STEALTH videogame series Metal Gear was once among the most treasured by the industry and fans.

But since Japanese games company Konami sacked Metal Gear creator Hideo Kojima the future of the franchise has been in doubt. If Metal Gear Survive is anything to go by, fans’ minds will not be put at rest because this is a game of wasted opportunities and poorly executed decisions.

Firstly, the game’s marketing suggested a completely multiplayer experience which is not the case.

The game has a 25 to 30-hour campaign and only after completing that is it worth trying out the co-op salvage missions.

This is also Metal Gear game without the signature touches like quality voice acting, writing and social commentary that the series is known and loved for.

The missions follow a repetitive structure – essentially you go to a location, fight zombies, gather resources and go back to your base.

Despite a few variations on the zombies that roam the lands of ‘Krite’ (the alternate dimension the game takes place in) your enemies aren’t particularly compelling to fight due to poor programming.

The game isn’t helped at all by the tedious opening three to four hours caused by the game’s survival mechanics such as the thirst and hunger that you have to manage with certain resources.

Your survival ‘meters’ deteriorate so quickly to the point where it feels like they are there just so you always have something to do in the early hours of the game.

The main positive of the game is the base building. Scavenging for materials does provide moments of fun, mainly due to the best materials coming from ‘The Dust’.

In these areas visibility is low and so is oxygen, it creates a genuine sense of tension as it is so easy to get lost in these areas and this is where the game shows genuine promise. Unfortunately, these moments aren’t enough to detract from the problems of the game and the fact you have to pay extra (via micro-transactions) for ordinary features, such as an additional save file add insult to injury.

RATING: 5/10

ANDREW LEIVESLEY