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[Betty]

YOU SKIPPED THE END!?!?!

You messed up.

And the MGS3 bosses are insanely colourful, if you knew the amount of options you had in beating them you'd be more impressed.

But seriously.

YOU SKIPPED THE END!?!?!

But, I thought The Boss was probably the best written female character i've ever seen in a game. She's still feminine but she still has the strength that you would expect from someone in such a high position. No one ever makes any qualms about her being a woman but fears and respects her for the B.A. that she is.

She's right you know.

Alot better than 1, 2, and 3 combined.

Also true. People can say what they want about the story, but the controls and gameplay were heads and shoulders above MGS1,2,3 in MGS4.

 

[FlashbladeGAF]

also


MGS: Perfect
MGS2: Kojima you crazy genuis
MGS3: [Salutes The Boss's grave with a single tear] End boss fight is the best boss fight of the entire series
MGS4: Forgives Kojima for wrapping up the story that he never intended to last past the 2nd game, because

Spoiler

he let Snake live at the end (Snake has been punished enough)

MGSPW: Mother Base was fun but F the story (You guys should just watch the 1st and 5th chapter walk thru on youtube if you can't get ahold of the game)
MGSGZ: Damn... That ending made going thru PW's story worth it. Didn't care about any of those characters in PW but in GZ I almost shed a tear

Spoiler

I miss Hayter

 

[Catalix]

Back when MGS3 came out I felt disappointed. I recognized that mechanically, it was the best game in the series and the bosses were fun, but at the time I was really into the whole lore and story aspect, and I thought the story, apart from the last 2 hours, was really disappointing. The bosses played no real part in it and neither did your support team really. I loved all the backstage drama of your codec support in MGS1 and MGS2 had some of that too. In MGS3 they're really just there for information and comic relief, which is nice, but I expected more. Nothing really happens in the story over a long stretch of the game, and the pacing near the beginning was pretty bad.

Thankfully MGS4 came out and destroyed my interest in the overarching MGS plot. I could let go of my silly hang-ups and finally enjoy MGS3 for what it was. It's now my favorite game in the series.

Oh wow, this describes my experience with MGS3 (and 4) so well lol

 

[OmegaFax]

Never mind the story. What's MGS4's gameplay like? On par with the others?

Being enamored by Octo-Camo and an install screen that will inspire future chain smokers.

Seriously though, MGS4 was two step forwards and a step back. They streamlined the camo system from MGS3 but the survival elements were stripped away. Bit more episodic than previous entries (but not as level centric as Peace Walker).

 

[raven777]

Never mind the story. What's MGS4's gameplay like? On par with the others?

best in the series except GZ.

 

[Fancy Clown]

I dont buy it. As much as I love MGS2, the last third of it is absolutely terrible from a gameplay perspective. And by that, I mean what little gameplay there is. Start with reaching the president, its basically a 3:1 ratio of cutscenes/codecs to gameplay.

But the gameplay that precedes it is way better than any of the gameplay in 1, and the story heavy section in the last couple hours is also better than anything in 1 haha. And I will take an overdose of insane and awesome MGS2 cutscenes over the instant bonerkill time waster of the temper sensitive key card you are forced to do before you can get back to the super urgent climax of the first one. It's like if you were having sex only to be forced to pull out right before you nut because someone barges in and forces you to do some inane task before you can get back at it again.

 

[KiefbladeMaster]

I should probably pick up the collection before grabbing V. Feel like I'd be totally lost without it.

 

[Discotheque]

great ranking 2 > 3 > 1 > 4 though for me

3 is very ambitious and quite a good game but i think i preferred how much tighter the second felt. the first is also tight but kinda dated controls-wise.

4 is just a giant piece of shit. it pretty much killed my love for the series for years but then Kojima drops that MGS V trailer with the New Order song and got me kinda hyped again (but not as hyped as I would have been pre mgs4 :/ )

 

[FlashbladeGAF]

MGS4? Gameplay? lol

Great game, but coming from MGS3 it's severely lacking in terms of playable hours.
Gets drowned out from the hours of cutscenes

Looks like he's making up for playable hours with MGSV:TPP

 

[TheXbox]

Being enamored by Octo-Camo and an install screen that will inspire future chain smokers.

Seriously though, MGS4 was two step forwards and a step back. They streamlined the camo system from MGS3 but the survival elements were stripped away. Bit more episodic than previous entries (but not as level centric as Peace Walker).

There was a still a survival-esque mechanic in the form of the Psyche meter. Don't forget to hide in a barrel or Snake will get the shakes!

 

[PensivePen]

Great game, but coming from MGS3 it's severely lacking in terms of playable hours.
Looks like he's making up for it with TPP

It really needed VR missions or something.

I'm still missing the ability to snap to walls with triangle in Ground Zeroes. Though other than that I think it's an improvement gameplay-wise in most ways.

 

[Hispanic! At the Disco]

I'll definitely be going back to MGS3 after PW, GZ, and TPP for a retry with a newer perspective and actually fighting The End. I just found out that you could skip him and the concept of killing a boss before the boss fight was too cool to not try to me.

And I think the gameplay and controls actually improved greatly with every iteration of the franchise. GZ i have played and will play again after PW, but GZ's controls is like the perfection of MGS controls.

 

[TheBear]

Idk I like them all :shrug:

MGS2 is probably the pick of the bunch though. I found MGS3's controls a bit cumbersome on the PS2

 

[Hispanic! At the Disco]

Idk I like them all :shrug:

MGS2 is probably the pick of the bunch though. I found MGS3's controls a bit cumbersome on the PS2

I liked them all too! I don't think any are bad. Even though there were things I disliked from all of them, the things I liked shone through the rest and I actually really enjoyed all 4 games.

 

[TwoDurans]

You thought the story to MGS3 was... bad? For real?

 

[FlashbladeGAF]

It really needed VR missions or something.

I'm still missing the ability to snap to walls with triangle in Ground Zeroes. Though other than that I think it's an improvement gameplay-wise in most ways.

Going straight into GZ from PW wasn't as smooth as I thought it was going to be.
I couldn't get the exact control layout I had in PW, plus that AI.
Got caught slacking too much. Gotta bring your A game when playing a console version I guess.

 

[AdaWong]

MGS3 >>>>>>>>>>>>>> MGS2 > MGS1 >> Trash > MGS4

 

[TheStruggler]

If I could described my experience with MGS3 in one word it would be underwhelming.

What a lame bunch of bosses. Boring boss after boring boss after boring boss. (BIG NOTE: I skipped The End! Sorry!)

 

[FlashbladeGAF]

I'll definitely be going back to MGS3 after PW, GZ, and TPP for a retry with a newer perspective and actually fighting The End. I just found out that you could skip him and the concept of killing a boss before the boss fight was too cool to not try to me.

And I think the gameplay and controls actually improved greatly with every iteration of the franchise. GZ i have played and will play again after PW, but GZ's controls is like the perfection of MGS controls.

Did you play MGS3 Snake Eater (fixed camera) or Subsistence (free camera)?

For PW it may take you more time than you want to get thru Chapter 5.
No one will blame you for watching a youtube walkthrough of the final chapter.

Just go to GZ's backstory plus audio tapes to get the full details after you've watched Ch5.

 

[Hispanic! At the Disco]

Did you play MGS3 Snake Eater (fixed camera) or Subsistence (free camera)?

For PW it may take you more time than you want to get thru Chapter 5.
No one will blame you for watching a youtube walkthrough of the final chapter.

Just go to GZ's backstory plus audio tapes to get the full details after you've watched Ch5.

HD Collection for MGS2, 3, and soon PW.

Yea I plan on listening to the audio tapes after beating PW so I don't miss anything.

 

[Catalix]

great ranking 2 > 3 > 1 > 4 though for me

3 is very ambitious and quite a good game but i think i preferred how much tighter the second felt. the first is also tight but kinda dated controls-wise.

4 is just a giant piece of shit. it pretty much killed my love for the series for years but then Kojima drops that MGS V trailer with the New Order song and got me kinda hyped again (but not as hyped as I would have been pre mgs4 :/ )

Can't disagee with any of this.

You thought the story to MGS3 was... bad? For real?

I wouldn't say bad, personally. Just certain aspects are a little underwhelming compared to MGS2 and 1.

 

[deltacanuckian]

MGS4 is the best game in the series. There. I said it. 3 is no doubt the best story, but 4 just plays the best. And it's so stupid. SO STUPID.

I don't know if I'd call it the best, but excluding GZ/TPP it absolutely plays the best. I just spent two weeks going for the platinum, and other than the drag of the Chicken Run and the insanity of Boss Extreme, I really enjoyed just messing around and figuring out different stuff I somehow never realized I could do. Oh, and of course it's hilariously dumb like you said.

I'd give my own rankings for the series, but I'm pretty sure GAF is going to murder me if I do. Hell, admitting that might give away part of it... Ah, fuck it.

MGS3 > MGS1 > MGS PW > MGS4 > MGS2

I DON'T LIKE MGS2. THERE. I SAID IT.

 

[Sectorseven]

MGS1 is best.

Most fleshed out characters, well paced, relatively grounded story.

 

[FlashbladeGAF]

HD Collection for MGS2, 3, and soon PW.

Yea I plan on listening to the audio tapes after beating PW so I don't miss anything.

I actually forgot about the audio tapes in PW

The audio tapes in GZ were great and covered events during PW and before GZ
(plus it helps you get used to Boss's "new" voice)

Spoiler

I still can't get used to boss's voice, especially having played PW non stop for almost a month

 

[TheSpaceBetween]

But the gameplay that precedes it is way better than any of the gameplay in 1, and the story heavy section in the last couple hours is also better than anything in 1 haha. And I will take an overdose of insane and awesome MGS2 cutscenes over the instant bonerkill time waster of the temper sensitive key card you are forced to do before you can get back to the super urgent climax of the first one. It's like if you were having sex only to be forced to pull out right before you nut because someone barges in and forces you to do some inane task before you can get back at it again.

But in that way, MGS2 is much less replayable, at least the final third. It's nearly an hour of cutscenes separating the Ray fight from the Solidus fight. The keycard sequence was the only weak point in MGS1's design. Well, other than the Rex fight.

 

[timmyp53]

As for gameplay 1.MGS3 2.PW

 

[Opto]

You need to give MGS3 another shot. Go for European Extreme No Kill Run

 

[Blablurn]

Even though MGS3 is a pretty good game it's my least favourite MGS. I'm just a huge Solid Snake fan. And I was disappointed when they went back into the past with 3. Not a big fan of Big Boss. But it seems like Kojima definitely loves him.

 

[robotrock]

Naaaaah. 2 and 3 are both substantially better games than 1.

I probably agree with this

 

[Nose Master]

End bossfight is silly overrated anyways. Wear good camo, lay down. You follow footsteps, stare into the distance for a lens flare, blast him with the sniper rifle. I found it to be more tedious than anything else. Shooting him before the fight is doing yourself a favor.

Didn't really like 3 though, mostly for the reasons you listed. The bosses are like fucking pokemon. Nothing there. Big Boss is a boring clone of Solid Snake (ironically enough.) No radar was also unfortunate.

 

[zkorejo]

I really enjoyed reading your thoughts on the games.

One thing I don’t understand is why you did not like MGS3 boss characters. Aren’t all Bosses (other than main antagonists) in every MGS similar? They are always the best group of soldiers helping the main antagonist and they are there to stop Snake.

Speaking of just the characters and their impact on the overall story, Cobra Unit was no different than Foxhound, Dead Cell and Beauty & the Beast Unit. One could argue that one unit was way more interesting than the other but all these groups contributed to the story equally IMO.

I really loved the bosses of MGS 3 and their stories, esp. The End and Sorrow.

Plus, I don’t understand why wouldn’t you (or anyone else) care about The Boss? Without going too much into why, I think she is one of the best character of the entire series if not the best.

 

[CloudNein]

1 is still the GOAT. It's too concise, too atmospheric, hits on many tear-jerking emotional points (

Spoiler

Otacon being used, Wolf and GFox death, Solid coming to grips with who he is and what he wants to do with his life

), has amazing boss fights with bosses that actually have real interaction with SSnake and make an impact on him(And some exemplary gameplay with breaking the forth; probably isn't the first but it's one of the prime examples), with awesome plot twists that don't try to scramble your brain. As a cohesive single player game it's a masterpiece, it doesn't try to do too much, it does just enough.

2 is way too heavy on itself and too bloated. The Dead Cell boss designs and other characters are jokes and in poor taste (+Liquid Ocelot's arm, you've got to be fucking with me, ridiculous. EE you're really not anybody worth remembering). The only redeeming value is Solidus. I'll give it to Kojima with his meme theme and the Patriot part focus, that was ambitious and did push video game storytelling.

1 > I don't care what order but MGS1 is first.

It really doesn't have any negative marks besides length, and even then that just makes it easy to replay. MGSV will be closer to MGS1 than any of the other games. I can feel it. That's why it's going to be there trading blows with 1 over the best MGS.

 

[TheSpaceBetween]

End bossfight is silly overrated anyways. Wear good camo, lay down. You follow footsteps, stare into the distance for a lens flare, blast him with the sniper rifle. I found it to be more tedious than anything else. Shooting him before the fight is doing yourself a favor.

Didn't really like 3 though, mostly for the reasons you listed. The bosses are like fucking pokemon. Nothing there. Big Boss is a boring clone of Solid Snake (ironically enough.) No radar was also unfortunate.

I love MGS3 but this is true. It's one of the reasons I'm not as hyped for TPP as I was for 4. Big Boss is a boring character.

 

[MrMatt555]

I love MGS3 but this is true. It's one of the reasons I'm not as hyped for TPP as I was for 4. Big Boss is a boring character.

But he's wrong. Big boss isn't a clone of anyone. Solid Snake/ Liquid/ Solidus are clones of their father. Sure they are clones but they each have morals/ideologies that are all unique to each other (including the father himself -- Big Boss). This isn't boba fett territory here.

 

[Ratrat]

Sometime after I beat TPP I will go back and re-play MGS3 and beat The End.

I've always been curious, why was MGS4 so highly regarded at first?

At first? You even mention in the OP that it won GOTY twice on GAF. Years after it came out. People who hate it are just really vocal.

My ranking:
3>2>4>1

They are all fantastic games but 2&3 are special.

 

[ramyeon]

Big Boss is infinitely more interesting than Solid Snake to me.

This opinion may be influenced due to the fact that I never played MGS4, but from what I've seen the story in that is pretty trite anyway. I feel like Big Boss actually has a way more interesting character arc from MGS3 > Peace Walker > Ground Zeroes and I can't wait to find out exactly what happens next in TPP.

 

[DannyCool]

Just saying!

 

[vaibhavp]

I started with mgs 4. that was a huge mistake. and started it just after uncharted 2 awesomeness in 2009. that was another one. I was underwhelmed would be an understatement.

Currently in middle of mgs 3 and now I see why this series is considered good.

 

[Porcile]

When I played MGS4 years after it came out, I couldn't believe how bad ACT 3 and ACT 4 were. It blew my mind how poorly thought out, and terribly designed ACT 3 was, and it blew my mind how much ACT 4 was an utterly pointless nostalgia grab. How reviewers gave that game a free pass I'll never know.

 

[Scotia]

My list goes 3 > 2 > GZ > 1 > 4

3 is an absolute masterpiece. One of the best games I've ever played. 2 is also great but the ending kinda lost me a bit, although I did finish 2 at 3am so that probably didn't help. GZ is fantastic for what it is and is one of my most played games on my PS4 (until TPP comes out lol). 1 is fantastic but the dated controls and gameplay make it quite difficult for me personally when playing it today. It's still great though. I know 4 gets all kinds of shit but I still really like it. The gameplay was the best in the series at that point and feel like it was a decent(ish) conclusion to the characters of MGS1 and 2 and I personally love all the nostalgia fanservice. I only put it last because of that stupid following mission in Act 3. God that was fucking terrible.

I've never played PW so I can't talk about that.

 

[NZerker12]

MGS3, underwhelming?

That is blasphemy good sir.

MGS3 boss fights, boring? You skipped The End?

You sir are a fool and messed up, BADLY!!

Good day to you, SIR!

Spoiler

Seriously though you messed up by skipping The End, it is one of the best boss fights in the entire series

 

[PancakeAlmighty]

I completely agree, MGS2 is amazing but 3 is overrated due to the unreal expectations being set by fans.

My scale is 2 > (PW = revengence) >>>>>>>>> 1 >>>>>>>>> 3 > 4 > POPs

 

[Chuck Norris]

I can see MGS3 being disappointing coming right off MGS2 and getting do invested in its story telling

In many ways MGS3 was a reaction to the negative opinions of MGS2. It simplifies the story and really had the most subtlety of the series storytelling.

Combined with the fantastic Bond era aesthetics and amazing boss fights and focused story telling it is easy to see why so many consider it the best

But if you wanted the convolution to continue u can see it being disappointing

 

[Nocturnowl]

The wife consensus seems pretty on point.
But I can't be dealing with this MGS3 boss battle slandering.

 

[LittleMonkeyFella]

What a lame bunch of bosses. Boring boss after boring boss after boring boss. (BIG NOTE: I skipped The End! Sorry!)

 

[Jawmuncher]

Yea mgs4 was pretty dumb but damn. I felt bad for boss man

I had no sympathy for him. Big Boss shouldn't have even been there.

 

[mcz117chief]

Don't forget to play Portable Ops (my favourite) on PSP and Peace Walker on PS3. Peace Walker is more like an action rpg and Portable Ops is a bit like that too. But the story, man oh man, the story in Portable Ops is just above anything else in the Metal Gear series, for me definitely.

Spoiler

Seriously though you messed up by skipping The End, it is one of the best boss fights in the entire series

Why is The End so beloved? You just shoot him like all the other bosses. You can even rush him with a shotgun for an easy win, he is ok but not in any way special, or at least I don't see it. Best boss is Gene!

 

[Terbinator]

MGS4 is the best game in the series. There. I said it. 3 is no doubt the best story, but 4 just plays the best. And it's so stupid. SO STUPID.

Well it's the most shooting orientated game and yet a poor TPS at that.

 

[Hypron]

To be honest, I think MGS4's my favourite. I mostly enjoyed the story, it's got the biggest number of memorable moments of the series for me and it's got by far the best gameplay (until GZ).

Yes MGS3 has a better story, but overall I prefer MGS4.

 

[hwy_61]

Just saying!

Threedogg is my favorite MGS streamer.