Hideo Kojima guided the Metal Gear franchise from its inception in 1987 until 2015’s Metal Gear Solid 5: The Phantom Pain. While the game designer departed with publisher Konami under bad circumstances, he has since released the incredibly unique Death Stranding, proving that he is not done sharing his art with the world.
Even if The Phantom Pain was the last thing he did, the Metal Gear series has created an eternal legacy within the medium. The games’ story spans six different decades. It can be hard to keep track of the chronological order, so this list should clear up any confusion.
11 Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater (Released In 2004, Set In 1964)
This game plants the seeds for what would become the overarching conflict between the major characters. Funnily enough, fans did not realize its importance in the canon upon release. Only when Metal Gear Solid 4 came out in 2008 did the series explain how characters like The Boss and Major Zero have an impact on the rest of the games.
10 Metal Gear Solid: Portable Ops (Released In 2006, Set In 1970)
This portable spin-off is canon, but it is not vital to understanding the overall lore. It details the beginnings of Fox Hound and sees Big Boss meet a young Roy Campbell, so it is worth playing just for these two bits alone. Additionally, the gameplay introduces many elements later titles like Peace Walker and The Phantom Pain would expand upon.
9 Metal Gear Solid: Peace Walker (Released In 2010, Set In 1974)
The events of Peace Walker lead directly into Ground Zeroes and The Phantom Pain. The game was re-released on PS3 along with Metal Gear Solid 2 and 3 to ensure it reached the widest audience possible. It is here where we see Big Boss solidify his stance and philosophy to create an army without nations and start his shadow war with Major Zero.
8 Metal Gear Solid 5: Ground Zeroes (Released In 2014, Set In 1975)
This prologue to The Phantom Pain only takes about 90 minutes to complete, but there is about 20 hours worth of content in here for those seeking to do everything. Not only does it lead into the full game, but it also introduces a significant tonal shift. The series has always been dark, but Ground Zeroes and The Phantom Pain are oppressive in their tone, to the point of causing controversy.
7 Metal Gear Solid 5: The Phantom Pain (Released In 2015, Set In 1984)
Had the Phantom Pain been giving the development time to do all it set out to do, the series would have finally come full circle, connecting the prequel games to the original Metal Gear.
While Phantom Pain is still incredible, it is missing some key ingredients during the ending. All the same, the narrative is top notch. The themes regarding the Patriots and controlling people through language make it logical for the game to take place in 1984.
6 Metal Gear (Released In 1987, Set In 1995)
The debut entry in the franchise is quaint by today’s standards, but the stealth-action seeds future entries would later water are still evident. Iconic characters like Solid Snake, Big Boss, and Gray Fox are here, but the others are never mentioned again. Fans dream of a receiving a remake to more closely solidify this game’s place in the canon, referencing events from the other games. The Phantom Pain especially recontextualizes the debut entry.
5 Metal Gear 2: Solid Snake (Released In 1990, Set In 1999)
The true canon sequel to Metal Gear – the NES title Snake’s Revenge is decidedly not a part of the continuity – better establishes the formula future games would follow and toy around with. It also has a more developed plot. Playing it today, one realizes that Metal Gear Solid is basically a 3D remake of Metal Gear 2, at least in terms of gameplay.
4 Metal Gear Solid (Released In 1998, Set In 2005)
Solid Snake retired after the events of Metal Gear 2, but was brought back into the fray after Fox Hound took over Shadow Moses Island and threatened to launch a nuclear warhead.
It was this 1998 classic that truly skyrocketed the series to its legendary status. While future entries would expand upon the gameplay, Metal Gear Solid still holds up fantastically today.
3 Metal Gear Solid 2 (Released In 2001, Set In 2007/2009)
The first part of Metal Gear Solid 2 takes place in 2007 while the second part takes place in 2009. Hideo Kojima threw fans a curveball when the protagonist switched from Solid Snake to Raiden. This revelation was kept a secret until release. While this angered some fans, this move plays into the game’s themes of manipulating digital information. The game’s impact is easier to appreciate when you remember it came out in 2001.
2 Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns Of The Patriots (Released In 2008, Set In 2014)
Solid Snake’s final chapter sees him as an old man on the brink of decay. He has one last mission in him, however. This ambitious PS3 exclusive is still stuck on the console. Before release, many theorized Snake was to bite the dust by the game’s conclusion.
Hideo Kojima originally intended for him and Otacon to be executed for their crimes in the end, but the development team convinced him to drop this ending. Ultimately, Snake lives out his final days in peace.
1 Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance (Released In 2013, Set In 2018)
This spin-off from Platinum Games is also the most recent in the continuity. Despite the gameplay going down the character action game route, similar to Bayonetta or Devil May Cry, the story remains a distinctly Metal Gear tale. It is a shame the game was not more popular, otherwise we probably would have sequels by now.
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