Right now, you're better off playing Metal Gear Solid 5 offline

Metal Gear Solid 5: The Phantom Pain is a phenomenal game - worthy of all the praise heaped on it in Rich Stanton's review and then some. There are some parts, though, that are a little less praiseworthy.

The microtransactions that fuel the Forward Operating Base, a mode unlocked later in the game in which players can infiltrate each other's bases, seem a little on the steep side, while daily log-in rewards are currently a little meagre. It's an entirely optional part of the game, one we're still yet to fully test out, and one we'll explore more fully once we have.

Even without all that, though, Metal Gear Solid 5's online mode can creep into the game. The servers have been flaky since launch, with Konami acknowledging problems over the first few days and limiting the features in order to bring it back in-line. Some of the Forward Operating Base features have been temporarily stripped back, while Combat Deployment missions tied into online have also been reduced.

But still, two days after launch, it's sluggish. Connection issues are said to be resolved, but navigating your iDroid can take an age as the servers catch up, and filtering through the management options as you develop your Mother Base can become something of a pain.

Thankfully, there's a solution. All you need to do is head into the pause menu and disconnect the game, and you're able to play Metal Gear Solid 5 entirely offline. It's easy enough to do, and once you're offline the menus respond more snappily, and there's no need to wait around while the servers snag. 30 hours and two days in to Hideo Kojima's amazing farewell to the series, and it still seems like the best way to play.