Despite rave reviews across the board, Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain has ended upwardly ane of the nigh divisive entries in the franchise, if not the nigh divisive. This is a game that puts both Metal Gear Solid two and 4 to shame when it comes to fan backlash. That said, fourth dimension was kind to those games (the former more so,) so it's possible time volition be kind to MGSV every bit well.

If nothing else, fans seem to be coming around to Venom Ophidian, Big Boss' literal trunk double and the game's actual protagonist. While Venom is all the same some other clone of Big Dominate, the fact that he had an entire life before condign a clone makes him a far more interesting character as a result. In many respects, he'southward The Phantom Pain 'southward silver lining.

x The Big Boss To Surpass Big Boss

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Venom Snake isn't just a Big Boss clone, in many respects he's the better Big Boss. He's the one who builds upwards Diamond Dogs, he'south the i who ultimately builds up Outer Heaven, and he'south the one who faces off confronting Solid Snake at the cease of the first game. In fact, Venom makes Big Dominate' legacy catchy to pinpoint.

It seems that while Venom was setting up the events that would kick off the entire serial, Big Dominate was just getting Zanzibarland prepare for Metal Gear two and little else. It's not even articulate if the existent Big Boss trained Snake or not. It's entirely possible that the Big Boss Snake trained nether was Venom all along.

9 The Demon Points Arrangement

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Metallic Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain is pretty expert when information technology comes to explaining its core concepts and mechanics, but there's 1 picayune particular that'due south obscured in the shadows: the Demon Point system. In-game, Venom is meant to correspond Big Dominate' more demonic tendencies, non necessarily evil, but inherently not good.

By doing villainous deeds, Venom Ophidian'southward horn tin really abound. Information technology's possible to stop the game with a jarringly long horn. The Demon Indicate system besides coats Venom Snake in thick, cherry-red claret, showing how vengeful he'south become over time. It's an interesting mechanic that's made all the more unique by being hidden in the background.

8 The Kinder Big Dominate

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All that said, while Venom Serpent has a literal Demon Indicate system that shows players how terrible he is, he's significantly kinder and more composed than Big Boss. If cypher else, he isn't nearly as jaded as Big Dominate seems to become. Venom dearly cares for his soldiers, to the signal where they seem to be the just thing he cares most.

He too has severe PTSD over what happened with Paz, not because he's Large Boss, merely because he was the medic who watched her dice. It's a subtle detail that serves as a reminder that Venom Snake is non entirely Big Dominate. He has his own personality, his own demons, and his own morals.

7 Venom Is The All-time Soldier In Peace Walker

1 of the more than unique games in the franchise, Peace Walker not only removed the serial' standard "Tactical Espionage Activeness" moniker, it allowed players to control every single soldier in Big Dominate' ground forces. Interestingly, it'due south very strongly unsaid that Venom Snake is meant to be whoever the player's best soldier was in Peace Walker .

It'due south of import to think that Basis Zeroes is a directly sequel to Peace Walker , meaning that all the present soldiers are a function of MSF, Venom's original self no different. While he'due south technically a medic, at that place'due south nix that indicates he wasn't besides a regular soldier. Big Boss cared nigh him enough to bring him along to salve Paz, later all.

vi Punished Snake Versus Venom Snake

Early on in The Phantom Hurting 's evolution, Venom Ophidian was rather curiously chosen "Punished Ophidian." Information technology wasn't until later in development that Hideo Kojima ultimately chose to take the character's name in a different direction. While it does seem like a minor item to set, it actually speaks volumes to Venom'south character.

As "Punished" Snake, the implication is that the character's sins take caught up to him. He's being punished for everything he did. Just this character isn't Large Boss, then what is in that location to punish? Equally "Venom" Snake, information technology's clear that the character is just the event of Big Boss' venom continually infecting the lives effectually him.

5 Kojima's Love Alphabetic character To The Fans

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To a higher place all else, Venom Snake is Hideo Kojima's manner of celebrating the fans. "I'one thousand Big Boss… and yous are too" isn't Large Boss talking directly to Venom, it'south Hideo Kojima speaking directly to the histrion. After years of following Big Boss' story, Kojima takes Metal Gear one step farther by creating Big Dominate in the hands of the actor.

Venom Snake becomes Kojima's love alphabetic character to the fans, one that embraces the thought of controlling another beingness— something exclusive to the video game medium. Venom Serpent is a celebration of all things Metal Gear and all things video game related.

four Raiden's Antithesis

Of form, Venom Snake being coordinating to the player isn't actually as uplifting a message as information technology might seem. In fact, it's actually adequately disquisitional on a whole. Afterwards all, none of Venom's or Big Boss' atrocities would have been committed had players but non picked upward the controller. In this respect, Venom becomes Raiden'south foil.

Where Venom Snake embraces the fact that he'due south being controlled, Raiden literally rips abroad the player'south control at the finish of Metal Gear Solid ii , embracing his ain identity and rejecting the player outright. He forges his own path no matter the cost while Venom is content merely being another player in Metal Gear 's story.

iii Venom Doesn't Care Who He Was

Another way in which Venom Snake directly parallels Raiden is the fact that Venom does not care about his past any. Where Raiden is consumed by his "Jack the Ripper" persona, fifty-fifty heavily relapsing into it, Venom Snake barely acknowledges the fact that he was the medic all forth. Right now, he'southward Large Boss and that'due south all that matters.

He isn't even the least bit upset when he finds out that he'southward not Big Boss. If anything, he seems happy to know that there's another Big Dominate he can count on. After all, they're the only two men who truly understand one another. In Venom's eyes, he e'er was and will e'er be Big Dominate.

2 Venom'due south Been Around Since Mean solar day 1

Metal Gear is no stranger when it comes to retcons, each game retconning the last. Even Metal Gear ii: Solid Snake retcons a larger role for Grey Pull a fast one on in the previous title. Most interestingly, the biggest retcon in the serial comes from The Phantom Hurting , and it'due south really two retcons at that!

Originally, Solid Snake killed Large Dominate at Outer Heaven, just it was retconned that he survived. Come The Phantom Pain , however, and it turns out that Big Boss never came because Snake actually killed Venom, not Big Boss. With that in mind, this means that Venom Snake has had a presence in the franchise since its very start installment.

1 Venom Is The First Ophidian To Die

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With that in mind, it's worth noting that Venom Snake is the offset Ophidian to dice in the series. Worse nevertheless, he's the but Ophidian to exist killed by another Snake. Liquid dies due to FoxDie, Solidus is killed by Raiden, old age gets Large Dominate, and Solid Snake dies due to accelerated aging, albeit presumably peacefully.

The only Snake who was direct upwards forced against his nature to be a clone of Big Boss, information technology's actually quite tragic how Venom meets his finish. He lives every bit he died: in Large Dominate' shadow. No one ever learns who Venom was or that Big Boss had a double all forth. Snake only believes that Big Boss somehow survived.

NEXT: Metal Gear: The 10 Best Games In The Franchise, Ranked

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