Metal Gear Solid: Ground Zeroes

Few franchises are big enough to fashion a furore out of demos, but Metal Gear Solid has always existed among the select few properties that can. When a clever Konami opted to bundle the opening moments of Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty with new property Zone of the Enders, many purchased the latter just to see Solid Snake sneaking around in the rain. Next month, the Japanese publisher’s attempting to play a similar trick – except with Metal Gear Solid V: Ground Zeroes, you don’t get an entire extra game.

The length of Hideo Kojima’s prologue has been the subject of much debate over the past few weeks, with the media and developers heatedly disputing the scope of the product. One particular preview clocked the length of the core mission at little over 90 minutes, while others have been keen to point out that the completion percentage after that amount of investment barely touches double figures. The abovementioned auteur himself believes that the title is all about replayability, with ranked side missions on offer to keep you occupied.

We won’t know just how big the package really is until it releases next month, but the company has clearly been spooked by the slightly negative feedback. Earlier this week it announced that it was reducing the price of the PlayStation 4 version by a significant margin, bringing it down to £29.99/$29.99 regardless of whether you purchase the digital or physical edition. A current-gen copy will cost you the same sum in a box, but you will be able to get the game cheaper if you buy it digitally for the PlayStation 3, as it will run you £19.99/$19.99 there.

The reduction has prompted the package to shoot up the pre-order charts at most major retailers, with outlets such as Amazon and ShopTo showing it in their top ten. Has it had an impact on your purchase intent, though? With the release of the spruced up stopgap due out imminently, we thought that it would be an ideal opportunity for you to discuss your feelings on the title. Has the price drop for the PS4 version twisted your arm? Are you willing to buy anything with Big Boss on the cover? Do you think that the length seems reasonable? Step out of your cardboard box, fill out our survey, and share your thoughts in the comments section below.

Are you planning to buy Metal Gear Solid V: Ground Zeroes? (69 votes)

  1. Yes, I’ve already pre-ordered my copy35%
  2. Hmm, I want it, but I’m waiting for it to get cheaper39%
  3. No, it’s too expensive for what you get26%

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What do you think would be the ideal price range for the game? (75 votes)

  1. Less than £9.99/$9.9916%
  2. Anywhere between £10.00/$10.00 and £19.99/$19.9953%
  3. Anywhere between £20.00/$20.00 and £29.99/$29.9928%
  4. I’d pay over £30.00/$30.003%

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Would you like to see more standalone prologues for sequels? (77 votes)

  1. Yes, as long as they’re reasonably priced31%
  2. Er, I don’t really know16%
  3. No, I’d really rather buy the full game53%

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