Nonetheless, The Phantom Pain received perfect review scores from a number of publications and was described as one of the greatest stealth games of all time. The game's derivative second half and ending that left several plot points unresolved, attributed with conclusive evidence of removed content, led some to label the game unfinished. However, its writing, pacing, and representation of the character Quiet drew criticism, while the end twist polarized critics. Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain received critical acclaim, with praise for its varied and interconnected gameplay mechanics, level of player freedom, and the narrative's emotional power.

It carries over the tagline of Tactical Espionage Operations first used in Metal Gear Solid: Peace Walker. Set in 1984, nine years after the events of Ground Zeroes and eleven years before the events of the original Metal Gear, the story follows mercenary leader Punished 'Venom' Snake as he ventures into Soviet-occupied Afghanistan and the Angola– Zaire border region to exact revenge on the people who destroyed his forces and came close to killing him during the climax of Ground Zeroes. It is the ninth installment in the Metal Gear series that was directed, written, and designed by Hideo Kojima following Metal Gear Solid V: Ground Zeroes, a stand-alone prologue released the previous year. It was released worldwide for Microsoft Windows, PlayStation 3, PlayStation 4, Xbox 360, and Xbox One on September 1, 2015. Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain is a 2015 stealth game developed by Kojima Productions and published by Konami.

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