Game Review: Metal Gear Survive

Metal Gear Survive is the first game of the series since the creator Hideo Kojima exited Konami. The other thing missing in this game is Snake - you do get a glimpse of him in the cut-scene early on, but you don't get to play with him.

As the name suggests, Metal Gear game is all about survival. You are sent into a wormhole to a replica of Earth called Dite. The replica is just like our planet, except there are zombie-esque creatures with crystal heads that once used to be human. The crystal heads are called wanderers, so that you don't confuse them with the Walking Dead's Walkers. The entire premise of the game is explained to you in a series of annoyingly long cut-scenes and interactions.

Once you are done with the unending interactions and videos, you are dumped at a makeshift base that you have to build by completing mission after mission. As your guy or girl gets better gear and weapons, killing these wanderers will be easier. While this sounds easy-peasy, the game is very tough, especially the first eight hours or so. Things get better once you get a nurse on board and your farms up and running. Till that time, hunger and thirst are not your friend.

Rather than finish missions, your character will mostly be spending time just finding food and water. Both are scarce resources and there are times where you will be forced to scavenge for food and water rather than kill the crystal heads. It is so bleak and depressing to watch your character die time after time because of this.

Not helping your cause is the single save file. Konami expects you to pay for additional save slots, which is downright cheap. The game also has a store where you can buy things to help you survive. While paying for things in games is to be expected nowadays, paying for a save slot for a game that you just paid money for is just not fair.

For food, you will initially have to hunt animals and cook them. There are a few resources for food that replenish after a while, but it doesn't happen fast enough. Water, on the other hand, is even harder to find, and in the first eight hours it may be impossible to avoid drinking dirty water, which can cause sickness. The resources to purify the water is only available to you at the end of the seventh mission.

Once you have done your time and managed to craft nicer weapons, the game does get interesting. Considering you spend the first few hours poking people with a metal stick, better weapons are a welcome relief. The story doesn't do the game any favours - it has a wafer-thin plot and the voice acting is passable.

That said, it isn't an incompetent game either. You will end up spending hours together playing it and eventually, you will start enjoying it. The world hidden in the dust is also more intriguing and more dangerous than the initial world you are exposed to.

Metal Gear Survive is a decent game that you can learn to like over time, provided you survive the first few hours. However, the game doesn't fit well in the Metal Gear universe. If you like zombie survival games and are in a mood for punishment, this game should provide adequate entertainment. If you are looking for the Metal Gear experience, you will have to replay the older titles.

Metal Gear Survive
Rating: 2.5/5
Developer: Konami
Publisher: Konami
Platform: PS4
Price: Rs 2,499

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