1. Quick Heal
At one point in the first hour of the game Snake’s arm is injured. The sound was similar to the injury chime from previous Metal Gear Solid games. But rather than jump through a bunch of menus to repair the injury (ala MGS3), I could fix my arm by holding down the action button (triangle).
2. Ranked Codenames
At the end of every stage, the player is scored across multiple categories including shots missed, hits taken, and they are given a Codename. In this case, I was codename Chick (Rank B). You’re Heroism is also scored and accessed. During my 12-hour run I was upgraded to Codename Octopus.
3. Licensed Eyewear
The opening of each episode in the Phantom Pain starts with a credit sequence. It lists characters who will appear in the mission. Kojima (and his team) took the time to point out that Kaz’s aviators are licensed from J.F. Rey Eyewear in the credits sequence. Oh, Kojima.
4. Faithful 80s Soundtrack
There are ‘80s pop music tracks playing through a boombox found at some of the bases. Artists include Joy Division, Daryl Hall & John Oates, and Aha, among others.
5. Support Item Crafting
You can acquire material resources on the map that can be processed into other things. For example, Golden Crescent can be used to produce tranquilizer.
6. Referencing the Classics
When you first find a diamond, Ocelot says it “will fetch a high price.” Perhaps not an intentional nod to the merchant from Resident Evil 4, but it felt that way.
7. Buddy System (Crap on Command)
As you complete more missions with a Buddy, your relationship grows. For example, the Diamond Horse (called D-Horse) can defecate on command. It sounds silly (heck, it is silly) but you can use that manure to spin out enemies vehicles on the road.
8. Epic Horse Mounting Skills
Snake can summon the D-Horse while sprinting and even mount the horse mid-stride. It’s super useful when you need to get out of dodge quickly.
9. Summoning Helicopters
You have been warned.* Helicopters are normally useful tools in The Phantom Pain. On multiple occasions, I called one in and watched it take out enemy soldiers with a mounted gun. But… one time I summoned a helicopter and it was taken out in a single sniper shot.
10. Awesome Names
Recruited soldiers have wacky names, the same way they did in previously in Metal Gear Solid: Portable Ops and Peace Walker. Standouts include Crimson Kangaroo, Brass Armadillo, and Stone Mastodon.
11. Play as a Recruit
Just like in Portable Ops, you can play missions as a recruited soldier. You don’t have to play every mission in TPP as Snake.
12. Ditching Missions
You can wander out of a main story mission area. Doing so will end the current mission, but you can tackle any nearby Side Ops.
13. Deploy Times and Load Outs
Before a mission, you can pick the deploy time (6:00 AM, 6:00 PM, and ASAP) and pick an equipment load out. This includes a buddy, equipment, and outfits.
14. Translators Required
You need to “recruit" a translator in order to understand spoken intel acquired from the Russian soldiers as a Side Op. When you find the target, you can listen to him teaching a fellow squad-mate the English phrase, “I spent last night with your girlfriend” if you quickly point the binoculars at him.
15. Fulton Fail
Enemies will come over to investigate noises made by the Fulton. One time, an enemy shot down a Fulton to free his ally right before it took off.
16. Ethical Dilemmas
Some discoveries during missions put me in unusual dilemmas. During an operation to recover a special piece of hardware, I found a some prisoners sequestered inside of an enemy hideout. Do I risk alerting the guards (and potentially recruit the prisoner to our team) or keep moving and complete the recovery mission.
17. Mission Swag
Each mission rewards you with obtainable skills and blueprints. It’s all listed in the briefing notes.
18. There Be Snipers
Sometimes, you can find hidden sniper crews hidden in the mountains of Afghanistan. I got killed a few times by these crews.
19. The Phantom Zoo
You can find a deadly bear roaming the mountainside in Afghanistan. You can Fulton him out and (eventually) start a mini-zoo at Mother Base.
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