Evaluating the games in the series.

[fgdj2000]

So, I was thinking, how do you stand to all the major games in the series and would you recommend them to someone who's never played the series today? Where should someone start and what should they skip.

Let's start with my list.

First: the MSX2 games.
The original Metal Gear was a groundbreaking game in its day, but its very vanilla. I wouldn't recommend it for newcomers to the series unless they love 1980s games and are committed to watch the whole evolution of the series. It's actually more interesting as a curiosity to see the origins of the series. Kind of like the original Star Trek pilot "The Cage". Good retro-game, but not representative of the series.

Metal Gear 2: Solid Snake - great game. I think in some respects its even better then MGS1 and 2 (particularly when it comes to backtracking). Much of the success of the MGS1 is actually build on MG2. Here started the series' attention to detail, the complex morally ambiguous narrative and so on. Maybe still too retro for newcomers, but definitely worth playing once you've gotten into the series

Now: The Trilogy
Metal Gear Solid - no introduction needed. Maybe a bit retro for today, but still a great game. Amazing story, 3 dimensional fully developed characters, very grounded realistic atmosphere, most of all an experience that sticks with you and makes you think about your own life. 

Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty - many improvements over the predecessor. Graphics have aged extremely well. Gameplay received many little improvements that give it a totally different feel. The narrative is very cerebral and probably even more life-changing than the first game, however its a narrative that you have to go with and have to accept a lot of stuff, like the sudden introduction of Raiden, the many twists and turns. Also, some of the characters (Vamp, Fortune, Fatman) are a bit lackluster. And there is an overuse of the codec.

Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater - easily the best entry in the entire series. Great self contained story, that still ties strongly into the other games, great pacing, many great additions to the gameplay, that make it feel totally different yet still the same, just unforgettable characters (even if some are very cartoony, but some are just deeper than even many film characters) and a gut-wrenching payoff after an amazing action packed finale. If you will ever play only one single game in the series, this is it!

The Beginning of the End

Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots - the beginning of the end. Not as deep or moving as the earlier games, but still has some great moments. Gameplay is more conventionalized, lots and lots of fan service both good and bad. Should have ended the series.

Metal Gear Solid: Peace Walker - do-over of the earlier PSP game MGS: Portable Ops. Does some cool new things with the formula (mission-based, mother base, recruiting soldiers) has a fairly light-hearted story with some memorable, some forgettable characters. Amazing final performance by David Hayter, nice stand-alone spin-off that has some continuity issues with its advanced mechs. Great Spin-off for portable console. Worth checking out, especially after you played MGS3 and if going back to MGS1 and MGS2 is not an option for you.

The End

Metal Gear Solid V: Ground Zeroes & The Phantom Pain - huge mess of a game with decent visuals and a great gameplay system at its core that is bogged down by pacing issues and a story that lacks focus and doesn't utilize many of its scenarios and characters properly. Not to mention, that it doesn't tell a story that needed to be told and makes huge retcons on the one hand while going out of its way to remedy earlier retcons and try to fix lingering continuity issues on the other hand. 

Honorable Mentions: 

Metal Gear: Ghost Babel - can't say much about it myself, but from what I've seen, heard and read, it's definitely worth playing if you can find a way to play it and love 2D retro games.

Metal Gear Solid: Portable Ops - first attempt at a canon spin-off. Many of its ideas are revamped for later games, but it also has huge issues, like the forgettable story, the weird camouflage system, tediously dragging people around, unforgiving item management, low production values. Only for absolute die-hard fans.

Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance - not a Kojima game, but still a great spin-off. Takes something from the Metal Gear formula and makes a unique game about that. Not for non-hack-and-slash fans, but worth checking out if you played most of the other games. Just take the story with a huge grain of salt. Recommended for fans of Devil May Cry or Bayonetta.

Dishonorable Mentions: 

Metal Gear Acid 1&2 - interesting concept, but has nothing to do with Metal Gear. Completely skippable. 

[A.G.]

I’ll go a bit shorter. Mostly just a quick statement on how I feel about them.

MG1 - historically groundbreaking though not much fun to actually play due to its limitations.

MG2 - very clever, true genesis of the Metal Gear wit and probably the best 2D game ever.

MGS1 - gaming icon that made the industry take video game story, voice acting and cutscenes seriously.

MGS2 - first game ever to actually look real and get a Hollywood level presentation with a story that people are still trying to understand.

MGS3 - the James Bond of video games with the most clever and detailed gameplay ever, perhaps the best 3D game ever made. Yes, I said it.

MGS4 - an emotional curtain call for a tired series who’s formula was as tired and dated as the main protagonist.

MPO - unneceassay title that was plagued with terrible controls and started the canon-damaging trend of the missing link.

MPW - a well put together game that had no business being part of the series and would’ve benefited from being a new IP.

MGSV - a game with a lot of unfinished ambition that had no business being in the Metal Gear universe.

Rising - only played the demo which was enough for me to know this is not my game.

Ghost Babel - perfect example of how to do a quality spinoff that doesn’t hurt the series.

Acid Series - perfect example of corporate greed that leads to whoring the series name in every direction.

[Cerberus_0408]

I have this to say of PO, PW, PP, Rising and the Acid games...