Highlights

  • The relationship between Kojima and Konami began fracturing over time, and MGS 5 was the beginning of the end for it, even if the franchise is in a renaissance now.
  • Kojima's departure from Konami was foreshadowed by the release of Ground Zeroes, which showcased costly technology and a split in philosophy.
  • Despite its short length, Ground Zeroes' gameplay still holds up today, offering revamped shooting mechanics and impressive visuals.

Metal Gear Solid 5: Ground Zeroes turns 10 years old today, and despite its incredible technical and mechanical achievements, some fans remember the game for one particular reason more than any other. As one of the most infamous franchises in the world, Metal Gear Solid will forever be associated with visionary Japanese video game designer Hideo Kojima, and Metal Gear Solid 5: Ground Zeroes marked the beginning of the end of his tenure with developer and publisher Konami. The game's stellar reviews and revolutionary gameplay should not be overlooked, though, and the mechanics still hold up just as well today.

Ground Zeroes presented a brand-new version of Big Boss to the world for the first time. An older, wiser man than the one whose last mainline series starring role was Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater, this Big Boss was at the peak of his powers and infamy. On top of the new moves in his arsenal, such as the ability to dive straight into a prone position, or roll whilst shooting from a prone position, perhaps Snake's biggest and most noticeable change was long-time voice actor, David Hayter, being replaced with Hollywood action star Kiefer Sutherland. This was met with mixed opinions from fans who felt that Hayter was the personification of Snake, but it was a change that Kojima felt was necessary to help make Snake's facial animations feel more real than ever before.

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MGS 5: Ground Zeroes Marked the Beginning of Kojima's Split From Konami

After the release of Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots in 2008, it was becoming increasingly clear that Kojima and Konami had a difference of opinion over some key details. Konami felt at the time that its efforts would be best placed by focusing on mobile gaming, with things like free-to-play models that emphasized new revenue streams through microtransactions being seen as the most lucrative outlet for the Japanese developer. Kojima's strength has always been in storytelling, creating characters, worlds, and narrative themes that would be talked about for years to come. This is in direct contrast to the free-to-play microtransaction model, so the writing was on the wall for the enigmatic developer.

AAA games are extremely costly to produce, both in terms of money and the time it takes to make them, and Kojima's tendency to go over budget on projects he was attached to was becoming frustrating for Konami. Kojima, who by this point was Konami's Executive Vice President and corporate officer, unveiled Ground Zeroes to the world in 2012 and discussed at length the technology used to make it. Kojima's new Fox Engine was purpose-built and used photo-realism to bring characters to life like never before. This was another costly measure and would ultimately prove to be another nail in Kojima's coffin.

AAA games are extremely costly to produce, both in terms of money and the time it takes to make them, and Kojima's tendency to go over budget on projects he was attached to was becoming frustrating for Konami.

Just after Ground Zeroes was released, reports began to surface that Kojima and Konami would be parting ways. Konami began suspiciously removing Kojima's name from the Metal Gear Solid website, and promotional material for both Ground Zeroes and the upcoming Metal Gear Solid 5. Despite Kojima's reassurance to fans that he was still committed to Konami and the franchise, by mid-December his contract with Konami expired, and he very quickly entered into a partnership with Sony, forming Kojima Productions, where he could finally be free of the proverbial shackles he felt Konami had placed on him. This would be the end of Kojima's association with the Metal Gear Solid franchise.

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MGS5: Ground Zeroes' Gameplay Still Holds Up Today

Metal Gear Solid V Ground Zeroes Paz Bomb

Metal Gear Solid 5: Ground Zeroes sees Big Boss infiltrating an American Black Site called Camp Omega, to rescue two individuals, Paz and Chico, and attempt to get them to safety via helicopter. The game's short length was also a big talking point on release, as it could be finished in as little as two hours. Replayability comes in the form of secondary missions that can be undertaken separately. The camp's impressive size means that large parts of it could be missed entirely if solely focused on rescuing the two prisoners, so side missions give the player a chance to explore a little more thoroughly.

The gameplay was a significant step up from anything the Metal Gear series had seen before. Shooting mechanics were revamped, and Snake was more mobile than ever, allowing for smooth transitions between stealth, shooting, and hand-to-hand combat wherever necessary. The game's cinematic look and feel, along with impressive visuals that still look just as good today, gave the whole thing a movie-style experience, which is exactly what Kojima was hoping for, and went some way to justifying David Hayter's shock replacement.

Metal Gear Solid is Back in the Headlines

After a period of relative silence for the franchise, Metal Gear Solid has enjoyed a renaissance over the last 12 months. The release of the Metal Gear Solid Master Collection: Vol 1, packaging together the first five entries in the series, allowed fans to experience the games on modern platforms. Metal Gear Solid Delta: Snake Eater was also announced, and is expected to be released this year. Despite Kojima having no association with either, thanks to Konami owning all rights to the franchise, his name will forever be synonymous with Metal Gear Solid, and Ground Zeroes will always be remembered for signaling the beginning of the end for Kojima and Konami.