Hideo Kojima didn't get to finish his masterpiece. That’s the elephant in the room that’s been sitting there since 2015, and honestly, it’s the first thing anyone thinks about when they see Metal Gear Solid 5 The Definitive Experience sitting on a digital storefront for twenty bucks. You see that "Definitive" tag and you think it means the holes have been patched. You hope that maybe, just maybe, Konami tucked the legendary "Mission 51" back into the game or fixed the pacing issues of the second act.
They didn't.
But here’s the thing: it’s still arguably the best stealth-action game ever made. Even broken, even with its phantom pains, it’s a mechanical miracle. This package is basically the "all-in-one" solution for people who want the complete Snake saga—or at least the parts of it that actually made it onto a disc. It bundles Ground Zeroes, The Phantom Pain, and all the DLC into one messy, glorious, complicated pile.
What’s Actually Inside the Box?
If you’re picking up Metal Gear Solid 5 The Definitive Experience, you’re getting two very different games that share a single DNA. Ground Zeroes is the prologue. It’s short. Like, "you can beat it in forty minutes" short if you’re rushing. But it’s also the most dense piece of level design Kojima Productions ever put out. It’s a rainy, miserable night at Camp Omega, and it sets a tone that the rest of the game honestly struggles to keep up with.
✨ Don't miss: Sundered Doctrine Final Boss Map: What Most Players Get Wrong
Then you have The Phantom Pain. This is the meat. It’s the massive open-world sandbox where you play as Venom Snake, building up Mother Base while sneaking through the deserts of Afghanistan and the jungles of the Angola-Zaire border.
The "Definitive" part really just refers to the inclusion of every piece of DLC. We’re talking about the extra outfits—like the classic Gray Fox skin or the Tuxedo—and the specialized weapons for the Metal Gear Online component. Speaking of which, the online mode is included too, though it’s a bit of a ghost town these days compared to its peak. You also get the "Cloaked in Silence" expansion for MGO, which lets you play as Quiet.
The Mission 51 Controversy and What "Definitive" Misses
Let's get real for a second about the ending. Or the lack of one.
One of the biggest complaints since launch is that the story feels like it just... stops. There was a mission, "Kingdom of the Flies," that was supposed to wrap up the arc between Eli (young Liquid Snake) and the Mantis boy. It was cut during development due to the highly publicized fallout between Kojima and Konami.
If you buy Metal Gear Solid 5 The Definitive Experience expecting to find that mission playable, you’ll be disappointed. It isn't there. The closest you get is a "Blu-ray" (in the physical edition) or a video file showing the concept art and unfinished cutscenes of what that ending was supposed to be. It’s a bitter pill. You’re playing a game called "The Definitive Experience" that is missing its literal finale.
Yet, the gameplay loop is so addictive you almost don't care. You spend hours kidnapping soldiers with balloons—the Fulton Recovery System—and managing your staff like you’re running a weird, paramilitary HR department. There is a specific kind of magic in seeing a high-ranking soldier through your binoculars and realizing you need him to join your Research and Development team.
Why the Gameplay Still Holds Up in 2026
The Fox Engine was ahead of its time. It still looks incredible. The way the light hits the sand during a dust storm in Afghanistan or the way the rain slicks the pavement in Ground Zeroes—it’s stunning. But it’s the reactivity that wins.
Most games say they're "emergent." This one actually is.
- If you keep headshotting enemies, they start wearing helmets.
- If you only attack at night, they start using flashlights and night-vision goggles.
- If you favor smoke grenades, they’ll start wearing gas masks.
The game learns your habits. It forces you to change your tactics, which is something few modern titles have managed to replicate with this much grace. You’re not just playing a level; you’re in a constant chess match with an AI that’s trying to stay one step ahead of your nonsense.
The "buddy system" adds another layer. Taking D-Dog out to sniff out enemies feels totally different than using Quiet to scout from the ridges or riding D-Walker into a base with gatling guns blazing. It’s a sandbox in the truest sense. You can spend thirty minutes meticulously crawling through a vent, or you can drop a shipping container on a target's head from a helicopter. Both are valid. Both are hilarious.
The Cost of Mother Base: Microtransactions and Grinding
We have to talk about the FOBs (Forward Operating Bases). This is where the game gets a bit "live-servicey." You can build extra bases to increase your resource gathering, but these bases can be invaded by other players.
In the Metal Gear Solid 5 The Definitive Experience, you still have to deal with Mother Base Coins (MB Coins). It’s a premium currency. While you get some for free through daily login rewards, the grind for the top-tier "Grade 10" weapons is clearly designed to nudge you toward spending real money. It’s a relic of a specific era of gaming that hasn't aged particularly well.
That said, for a single-player run-through of the campaign, you never need to touch a microtransaction. You can ignore the online invasions entirely if you want to. Just be prepared for a bit of a grind in the late game if you want the best gear. The resource requirements for late-stage upgrades are, frankly, ridiculous.
Is it Worth It?
Honestly? Yes. Even with the cut content. Even with the weird pacing in Chapter 2.
There is a depth here that you just don't find elsewhere. Most "stealth" games feel like they're on rails. In Metal Gear Solid 5, the world feels alive. You can overhear guards talking about their lives, find hidden cassette tapes with 80s pop hits like "Take On Me," and pet a wolf wearing an eyepatch. It’s weird. It’s Kojima.
The "Definitive" version is the best way to play because it creates a seamless transition between the harrowing escape in Ground Zeroes and the long-game revenge plot of The Phantom Pain. It’s a massive amount of content—easily 100+ hours if you’re a completionist.
How to Get the Most Out of Your Playthrough
- Don't rush the story. The narrative is told largely through cassette tapes you listen to while in the field. If you don't listen to them, the plot will make zero sense.
- Abuse the Fulton system. Take everyone. You need the staff levels to unlock the cool gadgets like the cardboard box upgrades or the silenced sniper rifles.
- Experiment with the environment. Did you know you can use the water pistol to short out electrical equipment or douse fires? Or that you can hide in a toilet to evade a search?
- Watch the skies. Weather changes everything. A sandstorm is your best friend when you need to run across an open field without being seen.
The game isn't perfect. It’s a flawed masterpiece. It’s the sound of a genius being pulled away from his work before he could put the final brushstroke on the canvas. But even an unfinished Kojima game is better than 90% of the finished games on the market. If you haven't experienced the "Whoooo?!" of Skull Face or the sheer tension of a perfect stealth run, you're missing out on a pivotal piece of gaming history.
What to Do Next
- Check the store for sales: This bundle frequently drops below $10 on PlayStation, Xbox, and Steam. Never pay full price for it in 2026.
- Install the "Infinite Heaven" mod (PC only): If you’re playing on PC, this mod is essential. It lets you customize almost every aspect of the game’s difficulty and AI, essentially fixing many of the late-game balancing issues.
- Play Ground Zeroes first: Don't skip it. It’s the mechanical tutorial you need, and the narrative stakes make the beginning of The Phantom Pain hit much harder.
- Look up the "Nuclear Disarmament" ending: It’s a community-driven event that is nearly impossible to trigger naturally now, but it represents the true philosophical heart of what Kojima was trying to do with the game's social features.
The game is a journey. It’s frustrating, brilliant, and occasionally very silly. But once you start building that base and seeing your influence spread across the map, it’s hard to put down. Just don't expect a neat ending. In the world of Big Boss, nothing is ever really finished.