Wow.....just wow. I am just blown away by this piece even after getting all trophies. Currently sitting at 93% completion and going for a full 100.
Let's go over the "bad" first:
The visuals aren't as gorgeous as MGS 4 but I don't mind it; making the game more open world would have its drawbacks. If I have any minor gripe it'd be the fact that you can't change weapons at certain instances: like when you're aiming.
Now let's look at the glorious goodness that outshines any and all flaws:
The replay value itself makes it mindbogglingly fun and worth the cost as it forces you to delve deeper into the gameplay mechanics (think Hitman: Sniper Challenge x 100) ; you also get to try out lethal weapons and not feel guilty when playing trials (something that's usually taboo in the series). The ambiance of Paz's poignant diary, the Easter eggs and other extras complete the whole package. The humour is awesome too for example I held up a guard and ordered him to lie down. Moments later a passing guard discovered him and said "yoga class is that way." Hilarious!
If you are a true hard core gamer don't pass this up.
In general I'm grateful to Metal Gear as a series: because of its twisted story line God gave up on the Multiverse. Having different versions of the Metal Gear storyline is something He could not possibly compute. Which is why this is the one and only Universe we have to deal with (hurray!).
Joking aside, it will be a sad, wistful day when I have to part with it for next to nothing through EB Games trade-in but my heart and smile will re-awaken when I play my final title on my PS3 and I hope to make it The Phantom Pain.