IGN:
The game is described as ‘gorgeous’ and ‘stunning’.
Music swells when nearing a dangerous area.
Aside from humans you can use Fulton Recovery to recruit crates, vehicles and even sheep to be used for your base. You can also go to the base at any point to customize it and walk around in it.
You can spar with your soldiers to increase their level.
Snake can use his prosthetic arm to knock, and with it attract enemies, without the need of a wall.
All the features that were in Peace Walker and were missing from Ground Zeroes are now back.
You can use your support marker to call in your team and scope out the area before entering yourself. They can bring back intel on enemy positions.
The silly humor is also back in this game.
IGN concludes by saying that based on the gameplay, TPP is ‘undoubtedly a highlight at this year’s E3′.
TechnoBuffalo:
The environment is gorgeous and hostile at the same time.
Players can truly explore how they like, but ‘it’s stealth at all times’.
Mother Base can be attacked, and the player has to know his way around his customized base in order to defend it
Gamespot:
The base where Miller is being held is Soviet-controlled.
This part (Ocelot and Snake riding through Afghanistan) takes place ‘relatively soon’ after Snake awakes from his coma.
In the scene, Ocelot gives Snake a canteen of water, but he has a hard time grabbing it because he’s still adjusting to his new prosthetic arm.
Ocelot tells Snake he has three days to rescue Miller, or they’ll lose their chance to get revenge against the Mother Base attackers.
The first thing Snake needs to do is gather intel on Miller’s location, but after that the player is free to ‘tackle the remaining Soviet bases however he sees fit’.
Ocelot returns to Mother Base to help Snake over the radio.
“Your horse will defecate. That’s a feature.” As explained by the producer.
There’s a new catch to the Fulton Recovery system: there is now a success rate that the recovery will be a success, indicated by a percentage. Typically this is around 80%.
Snake can also enter a vehicle or container and Fulton it, if he wants to make a quick escape.
Another feature of the cardboard box is Snake being able to escape from the side, leaving the box behind as a decoy.
How the ‘hand knocking’ works: Snake spins his hand at the wrist, which results in clicks and sparks.
While in a container, if a soldier approaches Snake can pop out and drag him inside.
The e-cigar (used to speed up time) emits holographic smoke.
You can now set multiple markers.
Snake can scan information with his iDroid (in this case about Miller’s location) and send it to Mother Base
Denkiphile:
The site praises the detailed environments and draw distance that ‘would make any game on the market curl up in fear’.
The sandstorm changed the way the game played dramatically, with Snake and enemies unable to see each other, forcing the player to slow down and be more observant.
The site notes that ‘if any word can describe The Phantom Pain so far, it’s realism’.
USAToday:
Snake can use his prosthetic arm to ‘neutralize foes with speed and force’.
When Snake arrives at the base, the soldiers there salute him, and his presence raises their abilities.
Twinfinite:
Assistance from Mother Base (such as Fulton Recovery and supply drops) costs money, but you can pick up stuff like raw diamonds and raw materials that contribute to your currency.
Enemy shifts change during the day, and you can even catch enemies while they’re sleeping, and send them back to Mother Base.
Gametrailers :
“They sort of give you context for why they’re in that desert [Snake and Ocelot], and why they’re together, and it turns out the thing that you’re doing, your mission, is very compelling, and I feel like they spoiled something pretty big for me (which I won’t do here).”
What struck him is how big it felt: the scenery seemed endless.
Mother Base is ‘presumably where Outer Heaven starts’.
They’re not just bringing stuff back like they’re usually doing in sequels: ‘every single thing in Metal Gear is getting expanded upon in some way’. The cardboard box is an example of this.
In the demo, Ocelot was walking around on the base, and he waved at Snake.
Eurogamer:
Mother Base will look different for each player, depending on what choices were made for upgrading and customization. According to Konami, players will also be able to show off and compare their bases.
Soldiers you’ve recruited can train on the shooting range, and Snake can ehlp them improve their skills in shooting and CQC.
There is also dynamic weather when you’re at Mother Base.
Relationships you make (either enemies or allies) in the field also affect Mother Base’s evolution.
In the demo mission, Ocelot mentioned Kaz has been help captive for 10 days.
