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[brian0057]

Ground Zeroes, easy.
It's the furthest from a Metal Gear game and the closest to being actual stealth the series ever got.
And it's not the clusterfuck that The Phantom Pain is.

 

[KOMANI]

He doesn't even look androgynous - he looks alien.
Even in 2001 graphics context, there is no excuse for this sort of warped character models.

Im not defending it, it’s subjective. Just saying why his waist is tiny and has wider hips.

 

[YCoCg]

The first three games are legendary in their own ways and are all very close in ranking but I often find myself remembering more things such as music, atmosphere, etc, from MGS2 so that got the vote. I'll also never forget how much of a generation leap it felt going from MGS1 to MGS2, that huge difference made it feel like a quantum leap of a jump compared to the usual expected visual quality bump we got with MGS4 and MGSV.

PS: Twin Snakes is trash

PPS: The N-Gage MGS game that takes place between MGS1 and MGS2 is also interesting, I believe Tomokazu Fukushima wrote the script for it...

 

[KOMANI]

The first three games are legendary in their own ways and are all very close in ranking but I often find myself remembering more things such as music, atmosphere, etc, from MGS2 so that got the vote. I'll also never forget how much of a generation leap it felt going from MGS1 to MGS2, that huge difference made it feel like a quantum leap of a jump compared to the usual expected visual quality bump we got with MGS4 and MGSV.

PS: Twin Snakes is trash

PPS: The N-Gage MGS game that takes place between MGS1 and MGS2 is also interesting, I believe Tomokazu Fukushima wrote the script for it...

He didn’t. Sadaaki Kaneyoshi came up with the story for Ideaworks3D to use. Tomokazu Fukushima wrote Ghost Babel, wrote and directed Snake Tales, and cowrote mgs 1-3, acid 1-2.

 

[WouldYouKindly]

For the 7 people that voted for the twin snakes trash for shame.

 

[JimiNutz]

It's probably MGS3 but I had to vote MGS1.
MGS1 holds such a special place in my heart. It probably plays poorly now but in my head it's fucking brilliant. The game absolutely blew my mind playing through it for the first time as a teenager.

 

[Hydroxy]

My favourite is Snake Eater. One of my all time favorite games.

 

[EdGalTBR]

Phantom Pain, for sure.

 

[kingbean]

My favorite in terms of whole package is 3 subsistance, but Phantom Pain is amazing gameplay wise.

 

[Arachnid]

MGS4 (from a gameplay perspective, the stealth gameplay was the deepest it's ever been) and Ground Zeroes for me

 

[#Phonepunk#]

Ground Zeroes, easy.
It's the furthest from a Metal Gear game and the closest to being actual stealth the series ever got.
And it's not the clusterfuck that The Phantom Pain is.

Ground Zeroes was the peak, but imo only because it was given the polish that Phantom Pain was denied. had Kojima got that long polish phase on MGSV, it would have been the best of all in my book.

these days i've come around to the viewpoint that Metal Gear Solid 5 is really three games:
- Metal Gear Solid: Peace Walker
- Metal Gear Solid V: Ground Zeroes
- Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain

together they represent a trilogy spanning two decades following the post-MGS3 story of Big Boss. the trilogy show how he became a mercenary legend, participating in all the big Post Cold War conflict zones throughout the 70s and 80s, building up his army, and finally obtaining WMDs that threatened the world (necessitating the start of the first Metal Gear where he is the villain).

it's kind of amazing what Kojima was able to accomplish, even while being fired and having his creation chopped up before his eyes. following MGS3 we get a full trilogy of games to fill in the decades connecting it to the first Metal Gear. i love how MGSV literally links back to the first game in the series (as well as the first MGS), completing the loop, "connecting it all together". it's really the only way he could put a definitive end to the series. masterful.

 

[Soodanim]

In terms of full Metal Gear Solid games, my answer has to be Subsistence. Feels a touch loose on the controls these days but that's about it. Vanilla 3 was trash.
In terms of gameplay mechanics, 5 is incredible and it's a real shame that TPP wasn't finished. Ground Zeroes is, albeit short, a faithful MGS with that gameplay and it deserves credit for what it is. TPP had potential, but I only consider 1 mission faithful to the series (infiltration befitting of MGS) so it can't win.

Peace Walker (HD) gets an honourable mention, but there were too many cut and paste challenge missions I didn't even bother attempting. Great gameplay, though.

Give me 3 with the gameplay of 5.

 

[Vitter.]

Snake Eater edges slightly The first one. Both are equal imo, but if i HAVE to choose is that.

 

[Caffeine]

snake eater easily a sense of openess in a linear game, its the precursor to the entire franchise, very bond like, camo system, survival system/ healing wounds.

mgs is up there but I think snake eater edges past it slightly.

 

[Happosai]

MGS2 out-ranked Twin Snakes? How? This is defective. Twin Snakes is my favourite. I did like MGS2 before Raiden showed up.

 

[Soodanim]

MGS2 out-ranked Twin Snakes? How? This is defective. Twin Snakes is my favourite. I did like MGS2 before Raiden showed up.

I don't despise the game nearly as much as others (except for jumping on a missile), but boy you are in one hell of a small group

 

[Happosai]

I don't despise the game nearly as much as others (except for jumping on a missile), but boy you are in one hell of a small group

I was fascinated that they managed to give Nintendo GC (possibly the last MGS title in the Nintendo and 3rd since the NES Metal Gear games) a MGS game exclusively. It wasn't just a port...I recall David Hayter saying that he gave up part of his share to hire back all the original V.A.s

Yes, it indeed a small group. Do MGS fans really like Raiden or do they just tolerate the character?

 

[nordique]

For me it’s either MGS3 or MGS Twin Snakes

loved playing the OG mgs with upgraded visuals.

but mgs3 is overall my fav I think

 

[KOMANI]

I was fascinated that they managed to give Nintendo GC (possibly the last MGS title in the Nintendo and 3rd since the NES Metal Gear games) a MGS game exclusively. It wasn't just a port...I recall David Hayter saying that he gave up part of his share to hire back all the original V.A.s

Yes, it indeed a small group. Do MGS fans really like Raiden or do they just tolerate the character?

Wasnt the first time Nintendo got an exclusive metal gear game. Snakes Revenge and Ghost Babel came before it. MGS3D was also exclusive to the 3DS. Even though a port, it also has features exclusive to that version.

 

[Mypmarlo]

MGS 3.
EVERYONE who thinks differently is WRONG

 

[Soodanim]

I was fascinated that they managed to give Nintendo GC (possibly the last MGS title in the Nintendo and 3rd since the NES Metal Gear games) a MGS game exclusively. It wasn't just a port...I recall David Hayter saying that he gave up part of his share to hire back all the original V.A.s

Yes, it indeed a small group. Do MGS fans really like Raiden or do they just tolerate the character?

Raiden in MGS2 wasn't quite a fan favourite, certainly at the time. But the gameplay and the details of the game were such a huge leap for starters. The story was a bit crazy at times, but over the years as people dissected it and did analysis videos the game became better understood. Not to mention the scarily accurate social commentary the end of the game has. All of the meta/4th wall stuff and social commentary made the game transcend just being a good game, in retrospect. And it was great fun for everyone at the time.

Twin Snakes changed too much about 1 for people to class it as up there with the best. The back port made the game easier and the goofy cinematics took away from what the game was.

 

[Honjo]

Metal Gear Solid PS1. Snake Eater has the best gameplay in the franchise, but nothing comes close to the fantastic characters and scenario of Shadow Moses. Also, MGS5 sucks and Kojima has become a hack.

 

[Happosai]

Raiden in MGS2 wasn't quite a fan favourite, certainly at the time. But the gameplay and the details of the game were such a huge leap for starters. The story was a bit crazy at times, but over the years as people dissected it and did analysis videos the game became better understood. Not to mention the scarily accurate social commentary the end of the game has. All of the meta/4th wall stuff and social commentary made the game transcend just being a good game, in retrospect. And it was great fun for everyone at the time.

Twin Snakes changed too much about 1 for people to class it as up there with the best. The back port made the game easier and the goofy cinematics took away from what the game was.

I might need to replay MGS 2. I think what bothered me with Raiden was that he sorta came off as a beta-male modern anime type of guy. It felt like he was out-of-place and his codec has constantly being spammed by an annoying girlfriend. I don't even remember her name. She lacked the quality of stronger female characters like: Sniper Wolf, Meryl, and Eva. I feel the story behind MGS 2 is great, though.

 

[rickyEGM]

Metal Gear Solid 2 is the greatest game of all time.

 

[Soodanim]

I might need to replay MGS 2. I think what bothered me with Raiden was that he sorta came off as a beta-male modern anime type of guy. It felt like he was out-of-place and his codec has constantly being spammed by an annoying girlfriend. I don't even remember her name. She lacked the quality of stronger female characters like: Sniper Wolf, Meryl, and Eva. I feel the story behind MGS 2 is great, though.

Even if you don’t play it, YouTube has some very insightful content on it. They should be top results. Start with Critical Close Up (35 min), but Matthewmatosis’ video also deserves a watch.

Everything you said about Raiden is intentional! He’s purposely the polar opposite of Snake. If you do replay it, I’d recommend trying to embrace it. Let the game play out. I know from experience that going against what a game is doesn’t really work out that well.

 

[Arachnid]

Metal Gear Solid 2 is the greatest game of all time.

Definitely the greatest story in the series. Sure, it didn't bring the feels like MGS3 or MGS4, but it was a straight up mind fuck kind of game that explored deep and relevant topics.

 

[bender]

Snake Eater, Peace Walker and Phantom Pain are all great mechanically. Sons of the Patriots has the best story but is the weakest entry mechanically. Phantom Pain has the worst story. I'd go with Snake Eater overall.

 

[brenobnfm]

Metal Gear Solid 3 is such a shit cringe worthy game, god knows why it got the praise it got. Metal Gear Solid 1 is so much better it's not funny. The second best Metal Gear game is Rising.

 

[transformer]

The original for me. I remember renting that game and completing in a single sitting. It was mind blowing my good. Nothing else like it before. I was up all night and couldn’t put it down. The sun came up before I finished. Good times.

Caveat: I haven’t played V yet.