Metal Gear Solid: Worthwhile?

[OrpheusTelos]

So, in looking for something different to play, I was wondering if it would be worthwhile to pick up the Metal Gear Solid HD Collection and MGS 4. I've never played these games before, but I have always enjoyed in-depth plotlines in my games, and what I've heard of MGS tells me that I will find this. However, stealth games aren't usually my thing (I usually play JRPGs). So, I'm wondering what you guys think of the games. Are they worthwhile, especially considering that I wouldn't be playing the first game?

 

[endnuen]

If it was to try a stealth game with a good story, I'd rather recommend the first 3 Splinter Cell games

 

[tippy2k2]

Well I've played through all of the main games and I have greatly enjoyed them. However, if you don't like stealth games, you're not going to like these games for they have heavy sections of stealth (you can just run and gun but you're kind of defeating the purpose of the game...the gun-play is rough because it's not the point of the series).

Also, as it's been pointed out, the series is very cut-scene heavy (and gets heavier as you progress in the series). If this bothers you, don't even bother with the game.

I have also never played the HD collection (I played the games on their respective systems when they first came out) so you're on your own to determine if it's any good.

 

[hazabaza1]

Be warned that they are all very, very cutscene heavy.

 

[oplinger]

Take time to screw around. Really. Otherwise you'll be sleeping through cutscenes.

However, dicking around it ridiculously fun when you get good at the game. It's full of jokes, references, and silly things to use/do.

They are well worth it. With 3 being the strongest, and 4 being the weakest by far.

and 3 is a prequel...so not super huge need to play the first game. Or the MG series. It just helps a bit with the in-jokes.

 

[gorfias]

I'd read there are cut scenes in MGS4 where you are actually advised by the game to put down the controller and listen. Scenes last as much as 20 minutes. G-d knows what it is like to try to save your progress in this game!

 

[Shoggoth2588]

The Metal Gear Solid collection on the 360/PS3 is a great value (considering the prices of the Vita collection and the 3DS Remake of Snake Eater). I honestly plan on grabbing it myself in the near future since I've never played Snake Eater or Peace Walker. Sons of Liberty...Well, I never beat it but I'm one of those people who genuinely like Raiden so feel free to disregard my opinion.

I didn't care much for Sons of Liberty.

-EDIT-

Captcha = K-Mart. It told me to describe the K-Mart brand. Since the K-Mart near me is a horrible, horrible store, I said 'shit' and it seems Captcha agrees with me and my dislike of K-Mart.

 

[omega 616]

Few things, you can run and gun MGS like it was tomb raider/uncharted if you wanted to.

MGS4 is half game, half movie ... seriously, they are the longest cut scenes in gaming history! (no idea if that is fact but it sure seems like it).

Controls in some of the games are ass and you will constantly fight the camera, at the time they were ok but compared to modern games, it's annoying.

I am an MGS fanboy all the same.

 

[crono738]

Few things, you can run and gun MGS like it was tomb raider/uncharted if you wanted to.

MGS4 is half game, half movie ... seriously, they are the longest cut scenes in gaming history! (no idea if that is fact but it sure seems like it).

Controls in some of the games are ass and you will constantly fight the camera, at the time they were ok but compared to modern games, it's annoying.

I am an MGS fanboy all the same.

More like 70% cutscene, 30% game.

OT: Yes, get the HD Collection. Since you're talking about MGS4 as well, I'd also recommend the original MGS, which is available on PSN.

All of them are fantastic games, but MGS2 is arguably less fantastic due to a liberal application of Raiden.

 

[omega 616]

Few things, you can run and gun MGS like it was tomb raider/uncharted if you wanted to.

MGS4 is half game, half movie ... seriously, they are the longest cut scenes in gaming history! (no idea if that is fact but it sure seems like it).

Controls in some of the games are ass and you will constantly fight the camera, at the time they were ok but compared to modern games, it's annoying.

I am an MGS fanboy all the same.

More like 70% cutscene, 30% game.

OT: Yes, get the HD Collection. Since you're talking about MGS4 as well, I'd also recommend the original MGS, which is available on PSN.

All of them are fantastic games, but MGS2 is arguably less fantastic due to a liberal application of Raiden.

It's not that bad, it's just become a joke of the internet to say such things.

30% game isn't even close

 

[crono738]

Few things, you can run and gun MGS like it was tomb raider/uncharted if you wanted to.

MGS4 is half game, half movie ... seriously, they are the longest cut scenes in gaming history! (no idea if that is fact but it sure seems like it).

Controls in some of the games are ass and you will constantly fight the camera, at the time they were ok but compared to modern games, it's annoying.

I am an MGS fanboy all the same.

More like 70% cutscene, 30% game.

OT: Yes, get the HD Collection. Since you're talking about MGS4 as well, I'd also recommend the original MGS, which is available on PSN.

All of them are fantastic games, but MGS2 is arguably less fantastic due to a liberal application of Raiden.

It's not that bad, it's just become a joke of the internet to say such things.

30% game isn't even close

That was a joke...

As a heads up to the OP, there are around 9 hours worth of cutscenes in MGS4. Average game length is around 20 hours, give or take a few depending on how fast/slow you get through parts.

 

[Zaik]

The Metal Gear Solid collection on the 360/PS3 is a great value (considering the prices of the Vita collection and the 3DS Remake of Snake Eater). I honestly plan on grabbing it myself in the near future since I've never played Snake Eater or Peace Walker. Sons of Liberty...Well, I never beat it but I'm one of those people who genuinely like Raiden so feel free to disregard my opinion.

I didn't care much for Sons of Liberty.

-EDIT-

Captcha = K-Mart. It told me to describe the K-Mart brand. Since the K-Mart near me is a horrible, horrible store, I said 'shit' and it seems Captcha agrees with me and my dislike of K-Mart.

Those "describe the x brand" captchas take any word as a response, might take anything at all. At least, so far, "ass" "terribad" and "motorboat" have all been acceptable responses.

On topic: 1 and 3 are pretty good, 2 is equally good on a gameplay level, although the bizarre new main character might throw you off for a bit. 4 was okay, bit on the easy side. Probably won't bother you as much without rose-tinted nostalgia goggles on.

 

[Rednog]

I say buy MGS1 and play that before you invest in buying the rest of the games. It really is a game that is driven by plot and if you get sick of the plot the gameplay itself probably won't keep you going. Metal Gear games can be a bit polarizing, I know for Ac!d I love it for death and will stick with it because the story is just so good, but I know my roommates despise the game because the combat system is pretty bad.

 

[omega 616]

Few things, you can run and gun MGS like it was tomb raider/uncharted if you wanted to.

MGS4 is half game, half movie ... seriously, they are the longest cut scenes in gaming history! (no idea if that is fact but it sure seems like it).

Controls in some of the games are ass and you will constantly fight the camera, at the time they were ok but compared to modern games, it's annoying.

I am an MGS fanboy all the same.

More like 70% cutscene, 30% game.

OT: Yes, get the HD Collection. Since you're talking about MGS4 as well, I'd also recommend the original MGS, which is available on PSN.

All of them are fantastic games, but MGS2 is arguably less fantastic due to a liberal application of Raiden.

It's not that bad, it's just become a joke of the internet to say such things.

30% game isn't even close

That was a joke...

As a heads up to the OP, there are around 9 hours worth of cutscenes in MGS4. Average game length is around 20 hours, give or take a few depending on how fast/slow you get through parts.

I just had to point that out to the OP though, all these people saying the game is stupidly lop sided in favour of movies might put them off for no good reason.

Sure they are pretty lengthy but not as bad as people make out.

 

[crono738]

Few things, you can run and gun MGS like it was tomb raider/uncharted if you wanted to.

MGS4 is half game, half movie ... seriously, they are the longest cut scenes in gaming history! (no idea if that is fact but it sure seems like it).

Controls in some of the games are ass and you will constantly fight the camera, at the time they were ok but compared to modern games, it's annoying.

I am an MGS fanboy all the same.

More like 70% cutscene, 30% game.

OT: Yes, get the HD Collection. Since you're talking about MGS4 as well, I'd also recommend the original MGS, which is available on PSN.

All of them are fantastic games, but MGS2 is arguably less fantastic due to a liberal application of Raiden.

It's not that bad, it's just become a joke of the internet to say such things.

30% game isn't even close

That was a joke...

As a heads up to the OP, there are around 9 hours worth of cutscenes in MGS4. Average game length is around 20 hours, give or take a few depending on how fast/slow you get through parts.

I just had to point that out to the OP though, all these people saying the game is stupidly lop sided in favour of movies might put them off for no good reason.

Sure they are pretty lengthy but not as bad as people make out.

It's not bad during the first act or two, but it does get much more cutscene heavy partway through act 3 until the end. That being said, the cutscenes are usually awesome.

 

[OrpheusTelos]

xD Thanks for pointing out the large amount of cutscenes, folks. I probably won't mind, so long as they're well done cutscenes.

 

[shrekfan246]

So, in looking for something different to play, I was wondering if it would be worthwhile to pick up the Metal Gear Solid HD Collection and MGS 4. I've never played these games before, but I have always enjoyed in-depth plotlines in my games, and what I've heard of MGS tells me that I will find this. However, stealth games aren't usually my thing (I usually play JRPGs). So, I'm wondering what you guys think of the games. Are they worthwhile, especially considering that I wouldn't be playing the first game?

Yes.

Specifically:

Take time to screw around. Really. Otherwise you'll be sleeping through cutscenes.

However, dicking around it ridiculously fun when you get good at the game. It's full of jokes, references, and silly things to use/do.

They are well worth it. With 3 being the strongest, and 4 being the weakest by far.

and 3 is a prequel...so not super huge need to play the first game. Or the MG series. It just helps a bit with the in-jokes.

There is loads of fun to be had just running around the areas, toying with the guard AI and exploring, and you'll want to take that time because the cut-scenes can range upwards of 20 minutes long. And connecting. Especially 4. The cut-scenes between acts in Metal Gear Solid 4 will run you upwards of an hour at their longest if you sit and actually watch them.

But the mechanics of the games are wonderful. Guards are hilarious, the writing is pretty excellent even if it could be heavily snipped down, and coming from someone who isn't really into stealth games either, the Metal Gear Solid franchise as a whole is one of my favorite series' in all of gaming.

EDIT: Also, I believe that Metal Gear Solid (the first one) is on the PSN as a PS1Classic too, if it is you should get that too. It's not as mechanically sound as the rest of the series, but it's great in its own right.

 

[Ragsnstitches]

Play MGS 1, just because it is the most comprehensible of the series. (Or start with MGS3, if you rather a more up-to-date experience)

Then play 2, for the sake of continuity. It has an incredibly contrived plot, but its still fun and if you can keep relatively on top of whats going on, its pretty engaging.

Then play 3, because it is just brilliant overall. Its a prelude to the MGS series, but by and far has the most solid story. Apart from the references to later games, the plot is pretty isolated from the rest of the series. It can be played as a launching point if you want.

MGS4 is basically closure for existing MGS fans who have followed the series closely.

[HEADING=1]DO NOT BUY OR PLAY MGS4 FIRST![/HEADING]

 

[Dendio]

I want to play the series, but sony has been so kind to lock it and many other good franchises on to the playstation and its successors. One day ill buy a ps3 and play it all the way through. PS3 can do backwards compatability right?

 

[DeadlyYellow]

MGS 3 is great, but I'd rather watch the LPs.