I’m pretty keen to try Metal Gear Solid 5: The Phantom Pain. Perhaps too keen, as I’m dying for even a demo of the game to be released, something which was practiced in the dark days of the industry when 90 megabyte tastes of games were seen as massive. Ground Zeroes is pretty much a demo that you’ll pay for, for that MGS slice. All two hours of it.
According to the print edition of Game Informer via Kotaku, don’t expect the prologue to be lengthy. “Judged just by the core story mission, Ground Zeroes is short. We completed it in just less than two hours,” the magazine said.
Of course, players need to take into account that this is just the prologue and doesn’t include any optional missions, as the game sets the scene for the longer Phantom Pain. A tutorial prequel, the price of this demo is around $20 for a digital download on PlayStation 3 or Xbox 360. Physical will cost ya, around $30 for our Yank pals and locally about R339.
I’m not against Konami needing to make some cash while Kojima and his crew forge on ahead with the game, but not like this. Honestly, this should have been a pre-order bonus, a gift for players who put down cash for the full game.
And for that kind of cash, I could easily pick up a full game on either Steam or in the secondhand bins at insert retailer here. Hell, for R339 I could pick up Metal Gear Solid 4 and still have a chunk of change left over for some popcorn and drinks to go with that title.
Ground Zeroes infiltrates into marketplaces March 21. The Phantom Pain will be out much, much later.
Last Updated: February 5, 2014
Admiral Chief in Vegas
February 5, 2014 at 10:38
Sounds quite similar for some other “action” per hour…
Uberutang
February 5, 2014 at 10:39
you must be getting special rates.
Hammersteyn
February 5, 2014 at 10:46
Yeah but that kind of lady has 12 teeth left and seven of them are in her front pocket.
That Tall Ork Norm
February 5, 2014 at 12:03
Bwahaha!
Weanerdog
February 5, 2014 at 12:14
Lady? did you check
Hammersteyn
February 5, 2014 at 12:37
Hahahaha
HvR
February 5, 2014 at 11:09
So you get charged for the whole hour even though everybody know you only use 3 min?
Admiral Chief in Vegas
February 5, 2014 at 11:17
…sounds like you are speaking out of experience there… 😉
oVg 60fps > 30fps
February 5, 2014 at 10:38
Will not be long until people pay $60 to test the BETA… oops PS3 Skyrim ;P
FoxOneZA
February 5, 2014 at 10:39
PS fanboys are the betta beta testers ya know!
Hammersteyn
February 5, 2014 at 10:45
Hahaha, most people still say it was because of that damn Cell processor.
oVg 60fps > 30fps
February 5, 2014 at 11:00
Final Fantasy 14 was also very expensive 2 years ago. But the fans went for it a second time never the less. Gamers lol
FoxOneZA
February 5, 2014 at 10:38
I picked up MGS4 brand new for R39.
Or was it R29.
Hammersteyn
February 5, 2014 at 10:44
O_o massive bargain! enjoy.
FoxOneZA
February 5, 2014 at 10:48
Musica front table clearance.
Alien Emperor Trevor
February 5, 2014 at 10:45
How much did they charge you to carry it out the store? 😉
FoxOneZA
February 5, 2014 at 10:47
Had to buy 2 more games to get the lot for R99 😉
That Tall Ork Norm
February 5, 2014 at 12:09
Which other two did you get?
FoxOneZA
February 5, 2014 at 15:18
SFxTekken (Xbox) and Paper Mario.
Alien Emperor Trevor
February 5, 2014 at 10:40
When did Sam Fisher get new goggles?
Hammersteyn
February 5, 2014 at 10:44
Snake was doing covert missions while Sam Fisher was still soiling his diapers.
Alien Emperor Trevor
February 5, 2014 at 10:48
Pffft, Sam Fisher was around from when Solid Snake was still young enough to be flexible.
Hammersteyn
February 5, 2014 at 10:49
Solid Snake may be a bit older (LOL he’s ancient) but in my book Solid Snake > Sam Fisher.
Kensei Seraph Moe Ninja
February 5, 2014 at 10:56
I give you the product of the latest super-soldier experiment involving cloning and genetic manipulation: http://wp.streetwise.co/wp-content/blogs.dir/2/files/2012/05/Snakehead-Fish.jpg
Alien Emperor Trevor
February 5, 2014 at 11:09
I can picture that fish saying, “Do you eat fish & chips, or not? Well do ya, punk?”
TiMsTeR1033
February 5, 2014 at 11:13
all I picture saying is “Wazzup!!!!”
Hammersteyn
February 5, 2014 at 11:14
With Salt and Vinegar!
Sir Rants A Lot Llew. Jelly!!!
February 5, 2014 at 10:49
Faaaaaaail
Rock789
February 5, 2014 at 10:54
Um… no! Seriously Konami – if you’re gonna release a ‘prequel lick-and-a-taste’ of the real deal, then you either have to:
a) make it worth the money being spent on it!
b) lower the price (or make it pre-order incentive, as Darryn mentioned).
Otherwise it’s simply robbery, plain and simple.
And I saw that the PS4 and XB1 versions will be $30 digital and $40 physical… Really? For something that makes a COD campaign look epic in length? Come on!
RinceThis2014
February 5, 2014 at 10:55
Agreed. This is NOT a model I like the idea of.
oVg 60fps > 30fps
February 5, 2014 at 11:04
Japan 😛 After Capcom and Square this wallet rape is normal.
Rock789
February 5, 2014 at 11:11
Yeah, I am beginning to see a pattern developing here… And it’s a sad pattern that I really hope remains a lonely pattern…
TiMsTeR1033
February 5, 2014 at 11:12
Still not as bad as this pattern
Rock789
February 5, 2014 at 11:15
lol! 🙂 Nice one.
oVg 60fps > 30fps
February 5, 2014 at 11:16
Its worked for CAPCOM the last 5 years. We vote with our wallets and those people who bought Super Street Fighter Alpha International version BETA skins DLC ON DISC redeem Extra Character MARVEL tie in.
are to blame.
Not to mention how many people loved the DLC ending of FFXII-2 beta alpha crystal chronos BETA VERSUS XIII SUPER NOVA.
Im so over it 😛
Rock789
February 5, 2014 at 11:24
Exactly! Damn Street Fighter lovers… I wish I could… **HADUKEN**
**sound of glass shattering**
Oh damn it… Not again!
Hammersteyn
February 5, 2014 at 11:04
Agreed. They should rather release this on mobile if it’s gonna be this short.
oVg 60fps > 30fps
February 5, 2014 at 11:07
We need Green peace to burn the digital model down. How can printing a book, creating a CD, CD sleeve CD cover CD print, shipping, transport to retail be cheaper than a virtual download.
I have no fcking clue how the world works.
Hammersteyn
February 5, 2014 at 11:11
Twas so much simpler up until the end of the PS2 era. Before “everyone” had internet and DLC, updates to fix broken games and online games with shitty SP became the norm.
Rock789
February 5, 2014 at 11:12
I’m with you there…
TiMsTeR1033
February 5, 2014 at 11:07
One must pay for the Shiny Next gen experience in beta testing days… or forever.
oVg 60fps > 30fps
February 5, 2014 at 11:09
After that shit Silent Hill HD remake fuck fest. I am staying the hell away from Konami like Jim Sterling was told to never mention the word Konami from those pricks.
RinceThis2014
February 5, 2014 at 11:18
Agreed. Fuck them.
Alien Emperor Trevor
February 5, 2014 at 11:10
I will almost guarantee that somewhere along the line they have used the term “value” to defend this ripoff.
Rock789
February 5, 2014 at 11:10
And you’d probably be right… Sad, really. 🙁
Alien Emperor Trevor
February 5, 2014 at 11:12
hehe, you said “probably” *cough*
Rock789
February 5, 2014 at 11:15
Indeed… 🙂
RinceThis2014
February 5, 2014 at 10:54
damn. $20, but that still works out to a a SP CoD game!
Hammersteyn
February 5, 2014 at 10:59
So Titanfall should be $0
VampyricSquirrel Monk
February 5, 2014 at 10:57
$10 per hour… that’s pretty harsh
Kensei Seraph Moe Ninja
February 5, 2014 at 10:57
If the demo is $20 then what will the full game cost?
$10 per hour so about $60, assuming it’s 6 hours?
Rikus
February 5, 2014 at 11:00
Damn…was planning on getting this for PS4. For R339 I still might (yeah yeah, I am a sucker), but there goes my preorder….
TiMsTeR1033
February 5, 2014 at 11:03
Really a crying shame, they can charge people so much for 2 hours.. the thing is, if the game is as good as I hope and many people hope the “demo” will only add fuel to the burning hype train and in many ways help get even more sales, or could backfire and just annoy people.
Hammersteyn
February 5, 2014 at 11:05
Games aren’t getting cheaper either.
http://d24w6bsrhbeh9d.cloudfront.net/photo/anYvnNq_460sa_v1.gif
TiMsTeR1033
February 5, 2014 at 11:06
No of course not, and the rand to dollar rates are not exactly helping either.. plus for Next gen versions you will pay more,simply because it is next gen.
Umar Hyakutaro [S]
February 5, 2014 at 11:06
Oh bless Kojima’s soul…….
Hammersteyn
February 5, 2014 at 11:07
LOL in the tags “heh I said length” and then he says it again.
Unavengedavo
February 5, 2014 at 12:18
I remember when a games story line meant more than showing off a new game engine.
arminkaza
February 5, 2014 at 17:07
i am not getting this game any where near full price maby for 10 dollars.
Rion
March 9, 2014 at 19:19
we’ll see now, won’t we! the story may be 2 hours but if its open world then surely there are sidequests two which will make the game longer! 😉