Reggie Carolipio: It's always interesting to see just where Hideo Kojima is going to be taking us next, and now with a giant, open sandbox, Ground Zeroes will raise new possibilities about what sneaky MGS players will be able to do. It's a front-row seat to seeing Kojima's design abilities tested, but remember this is the guy who asked us to change controller assignments during a boss battle, so I'm still expecting plenty of surprises and twists. Besides, aren't you curious to know what kind of Gears are going to try and crush you in this one?

Dustin Chadwell: I like the concept of Ground Zeroes since its unveiling, with its emphasis on bigger, open spaces for Snake/Big Boss to crawl around and explore. Assuming we get something that's as remotely good-looking as that lengthy reveal trailer last year, this will be one of the hottest next-gen titles to pick up. Positioning this as a lead-in to Phantom Pain also helps alleviate the pain of waiting for a new, full-fledged MGS sequel, which is definitely something that this MGS fan appreciates.

Chris DeAngelus: The newest entry in the Metal Gear franchise is still quite a while away. That is why it's fortunate we're getting an early taste of it in the form of Ground Zeroes. Much like Dead Rising 2: Case Zero, this is a shorter half-demo, half-prequel that's designed to give players a taste of MGSV's gameplay and plot before the game comes out. Considering how good MGSV looks, that's something to be excited about, even if it isn't the full game.

Erik "NekoIncardine" Ottosen: Rather than just finish Phantom Pain and get on with it, Kojima Productions has prepared a full-scale prologue with Ground Zeroes. This is one of a very few times in industry history where a game has been split into two separate entries. With everything we've seen about Ground Zeroes, it's also probably going to be one of the most successful.