'Metal Gear Survive' beta ends, fans react

A player is grabbed by a zombie. Facebook/MetalGearSurvive

The open beta test for "Metal Gear Survive" has just ended, leaving fans with mixed reactions and reviews.

The "Metal Gear Survive" beta ran from Jan. 18 to 21 on PlayStation 4 and Xbox One. PlayStation players in the United States, however, were not able to play, as Konami later on announced and clarified that in their country, the beta was available only on Xbox One. Gamers from other regions were able to enjoy the beta both on the PlayStation 4 and Xbox One.

The game features a multi-player online platform which is wholly different from its predecessors. If that is not enough, the gameplay is something new as well. "Metal Gear Survive" is set in a post apocalypse environment where players scavenge for resources and items to build their own equipment and even their own settlements and camps, giving it a sandbox aspect and not the traditional stealth action gameplay players are familiar with.

Konami also did away with the guns and guards, pitting players against zombie-like creatures, wolves, and a myriad of other hazards in the wild. This led to fans calling it a survival game, and not a "Metal Gear" game. The game also requires a constant online connection to be able to play and features microtransactions, which left many players in dismay.

The full version of "Metal Gear Survive" will hit shelves in the United States on Feb. 20 and in Europe on Feb. 22. The initial release will be available for the PlayStation 4 and Xbox One, with a PC launch scheduled for later this year.

"Metal Gear" is a widely successful video game franchise in the action-adventure and stealth genres. Taking its roots from the original title "Metal Gear Solid" on PlayStation 1, it continued with the same format and characters several titles after across different devices. The later titles introduced new playable characters and side stories which kept the same format. "Metal Gear Survive" is the first of its kind from the franchise.

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