Metal Gear Survive cover art

Metal Gear Survive

A survival-crafting loop where resource budgeting matters more than combat skill.

Here's the argument for where this game sits - disagree freely.
Match your experience?
EXECUTION4 /10READS0 /10VARIANCE3 /10OPTIMIZATION7 /10

the cheat-test profile

The four axes - the argument

Each axis is rated on its own - how far one cheat would trivialize the game here. They don't trade off; low on all four means the game is an experience, not a contest.

  1. Execution

    cheat: Aimbot - perfect inputs

    4/10

    Spear-and-fence combat is deliberate, not twitchy

  2. Reads

    cheat: Out-predict an adaptive opponent

    0/10

    Wanderers are mindless scripted zombies

  3. Variance

    cheat: See what's hidden / map the RNG

    3/10

    Dust exploration hides resources until scouted

  4. Optimization

    cheat: A perfect solver / coach

    7/10

    Base-building, crafting chains and resource budgeting carry survival

How to read this

Each axis is named by the cheat that would break the game along it. Execution is the hands. Reads is out-thinking an adaptive opponent. Variance is hidden information & RNG. Optimization is the solvable systems layer. A game's region is the top one or two axes.

These four aren't one rating split four ways - they're independent 0-10 questions. A 9 on one axis takes nothing from the others, and a game low on all four isn't missing data: it's telling you there's no skill here to cheat.

The basis is how the majority actually plays this game - not a niche mode or a personal run. For a game with very different modes (a story campaign versus ranked multiplayer), that's the version most people mean.

Compare with

Similar games

see all →

Ranked by shared genre first, then by how closely the cheat-test profile matches - a cross-genre tag means a pick matched on skill profile alone.

The Bureau: XCOM Declassified cover art

The Bureau: XCOM Declassified

Pure Optimization · tactical shooter

E
R
V
O
The Bureau: XCOM Declassified
SteamWorld Heist cover art

SteamWorld Heist

Pure Optimization · turn-based tactics

E
R
V
O
SteamWorld Heist
Terraria cover art

Terraria

Pure Optimization · 2D sandbox

E
R
V
O
Terraria
Transistor cover art

Transistor

Pure Optimization · tactical action RPG

E
R
V
O
Transistor
Gothic II cover art

Gothic II

Pure Optimization · open-world RPG

E
R
V
O
Gothic II
Cult of the Lamb cover art

Cult of the Lamb

Pure Optimization · roguelite management

E
R
V
O
Cult of the Lamb

Game details

Released
2018
Developer
Konami
Franchise
Metal Gear
Platforms
PS4, PC, XONE
Modes
Single player, Multiplayer, Co-operative
IGDB critics
60/100
IGDB users
30/100
ShooterStrategyAdventureActionScience fictionSurvival