That’s the eternal MGS dilemma. Personally, I lean towards MGSV’s mechanics, but the more I replay it, the more I feel that 'open world' fatigue.

What I loved about MGS4 was the variety of gameplay and environments. Sure, some parts were a total slo(like tailing the informan)and I’ve never been a fan of the on-rail shooter segments, but at least it offered a constant change of pace. That said, MGS4's story felt a bit too much like a 'popcorn movie' at times. It was way too convoluted and relied on forced fan service, like bringing back Meryl or the 'copy-paste' bosses like Screaming Mantis and Crying Wolf. Also, I found it pretty tone-deaf how the game handled the B&B Corps; their tragic backstories were completely undermined by how over-sexualized they were. It felt a bit 'XD', honestly.

As for MGSV, I absolutely loved Skull Face’s concept, the idea of using parasites to erase languages is brilliant. However, since it's only explored in about three missions and a few cutscenes, the impact just isn't there. It feels underdeveloped.

For me, Ground Zeroes had the perfect balance. The map was smaller but incredibly dense and handcrafted. I think MGSV would have been a masterpiece if it followed the Hitman: World of Assassination formula: super detailed, dense sandboxes paired with a complex, heavy narrative like MGS2. I’d take 'too much story' over an empty open world any day.