Her torture reaches its climax when a bucket of salt water is dumped on her, which code talker says could kill her. She writhes and sceams in agony as Venom Snake just looks at her dumbly not doing a thing, before Ocelot decides to wash her off with his canteen. They then call it a day, no more mention of this interrogation, no apology, and no hurt feelings from what I can tell. They tortured her for no real reason, they already knew that she had worked for cypher, and they didn't want her to speak. Why torture her at all, and why would Big Boss allow this to happen?

I'm pissed that they cut the actual ending

I honestly loved it after I thought about it for awhile and really analyzed it. It makes sense MGS lore wise. Seeing as [spoiler]both bosses went of to build two separate things. Outer Heaven (which I reckon is Mother base which is what Venom is building) and Zanzibar land which Big Boss is probably starting in secret.[/spoiler] What I'm saddened about is the cut episode 51 as it would've been a better cut off point for the game.

Remember the whole meme talk in MGS2 and how it had a deeper meaning? It was definitely here as well. Kojima is telling us we can all be Big Boss and we as fans helped shape Metal Gear as a whole. "I'm Big Boss, and you are too."

I liked it because it gives the reason as to [spoiler]why Big Boss was killed in Metal Gear and Metal Gear 2.[/spoiler] However I think you should listen to all of the "Truth" tapes. It really helps explain why [spoiler]Ocelot and Kaz go separate ways, and how the animosity between Boss and Zero was all fabricated to fit the agenda of The Patriots, which again expands on the idea of how the rest of the series takes form.[/spoiler] I agree with the fact [spoiler]Skull Face was ultra hyped and then ended suddenly. He was a perfect antagonist, but nothing came of it.[/spoiler] Personally I would like to see [spoiler]where Eli and "The Third Child" went off to with that Metal Gear and 3rd English Strain Parasite tube. Perhaps it's hidden away behind all the Side Ops I'm still working on.[/spoiler] I really wish that [spoiler]the real Big Boss was voiced by David Hayter in Mission 46. That would have been most satisfying for those of us who have been in the series since Metal Gear Solid (or before).[/spoiler] Overall, I'm satisfied with the game. However, I don't think it will be "good enough" for anyone since it's the last of the series.

Here's the thing I don't get about why everyone is so mad - Ishmael is voiced by Keifer. GZ Big Boss is voiced by Keifer. How did no one figure that out during the prologue?? Am I the only one who heard Ishmael speak and think, oh shit, THAT'S really Big Boss? I mean, I figured out Volgin was the Man On Fire by looking at his damn clothes during the prologue. Who else wears a suit like that? With bullets over his chest?

I beat the game today and this is a stupid question but when creating your avatar did anyone give it your own name or did you give it a call sign/code name?

The whole thing with Ishmael could easily be dismissed as a hallucination(or Kojima trolling us again). Skullface was a great villain,cold and calculating, with an interesting plan. The twist added a meta aspect to it and was a nod to the fans. The Sahelanthropus encounters were intimidating. All and all it tied everything up fairly nicely. And Huey was an S.O.B.

The beginning, it was nothing but a smokescreen, i thought ishmael was a hallucination but THEY PLAYED US LIKE A DAMN FIDDLE

The ending was a mind--blam!-, but a necessary one in order fix the franchise's deteriorating lore. Technically though, we are Big Boss. The ending made that quite clear.

This game was beautiful. Anyone who didn't understand the whole game or the ending you all are a bunch of idiots. Amazing game. Wow. That's how I was left. Yeah the repeats were pretty dumb but who cares the whole story pays off for it. Kids just can't appreciate what they get always want more....

This is a spoiler thread so I will not mark spoilers. If you read this, it is your fault. I am quite possibly the biggest MGS fan ever and I had a HELL of a ride with this game. It was so perfect until the repeat missions in chapter 2. I started to think to myself.... oh Konami, you damn -blam!-ers! Honestly, chapter 2 only has like 5 story missions. Big Boss is my FAVOURITE CHARACTER in the whole series and at the end you’re just a medic. Do you know how I felt? I felt bad, bad, like everything I have done was for nothing. Skull Face was SO EVIL, but he gets sent off halfway through the game. I really didn't think he deserved it even if Liquid is more evil by default. I CRIED, ok, I didn't cry but I had tears when Quiet (Stefanie Joosten) started speaking English to Pequod. She did not even bother waking up Venom and at that point she was pretty much dead because of the English strain of the vocal cord parasites she had insider her. Her lungs were burnt, but apparently, the damage was enough to kill her. This final part where she dies and says "I am Quiet, the Absence of words" had me really down. That part is very emotional. I was much attached to Quiet because I love Stefanie Joosten. She is such an amazing woman, beautiful, educated, etc. She did a hell of a good job with Quiet and when she started singing in the background, the tears just came down. Now that Quiet died, I am left UPSET as hell that I cannot get her back unless I restart the game. I am glad though... her death is canon and mgs story is something I need in my life. I'm most angry about the cut content like Liquid's boss fight in Sahelanthropus.... and I'm even more angry that chapter 3 was cut as well. You do not know how bad I felt when the game ended and even Paz is a -blam!-ing phantom. The phantom pain is a huge troll and does the job well to make you feel like shit. The gameplay is easily a 10, but the story is weaker than previous MGS entries, yet still emotional. But I wanted a BB game.... I wanted another one so bad and make Diamond Dogs huge.... but even that is worthless because I'm Venom, not Big Boss.

my heart sunk when quiet left :( i was really fond of her..the feeeeeels. Had too restart the whole game again too get her back total worth btw never taking off that emblem.

Also, some people have found a new hidden scene via altering the game files. It may be spoilers, but nobody knows how to activate it, but the MGS community manager is insisting it is still in the game [spoiler]It's a scene about Nuclear Disarmament, where every nuke in the world is now disarmed. But we have no idea how to activate the cutscene. Some think every nuke in the FOB system needs to be disarmed. Or disarm 10+ nukes.[/spoiler]

Please bump so I can return after beating mission 46

I'm a complete noob when it comes to MGS, could someone just give me a brief explanation about it? I'd appreciate it.

The parasites are actually important for the lore. Zero used them as the progenitors to Foxdie. Also, the power of the parasites to augment human abilities inspired the creation of nano machines, which future villains like Vamp have. Don't you see some similarities with vamp and skull face?