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GAF Votes: Metal Gear Solid series rankings (Voting ends Feb. 20)

Flayer

Member
1. MGS3; The series definer for me.
2. MGS4; In terms of pure gameplay this is number 1 but it isn't as consistently "metal gear" as 3 (eg no codec calls), so I put it second.
3. MGS2; Despite playing as Raiden this is just a solid all round game and has stronger gameplay and extras than the first one.
 

twobear

sputum-flecked apoplexy
i don't really get it when people commend mgs2 for being 60fps. i swear that game was 60fps maybe...60% of the time? any explosion caused the framerate to plummet. or being outside.
 
1) MGS1
2) MGS4
3) MGS2

MGS3 just didn't grab me and I couldn't bring myself to finish it. Wasn't keen on PO either and not played PW as yet.
 
So hard to chose a favorite, love all of them.

1.MGS2 - Was the first Metal Gear I played from start to finish, instant classic.
2.MGS3 - Cemented the franchise as one of the all time greats and favorites for me. Had the best story and the most emotion, the ending was unforgettable.
3.MGS1 - Went back after only playing the first quarter of the game back when it was released, amazing experience but already had played 2 and 3 by then so didn't have the same impact.

Would also have to give a honorable mention to MGS4, was an amazing game and experience, one of my best experiences so far this gen.
 

Emwitus

Member
hahaha...the other one backfired so we get this.

1. MGS 3; The epitome of metal gear solid. If this had mgs4 graphics engine and mechanics it would be mind blowing.
2. MGS 4; My game of the gen. So many epic moments, Big momma bike, micro wave, opening, shadow moses, Act 2 tank scene etc etc
3. MGS 1; Introduced me to the universes otherwise it did not age well at all.
4. MGS 2; An abomination. Why? Raiden.
 

ultron87

Member
It was a close race between 2 & 3 for me. If original MGS3 wasn't ruined by the camera it might've been #1. I also feel slightly bad that I haven't played Peace Walker yet, but I will once I finish my current playthrough of 3 on the HD Collection.

1) MGS2 ; It is one of the biggest troll jobs ever committed and I love it. The entire ending section is so batshit crazy that it transcends any issues with pacing or requirements for actually making sense. Also, Raiden is a perfectly fine character and Snake is probably a more interesting character as an NPC anyway.
2) MGS3 ; I'm really just voting for the Subsistence version. I think original MGS3 is pretty bad because of the camera. Beyond that, 3 has my favorite story telling in the series, an extremely interesting environment that I haven't really seen done before or since, and the best boss battle of all time in the fight against (appropriately) The Boss.
3) MGS1 ; Because 4 fucked up the ending too much.
 
1) MGS1
2) MGS3
3) MGS2
4) MGS4
5) MGS: PW
6) MGS: PO

I really could not get into the portable games much and did not really like the mechanics either. MGS1 is still the best to me because it was the best mixture of gritty atmosphere, Kojima's humour, and over-the-top comic book-like story. I am weighing atmosphere and narrative much more heavily than gameplay in terms of how much I enjoyed each of them in hindsight. If it is in terms of gameplay alone then MGS1 would be lower, but I value the sum of everything. I was actually super hyped on MGS4 initially and even after beating it, but then the 'twist' came and as more time passed I began to hate how overproduced it was for what it actually was. If they toned down the cheese (Johnny and Meryl) just a bit and got rid of the twist at the end, then I would have ranked it higher.

PS: I might need to replay 2 again to spice up my memories of it because I have played MGS3 more times than 2, might have to do a switcheroo between those two later on.
 

Fezan

Member
1.MGS3 : big boss,the boss,jungle stealth,graphics that still look good and detail unrivaled yet of fl aura and fauna. So in short best story great gameplay and perfect ending :(
2. MGS1 : OK at the time i was like holy shit is this really a game wonderful story and memorable boss battles.First true cinematic experience and got me back in gaming
3. MGS4 : ok story drags and last 1/3rd of the game is boring but the rest 2/3 rd of game is still best game for me>and you can forget about the ending just install first 2 chapter and big mama chase scene also final stealth leave
 

eXistor

Member
1. MGS3; Perfect blend of everything that can make Metal Gear so amazing. Lots of classic moments to be found here and some great, varied environments make this the best Metal Gear Solid for me.
2. MGS1; A truly iconic game. I feel MGS3 has surpassed it, but MGS1 remains a must-play to this day.
3. MGS2; The controversial one that seems to have gained esteem in the last years. The story goes all over the place and shifting the focus from Snake to Raiden was a bold move, but I feel it paid of in the end.
 

IISANDERII

Member
1. Metal Gear Solid
2. Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater
3. Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots
4. Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty

-Sander
 

vulva

Member
this thread will make me do
barneyshootshimself.gif


this some day

we heard you the first time
 

McNum

Member
1. MGS2
2. MGS1
3. MGS4

MGS2 to me is the pinnacle of the series. Great controls, great new features and a story that dares to be weird. MGS1 is a classic, and one of the great Playstation games. MGS4 is solid, and it removed a lot of the annoyances from MGS3 and got back to the main MGS storyline. MGS3 is a mess. The story is fine, but the gameplay is marred by layers upon layers of bad UI design. Good ideas, bad execution. I haven't played the others.
 

jvm

Gamasutra.
1. MGS3
2. MGS1
3. MGS2

MGS3 stretched the game's story and mechanics in just the right ways. Unforgettable experience especially the battle with The End.

MGS1 was the first and set the standard. Nostalgia wins me over a lot.

MGS2 was the tanker and some stuff after that.
 

bitoriginal

Member
I don't really understand the point in only counting the first three votes, would have been nice to see where PW and PO place amongst the mainline games.

1. MGS3
2. MGS1
3. MGS2
4. MGS4
5. MGS: Portable Ops
6. MGS: Peacewalker (I find it hard to describe my hatred for this game)

Metal Gear Solid 3 is literally one of the best games I've ever played. Fantastic storyline, perfect pacing, very interesting characters, and deep stealth mechanics.

Metal Gear Solid is where it started, I played it again about a week ago and every scene and boss encounter is pretty much ingrained into my mind. Can't believe what Kojima achieved with the PS1. Probably the only PS1 game I'll be able to play when I'm 40 years old and still be astounded by it.

Metal Gear Solid 2 set the standards expected from a new generation of hardware and was exactly what I wanted from a sequel.
 

Diamond

Member
1. MGS3; Probably the best plot and writing in the series. This game was incredibly rich, with hours of optional conversations over the Codec, collectables, sandbox possibilities in certain areas, lots of really cool special gameplay sequences (First person view in cinematics, the ladder, The Boss' execution, Snake's dream, etc.). It has also the biggest amount of great boss fights in the series (The End, The Sorrow). Soundtrack (Snake Eater !) and overall 60's atmosphere were just too cool.

2. MGS2
; I often have a hard time ranking MGS2 and 1 over one another. This time I'll take 2. I loved the idea behind the game, an enormous, nearly philosophical joke on the players. The plot could be a lot less convoluted, but that's part of the charm. The whole Solid Snake Simulation, that's in fact Selection for Societal Sanity, that's in fact... Just wow. It's so silly and brilliant at the same time... Plus : mesmerizing soundtrack from Hibino.

3. MGS1; Total respect for the first Solid, a very important game in our medium's history. Simple but great action story, full of twists and turns, introduced great stealth gameplay, memorable villains (Psycho Mantis, Sniper Wolf) and Kojima trademark out-of-the-box game design (Merryl's frequence, Psycho Mantis again). Having replayed it recently, however, I must say I appreciated a little bit less some scenes and gameplay sequences, but it's still a great title.
 

TheSeks

Blinded by the luminous glory that is David Bowie's physical manifestation.
1. MGS3
2. MGS1
3. MGS5:peace Walker
(Dogshit.gif here)
4. MGS2
5. MGS4
6. MGS:port Ops for crimes against humanity.
 
1. MGS1; This game brings back a lot of memories of my high school days when I play it. I was in 11th grade when it first was released.
2. MGS2; The story is a mindfuck.
3. MGS4; only really no. 3 on my list because I have yet to play MGS3.
 

Jb

Member
1. MGS3 (Subsistence): Awesome sandbox-stealth gameplay, great self-contained story, tons of easter eggs and fun stuff to discover. Some of the best boss encounters in the medium.
2. MGS1: Self-explanatory.
3. MGS4: Huge amount of tactical options, but only 2 acts out of 5 really use them. Varied settings and situations. Manages to tie up all the loose ends but some characters are given way to much screen time (Meryl, Naomi, ...). Mandatory install between atcs is a pain in the ass, no trophies, disappointing bosses for the most part.
4. MGS2: Still holds up visually but both the tanker and the plant are fairly boring environments. Pacing is maybe the worst of the series. Raiden is an annoying character.
 

Kuran

Banned
1. MGS:pW (due to replayability and I really loved the tank battles)
2. MGS3
3. MGS4

Such a tough call between MGS4 or MGS1.. and even MGS2 if only for the tanker-scene. But MGS4 had some amazing acts in it that made it win out in the end.
 

anddo0

Member
1. MGS1; The one that started all for me. Some of the most memorable boss fights ever.
2. MGS3; Great story. The last 3 hours of the game were better than most Hollywood movies. Best ending ever?
3. MGS4; Some hate it, but I don't.. More action based than other entries. I liked the varied locals.
4. MGS:pW; Has the least convoluted story of all the MGS games. A joy to play, with more than 100+ hours of content.
5. MGS2; The opening level was amazing. I didn't care much for Big Shell.
6. MGS:pO; Good game.. It's mission structure is what you'd expect for a portable.. Not much of a story, but it told a decent one.
 
1. MGS3; One of my favorite games ever. Good mixture of out-there story and genuine emotion.
2. MGS4; Disappointing blacklash, but I personally still love it. Cutscenes for days, amazing graphics, nice additions to gameplay. Less emphasis on stealth, but luckily the action holds up.
3. MGS2; Story gets a little convoluted for it's own good, but still very fun and memorable. Raiden gets more hate than deserved.

The original is a classic, unfortunately the PSX graphics don't hold up as well and the controls have been improved since then.

Some of you are bad at following directions. :p
 
1) MGS3; simply amazing. Has the best story, top to bottom, out of any game in the series. Boss battles and just the sheer amount you can do in the game (healing, eating, etc etc) don't detract, but add to the game.

2) MGS4; everything was remarkable. What a way to tighten everything up and finish the plotline.

3) MGS; introduced the series to me. Have a ton of great memories as a kid playing this game. Gameplay may not hold up to today's standards, but the story is still spectacular.
 
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