I feel like talking about MGS! With Master Collection Vol. 2 out this week, I'm thinking about Solid Snake a lot. If you don't know what the hell that means, well, here's a quick guide/ranking/series of thoughts.
What is Metal Gear Solid in one sentence? These are stealth action games with engaging phone conversations and some of the best cutscenes in video game history.
We'll go through the mainline MGS games from the PS1 to PS4, from least favorite to best (they're all awesome so don't worry too much about what's bottom tier). Then some quick notes on the rest of the series. We'll end with a suggested playing order. Maybe even a few thoughts about Hideo Kojima.
Quick note that Giant Bomb's played through all these! Drew plays the old ones (Metal Gear Scanlon), and Dan plays the really old ones (Who's The Big Boss?, which is some prime GB East material) ). I'll add links throughout the article.
Alright, Metal Gear. Make me feel it, make me feel alive again.
7) Metal Gear Solid V: Ground Zeroes
Ground Zeroes is a prologue to the full MGS V. So the mechanics are there, the game's a lot of fun, and you can get way into completing the map a bunch of different ways. It was really exciting to have the series return at the time, even if Snake's voice sounded different.
But it's a glorified demo we had to pay for. It's included in more recent releases so you don't have to worry about that aspect anymore. Honestly, there isn't much to say about Ground Zeroes. There are some important story bits to setup so you will need to see it.
Do you need to play it? Sure, it's only an hour long at most. But you'll have much more fun watching Drew pull off a legendary run!
GB Playthrough - Kept you waiting, huh?
6) Metal Gear Solid: Peace Walker
The PSP was a cool little system (and the Vita was one of the best handhelds ever made). But big franchises coming over to the PSP had extremely mixed results. Luckily, Peace Walker does a really good job translated MGS into portable form. And there are several rereleases where you can play it on modern consoles, now in HD!
Before PW, Portable Ops came out and built a foundation. But it wasn't directed by Kojima, discussions of canon are hazy, and PW is the game you'll want to play, anyway.
Its structure is a lot different than the games before it, as you're picking missions and managing an army rather than just going through a linear campaign. There's also a multiplayer component that will stay as part of the Vol. 2 rerelease. Extensive co-op options along with a versus mode that I'm looking forward to trying.
In a lot of ways, it's a prologue to the prologue of MGS V (both in story and gameplay). It introduces a few new characters and feels like a more personal story for Snake that develops his character. So it's worth trying.
But look, I've never finished it. It's a well-made game for what it is but this isn't my preferred style of Metal Gear. The story also doesn't hit the highs I would expect in MGS. I've seen some folks say it's the best one but who knows if they believe it in their hearts.
If you're curious about Peace Walker, honestly, just have a movie night with Dan and Drew.
GB Watchalong - When heavens divide
5) Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain
Oh, BOY, you can talk about MGS V for hours. It's one of the best stealth action games ever made, with probably the best gameplay in the series. This could easily be your #1.
But I play MGS for the story and I don't know anyone that'll say TPP is their favorite there. We were all so excited! You can watch Drew and Dan get super excited as they watch the trailers. A nice little time capsule for the feeling at the time.
Just... keep those expectations in check as you start this one.
Now, MGS V is nothing at all like 4 (which we'll get to soon). You're looking at 40 hours, minimum, and that number can get drastically higher if you want it to. This is a gameplay-first game with incredibly well-developed systems and excellent moment-to-moment mechanics. It builds off of the Peace Walker army management aspect and takes it to really impressive levels. Recruit guys, send them on missions, get them to research new equipment, and build a PMC that feels entirely unique to you. The best part is that it all ties into the narrative and its themes so it's not just menus for the sake of complexity.
I took a week off when this game out. Spent that entire week playing MGS V and loving just about everything. Then I never played it again. Which is a first for me for the series but yeah... it all starts to blend together in your memories and there aren't too many stand out sequences that you need to see again and again.
The game's also unfinished. Konami and Kojima divorced here, and there's a ton of speculation of what "Chapter 3" was or wasn't. Again, you can talk about this game for hours.
You can play it, too, and have a grand time if you enjoy stealth action, open worlds, and management sims. Just prep your vocal cords and budget some extra time for this one.
GB Playthrough - V has come to
4) Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty
This is the longest, messiest write up on this list and I edited none of it. If you played this game, you'll understand why.
MGS 2 didn't seem like it was a real game at first. The graphics were on such a different level and I assumed they were CG cutscenes. It was all such a huge step up from the PS1, even bigger than what we saw from Tekken or Gran Turismo. But then the demo came out with Zone of the Enders and we all played it a hundred times. Good lord, it looked like this and played like that and ran at 60fps? The excitement of that era... let's just say that November 2001 was a TIME.
Even Brad had to come down for some trailer-watching and reminiscing.
And he says it best. "This game was when I had to come to terms with what Metal Gear actually is, and not what I thought it was or wanted it to be."
"And then I played it. And then I didn't know what to think anymore."
Sons of Liberty improves on Metal Gear Solid in just about every way while taking some of the sharpest turns a franchise has ever seen. Again, the visuals were astounding. The audio was brought up to Hollywood blockbuster levels. They really hit the cinematic movie feel. There are more characters, weapons, gadgets, cutscenes, dialogue, locations, Easter eggs. You can hide in a locker, look at a pretty lady poster, then call a friend that probably didn't want to know what you were doing. Slipping on bird poop? We gotchu! Also, secret handshakes, memes, information control, and the nature of reality!!
So that paragraph? Starts grounded and normal and veers off into nonsense, but actually makes sense when you think about it? That's Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty.
I didn't love this game at first, it confused me and didn't feel like the tone matched MGS 1 (see Brad's quote above). It's a challenging game from an art form standpoint. But it plays great, much stronger than MGS 1. One creative scenario after another, well-designed boss battles, and a pace that makes it hard to put down. So I replayed it a bunch while skipping cutscenes. It really grew on me and I grew to appreciate the towering achievement that it is. Then I did a full playthrough where I watched everything again and went "ok, I might be done with Metal Gear."
Then they rereleased it as MGS 2: Substance. You can skateboard in that one.
10 YEARS LATER
PlatinumGames is making that Metal Gear character action game with a cyborg ninja? Series replay time!
replays MGS 2
Hideo Kojima is a prophet, it's all true.
22 YEARS LATER
Master Collection Vol. 1, I can play MGS 2 on the go!
replays MGS 2
Yep, this makes more sense every year.
SOME TIME LATER
Life isn't just about passing on your genes. We can leave behind much more than just DNA. Through speech, music, literature and movies...what we've seen, heard, felt...anger, joy and sorrow...these are the things I will pass on. That's what I live for. We need to pass the torch, and let our children read our messy and sad history by its light. We have all the magic of the digital age to do that with. The human race will probably come to an end some time, and new species may rule over this planet. Earth may not be forever, but we still have the responsibility to leave what traces of life we can. Building the future and keeping the past alive are one and the same thing.
exhales
If you look at screenshots, it probably just looks like a standard third person military game. No one can be told what Metal Gear Solid 2 is. You have to see it for yourself.
Side note, Zone of the Enders came packaged with the demo. ZOE is like the Ground Zeroes prologue to ZOE 2, which might be Kojima's best game!
But MGS 2 is a fantastic sequel, too. It's just a little bonkers.
GB Playthrough - "The President is surfing a Harrier piloted by a vampire."
3) Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots
Look, man. I can just copy and paste that MGS 2 write up here. It's not the same game by any means. But the impact it made? The emotions it makes you feel? The jumps in graphics and gameplay and ambition on the next console generation? The quote unquote nonsense? MGS 4 does all that again. What a killer name, too, Guns of the Patriots.
There is no neck that can't be snapped
I wouldn't recommend jumping straight into the finale, though. Long-running franchises are criticized for callbacks and nostalgia all the time. But with MGS4, it feels like a definitive statement that's earned it. All the returning characters and references and even cutscenes are essential to the plot and for wrapping this up. There is no Halo 3 legendary ending that teases more. No "wake me when you need me." It's finished.
The time span from MGS 1 to 4 was only ten years. Kojima and company tell a complete story in that decade, which really makes you miss the old games industry since now you might wait 5 years for a sequel that looks the same but has more RPG elements. All of these games took huge leaps, with 2 and 3 being the only ones on the same hardware. It's a stunning achievement from a franchise perspective that will never be replicated.
MGS 4 also makes a ton of smart design decisions. It controls far better and allows you to customize your weaponry in a way the series hadn't seen before. There's optional first person aiming. And it streamlines any clunkiness, such as a camouflage system that's simplified without losing the core idea of why a camo system should even be there.
It's separated into acts and you can feel the difference in each one. Everyone has their rankings of those, but at the very least you can say that they're all quite unique and memorable.
This game's been locked to the PS3 since it came out. Never to be ported anywhere, it seemed. This is why the Master Collection Vol. 2 release is so exciting. It's always been a hassle to dig out your PS3 or find a copy just to play at its rough frame rate. But this week, MGS 4 is getting into the world again and I'm really excited to hear people talk about it once more.
Outside of its excesses, it's just an awesome game at its core. I'm typing this with a warm smile on my face. And then I remember Mt. Snakemore and add a "hell yeah" head nod.
GB Playthrough - Is your age of heroes finally over?
2) Metal Gear Solid
A stone cold classic.... that I almost quit on 2 minutes in.
MGS begins with a cutscene that was like nothing I've ever seen before. It truly felt like a movie and I couldn't wait to see what the actual game was. So you take off your scuba gear and I'm ready to rescue DARPA Chief Donald Anderson and the President of ArmsTech, Kenneth Baker. I go down into a pool of water. Between the brightness on my TV and some sun pouring in, I can't see anything. I'm running around helplessly, wind up drowning, and turn off the game. Back to Classic Video, should've grabbed Tenchu instead. I went back to it later in the year and wound up beating this game like... I dunno, 50 times? Met a friend that was a Metal Gear guy, got the rest of our friends into it, and we would just beat that game all the time.
I wrote a Halo ranking recently that excluded Combat Evolved due to nostalgia and could easily do the same thing here. But whereas Halo CE would get surpassed in a lot of ways, MGS still stands alone. If you only play one Metal Gear, it should be MGS. Partly because none of the others would make sense, and partly because it's a gauntlet of creative scenarios at an unrelenting pace. You could finish it in a weekend and remember it forever.
One of its main critiques was that it's too short, but in a world of meandering open worlds, an 8 hour game with maybe an hour of filler is always worth recommending. Unlike MGS 2, I never skipped the cutscenes on replays. Back then, we didn't need dozens of hours of content or live service. We just needed the game to be so good that you wanted to replay it over and over.
It's due for an update. While the visuals are effective at setting a tone and getting the mood across, it's almost 30 years old and I'd love to see this stuff updated, Delta-style, with a more modern control scheme. The gameplay can be clunky and setting off an alert if you move a pixel too far can be frustrating. But it's still a lot of fun and the VR tutorial missions catch you up to speed right away. They released VR Missions, which was just a bundle of 300 challenges focused purely on making the most of the mechanics. Which probably led to a bunch of ideas they'd use in the sequels, now that I think about it.
There is a remake, Twin Snakes on the Gamecube, that sounded like a dream game at the time. Adding MGS 2 mechanics while updating the graphics and adding more flare to the cutscenes seemed like a surefire win. But honestly... it gets forgotten a lot for a reason. I wouldn't call it a great remake. But viewed as a different game, it's pretty cool and I'll get back to it some day. So revisiting Metal Gear Solid with a modern remake that makes everyone happy would be a hell of a challenge. But Resident Evil did it, so there's a chance.
While MGS can feel a little primitive, there was nothing like it at the time. The voice acting, the cutscene direction, and the feel of being on Shadow Moses Island was unmatched. The PlayStation was hitting its prime, and 1998 was one of those "best ever" years that really solidified gaming as a hobby I'll stick with forever. But more on that soon.
GB Playthrough - jusdabox
1) Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater
I was going to quit video games in college. No time, I was too mature and old and it was time to move on.
Then MGS 3 hit.
What's bizarre is I wasn't excited at all for 3. I was still coming down from the confusion of 2 and eventually burned out on the gameplay after a dozen playthroughs. The prequel Cold War setting didn't appeal to me, either. Snake Eater was an awful name. And apparently this wasn't even the Solid Snake I knew. As noted above, I was done with Metal Gear.
On a whim, I rented it during winter break. And I couldn't stop playing it. School resumed and I just slept less to fill in another playthrough. It never got old and damn it, I loved video games again!
While 2 and 3 were only three years apart, they couldn't be more different. Every aspect felt like it had an overhaul. 2 improved a ton of stuff from the original, while 3 decided to review all those mechanics and see how they can approach them in a new way. Everything from the radar to your health bar to the environments themselves. Nothing remained static. It took the linear corridors of the past and put you in sandbox environments that played out differently each time. It's why I could replay it countless times and not burn out with this one.
The story was also way more grounded and simple. It dialed back the excess (for one game) and did a great job keeping you going. I'm replaying Metal Gear Delta right now, which is a SUPERB remake, and I'm finding myself staying up late again. School, work, nothing stops MGS 3!
Naked Snake has always felt like a more fully-developed character than Solid Snake. They are different characters voiced by David Hayter, but we won't get into detail here. All I'll say is that MGS 3 sets the entirety of the saga in motion and I can see why this dude goes where he goes. Tons of memorable scenes, bombastic set pieces, characters that I enjoyed interacting with, and the most emotional salute you'll ever seen in your life.
It's a fantastic story, and I'd recommend starting here if it wasn't for the complexity of the gameplay. MGS 1 eases you into the series better, but who knows, maybe you won't need several games of build up to understand these mechanics as a modern gamer. And again, Delta rules, looks great, and has a more modern control style that works well.
Then they released Subsistence, which was another expansion like they did for 2. It's the definitive version on the PS2, with the new camera being kind of a huge deal and the first appearance of an online mode. There's plenty of silliness, too, which the guys can walk you through.
Metal Gear Solid 3 is one of the best games ever made. The series is Hideo Kojima's magnum opus and this is my favorite one.
GB Playthrough - She was a real hero. She was a true patriot.
Other Stuff!
Looking at a list of Metal Gear games can seem intimidating, but outside of the Solid games it's not too bad.
- The original MSX games, Metal Gear and Metal Gear 2: Solid Snake
These are the canon entries that you'll want to look into for the series origins. Not only story, but gameplay mechanics, too. It's honestly kind of striking how much of this top down gameplay gets brought into MGS 1. The playthroughs on the site are a lot of fun, even if Dan struggles a bit. These are way more accessible these days, available in various collections and the recent Vol. 1.
GB Playthrough 1 - I feel asleep!!
GB Playthrough 2 - Uh-oh! The truck have started to move!
- The NES games, Metal Gear and Snake's Revenge
While Metal Gear is the 24th best NES game of all time and way more people owned an NES, you'll want to stick with the MSX version if you only play one. Then you have Snake's Revenge, which is the 310th best NES game so that tells you what you need to know. It's not Metal Gear 2 and it's just not as good. Dip your toes in, move on.
- Metal Gear Acid 1 and 2
These are tactical, turn-based card games that I've never played. Matt Rorie has, though, and he'll pull for these games more than anyone. He's got a Mr. Shifty level of love for the Acid games and I hope they get into a Master Collection Vol. 3 one day.
- Metal Gear Survive
Kojima left, Konami wanted to make a new game, and this was not a good era for them. Konami's started to figure out how to make new teams create cool new games, but they were certainly not there yet in 2018. It's a weird survival game taking place between Ground Zeroes and Phantom Pain and you'll be fine skipping it.
- Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance
Outside of the memes and the soundtrack, it's a pretty good character action game. The development story is kind of a nightmare and it plays nothing like the rest of the series. A true oddity that would be a good headliner for the next collection. The first half hour is some of the best video gaming to ever happen but it doesn't keep that momentum up. Ends strong and as silly as the series ever gets. Also last in the chronology, which makes me chuckle because that final battle is the true ending of the series.
And hey, Drew played this one, too! Right before he left the site, they shadow-dropped this series and it was a great time.
GB Playthrough - Rules of Nature!
- Metal Gear: Ghost Babel
Often forgotten, but it's finally getting a wide release in Vol. 2. Ghost Babel is a Game Boy Color game and is basically an alternate timeline Metal Gear Solid. It's very reminiscent of the MSX games but with a brighter art style and more fleshed out storytelling, along with updates to that gameplay.
Also kind of a forgotten video feature, as Dan played through this one, too. I remember him struggling with it so I'm looking forward to hearing his thoughts on the new rerelease.
GB Playthrough - Your mission is to infiltrate the fortress Galuade
Over time, there were a few more ports and mobile games and a pachinko machine, but you're not gonna play those, right?
Suggested Playing Order
With Metal Gear Solid, it's simple. Order of release, all the way. At least for everything from 1998 on. It's the natural way to see how the series progresses, and how Kojima and his teams grew as developers and storytellers.
While the original games are referenced, you can get by with skipping them unless you're in a retro mood. I'd even be careful with reading wikis, since they might accidentally reference revelations from later on. You'll learn everything you need to know about Big Boss and Zanzibar in the first MGS.
The chronology is all over the place:
- Metal Gear Solid 3
- Metal Gear Solid: Portable Ops
- Metal Gear Solid: Peace Walker
- Metal Gear Solid V: Ground Zeroes
- Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain
- Metal Gear
- Metal Gear 2: Solid Snake
- Metal Gear Solid
- Metal Gear Solid 2
- Metal Gear Solid 4
- Metal Gear Solid: Revengeance
But playing them in that order seems like a nightmare, don't do that for your first time out. Do play Zone of the Enders 2 at some point, though. And you can have a good time trying out some of those other games down the line when the Metal Gear mood strikes.
Ok, let's wrap it up.
Metal Gear?! You're pretty good.
