Metal Gear Survive

66%
Game Brain Score Based on 3,305 reviews
  • story
  • gameplay
  • monetization
Metal Gear Survive Game Cover
Despite the backlash from fans decrying that Metal Gear Survive isn't a true Metal Gear game, what's available in this $40 package is a hundred-plus hours of one of the most polished survival games to ever make it onto consoles.
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"Metal Gear Survive" is a survival action game set in an open-world environment. After being transported through a wormhole, players must navigate a hostile alternate universe, battling strange creatures and collecting resources to survive. The game features base-building, crafting, and multiplayer co-op gameplay.

  • PC
  • Play​station 4
  • Play​station 5
  • Windows
  • Xbox One
  • Xbox Series X|S
  • Cloud
  • NVIDIA GeForce NOW
  • Play​Station
  • Xbox
Genres & TagsPlay Modes

Reviews

66%
Audience ScoreBased on 3,305 reviews
story330 positive mentions
monetization84 negative mentions
  • story2,196 mentions

    The story of "Metal Gear Survive" has received mixed reviews, with many players finding it bland and lacking the depth characteristic of previous Metal Gear titles. While some appreciate its attempts at plot twists and connections to the Metal Gear universe, others criticize it for being predictable and poorly executed, often delivered through static images and text rather than engaging cutscenes. Overall, the narrative serves primarily as a backdrop for the gameplay, which focuses on survival mechanics and base building rather than a compelling storyline.

    • “The story is surprisingly fleshed out, and feels like a metal gear spin off, characters also feel unique and well designed.”
    • “The story surprised me by actually having heart.”
    • “The story is actually quite captivating, depending on your taste and it's always nice to make your own character since it makes the story feel more personal.”
    • “The narrative is thin and lacks the depth, complexity, and philosophical musings that defined Kojima’s storytelling.”
    • “The plot revolves around a group of soldiers sucked into a wormhole to an alternate dimension, which feels more like a generic sci-fi setup than a continuation of the rich Metal Gear lore.”
    • “While the game attempts to create emotional moments, they often fall flat due to the lack of investment in the characters and the overarching story.”
  • gameplay1,170 mentions

    The gameplay of "Metal Gear Survive" has received mixed reviews, with many players appreciating its solid mechanics and engaging survival elements, while others criticize its repetitive nature and intrusive survival mechanics like hunger and thirst. The game utilizes the Fox Engine, offering familiar controls and gameplay reminiscent of "Metal Gear Solid V," but diverges significantly in narrative and tone, leading to polarized opinions among fans of the series. Overall, while some find the gameplay enjoyable and addictive, especially in co-op mode, others feel it lacks the depth and polish expected from a traditional Metal Gear title.

    • “It's a pretty fun arcade-style extract shooter with base management mechanics.”
    • “There's plenty of different skills, weapons, and tools you can use to spice up and change your gameplay in many ways.”
    • “The gameplay loop of exploring the map, collecting resources, building a base, researching new technologies/equipment, etc. is really addictive and oddly satisfying.”
    • “Boring slop, even forgetting it's a Metal Gear game, the gameplay is awful and hinders fun at any opportunity.”
    • “The game is an exercise in tedium, and it's roughly an hour to an hour and a half before you get to actually play in the standard gameplay loop.”
    • “The gameplay is highly repetitive, tedious and difficult until you get a good stockpile of resources so you spam the best towers, and this brings me to the worst part of the game: from start to finish, the only gameplay value is collecting resources, building defenses, and surviving a timer.”
  • monetization433 mentions

    The monetization aspect of the game has drawn significant criticism, with many players labeling it a cash grab due to the presence of numerous microtransactions, including charges for additional save slots and resource boosts. While some users report that these microtransactions are not essential for gameplay and can be ignored, others argue that they negatively impact the overall experience by creating a grindy environment designed to encourage spending. Overall, the sentiment is mixed, with many feeling that the monetization strategy detracts from the game's potential and legacy.

    • “Microtransactions exist, but you can work around them with only reasonable effort (you can basically ignore them, and you get the premium currency in log-in bonuses).”
    • “I never once felt I needed microtransactions to advance.”
    • “Yes, there are microtransactions, but they are all optional (though I am annoyed about the character slots; at least give us an extra slot for free!).”
    • “Really the only truly inexcusable sin that Konami is guilty of, in regard to this game, is the predatory monetization they have tacked on to the game... $10 to have a second character in a game with multiple endings... come on... that's just... gross.”
    • “It's obvious that this game was a cash grab with the Metal Gear franchise.”
    • “The microtransactions added on make this a headache to play.”
  • grinding303 mentions

    The grinding aspect of the game has received mixed reviews, with many players finding it excessively tedious and unbalanced, particularly in the early stages where resource management is a constant struggle. While some appreciate the grind as a core element of survival gameplay, others criticize it for feeling like busywork, especially when tied to microtransactions and slow progression. Overall, the game is described as heavily grind-focused, which may appeal to fans of the genre but can be frustrating for those seeking a more streamlined experience.

    • “The crafting system is not too tedious as well, has a nice balance to it.”
    • “The single player story took me about 18 hours to get through, and that was with little to no grinding outside of missions. After that, there's still the endgame with several new bosses and a co-op mode to sink your teeth into, so all in all, good value I would say.”
    • “It's not grindy; it always gives you just enough resources to scrape by, and it's genuinely kind of challenging.”
    • “The core issue is that the game is purposely designed to be as tedious as possible with hunger, thirst, and oxygen meters requiring the player to return to base.”
    • “The grinding outside of co-op missions is terrible.”
    • “Painfully tedious collecting, resource farming, and NPC micromanagement make up the entirety of this lackluster title.”
  • graphics156 mentions

    The graphics in "Metal Gear Survive" are generally considered decent, utilizing the Fox Engine from "Metal Gear Solid V," but many reviewers note that they lack significant improvements and often feel recycled. While some players appreciate the aesthetic and find the visuals satisfactory, others criticize them for being underwhelming and not meeting modern standards, with issues like low-quality textures and limited graphical options at launch. Overall, the game offers a mix of solid visuals and nostalgia for fans of the series, but it doesn't push the graphical boundaries expected from a 2018 title.

    • “Metal Gear Survive utilizes the Fox Engine, the same powerful engine used in Metal Gear Solid V, ensuring high-quality graphics and smooth gameplay.”
    • “The graphics are nice for a port and the audio is pretty well done.”
    • “Graphically, the game is polished and looks great; it is the Fox Engine after all.”
    • “The game is just terrible; they also hid massive graphics issues and poorly designed areas behind the fog, which shows they lacked even the smallest effort given it's a cloned asset game.”
    • “Biggest negative: the visuals are extremely underwhelming.”
    • “To top it all off, the graphics seem to have been severely downgraded from MGSV; textures look much more bland and simple, and models for characters are barebone.”
  • music97 mentions

    The music in the game has received mixed reviews, with some players appreciating the nostalgic inclusion of tracks from previous Konami titles, while others criticize the original soundtrack as lacking memorability and immersion. Many fans of the Metal Gear series feel that the absence of iconic themes diminishes the experience, although some enjoy the ambient and situational music that enhances gameplay. Overall, while there are redeeming qualities in the music selection, the lack of sound control options and the repetitive nature of some tracks detract from its overall impact.

    • “The music is arguably more memorable than the non-vocal MGSV OST, with each 'special infected' filling a niche in defense that requires strategic thinking to defeat.”
    • “I personally like the large collection of Konami music from all across their properties that you can have play in your base.”
    • “The soundtrack is on point, featuring music from various Konami games, including classic titles like Castlevania and Metal Gear.”
    • “However, the soundtrack lacks the iconic music that characterized the Metal Gear series, which can make the game feel less immersive for long-time fans.”
    • “The music is something I always look into the most in games, which this one sadly failed; the music is too boring and over the top unnecessarily most of the time.”
    • “There's no option to lower in-game sound or music; you can turn music completely off, but no option to adjust them.”
  • optimization42 mentions

    Overall, the game's optimization is a mixed bag; while many players report smooth performance and good graphics, some criticize it for poor CPU/GPU usage and lack of checkpoints. The Fox Engine generally runs well, with no major bugs or crashes, but certain aspects, like the story and mission design, detract from the overall experience. Despite these issues, the game is still considered more optimized than many others on the market, especially for lower-spec PCs.

    • “It's more optimized than other games on the market and has a good amount of content. It's clear from the very start that it's a survival game with a Metal Gear twist to it.”
    • “The game seems to be optimized wonderfully.”
    • “The game is very well optimized, looks great, and is quite fun to play.”
    • “Unoptimized mess even after all these years.”
    • “The main campaign plays fine, although the Fox Engine used feels like an unoptimized version of the one that Kojima used in Metal Gear Solid V.”
    • “Let's start with the bad, holy shit this game was poorly, poorly optimized.”
  • atmosphere38 mentions

    The atmosphere of the game is widely praised for its immersive and eerie qualities, effectively capturing a Lovecraftian and survival horror vibe reminiscent of Silent Hill. Players appreciate the well-designed environments that evoke feelings of dread and isolation, enhanced by the use of the Fox Engine, which creates a visually stunning yet oppressive atmosphere. Despite some criticisms regarding the diversity of settings, the overall tone and tension contribute significantly to the game's appeal, making it a standout feature for many players.

    • “The environments, though not as diverse as in previous Metal Gear games, are well-designed and atmospheric, creating a sense of dread and isolation that is fitting for a survival game.”
    • “The atmosphere in the dust genuinely feels creepy and reminds me of Silent Hill.”
    • “If you love a game with a detailed world and intense atmosphere with a persistent sense of urgency and consequence to every action you take, you will enjoy this game.”
    • “Inside, visibility is extremely low, you lose the use of your map as well as your markers, and the general atmosphere inside is genuinely eerie.”
    • “The whole atmosphere is just directly from MGS:FTP, which, I don't mind, but nothing memorable was really added to this game in the sense of landmarks, other than some pieces of Motherbase.”
    • “Visually, the muted palette and constantly grey overcast foggy atmosphere is not fun.”
  • humor38 mentions

    The humor in the game is a mixed bag, with players finding moments of absurdity and slapstick comedy, particularly in the interactions with zombies and the clunky mechanics. While some appreciate the typical Metal Gear humor and the ridiculous scenarios that arise, others feel that the humor often falls flat or becomes annoying, especially in the context of the game's serious tone. Overall, the game offers a blend of funny moments and frustrating gameplay, making it a source of both laughter and exasperation for players.

    • “There is good enough survival gameplay in the beginning to get what I wanted out of it, but now I get a whole bunch of hilarious tower defense instead.”
    • “But it is pretty funny to put a slipping trap right at the edge of a cliff, and lure the zombies to slide off to their doom.”
    • “I understand when you are in the desert your physical needs are higher, but this is probably a bit too much even for a huge bodybuilder... if you get ill from drinking dirty water (which is bound to happen) you'll get random puke animations and they are kind of funny.”
    • “The humor in this game feels forced and often falls flat, making it more cringeworthy than funny.”
    • “I expected a lot more laughs, but the jokes are stale and the comedic timing is off.”
    • “The attempts at humor seem to rely on outdated tropes that just don't resonate anymore.”
  • replayability25 mentions

    The reviews present a mixed perspective on replayability, with some players noting limited endgame content and a lack of compelling reasons to replay after completing the main story. However, others highlight the potential for replayability through co-op gameplay, RNG loot systems, and character customization, suggesting that the game can offer significant replay value for those who enjoy its mechanics. Overall, while some find replayability lacking, others appreciate the depth and longevity it can provide.

    • “All in all, MG Survive has decent graphics, great gameplay, great replayability, great survival, great action, and co-op.”
    • “Without doing a spoiler alert - there is even replayability after the game is beaten - but yet it's not repeating anything you've already done!”
    • “However, after putting more time into it and revealing more and more of the game's features, skills, weapons, enemies, etc., as well as becoming more used to the controls and mechanics, I realized that there really is some good depth and replayability here.”
    • “While the story is lacking very badly, the gameplay is quite entertaining, though no replay value is present and endgame activities are very limited. The fact of online co-op gives the game something.”
    • “What's worse is after you've beaten the game, that's pretty much it... not a whole lot of reason to play after, and there really isn't any replay value.”
    • “There is no replayability.”
  • stability23 mentions

    The stability of the game has received mixed reviews, with some players reporting smooth performance and no significant glitches, while others have encountered frequent bugs and issues, particularly during loading screens and with controls. Overall, while many users appreciate the game's technical performance on various hardware, a notable number express frustration over persistent bugs that detract from the experience.

    • “The performance is beautiful; I have a few stutters, but that's because of the always-online feature they decided to implement. I have a Pentium Dual Core 2.7GHz, 2GB of RAM, and a GTX 710 2GB. The game runs at 30fps on all minimum settings (ultra and low literally make no visual difference other than performance), and it runs great.”
    • “Runs great technically; no performance issues in all my hours of playing.”
    • “Highly functional, optimized, no bugs, no glitches.”
    • “If you want a very good survival game, that doesn't crash because it uses an inferior engine that should have been replaced 10 years ago and not released because it's a buggy mess, then this is for you.”
    • “Let's also ignore the fact that the game freezes on loading screens a huge percentage of the time.”
    • “Game is currently unplayably buggy, do not purchase until Konami fixes the bugs.”
  • emotional16 mentions

    Overall, the emotional aspect of the game is criticized for its lack of depth and investment in characters, leading to moments that feel flat and uninspired. While some players noted a few emotional twists, the story is generally described as bland and predictable, with voice acting that fails to evoke genuine feelings. Despite these shortcomings, some players found enjoyment in gameplay mechanics, likening the experience to being emotionally moved by music or intimate moments, though this did not translate to a strong emotional connection with the narrative or characters.

    • “Story is bland, but there is a nice twist near the end and it gets a little emotional.”
    • “It is mentally and emotionally taxing to explore in this game.”
    • “How ever I believe MGSV received too much hate, even if some was deserved. When it comes to gameplay, I still have yet to play a game that 'feels' so good to play; I can only compare it to being moved emotionally by a loved song or great sex—it feels right to play.”
    • “Pointless online DRM that's not even present in The Phantom Pain, the poor implementation of microtransactions, a boring story told through scenes that carry less weight than Peace Walker's, and combat that doesn't work well with the engine designed for stealth and shooting add up to a game not worth your time.”
    • “Short, predictable, and boring story.”
    • “35 hours in, I finally beat the boring story.”
  • character development3 mentions

    Reviews indicate that the character development in the game is lacking, with a noticeable departure from the series' hallmark of complex storytelling and thematic depth. While there are moments of potential growth for characters, the execution often falls short, leaving players feeling disconnected from the narrative.

    • “The departure from the series' core elements—complex storytelling, rich character development, and thematic depth—makes it feel disconnected from what made Metal Gear great.”
    • “The character development feels shallow and lacks depth, making it hard to connect with the protagonists.”
    • “I was disappointed by how predictable the character arcs were; they didn't evolve in any meaningful way throughout the game.”
    • “The choices I made didn't seem to impact the characters' growth, leaving me feeling like my decisions were meaningless.”
Positive mentions (%)Positive
Neutral mentions (%)Neutral
Negative mentions (%)Negative

Critic Reviews

61% average critic score

Buy Metal Gear Survive

Play time

17hMedian play time
46hAverage play time
6-40hSpent by most gamers
*Based on 56 analyzed playthroughs

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