this was my first metal gear. and I can't tell you how confused I am.

The fact still remains that jeep ride with Skull face was awkward as fuck.

Sony should buy the rights to Metal Gear Solid so Kojima could make another MGS that'll explain everything that went unanswered in MGS V.

I personally see Venom Snake being the lesser evil. As Venom we are awarded for being a hero. We even get a (hidden) cut scene if all the nukes in the world are deactivated. We save children and try to keep them out of war. While Naked Snake has done a lot of morally questionable actions such as, had obtain a nuke/metal gear, bringing in children (Chico and Paz*) to work, and having some medic be involuntary brainwashed to believing that he's someone else while he was in a coma.

As someone who's not played a lot of MSG games: W... w... wha, what?

Venom Snake loses his home and most of his comrades on MSF. He fails to save Paz, which causes Chico to die and puts both him and Big Boss in a coma. Driven by revenge, he builds a new Mother Base for he can basically chase down a man he has no leads on. When he finally does get to Skull Face, he's already anticlimactically defeated by Sahelanthropus and Venom doesn't even kill him himself. He still has no real lead on Cipher. Venom is forced to kill his own men because of a parasite outbreak caused by a former "ally" at the base. The kids he saves turn on him and leave with Sahelanthropus after he rescued them twice. One of his buddies, and possible romantic interest, sacrifices herself to save him and is implied to die alone; even if she doesn't, she can't come back with those parasites in her. All just to find out you aren't even real and just a puppet in the grand scheme of things; making all you did hollow and meaningless. Yeah, I'd become a nuke wielding super-villain too. Kojima wanted you, the player, to be angry and feel that "phantom pain" when it all seemed meaningless because you weren't the real Big Boss. You are Venom Snake, and I think it did a good job making you feel like that in the end. Anyways, awesome video Jeremy!

I don't see Venom Snake as just a medic. He is you, the player as a full self insert in the game, just with all of Big Boss's memories and skills, that's why he was artificially induced into a coma. I think Kojima tried to do the whole phantom thing as a last big thank you to fans. Maybe it could have been executed better with more time and resources but of course that wasn't possible with Konami.

hmmmm I think you got it wrong there Jeremy, Venom Snake didn't go evil and forced Big Boss to send Solid Snake. Venom was meant to finish of Solid Snake but Snake proved to strong

To all the haters.... i know what this ending means and signifies. It's not simply saying "You play as the medic" because that's a shallow way to look at it. At the beginning, we create our perfect avatar, a representation of ourself, we even put our own name and DOB in it. WE, the players, are the medic - WE are venom snake. Now, what is big boss? It isnt a person - it's a title. A legacy. Ok, so we don't play as Jack, the original big boss - but we DO play as big boss - Jack hands us the PLAYER that title - this is Kojima's final MGS game, and, as a farewell present, he is giving US the title of Big Boss. That's why Jack says thank you. It's subtle, but it's from Kojima. Jack says that the medic was his his most trusted lieutenant - why was he? What's so special about him? It's because we've known Jack since his very first mission. That's why Venom Snake has Jacks memories - it's because we were there WITH Jack. It's not a fuck you to fans - it's a thank you. It also fits with the canon too - it explains how Big Boss survived MG1s Outer Heaven ending - he didn't. Solid Snake killed Big Bosses phantom - he killed Venom. Sadly, this will be lost on most fans. Jeremy NAILED it here, and I'm just adding the deeper meaning of the layer here.

Am I the only 1 who feels bad for Eli (Liquid) after this Big Boss charade? Not only was he fueled by the belief that he was the genetically inferior clone which wasn't the case at all, but now he also had to live with the fact that he got his ass kicked and lectured by Big Medic AKA Venom Snake whom he assumed to be the real Big Boss?

It's basically Sons of Liberty in reverse; Raiden throws away his (or the player's) dog tags and accepts his fate as is (like the end of Inception) but Venom Snake breaks the mirror of his old reflection (again or the player's) and continues the lie that he's Big Boss.

I'm so glad someone else appreciates the ending to MGSV, like holy Hell, trying to find someone on KZfaq who has something good to say about it is like finding a needle in a hay stack, at least for me. I'm gonna make a video going off about this hopefully in the near future, who knows, my focus is all over the place, but think about this; what if Kojima made MGSV as a means for the player to feel what it's like to be Big Boss? What if it was meant to evoke emotions of sorrow and anguish as you're yet another pawn in the giant chess game and you watch Venom writhe in guilt from committing these atrocities... You're supposed to feel what he feels because you are him. As Big Boss said, I am you and you are me. I get it that some people might find that kinda corny, but considering MGSV feels like a Big Boss simulator, it all makes sense. It's almost as though by the end of it, you were supposed to feel the effects of the PTSD that Venom is now stricken with, hence why unlike Big Boss, Venom is often very quiet, leaving for some pretty awkward silences between him and other characters. I don't know, something to chew on.

The problem why I and many other MGS fans are so disappointed is, that we were promised to get the story about how Big Boss turns from a hero into a villain. We wanted to see how he met Grey Fox, trained Solid Snake, met Sniper Wolf etc. We got nothing of that, instead we got a story about a fake Big Boss with no major plot behind it. Seriously, not much happens in this game. I agree, the idea that there is a second boss isn't bad, but was it necessary to have it told through Kojimas last Metal Gear game instead of showing us the story about the real Big Boss? The character we really care about? Showing us how he build the "real Outer Heaven" aka Zanzibar Land? I think it would have been more interesting and would have had more impact. The story we got instead had no real epic moments, no real emotional impact at all. (Quiet was the only character that gave us a little bit of that) So the question is, was it worth it to close that little plot hole of super old MSX games, to instead not get the story about the real Big Boss? The story that actually everyone was hoping to finally hear? I mean, there are rumors a third chapter was actually planned, hell, even the last mission of the second chapter was cut out of this game, so I guess the story is incomplete anyway. Too bad we might never get to see it....

Kojima played me like a damn fiddle.

Anyone else notice that the entire Metal Gear (not including rising) series was set over the span of 50 years? Starts in 1964 and ends in 2014.

My problem wasn't the ending, rather how rushed it was.

so solid defeats both bosses not just one? lol he is a legend

So people are getting pissed because of this plottwist while this entire franchise is known for more plottwists then M. Night Shyamalan has came up with. I mean every game has at least one if not multiple 'WTF?!'-moments. Even Ground Zeroes ended on kind of a shocker.

Personally I enjoyed how Venom Snake is like a "new" Snake. Plus even part 2 referenced how enough training and memories can make you a great warrior

For me Big Boss was never a villain, from the perspective of Solid Snake if he is, but not really, although Big Boss and Zero misinterpreted The Boss's Message, the one who truly understood the message was Venom Snake, it is demonstrated with the end of Nuclear Disarmament, and Venom's ideas are quite clear, also I think he values ​​the lives of his men much more than the real Big Boss

I'm kinda in the middle. On one hand, I'm like "holy shit I would have never thought of this! Props to you kojima." On the hand, I'm like "well why? Why not just have me play as big boss?"

I actually loved the twist for the same reasons as you. What I'm pissed about is the cut mission that finishes Eli/Liquid's story. And it would have been cool if the end of the game showed a young Solid Snake invading Outer Heaven.

I feel like Big Boss had good intentions, but fucked up his execution.

I always interpreted the mirror scene as Venom finally destroying his former self and accepting his role as Big Boss. The tape is from the real Big Boss showing that he wants Venom to defeat Solid.

Jeremy, while I do think you make great points and I wouldn't of had a problem with the ending, it's the fact that there was very important content that was cut that dives deeper into the descent of Venom/Phantom Snake. It's because of this cut content that a lot of answered things and holes were caused like the kids vanishing and Liquid and the Giant metal gear and volgin and etc.

I don't hate the ending but I think this game has the weakest plot of ANY metal gear games. Kojima's claims that this would be "the missing link" the game that ties everything together don't pan out, bugger all is explained and he'd need dlc the size of that which rivals the whole game to truly tie everything together. Additionally there were barely any cutscenes, Venom's practically a silent protagonist, Quiet's is a great character but also bugger all is explained (not to mention inconsistencies), and overall this just wasn't a metal gear experience for me. I loved the plot and story of mgs 2 and 3 the most out of all the games, and it saddens me that V doesn't even come halfway close to the experience of those games.

I just finished MGSV; I've had the game for 10 months, and only finished it now. woot.:l so I decided to go straight to your spoiler talk straight away after that, and I gotta say; I agree completely. the ending here, yeah, I actually liked it. :)

Jeremy, I HIGHLY suggest you check out Super Bunnyhop's Metal Gear Solid V: Dissociative Disorder video. The really interesting stuff is him talking about the whole thing with Phantom Boss and his relation with the real one and how the whole thing fitted with the MSX games.

LOL I loved this ending I thought that was clever as fuck

I think something A LOT of people are forgetting as one of Metal Gear's trademarks is how it skips time through each installment. The fact that this game ends, fast-forwarding to the Outer Heaven Uprising about 10 years after the events of TPP is not unlike Peace Walker starting AFTER Big Boss lefts the Patriots and was cloned by Zero. Or how MGS2 skips Solid Snake and Octacon founding Pihlianthropy and how the Metal Gear designs go out in the open. Or MGS4 going straight into Solid Snake's body already deteriorating. Everyone saying WE NEED MORE CONTENT needs to calm down. There is no definite, absolute in-your-face what the fuck this is for real proof that a chapter 3 exists. Could it have been happening at one point? Sure. Was it cut from the game. Most likely, and probably because of the whole Konami vs. Kojima debacle. Mission 51 is definite proof and I do believe that THAT is something that should be patched into the game (as well as Quiet still being a buddy, but whatever). My point is, the whole cut content thing is an over reaction to a mild degree. Since this game ends the way it does, let alone it being what may very well be the final Metal Gear game for a very very long time, I can understand the sour taste. Trust me, I had it for a good couple of days too after beating it. But it took me a while to accept the ending as not unlike anything that has happnned in Metal Gear before, when you break it down to its very essence. So no. A Chapter 3 shouldn't and won't probably happen. But yes, I'm right there with you in wanting that mission 51 as a definitive climax to this game--one it needs very much (that shiv to the heart that was the standoff in mission 45 was amazing but no Metal Gear boss battle). The ending isn't something to be taken at face value, and is by no means a mere contextual, in the moment sort of ending. This is as much of an addition to the series as whole, changing the preconceived notion of the story of Metal Gear, while also being a fitting conclusion to the series as a whole. And for a prequel to not just tell us what we already know but tell us a story we never knew I think is brave and unheard of, and somthing people should be celbrating more than being mad at, not because it underwhelmed them which is as a good of a reason as any, but because it is lazy or its shit writing. If you wanted the heartfelt, ties up all loose ends ending, thats where MGS4 is. Thats where that needs to be, not here. If you were hoping to know how Big Boss was a villain this whole time, he's been one since Peace Walker AND better yet his betrayal/deceit of Venom/you is better villainy then doing any terrible, evil act you've seen before. This isn't bad writing. Is it upsetting or not as good as it could be? If that's your opinion that by all means preach it brother, or sister. Point is, this ending deserves a lot more HOORAYS then BOOS, and the fact so many fans of Metal Gear are refusing to look past the face value of what this ending is--not just respective to this story, but to the Metal Gear lore, mythos and universe--is kind of sad. Anyways, I'm still playing htis game 2 weeks after beating the story, and I'm loving it so fucking much.

Lol you're totally right. This was my first metal gear and only for a second I was like WTF IM NOT EVEN BIG BOSS? And then I was like... hey that's pretty cool.

Kinda late to the party here, but I would just like to say that the real Big Boss didn’t want Solid Snake to kill Venom Snake, the fake Big Boss, he was meant to go in there and be fed some false info and report back to the government that there was no threat in Outer Heaven, better yet, he gets killed while there. Which is why he was sent in with virtually nothing to defend himself, just a pack of cigarettes. So no Big Boss didn’t want Venom dead by any means.

I actually had the opposite reaction. I initially LIKED the twist and then I paced around and started wondering what this meant for the series and then I became pissed because I didn't understand what it all meant. Watching your video gave me a lot of relief and some much needed closer. I feel good about the ending now. Thanks, man.

#FucKonami

Let me clue you up. Big Boss chose David (Solid Snake) to take down his phantom Venom Snake during the Outer Heaven incident in 1995 as a test, in order to see if he had what it took to actually kill him. David passed that test with flying colours (with a little help from Frank Jaeger), and so four years later you have Zanzibar land again with Frank helping him (secretly this time) toward the final confrontation with Big Boss. The reason for this is because Big Boss saw something in David that reminded him of The Boss whom he killed during Operation Snake Eater. As such he wanted David to kill him, because the anguish he felt from killing his own mentor still weighed heavily upon him. Frank being Big Boss's most trusted lieutenant understood his commander's wishes, and he wanted David to kill him as well. Eli (Liquid Snake) despite having Big Boss's dominant genes was simply nothing in the eyes of his father, even though he too wanted him dead just like David did.

All the "fans" who bitch at the twist ending clearly didn't stick to the end credits, the timeline reveal and listened to the extra audio tapes for completing the game because it does tell you what the real Big Boss is doing! But I understand the initial rage but damn that ending got me going so good!

I just can't get behind some guy being as skilled as Big Boss. I wish it was a more established character or the Decoy Octopus theory came true.

The worst part is how much this will fuck up all the Big Boss wiki entries

I LOVED the ending. It made so much sense, really tied up all loose ends i could think of. Besides that, I really love the fact that medic is Venom Snake and Big Boss is a different person, this is why metal gear is great, it drops twists on you that you never see coming

I like this take. Naked Snake realizes the symbolism in the title of “Big Boss” and seizes the opportunity to use Venom as a lightning rod to inherit the curse that comes with the title of “Boss”. IE: everyone we encounter in MGS referred to as “Boss” goes down in history as the worst person who ever lived, despite having the truest of intentions. Even Liquid. Jack saw the writing on the wall and ultimately found a way to break the cycle. Yep, BUT… THAT is what makes him the bad guy. He surrendered to The Patriots. That’s also what makes MGS so compelling when it’s all put together. Ocelot is the hero. Even though he has to APPEAR as the villain. In the end we see his admiration for Big Boss was in part built on the ability Jack had to walk away from the fight. I know people will hate that take, but it holds up. All the way around it does.

This is the most convoluted shit i have ever heard. . . and it makes me want to play these games.

I liked the ending (how Venom is actually us and Big Boss is passing on the mantle to us after playing all the MGS games and thanking us for saving his life) but I really wished it had gone a bit deeper into it. Like as to how Venom became the villain after his revelation at the end and not just leaving the details for the Metal Gear Wiki to explain.

The point behind the twist was that Venom Snake personifies the player and, just as Big Boss said in the cassette tape, he (meaning us) carries a piece of Big Boss with him everywhere we go and we have helped build the legends of Big Boss and Metal Gear since the beginning of the series and that we are the core of the story. Big Boss also says in the cassette tape that the legend of Big Boss is more like himself and Venom Snake (meaning us) together, rather than Naked Snake alone. It was a fantastic way to pay homage to the fans as the last MGS game from Kojima. This is also why a majority of the game is gameplay rather than story because the gameplay is Venom Snake's (our) story and that is how the player leaves his mark on the game world, while the narrative is generally Snake's story.

I just played it again and I have the same thoughts. Venom Snake loses it, because he feels used to strengthen the Legend of Big Boss. So in the End he uses his Name to create Outer Heaven. The real Big Boss returned to Foxhound as a Comander and Instructor, that is also where he met Solid Snake. (Even if he hates the LET Project, he respected Snake as a Soldier. Seen in MGS4) So he sends his "Clone" with the same Capabiltys to take down his Phantom to sace the World. After leaving Foxhound he creates Zanzibar Land, but the AI System of the Patriots sees it as a threat, so they send Solid Snake again to kill his "Father" Also Master Miller hates the fact, that Ocelot lied to him and that Miller would stand with Venom Snake instead of going with Big Boss. "We each have a Role to play, and when the Time comes, one of us has to Die" On the Tapes in Phantom Pain you can listen to audio where Zero visits the real Big Boss and Ocelot. He never wanted the MSF to be destoryed. By Privatising the Military it even played in Zeroes Hands. But after Skull Face poisens Zero the AI that Sigint built gets Control and seeks Big Boss dead and the inconvinient stateless Army destroyed. In favor to have full control of the coming War Economy.

oh my god, metal gear solid as a series is breathtaking. a true masterpiece. so rich and deep. I would have never seen any of this shit coming before playing TPP. kojima, I'll forgive you for cutting eli's ending from TPP (that's not really a spoiler) based on the fact that you made the connection between big boss's story and solid snake's story *extremely* good - you made the LET project make perfect sense as well and we now have a fluid timeline without any "well, that part's yet to be told" - bravo. and by the way JJ - awesome theory - it makes perfect sense as well. it doesn't sound far fetched - it actually would make more sense than a "normal" explanation

Judge me as you might I feel like every few months to a year I come back to this video. It’s just a staple in my head of how cool the story can unfold in someone’s head

They can't just leave us with The Phantom Pain! Hideo Kojima has to remake/remaster/whatever the first two Metal Gear games. Yes, I'm aware Konami is in control, but that was his, dammit!!

FYI guys Kojima productions is back. They are with Sony though! there's a chance there will be more metal gear to come! Now everybody say it with me: Fuck konami!!!

What if Hideo Kojima was M. Night Shyamalan the whole time?

Look, you can hate on the twist all you want but keep this in mind: You are playing as the guy who SINGLE HANDEDLY took down Sahelantropus, fought countless armored vehicles/helicopters, whit just one real arm, one eye and a metal shard stuck in his head. Big Boss couldn´t have chosen a better candidate to become his phantom. The legend of BB lives on because of Venom

Iam looking forward to the E3 2016 Sony Press-Conference reveal for Kojimas Kickstarter Project "Metal Gear Solid 6 - The Fall of a Phantom" 14.06.2016 guys ;-)

JJ I'm not gonna lie, you took the words right outta my mouth! I instantly thought about Metal Gear when I found out that I wasn't really Big Boss

Okay, late to the party, but I've finally beaten it and holy shit! I'm very happy this wasn't spoiled to me at all. I kind of guessed that something was up with Big Boss, because in this entry it didn't feel like Big Boss, and that guy with the bandages was voiced by Keifer Sutherland and at first I thought it was Solidus too, but damn I was still surprised at that twist. But do you know why I love this twist? It's because Kojima pretty much said here: "Hey Chris, guess what? You are Big Boss. You are literally Big Boss, you are just as awesome and you didn't even realise it if you were too immersed in the game." He says that to EVERYONE that plays this game and I love that. :D

I had the same exact reaction at first and I came to the same conclusion as you. I also liked the ending after mulling that all over in my head for a while. The only thing I wish was different about the game is Kojima was given just a little more time to close up the loose ends in the missing mission, and not just release it as an unfinished bonus content video.

The problem is that we invested all that time into Venom Snake, just for him to be Big Boss's fall guy. Why make us play as Venom Snake if he's just doomed in the end? At least Raiden became his own man.

Very late to the topic but my interpretation is That venom snake basically becomes another soldier a thing not person a tool big boss uses to accomplish his goals so it’s a middle ground for what we thought would happen and what your interpretation was where big boss doesn’t become evil but does questionable things (which is he uses his soldiers like weapons just like the us army did to him)

you're right, there is another metal gear game. metal gear survive might fill all the plot holes XD

Funny thing, I figured out the entire plot when Ismael spoke. I knew that he was Big Boss. The Medic also sounded like Keifer.

I liked the ending because we the player have ultimately become Big Boss. I thought Big Boss's final message to Venom Snake was in fact a message to the fans from Hideo. "From here on out: You're Big Boss."

I like how after Venom Snake punches the mirror you can see the logo on the door changes from "Diamond Dogs" to " Outer Heaven". Nice touch.

Kiefer Sutherland was great, I liked his voice more than David Hayter.

This is how you explain the big boss storyline with only a few simple words MGS 3 innocence MGS Peace Walker misunderstanding MGS V anger MG 1 & 2 lost MGS4 regret

I do agree that the idea of having a real Big Boss and a 'copy' Big Boss' makes sense, but I had really wished for Venom to be more than just a seemingly random medic.

I completely agree with you 100%. I think why most people are hating it is because they're looking at it at a different angle. In the ending, it's revealed you were playing as the medic. On the surface, thats shallow as FUCK. But if you look at it as you, *the player*, was Big Boss, its impactful. As that hit me during the credits, I legit had my mind blown. Now the legendary soldier was two people, allowing him to have a second life. I don't think the real Big Boss wanted to take Venom out in MG1, I think that its still the twist that your commander was the villain. Snake killing Venom in Outer Heaven allowed Big Boss to completely slide off the radar and reconstruct Outer Heaven in Zanzibarland. It allowed him to completely restart and give one last shot at fulfilling the Boss' Will. Even though TPP is missing major parts of the game, I will always defend the twist ending.

I thought the scene with the ashes was a great, emotional piece. It was Venom being remorseful over what he had to do and wanting to honor them in a meaningful way.

Big boss is not and never has been the villian. He's the hero.

Solid Snake taking out Venom Snake mirrors Big Boss taking out The Boss. You either die a hero or live long enough to see yourself become the Villain. This is the irony of the story. Big Boss ultimately did the same thing to Venom what the State did to The Boss. Venom was a willing sacrifice.

The only problem is that besides all of that demon talk Venom Snake is the nicest guy ever lol Rescues children, doesn't kill Huey, he's not really the villain he was supposed to be portrayed as...

9:39 Jeremy predicts the future.

If Big Boss is not a villain. Why would he and Ocelot agree to kill all those people in the Hospital in the beginning of Phantom pain for the sake of "both big bosses" to escape? He was willing to sacrifice them and that was the plan all along by Ocelot i think and agreed by Big Boss. That's what i remembered from the tape after the BIG reveal. So i'm still confused about him.

I personally LOVED this game. All the unanswered question and plot twists is what makes this game hugely interesting and makes you wishing for more.

the franchise is now okay to end. honestly the phantom pain was a great game to finally give us a game to conclude on.

My favourite MGS, played them all many, many times and the story in V was fantastic and filled in the gaps between this and the NES Metal Gear perfectly.

I finally beat it. Thus I came back to watch this awesome video.

Every time he says Big Boss I’m taking a shot of Remy Martin

Heres what I think happened. Big Boss has turned, and has become something he was against and fought for. What he did to Venom Snake is basically the same as what Zero did to Skullface and what the govermnent did to The Boss. They done alot and will never be remembered for the heroics they done because essentially, they were all Phantoms. So in a way Big Boss has become a demon and turned. As for Operation Intrude

Very emotional when Quiet left and moved on. 😢

its weird that the ultimate bad guy hires the protagonists to screw the good guys

I know im about 6 years late but, playing as the Phantom of Big Boss makes you feel like him, because you literally formed Diamond Dogs, and did all that cool shit in Afghanistan. Thats why im okay with the ending.

I've played all metal gear games at least twice and I'm still very confused after 20 years

I think this is one of the best games of all time.i loved the ending twist should there have been more absolutely but when I really think about how far the series has come and how great the story is I tend to love the game a bit more

This is not the last MGS im prety comfident, Kojima will find the way to do it, and companies like you said Sony will help him because is a golden mine, and the issue is that Konami value is slowly going down and the problem for them is that there is nothing they can do with MGS because they fired Kojima, I mean they tried... but that was an epic fail, they cant use it or touch it, so they will be forced to sell it in order to survive or also Konami could be taken oven thats also a possibility.

Kinda late, but Punished Snake is meant to die by Solid Snake in order to make them think Big Boss is dead. Fast Forward to MGS 4, Big Boss is alive.

Really? I didn't mind. I've never minded the whole protagonist switch thing.

That was the best explanation I've ever heard

My favourite thing about Metal Gear Solid is the fact that everyone can have their own interpretation of the story in a way. Personally I don’t believe Venom Snake is evil and Big Boss sent Solid Snake on a suicide mission but Solid was an incredible soldier and ended up winning against the odds. I never saw Big Boss as a villain throughout the entire series, just a guy trying to do good in his own way even if that means doing some evil along the way. This series is incredible in that way.

You crazy reviewers, i am beginning to like the end of phantom pain after all because of you :)

I like the ending but what the hell happened after chapter 1? It's like they just made a mad dash to the ending after Skull Face's arc, padding the way with reused missions and you don't even get to go after Liquid & Psycho Mantis(what did they do with the last english strain parasites and Sahelanthropus?).

Lol I had a similar reaction after the twist. I just sat there staring at my character in the AC

As well as the idea that Big Boss sent Solid Snake to take out Venom Snake because Venom had devolved into an outright villain and thorn in his side, it's just as likely that Big Boss simply realized that the ruse was no longer necessary, and maliciously ordered his execution. Either way, I think that adds more much depth to the saga, and I'm glad it was included. What I thought the ending got wrong was making Venom's former character "just the medic". He should have been a bit more, like Big Boss' personal bodyguard and medic support - the only MSF soldier tough enough to watch out for BB himself. That, and when it came to the avatar creation, they should have taken race / skin tone out of the equation and had the head look like an un-rendered grey model, or like the doctor was sculpting the new face out of clay. I say this, not to exclude the possibility of other playable ethnicities, but because the ending was absolutely ruined for me. The camera panned down to my right hand (and left stump), which were Caucasian. Shortly after, I was shown my reflection, where despite having Caucasian limbs, I was Black from the shoulders up. Try to make sense of that, and how plastic surgery does nothing to explain Venom's eyes changing colour, and you realize how big of a fuck-up the ending truly was. They should have locked the hair, ethnicity and eye colour options from the avatar creation, until after you completed mission 46. "But then I couldn't have truly created myself!" And I guess that's where the ending doesn't work for me - the notion that YOU were Venom Snake. It had no impact on me, because I didn't create myself in the avatar maker. I don't need to play as myself in a video game - I play as myself every day in real life. Instead, I drafted up a character and gave him a fictional backstory - a University of Kinshasa Arts Professor who lost his family to an M23 attack, and is now on the warpath against the rebel militia. Going from a pissed off Congolese to a rather morose, scarred Caucasian struck me as the same kind of nonsense that Punisher #50 tried for, except in reverse. I guess it's my fault for designing a black character who is eventually revealed to have been turned into a white man, but it's also the game's fault for allowing me to do that.

These games have a bigger storyline than War and Peace. Could fill an encyclopedia! Surprised there hasn't been a movie yet. Could make a ton of sequels.

Good points that I've not considered. I'm still pissed that the story was incomplete; MGS5 didn't feel like a metal gear game to me. Still a solid game though.

Such a lust for revenge! WHOOOOOO?!

I like to think Venom's outer heaven simply became too big, as we the player built it up. Big Boss' idea of a nation for soldiers couldn't work if there were two conflicting forces with this same goal. So, the base needed to fall to further Big Boss' will and create the ultimate outer heaven. Dying to Solid Snake was Venom's final service as BB's phantom.

Well, in MGS 4, he does kill the Patriots and Zero, so maybe this was part of his plan to find Zero and the Patriots in peace, while the world is chasing Venom Snake? To be fair, I liked this ending, but the problem for me was that the last few missions were only harder challenge versions of previous missions. That was my main problem, personally, the twist was interesting and as an idea, it was good for me.

I mean... I dont hate the twist ending... But it didnt had any emotion... I fucking cryied at the end of Metal Gear Solid 4 and 3, I was mindfucked at the end of Metal Gear Solid 2, I was happy at the end of Metal Gear Solid... But in this one... The LAST one... I felt nothing...

Hearing this made me feel better.

I JUST started playing this franchise this year. Going to start the original Metal Gear Solid today. Been loving every moment of these games. The ending of Phantom Pain blew my god damn mind.

Fun fact, Metal Gear Solid has always tried to establish that anyone can be a Snake, or like Snake. In MGS 2 they hit at it a lot. They talked about how through circumstances and events anyone can be like Snake. Raiden was the subject in that game, to be like Snake. They literally explained how the Big shell incident ties with the Shadow Moses incident in terms of events.

Big Boss was never the villain. Ever.