It is surprising, and not a little depressing, that all people want to talk about with this game is the running time.

Short but oh so sweet! [Apr 2014]

After the credits roll on the main mission and a handful of side activities unlock, the best part of Ground Zeroes is just getting started. With a dearth of secrets to find, and new challenges to master, chasing the endgame will keep you entertained for hours on end.

Deduct [20] points if you're only gonna play it once. [June 2014, p.62]

It's not an easy sell. In terms of gameplay it's two not all-too-long evenings of entertaining mission gameplay plus quite a few hours spent trying to leave a lasting impression on the numerous leaderboards. I don't regret one second I put into this, took it in with a lot of curiosity and wonder. Still, you can't shake the feeling that this would have been served better as part of The Phantom Pain. As a stand alone game, it's hardly essential.

It depends on whether you see this as a fan of the franchise or not to fully justify the price tag. In any case it's a good start for the upcoming new chapter of Hideo Kojima's series of tactical espionage.

Audacious is the word that best describes Metal Gear Solid V: Ground Zeroes. It contains quality material, but it's little more than a preview of something better, and as such, simply should not be presenting itself - deceptively - as a game in its own right.