The Phantom Cigar in Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain offers players a unique mechanic that allows for fast-forwarding in-game time, effectively enabling a player to transition between day and night rapidly. This feature enhances gameplay by granting tactical advantages, altering guard schedules, and modifying mission conditions that depend on the time of day.

Key Features of the Phantom Cigar:

1. Time Acceleration: When the player uses the Phantom Cigar, time in the game world increases speedily, transitioning from day to night or vice versa. This mechanic is visually represented through an animation of the character, Snake, smoking the electronic cigar (e-cigar), which conveys a sense of time-lapse.

2. Resource Consumption: The use of the Phantom Cigar requires players to collect wormwood plants, an in-game resource that limits how often they can utilize the cigar. This element introduces a layer of strategy, as players must gather and manage these resources for optimal use throughout their missions.

3. Tactical Advantages: The ability to manipulate time provides distinct advantages in gameplay. Players can strategically wait for nighttime to initiate stealthier operations or evade guard patrols that may change depending on the time of day. This can significantly influence the success of missions and overall gameplay strategies.

4. Unique Zeitgeist Effects: In specific settings, such as the R&D platform at Mother Base, the Phantom Cigar extends its capabilities beyond simple time-of-day alterations. It has been noted that under certain conditions, it can affect entities like D-Babies, showcasing a deeper layer of time manipulation associated with the mechanic.

5. Gameplay Impact: In terms of gameplay mechanics and speedrunning, the Phantom Cigar causes a proportional increase in the in-game timer based on its use. This brings both risks and rewards to players aiming to expedite their missions or minimize downtime. It can enable them to bypass obligatory waiting periods that might otherwise slow gameplay.

6. Kojima’s Confirmation: The concept and functionality of the Phantom Cigar were highlighted by series creator Hideo Kojima, with demonstrations seen in trailers prior to the game’s release, confirming its intended use as a significant gameplay mechanic.

Conclusion

In conclusion, the Phantom Cigar serves as an inventive tool within Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain, allowing for an accelerated game clock while depicting Snake engaging in the act of smoking. By leveraging wormwood as a resource, players can strategically manipulate in-game time, enhancing their ability to navigate through missions effectively. Overall, this implementation not only enriches the gameplay experience but also reflects the intricate design choices characteristic of the Metal Gear franchise.