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Kojima Productions and Konami respond to discussion about Ground Zeroes length

Ever since Game Informer reported beating Metal Gear Solid V: Ground Zeroes’ main mission in two hours, the news spread quickly. This has elicited several comments by employees of Kojima Productions and by Konami itself.

Hideo Kojima himself responded on Twitter with the following text:

MGSV Ground Zeroes includes the main mission alongside 5 Side Ops. All missions include elements such as “Trial Records,” where players can compete against each other online. This is not a linear game like the past. GZ offers freedom of approach & play style, which we hope players will enjoy over & over without boring. I believe people will be satisfied with the “Play Time’ of GZ and will not stress the “Clear Time,” which is a standard for linear games.

He confirms the number of side missions (five), and makes a distinction between ‘play time’ and ‘clear time’. The two hours may be the clear time, but is not meant to represent the play time you can get out of the game.

Game Informer posted an update on their website to go into a little more detail. They played the game for four hours, beating the main story twice (the second time they knew where to go and skipped cutscenes) and beating three side missions. They do not know exactly how long the full package will be.

Kojima Productions senior producer Ken-ichiro Imaizumi seems confident though, writing on Twitter:

Can’t wait to prove the depth and quality of MGSVGZ, the week of March 18th.

Kojima Productions designer Jordan Amaro also commented on the issue, as reported by Gamespot. These are his words:

Are ‘Journey’ and ‘Dear Esther’ long? [Voltaire’s 18th-century writing Candide] is like a hundred pages at most. Yet they are masterpieces of video game and literature. This smearing will not stain and affect what we’re aiming to achieve with MGS, the game industry in Japan, or video games as a whole.”

“I want people to celebrate the new MGS like we used to. I’m not dismissing their concerns. But this has been trumped-up.

Lastly, Konami has released this statement:

METAL GEAR SOLID V: GROUND ZEROES features a non-linear, open world environment that allows players to choose how to approach each mission. Players can use a variety of tactics, from a run and gun action style to true stealth-ops, to accomplish any one single mission, true to the METAL GEAR SOLID series. With freedom to choose multiple paths, by foot or by vehicle, to dynamic enemy engagement, players are sure to find a deep gameplay experience across a central story mode as well as numerous side-ops missions.

Also, METAL GEAR SOLID V: GROUND ZEROES offers a number of additional achievements and unlockable platform-exclusive content for considerable replay value in the true cinematic style and ground-breaking graphics quality that has become the hallmark of Kojima Productions.

Similar to a television series, GROUND ZEROES serves as the first act that will bridge the gap between METAL GEAR SOLID PEACEWALKER, serving as the prologue to the highly anticipated METAL GEAR SOLID V: THE PHANTOM PAIN, the second part of the METAL GEAR SOLID V Experience.

KONAMI expresses its confidence that METAL GEAR SOLID V: GROUND ZEROES represents an overall excellent experience with its expansive gameplay, replay value, as well as its compelling and deep storyline.

Source: Ken-ichiro Imaizumi Twitter, Gamespot, Game Informer, Hideo Kojima Twitter, MGS Facebook

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