The Metal Gear Franchise (And How to Get In)

[fix-the-spade]

If I were to start with the Series, where would be better for me: Metal Gear Solid 3, or Metal Gear?

The plot will make the most sense if you play MGS3, Metal Gear Solid, MGS2 and then 4.

If you can find them (emulator?) the two original Metal Gear games fit in between 3 and MGS1 in the timeline.

By pure gameplay quality. MGS3 is wonderful, still very much Metal Gear, but the best one so far. The MGS and 4, then 2 makes you run round in circles for four hours. It's actually pretty solid, but seriously, one big level makes up the whole middle of the game and by the end you will be bored with that map...

 

[fix-the-spade]

Also, not having to equip keycards is a plus. the first person aiming also helps.

No you fool! Taking off your gas mask to use the key card is one of the defining moments in gaming history!

 

[Curratum]

I know how I got into MGS. I read every article explaining why MGS is the greatest PS1 game along with FF7, then finally made myself play it in 2009 or 2010. I have the ability to put myself in the mindset where it's year 19XY again and I'm playing the top quality game available on the market. After a difficult 15 minutes I was indeed enjoying MGS more than any other PS1 game I played. By the time I beat it I was obsessed and wanted more.

MGS 2 was a bit of a disappointment on the fanboyism front due to freaking Raiden but I guess you spend the intro playing as Snake so it's not all bad. Gameplay and story-wise it was at least as awesome than 1 and the graphics were obviously better.

This is where my journey of MGS fandom ended abruptly as no other titles are available on PC. One fine day when Konami stop being such pricks and port a proper MGS collection to Steam, I'd spend half my monthly salary on it and lock myself on a sick leave because I've got the freaking herpes or something and play the whole damn thing.

[Edit] I forgot, I have a PSP but I found the PSP installments impossible to play and control and kept getting my ass shot to pieces every 2 minutes so I gave up. [/Edit]

 

[Lovely Mixture]

Uh, those cut-scenes are amazing, thank you.

Yes some of them have really good cinematography. Others are amazingly overdone matrix bullshit (eg. jumping on the helicopter missile).

 

[scorptatious]

Personally, I'd start with Snake Eater, as it is canonically the first Metal Gear. It stands on it's own, so you don't really need any knowledge of the other games to enjoy it.

Of course, as others have said, you might want to play the games in order of release. If only to see how far the series has progressed in terms of gameplay and controls.

 

[BBboy20]

I highly suggest you play the games in release order then chronological order just so you may experience what fans experienced and evolved by from 1989 to 2010.

 

[Playing The System]

I say play Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater first, being the starting point for story I think with the games and it's also just my favorite MGS game out of the franchise for a vast number of reasons.

 

[BrotherRool]

I went 3 to 2 to 4 and the series pretty much made sense to me. 3 is a pretty good place to start because its story is fairly well balanced, although it doesn't really get going to the end. There's a lot of references and maybe it would help to play maybe 1 at least before 3 but it's still manageable and enjoyable

I'm surprised there's so much hate for 4 now though, it's probably my favourite one.

 

[KissmahArceus]

I would play MGS, MGS2, MGS3 then MGS 4. Play Peace Walker after 4 or before, works both ways for me but release order gives better context, PS1 version of MGS is my preffered option, Twin Snakes cutscenes came across as over kinetic balls (the director of the cutscenes has only done one good movie imo, Versus) and the HD collection is my preffered way of playing MGS 2 and 3

 

[Absimilliard]

I recommend playing them in chronological order, both to get the plot in it's intended order, and to see how technology has evolved. (I've personally played them in chronological order.)

Edit: let me put it like this; do you in hindsight think that you would have had the better Star Wars experience if you'd originally seen the films in numerological or chronological order? It's not dissimilar.

 

[IronMit]

Lets be serious ...the chances a new player is going to want to play the 2D NES or SNES version is remote (one is called 'Metal Gear'..the next is called 'Metal Gear: Solid Snake' - The next in the series -the first 3D one- is the famous playstation title called 'Metal Gear Solid' or MGS1)

If you can just start with MGS1; The PS1 or twinsnakes the gamecube remake. It's the game most MGS fans of this generation started from.
It references the story of the 2D metal gear & metal gear 2 for new players to the franchise, where Solid snake goes up against Big Boss and comes across another key character. So you will be on the same path as most players. I started with MGS1 on PS when I was 14 and I kept up with the story referencing the SNES games so I'm sure you will be fine.

Then just get HD collection, and play in order of release.

I agree with - ''Well, if you intend to play all the games anyway it would make more sense to follow the release order, otherwise you'll notice the shortcomings of older titles much easier''

 

[Arina Love]

Start with MGS1 read up on events of metal gear in MGS WIKIA and don't even think about playing them in fixed chronological order it will ruin stuff for you. You absolutely have to play in order that they were released.

 

[Casual Shinji]

Play them in order of release:

MGS 1
MGS 2
MGS 3

Chronologically MGS3 is the first one, but it's filled with little references and jokes pointing back to the first 2 MGS', like the "time paradox" and "Raikov". If you play MGS3 first all these wonderful little callbacks will be lost on you. Also it's the best one in the series, so it's best to keep it for last.

And avoid MGS4 like the plague! Seriously, it's a giant bloated heap of fan service-y bullshit.

 

[BBboy20]

Lets be serious ...the chances a new player is going to want to play the 2D NES or SNES version is remote (one is called 'Metal Gear'..the next is called 'Metal Gear: Solid Snake' - The next in the series -the first 3D one- is the famous playstation title called 'Metal Gear Solid' or MGS1)

If you can just start with MGS1; The PS1 or twinsnakes the gamecube remake. It's the game most MGS fans of this generation started from.
It references the story of the 2D metal gear & metal gear 2 for new players to the franchise, where Solid snake goes up against Big Boss and comes across another key character. So you will be on the same path as most players. I started with MGS1 on PS when I was 14 and I kept up with the story referencing the SNES games so I'm sure you will be fine.

Then just get HD collection, and play in order of release.

I agree with - ''Well, if you intend to play all the games anyway it would make more sense to follow the release order, otherwise you'll notice the shortcomings of older titles much easier''

....................you can play the original MSX versions on the HD Collection...

 

[IronMit]

Lets be serious ...the chances a new player is going to want to play the 2D NES or SNES version is remote (one is called 'Metal Gear'..the next is called 'Metal Gear: Solid Snake' - The next in the series -the first 3D one- is the famous playstation title called 'Metal Gear Solid' or MGS1)

If you can just start with MGS1; The PS1 or twinsnakes the gamecube remake. It's the game most MGS fans of this generation started from.
It references the story of the 2D metal gear & metal gear 2 for new players to the franchise, where Solid snake goes up against Big Boss and comes across another key character. So you will be on the same path as most players. I started with MGS1 on PS when I was 14 and I kept up with the story referencing the SNES games so I'm sure you will be fine.

Then just get HD collection, and play in order of release.

I agree with - ''Well, if you intend to play all the games anyway it would make more sense to follow the release order, otherwise you'll notice the shortcomings of older titles much easier''

....................you can play the original MSX versions on the HD Collection...

.....I didn't say it's difficult to get hold of...I said not everyone would want to play them. Especially people who aren't even into the franchise yet.....

 

[Snatcher]

My first and favourite Metal Gear game is MGS3: Snake Eater and I've been hooked ever since. Once you get into it, you never get out.

 

[TheRightToArmBears]

I personally played MGS3 first, then went back and played all I could with a PS2/PS3 in release order.

...And for the record, I fucking loved MGS4. It may well be my favourite (MGS3 is tough to beat though). I'd recommend having a working knowledge of the series first though.