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[Betty]

I think HD collection has already been on PS+

Only for Vita if I remember correctly, and only 2+3, not Peace Walker.

 

[NintenDOMG]

Just play Metal Gear Rising instead.

 

[FranXico]

The story sure is a bit convoluted, but remember: when in doubt...

Nanomachines, son.

 

[Mikey Jr.]

I barely understand the plot, and I played all the games.

So what do you think?

 

[dcx4610]

You could but I wouldn't recommend it.

It's would be like watching Star Wars - Empire Strikes Back and nothing else.

Too many characters, moments, quirks and dialogue that references previous games. You wouldn't get the impact or have the emotional commitment to the characters to care much. It's a completely over the top game and unless you have history with the series, I don't think it's going to have much of an impact.

If you do however have a history with Metal Gear, it's fantastic and feels like the appropriate climax to the series.

 

[dragonbane]

Each cut scene is more than 30 minutes? What?

No. The epilogue is that long, but no other cutscene I think. But there are some moments in the game where you are watching two people talk for like 10 minutes, then 5 minutes of gameplay and then another 10 minute cutscene directly afterwards.

 

[Draper]

Either way, you won't understand what the fuck is going on.

 

[Kallor]

Thats how I did it and enjoyed the hell out of it and played and loved the earlier 3 afterwards.

 

[schwabdizzle]

As someone who plays MGS4 as my first MGS game, do not do it. You will just be confused.

 

[Saint of Killers]

I've played a few MG games but MGS4 is the only one I completed (really enjoyed it too). Go for it.

If not knowing what happened in the previous games bothers you, then search for the free Metal Gear Solid 4 Database D/L on PS Store.

 

[BigTnaples]

No.


I can't even play MGS4 without recently playing 1-3.

 

[Dreamgazer]

Play MGS3 or even MGS2 if you can only play one game.

MGS4 is a horrible game without the drawing of its lore.
Not to mention many of the game's memorable moments honestly won't have as much of an impact.

 

[Muffdraul]

When you pop in MGS4 and start the game, it presents you with a questionnaire, 40 questions about the previous games in the franchise. If you get less than 60% correct, it says "FISSION MAILED" and forces you back to the XMB.

 

[vocab]

No. The game pretty much does very little on catching you up. It's a direct sequel, and none of the characters will feel important to you at all.

 

[Senor Kami]

I did and loved it. O didn't feel like I was missing anything. I watch a lot out anime though so I'm used to technobabble and philosobabble.

 

[breakfuss]

^You say you didn't feel like you were missing anything, lol, but how would you know? I don't think there's one self-contained installment in the entire series.

Anyway, OP...to answer your question: No, no, no. Totally worth playing from the beginning.

 

[Epcott]

Ha ha MGS4 is basically "Fan Service the Video Game."

Bad enough trying to follow the story in MGS4 as a long time fan. Any noob to the series willing to try is welcome to have their brains ooze out of their ears by attempting to comprehend what's going on.

Try to enjoy A Dance With Dragons without reading any of ASOIAF.

 

[Solid Amit]

I think that MGS4 is the worst of all MGSs in gameplay aspect.
I see no point in playing MGS4 since the gameplay is the worst and it closes up the entire plot

 

[Muffdraul]

I did and loved it. O didn't feel like I was missing anything.

Hence the old chestnut, "You don't know what you're missing."

 

[NullPointer]

Ha ha MGS4 is basically "Fan Service the Video Game."

Its Gods damn amazing when you don't know what the hell is going on and don't have that history to set up expectations. There are plenty of hints and inferences through flashbacks, and of course Snake always repeats everything in the form of a gravelly question anyhow, and characters are more than willing to go into long winded explanations of everything under the sun. Its not like you don't know what you're doing from level to level - context is always provided. You just don't know all the twists and turns in the backstory.

Its fucking amazing. Not to be missed.

 

[Persona7]

I played all the previous games and I still barely understood 4.

 

[Muffdraul]

I pity da foo' who plays MGS4 and gets to the scene where he meets Big Mama, but has no idea who the hell she is.

 

[AlteredForms]

Even avid fans of the series still struggle to understand the storyline. Can't say I blame them though.

 

[breakfuss]

Some of y'all are exaggerating. The plot can get a bit nebulous but it's not THAT confusing. It's no goddamned Kingdom Hearts or something.

 

[puzl]

The story starts making sense in MGS1 and ends in MGS1. Anything after that is an ultra-convoluted clusterfuck. Still, fun games though. Just don't expect a literacy masterpiece.

 

[SJRB]

I did and loved it. O didn't feel like I was missing anything. I watch a lot out anime though so I'm used to technobabble and philosobabble.

 

[lethial]

As far as I know, MGS4 figures out if you haven't played it and sets the console on fire.

 

[KittenMaster]

Normally I love nods and references to previous works as a sort of nod and joke a lot of times, but MGS4 couldn't stop reminding the player that the previous games existed and that they had cut-scenes in them. It had a brutal lack of self-awareness in that regard.

But yeah, might be best to play the other games first just to see how the world and background info had developed up to that point.

 

[biggersmaller]

If you are starting with 4 because you want to play a MGS game in HD - I guess you have no other option.

Otherwise start with 3 and go wherever you want from there. 4 is still a good game.

 

[JLeack]

Yes, but it probably wouldn't be good.

I found MGS4 to be an absolute delight but only because I had some serious affection for the franchise and its characters, 10 years in-fact.

 

[GolazoDan]

Some of y'all are exaggerating. The plot can get a bit nebulous but it's not THAT confusing. It's no goddamned Kingdom Hearts or something.

It's the fun type of confusing, like you're not really following it but it's a bit mental. Eggs and all that. Whereas Kingdom Hearts is like... you're making my head hurt, please leave.

 

[GamingIsDead]

You could op you wont enjoy it. At least play the first... but really you should play all of them first including peacewalker... even wait for mgs5 before you play 4.

 

[zainetor]

it's like watching Lord of the rings by starting from return of the king.

 

[Wazzy]

No. What you need to do is buy the first three and play those. Then grab the copy you own of 4 and light it on fire in a trash can. Throw the trash can out after since it's been tainted by 4's shittyness.

You'll thank me one day.

 

[thetrin]

I played 2 and still didn't know what the hell was going on in 4. I didn't actually know what was happening in 2. I don't understand anything about the story but the gameplay is great.

Well sure. You never played 1 or 3. Not that you'd understand everything, but I can't imagine how confused one would be having played 2 as their first MGS.

 

[INCUBA3E]

Nothing wrong with playing the worst in the series first

 

[Manmademan]

You can but its a shitty idea.

Please play the Legacy Collection in release order.

This.

it's possible to play through MGS4 without having played 1-3. It might even be possible to understand what's going on, if you spend all your time youtubing cutscenes and scouring wikipedia.

But you'll miss just about everything that made the game interesting- all the little references that call back to previous games that fans love (and there are a TON) as well as having no connection to any of the characters. So when snake's mortality becomes an issue, you really won't care because you were never invested in the character in the first place.

in short, don't do it. metal gear is pretty damn short and the legacy collection is cheap. 4 isn't even the best game in the series- 3 is. If you only want to play ONE metal gear, it's MGS3, and since that game is a prequel the rest of the series isn't necessary. the HD version is pretty damn great as well.

 

[Eusis]

You'll appreciate or hate it more if you play the older games, and either way will probably come out finding to be a complete mess. I'd say just don't bother and play Metal Gear Rising, entirely different game but at least there the continuity isn't really a key aspect.

 

[luka]

You can play it any time you want because the story is completely whack and retroactively ruined every one of the previous games both narratively and thematically. It's a decent game but plot-wise it's better to pretend it doesn't exist.

Honestly I'd go play 1-3 and skip 4 instead.

 

[Timeaisis]

I'd go with the HD versions first. You can play it, but it will make little sense to you. This wouldn't be a problem if the game wasn't 1/2 cutscenes. I mean, I enjoyed that aspect, but that's because I already enjoyed the series as it is.

 

[Bronetta]

I dont understand why people are suggesting the HD Collection. Get The Legancy Collection for $50, it includes MGS1, MGS2, MGS3, MGS4, and Peace Walker HD.

Play them in order of release.

 

[Zoned]

No. What you need to do is buy the first three and play those. Then grab the copy you own of 4 and light it on fire in a trash can. Throw the trash can out after since it's been tainted by 4's shittyness.

You'll thank me one day.

lol

 

[RaikuHebi]

Honestly I'd go play 1-3 and skip 4 instead.

This advice will save lives.

 

[Senor Kami]

The stuff that matters really isn't confusing at all. Kojima isn't coy with anything and within seconds of someone talking you start piecing together their history. Nothing he does is subtle in the least. It's not like you're going to go the whole game and not know that Snake and Otacon clearly have a long history and are friends and everything you need to know about their past in order to get what takes place in this game. Every character is like that. It's about as confusing as watching Star Wars 4 before 1.

 

[Zoned]

You'll appreciate or hate it more if you play the older games, and either way will probably come out finding to be a complete mess. I'd say just don't bother and play Metal Gear Rising, entirely different game but at least there the continuity isn't really a key aspect.

Yeah I need to play Rising as well. Gonna buy that during Steam summer sale.

 

[ArjanN]

About as good as an idea as jumping right into the Godfather 3.

 

[Zoned]

I dont understand why people are suggesting the HD Collection. Get The Legancy Collection for $50, it includes MGS1, MGS2, MGS3, MGS4, and Peace Walker HD.

Play them in order of release.

50$ is too much. Got 4th one for 3$. Not gonna spend that much for others.

I only buy cheap as fuck games. Gonna get the HD collection I guess.

 

[polyh3dron]

No, and don't play MGS4, it is not a good game =|

GAF votes it as GOTY, but since you have declared it to not be a good game, that makes it so? You can not like a game, but to say something is objectively not a good game like it is up to you to decide that, is quite egotistical.

Also OP, get the legacy collection and play them in order. You'll be glad you did.

 

[Surfaced]

There are also certain parts of MGS4 that simply don't have any impact if you haven't played the earlier games.

MGS4 is partly a love letter to fans who've been with the franchise over the years. There are a lot of references, etc.

 

[Rixxan]

One of the most special moments in gaming history will be lost on you if you do.

I definitely wouldn't recommend it.