Metal Gear Solid V's Afghanistan: Fact Or Fiction?

Afghanistan in Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain is a dynamic landscape featuring farmland, deserts, and valleys. The map is reportedly 60 times bigger than Ground Zeroes, and one of the biggest open-world games at the time of its release. The in-game Afghanistan is based on Jordan, according to Hideo Kojima, and features some specific locations inspired by real-life Afghanistan, such as the Lamar Khaate Palace, which is based on the Darul Aman Palace. The game's Afghanistan is set in 1984, during the Soviet-Afghan War, and features characters such as Revolver Ocelot and Venom Snake. While the game's Afghanistan is praised for its accuracy by some, there are also geographical inaccuracies, such as the placement of Kabul and the absence of snow and rainfall.

The map of Afghanistan in the game is based on Jordan

The map of Afghanistan in Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain was based on Jordan, according to Hideo Kojima. This is despite the fact that Jordan is largely desert, whereas Afghanistan is largely mountainous. There are several geographical inaccuracies compared to real life. For example, the city of Kabul is within a mountain range in reality and nowhere near a desert, and it snows frequently in the mountains in winter – neither of which are depicted in the game. The game also fails to represent the rainy spring season of Afghanistan.

However, some specific locations in the game are inspired by or look very similar to real-life locations in Afghanistan. For example, Lamar Khaate Palace is based on the 1920s Darul Aman Palace, and the Aabe Shifap Ruins features a statue based on the Paghman "Victory Arch".

The game features a scorched earth policy, which is inaccurate

The game Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain features a scorched earth policy, which is inaccurate. This is referenced in the game when Diamond Dogs' subcommander Kazuhira Miller accepts a mission to eliminate a Spetsnaz commander who is disguised as a common soldier. The commander is deployed into Northern Kabul in Afghanistan during the 1980s as part of the Soviet's Scorched Earth Operation. The scorched earth policy had driven all locals from this area, and former villages comprised some of the military camps.

The scorched earth policy is a military strategy that aims to destroy anything that might be useful to the enemy while retreating from a position or area. This can include destroying infrastructure, crops, and anything else that could give the enemy a strategic advantage. While the policy may have been used in other conflicts, it is not accurate to depict it as being employed in Afghanistan during the Soviet–Afghan War.

The inclusion of the scorched earth policy in the game can be seen as a creative decision by the developers to add tension and a sense of urgency to the story. By having the Soviets drive out the locals and establish military camps, it sets up a clear conflict between the two sides and gives the player a sense of the stakes involved.

However, the depiction of the scorched earth policy in the game may also be seen as a simplification or exaggeration of the actual events that occurred during the Soviet–Afghan War. The policy may have been used to some extent, but it is unlikely that it was as widespread or extreme as portrayed in the game.

Overall, while the inclusion of the scorched earth policy adds to the narrative and gameplay of Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain, it is important to remember that it is a creative interpretation of historical events and should not be taken as an accurate representation of the Soviet–Afghan War.

The game's Afghanistan has a lack of rainfall

Afghanistan is a landlocked country in Asia with a highly variable arid continental climate. The country experiences considerable temperature and precipitation variations between seasons. The mountainous regions frequently have temperatures below zero, while the southern arid regions often see temperatures exceeding 35°C.

The country has experienced below-normal rainfall since October 2020, which has impacted both rain-fed and irrigated agriculture and livestock, as well as drinking water availability. This has resulted in acute food insecurity, with around 13 million people requiring urgent humanitarian assistance.

The video game Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain is set in Afghanistan and features horseback riding through sandstorms, brick buildings, and dynamic landscapes of farmland, deserts, and valleys. While the game's Afghanistan map is reportedly quite realistic, it does not include any rainfall, which diverges from the country's rainy spring season. The map's accuracy has been confirmed by a soldier who served in Afghanistan in 2010-2011, although it is reportedly based on the country of Jordan.

The game features a variety of plant and animal life

Medicinal plants can be collected in the wilderness and used to develop drugs and weapons. These include the Black Carrot, a common plant in Afghanistan with pinkish-white flowers, and Wormwood, an uncommon plant with yellow blossoms and sage foliage. Wormwood has been used since ancient times as an anti-parasitic and contains thujone, a chemical compound with hallucinogenic and anesthetic effects. Other plants include the Golden Crescent, an uncommon plant with large blue flowers that can strengthen tranquilizer rounds, and the ultra-rare Haoma, a shrub with miniature red and yellow flowers used to make concentration drugs. Tarragon, a super-rare plant with thin leaves and yellow flowers, is also useful for making performance-enhancing drugs.

Players can capture wild animals for conservation and protection, earning significant bonuses and counteracting the effects of Demon Points. Animals can be captured using tranquilizer technology, stun weaponry, and specialized traps, or attracted using scent items. Some animals, like the Himalayan Brown Bear, Long-Eared Hedgehog, and Oriental Rattlesnake, are found in Afghanistan, while others, like the African Bullfrog, African Wild Dog, and Emperor Scorpion, are found in Angola. Players can even capture the ultra-rare Tsuchinoko, a legendary serpent from Japan, in the Kungenga Mine area.

The game's Afghanistan is largely rocky and arid

Afghanistan in Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain is largely arid and rocky, with a dynamic landscape featuring farmland, deserts, and valleys. The country is landlocked and located in central Asia, with a high elevation. While the game does capture some aspects of Afghanistan accurately, there are also some geographical inaccuracies.

The Afghanistan map in the game was based on Jordan, which is largely desert, whereas Afghanistan is predominantly mountainous. For example, the city of Kabul is situated within a mountain range in reality, and heavy snowfall is common in the winters there. However, in the game, Kabul is depicted near a desert, and it never snows. Additionally, the game does not portray the rainy spring season experienced in Afghanistan.

Despite these discrepancies, some specific locations in the game are inspired by or resemble real-life places in Afghanistan. For instance, the Lamar Khaate Palace in the game is based on the Darul Aman Palace from the 1920s, and the Aabe Shifap Ruins feature a statue modelled after the Paghman "Victory Arch".

Afghanistan's terrain includes rocky landscapes, hills, steppes, and mountains, as well as sand dunes and scrubland. Many areas that were once inhabited consist of brick buildings, with some modern conveniences and methods for water extraction and storage. Sandstorms are relatively common, and rainfall is rare. Despite the arid conditions, a variety of plant life exists, including small brushes, bushes, grasses, and flowering plants like Wormwood, Golden Crescent, Black Carrot, Tarragon, and the rare Haoma bush.

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