Yes, this game's primary mission can be beaten in less length than the entirety of watching The Dark Knight., No, that is to show what is really in store for the next game in the franchise with The Phantom Pain. No, this is not where this game ends completely, and no this not some glorified tech demo. The price and stigma that this is essentially a premium demo is absolutely ridiculous, as there is much more to the sum of its parts than the price and length would lead others to believe. From the onset of the intro, Metal Gear Solid V: Ground Zeroes is a much more different beast we're dealing with than any other game in the franchise in every possible way and the story and world could have easily been stretched out to be its own full fledged, $60 retail price game in its own right had Kojima decided to flesh it out further. Though the main story of it can be beaten in 2 hours, the side ops offer so much more and the game itself shows so much promise to The Phantom Pain and stealth gaming as a whole when the real deal gets here.
Set one year after Peace Walker, Naked Snake (starting to go by Big Boss) is off to a Cuban-based American military installation named Camp Omega to rescue one of his comrades. As it is a prologue, don't expect too much in terms of story development and reveals as they are scarce here. Metal Gear Solid is prided on putting its story to the forefront, this game's intention it so segue you into the actual story that will reveal itself in time. They do enough to keep you engaged with the situation at hand while also letting you speculate what will happen later on, which is an excellent idea. Though it might be just the length, Kojima has learned to apply more emotion and thought into his cutscenes than ever before while showing very little, with amazing cinematography, lighting, and great effects using the Fox Engine. David Hayter, who's played the protagonists since 1998, is absent in his role as Snake/Big Boss, being replaced by seasoned actor Kiefer Sutherland for this game and The Phantom Pain. It may sound like a bitter pill to swallow, but it makes Hayter's performance as Old Snake even more cartoonish in comparison. Sutherland was perfectly cast as Big Boss, and the cutscenes and dialog have matured immensely.
Gameplay is where Ground Zeroes shines the most, as shorter cutscenes and length give way to more of it. There is a more hands on, stripped down approach to the game than before, having a very minimal HUD with no real radar to speak of. You can spot your enemies Far Cry style, but you risk being out in the open too long and risk being spotted. Each and every turn in the game holds way for a new threat to encounter, and fortunately there is a reflex mode you can enter to make a split second decision to an enemy that spots you. You can pop them on the spot, or you can interrogate and drag them along Sam Fisher style for information. When you are spotted (you will, don't act like you didn't), there is a healthy repertoire of weapons at your disposal to give you a fighting chance, if you wish to do so. Fighting for so long depletes resources and the enemy AI in the game are smart and resilient foes to deal with, though the shooting mechanics have been refined and made much easier and enjoyable than its predecessors. You will eventually need to make a quick escape, but evading them until they give up their search isn't as simple as it was in earlier games. There is not "Evasion" time meter to speak of, so the enemies will linger on much longer than before and you'll have to keep a sharper eye out to know when the coast is clear. The stealth approach in this game is heavily encouraged and the gameplay revisions have made it better than ever before.
This is a gorgeous game on any system you play it on, but it's apparent that the PS4 is the way to go to get the most out of the graphics. Sprawling mountains, draw distance and realistic water and fire effects are jaw dropping even on last gen consoles. Detail into character models look incredible and Sutherland's performance is excellent and look about as realistic as you can make it. Characters move with such fluidity and detail that put this game into a class of its own, with nary a framerate drop in site on any version.