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You can now take a 'buddy' with you to assist you in your escapades, and without spoiling too much – you can visit our guide for a more in-depth look at each companion over here – the feature effortlessly breathes new life into an otherwise lonesome formula. Ocelot, Quiet, and Benedict 'Kaz' Miller all feel remarkably genuine, in no small thanks to the game's astoundingly good voice acting, and the influence that these personalities have is only strengthened by recent additions like the buddy system. Thankfully, the cast of non-playable characters on offer are all very likeable – both the familiar faces, and the new ones alike. The same can be said for more than a few weakly resolved sub-plots, which pale in comparison to some of the grand conclusions that we've seen come out of Kojima's past ventures.įurthermore, a lot of background information is relayed to you via mission briefings and audio logs, and to those that find showing preferable to telling, this may seem a tad lazy. That being said, there are a few instances where The Phantom Pain appears to lose momentum, and the events taking place start to become worn thin or anticlimactic – particularly later on. The segment sees a significantly weakened Big Boss hiding from attackers, taking cover from helicopter gunfire, and fleeing on horseback from a giant, er, flaming man in order to escape the hospital that he's just woken up in. It's understandable that having a less talkative protagonist lends itself to a more immersive, self-indulgent experience as far as the player is concerned, but given the amount of time that you'll be spending exploring this Goliath of a game, a little more input from the iconic antihero would've been welcome.įor the most part, the story itself is fast-paced and intense, and this is no more evident than in the title's opening act. For example, David Hayter's classic portrayal of Snake has been swapped out in favour of Kiefer Sutherland's more subtle, mundane tones, and while he gives a fantastic performance – one that's certainly fitting for the release's sombre setting – we couldn't help but feel that his voice goes a little underused.