• Hey Guest. Check out your NeoGAF Wrapped 2025 results here!

Rank the metal gear games

MGS1
2
4

Never played 3, I traded my ps2 for an xbox by that time (it was already late in the ps2 gen I had played most of what I wanted anyway).
Bought it on vita but the vita controls suck hard so I never played past the first hour. Graphically it has also aged the worst thanks to representing a jungle, worse than mgs1 :p

Tried peace walker briefly but it controlled like shit too. Didn't care for the card ones.

I'm only 12 hours into MGS5 it's too early to give it a rank, so far it would be my number one.
 
MGS4 was definitely the last classic style MGS in terms of wacky, over the top presentation.

PW and GZ/TPP have their specific formula that is very different from the first 4.
 
4 > 3 > 1 > 2 > PP,

PP undoubtedly has the best gameplay, but the open world is a let down. Not only that, but there also things missing which to me make Metal Gear games Metal Gear games. The cheesy dialogue, the insane boss battles, the convoluted story.
 
1. MGS2
2. MGS3
3. MGS1
4. RISING

5. MGS4
6. GHOST BABEL
7. MG2: SS

8. MPO
9. PEACE WALKER
10. MG1

I'm sensing V will rank just above MGS4.
 
I've only played the Kojima-directed ones at any length, but right now, I'm thinking

1. The Phantom Pain/Ground Zeroes
2. Metal Gear
3. Metal Gear Solid
4. Metal Gear 2
5. Metal Gear Solid 4
6. Metal Gear Solid 2
7. Peace Walker
8. Ghost Babel
9. Metal Gear Solid 3

edit: Oh wait I forgot I own Ghost Babel which is pretty neat.
 
As of now (still not finished MGS5 so it might change):

1. MGS 2
2. MGS 3
3. MGS 4
4. MGS 1
5. MGS 5
6. MGS Peace Walker
 
1. MGS 3
Depth and complexity in both story and gameplay
2. MGS 2
Production values up the arse. Mind bending to this day
3. MGS
Aged like fine wine and milk all at once
4. Metal Gear 2
Effectively the same game as MGS 1. So impressive but I played MGS first
5. Peace Walker
The most stealth gameplay in the entire franchise, it lacks polish and its grindy and the story is ... there, but it's still has the mgs flair and it has the most raw gameplay of all the games.
6. MGS 4
It plays well and the first two chapters are great fun, but it's all down hill from there stealthwise. The set pieces make up for it, but the sheer volume of fluff really hurts the experience.
7. MGS POps
It's fine. Plays better on the vita. The ending is kinda cool... I don't have much to say
8. Metal Gear
Amazing considering the time, but so under baked and filled with little annoyances.

Will add mgs v (ground zeroes and phantom pain) when completed. So far it's incredible! Probably going to be trading punches with 2 and 3.
 
Really interesting to see how many people are ranking MGSV lower than quite a lot of the previous iterations in the series.

Is this mainly for the lack of story and plot elements or is it gameplay?
 
1. MGS 3
2. MGS 4
3. MGS 1
4. MGS 2

Since Peace Walker wasn't a console game I'm not really sure where I'd put it in regards to the other games.

I've also never played the PO games.

[edit]

I loved Peace Walker, by the way.

Seems like some people dislike it.
 
1- MGS3 10/10
2- MGS4 9/10
3- MGS5 8.5/10
4- MGS1 8/10
5- MGS2 8/10
6- Peace Walker(hated this one tho)


MGS5 is great and it had the best gameplay in the series, but I thought it was disappointing.

some crons imo:

SPOOLERS
1- repetitive missions they even made me repeat the first mission the awakening and some other older missions on harder difficulties.

2- pretty only one real boss which is a huge bummer for me because other MGS had great and memorable bosses. not even Skull face as a boss.

3- too much missions too little story: outside of the too much time I spent on missions and side ops the amount of actual story cutscenes and events were not satisfying at all.


also a personal opinion of mine I thought the game was too serious. I know it's intentional by Kojima, but I loved the silly and the so many funny story cutescens/codec conversations.

again a solid 8.5/10 in my book the second best game of the year by far.
 
MGS2
MGS3
MGS4
MGS
MGS:PW

MGSV will probably be in between 4 and 1 and actually influenced the order compared to my previous thoughts.
 
i dont have finished PP yet, but i played it a lot to place it for the moment in the Top 3!

1) MGS1
2) MGS3
3) MGSV
4) MG2
5) MGS2
6) MGS4
7) Ground Zeroes
8) Portable Ops
9) MG1
10) Peace Walker

MGSV cant top 1 and 3, alone because of the bosses, they're almost as disappointing as the ones from Peace Walker :/
 
1. Phantom Pain
2. Snake Eater
3. Metal Gear Solid
4. Peace Walker
5. Guns of the Patriots
6. Metal Gear Ac!d 2
7. Portable Ops 2
8. Sons of Liberty
 
MGS3 10/10
MGS1 9/10
MGS4 8/10
MGS2 8/10
PW 7/10
PO 6/10


About 25-33% through MGS5. It's a very strange experience, simultaneously super polished yet also kind of half-baked in some aspects, so I'm not sure where to put it yet. Probably better than MGS2 and 4 at least.
 
1. MGS2
My only complaint is that when playing this after the first time through and trying to just enjoy the gameplay, the cutscenes are either unskippable or take a long time to skip.
2. MGS4
I don't feel that MGS4 ruined the series. The plot was always bad and I don't care if MGS2 had questions that were never meant to be anwsered. Those questions weren't very good in the first place. The first three MGS games are great but it's not like they're great works of art with some kind of integrity. I don't think parody and camp are things that should be treated seriously. Even if Kojima didn't want to make MGS4 it wouldn't have made the plot or writing better if he did want to make it. I'm not trying to insult Kojima, far from it, I just can't treat his work like it has any integrity.
3. MGS3
4. MGS
5. MGS: PW
This is one of the worst games I've ever played. Everything in it is bad.

I would group MGSV: GZ and MGSV: TPP together as one game. TPP is pretty good so far but I haven't finished it yet so I won't rank it. Cassette tapes are still bad but this is much better than PW.
 
Only started with the series this year and haven't played Phantom Pain
or the first one yet. I can't stand PS1/N64 graphics. I want to play Twin Snakes. Suck it up, Gaf.

For me it is:

1. Metal Gear Rising
2. Metal Gear Solid 4
3. Metal Gear Solid V: Ground Zeroes
4. Metal Gear Solid 2 and 3
5. Snake in Super Smash Bros. Brawl
6. Every other reference to MGS in games
7. Metal Gear Solid: Peace Walker
 
1. MGS 3
2. MGS 2
3 .MGS 4
4. MGS 1
Infinity: Piece of Shit Walker

Not ranking MGS5 until i finish it, but it's not going to top MGS 3, i think. Going to include Ground Zeroes with TPP because it feels like the tanker mission to TPP's Big Shell.
 
1) MGS3 - It's the most complete game I've ever played, satisfactory on every single front from music, gameplay, boss fights, story, atmosphere etc.

2) MGS2 - We all know why this is great.

3) MGS 4 - It still had the MGS3 charm to some extent minus the story. Had some cool moments though and Solid Snake is best protagonist.

4) MGS 5 - Having the best gameplay alone won't make me ignore the issues this game has from an incomplete mission structure to an unsatisfactory story, OST, character development and "boss fights". It feels unfinished, the later part of the game is proof of that. The gameplay is pretty much splinter cell (minus Sam's acrobatics) in an open world...which is pretty good in itself.

5) MGS1 - I'd put it higher but it simply hasn't stood the test of time much, it was an amazing game when I first played it but I've played better now.

6) MGS PW - I do not like base building and this was the worst kind, a base you don't even see with tiny levels and ridiculous boss fights.
 
Kojima made games.

1. MGS 2
2. MGS 1
3. MGS 3
4. GZ
5. MGS 4
6. PW

MGS1 and MGS2 are really equal to me so they could be changed. Still going through Phantom Pain but atm I would rank it atleast over GZ not sure if over 3. Also PW is easily worst game in the series.

Also if you count spinoffs MGR would be number 1 for me.
 
I'm only like 10% of MGSV but I'm thinking it won't surpass MGS4 for me.

So..

1. MGS4
2. MGS1
3. MGS3
4. MGS2
 
I'm pretty sure this is nothing controversial, but:

1. Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater Subsistence
2. Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain
3: Metal Gear Solid
4: Metal Gear Solid: Peace Walker
5: Metal Gear 2: Solid Snake
6: Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of the Patriots Substance
7: Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots
8: Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance
9: Metal Gear
10: Metal Gear Portable Ops
11: Metal Gear Solid V: Ground Zeroes

Edit: Subjective list notwithstanding, nearly all of these games are all-time masterpieces and this merely represents my personal experiences with them. Rising, for example, might not even belong here. I -love- it, but it's not really a Metal Gear game.
 
In order from best to worst:

MGS1 - Still Kojima's best game.
MGS2 - Refines a bunch of mechanics from MGS1. One of the best game sequels of all time.
MG AC!D 2 - Most underrated MG game ever. Perfected the concepts introduced in MGAC!D 1. Nice visual style too.
MGS3 (Subsistence version, OG version had crap camera) - Best game prequel of all time.
Ghost Babel (MGS GBC) - Shinta Nojiri made the best spin off Metal Gear games.
MG Rising - A really fun game. Story is just 80s action movie cheese that parodies MGS4.
MGAC!D 1 - A neat new concept. This is the one Metal Gear game that had grown on me the most over the years. Has a very MGS2 style story.
MG2 - A really good 8-bit era game where Kojima found his footing.
Portable Ops - actually felt more like classic Metal Gear than either MGS4 or Peace Walker ever did, even if the story is a bit of a mess. Better bosses than any of the mainline games after it.
Peace Walker - good concept, executed in a really inconsistent way (which MGSV perfected), crap boss battles, forgettable story and characters.
MG1 - Okay game, kind of primitive and missing a lot of the series more refined features
MGS4 - Worst mainline game. The complete antithesis of MGS2. One of the worst game sequels I've ever played, whereas MGS2 was one of the best..
Digital Graphic Novel - lol
Metal Gear Mobile - yeah, I actually played it...it sucked.

I have yet to play Twin Snakes (GC). Not included the two Metal Gear Online games. No interest in Digital Graphic Novel 2. And I'm not including MGSV (I'm including Ground Zeroes as a part of it too) until I finish it.
 
So far, 5 = 3 > 4 > 2 > PW

Never actually played 1 or PO.
But goddamn do I love 3 and TPP has been fantastic so far. Like them for very different reasons though.
 
1. Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain. Best gameplay, stealth, replay value, open world diversity, tape conversations, Mother Base mechanics etc.

2. Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater / Subsistence. So many layers in each area: codec, animals, camo, survival viewer, toying with soldiers, Kermit frogs... Has the two best boss fights in any game.

3: Metal Gear Solid. Aged and archaic, but best atmosphere. Good pacing, great bosses. Intense and dramatic.

4: Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty / Substance. Insane plot (in a good way), postmodern themes, commentary on the first game, breaking the fourth wall, best story twists. Compact all-in-one MGS.

5: Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots. Starts off great, has some great concepts like the "stealth in battlefield" thing, but loses control somewhere in the ridiculous 3rd act. Idiotic story and ending. Too many cringeworthy cutscenes, too little gameplay.

6: Metal Gear Solid: Portable Ops. Sometimes MGS is better without Kojima. No supernatural bullshit, no ridiculous dialogue, just stealth, exploration, and recruiting soldiers.

7. Metal Gear Solid V: Ground Zeroes. Hard to rank this. Great gameplay, but the base game is over in an hour. Works as a prologue to PP, but too thin by itself.

999999999999...9. Metal Gear Solid: Peace Walker. Horrible, ugly game. Grindy missions, incredibly boring bosses. Sometimes funny, most of the time just stupid: Hot Coldman, Dr. Strangelove, the Peace Walker AI, urgh. Shouldn't be part of the series. One of the most overrated games ever. Also worst performance by David Hayter.
 
I'm not finished with MGS V but put in over 20 hours. And my MGS rankings do change with time and things fluctuate a lot. But of the main games I'd say right now it's

1) MGS 3
2) MGS 1
3) MGS GZ/V - really GZ is the tanker mission of the game
4) MGS IV
5) MGS 2
6) Peace walker
 
1. MGSV: TPP
2. MGS
3. MGS 3
4. Don't forget Rising!
4. MGS 4
5. MGS 2
6. MGS: Peace Walker
7. MGS: Ground Zeroes

Basically 3 classic games, 2 very enjoyable but silly games and finally 3 cold sacks of dicks.
 
1. Metal Gear Solid 4
2. Metal Gear Solid 5[second only because of snakes voice change :(.]
3. Metal Gear Solid
4. Metal Gear Solid 2
5. Metal Gear Solid 3
6. Metal Gear Solid: Peace Walker
 
Sons of Liberty
Guns of the Patriots
Metal Gear Solid
Revengance
Ground Zeroes
Snake Eater
Peace Walker

I'm only 7% in The Phantom Pain so far, but it's probably going to land at 2nd or 3rd on my list. It will also render Ground Zeroes irrelevant and knock it below Snake Eater. I should also note that I enjoyed all of these games except for Peace Walker
 
So far?
MGS2
MGS1
MGS4
MGS3
MGS5

5 is great I just don't know where to put it but it's not looking good, I didn't include PW because I don't class it as a proper MGS and 5 is heading into the same direction.
Kojima put credits at the beginning and end of each mission as if it's a TV series, well thats what it feels like.
MGSV is like Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D while the MGS 1,2,3,4 is like the Avengers, Captain America, Iron Man.
 
1. MGS V and MGS 3
MGS V is the best MGS game ever, best gameplay, the open world helps a lot. MGS 3 is the best storytelling game and a classic.
2. MGS 2
3. MGS 1
4. MGS 4
 
Metal Gear Solid 2 is still the best one overall! However, Phantom Pain has one of the best gameplay period, but everything else was disappointing :(
 
1.) MGS3:
Best Gameplay, Best Setting, Best Bosses, Best Soundtrack, Best Writing, Plot and Characters
I just feel like the stars aligned for this one

2.)MGS2:
Fantastic Gameplay, Story is hit and miss, mediocre bosses although fatman is great
Very memorable though that ending is bananas but even with this games flaws, the gameplay is too good to ignore.

3.) Peace Walker:
Fantastic fun in Co-Op, Surprisingly gripping story, Bosses didnt feel designed for single player and incredibly dull on your own, mother base was great too

4.) MGS:
Bosses on par with 3, pacing also on par with 3, i just feel like this one has aged pretty poorly, maybe its because 2 was the first i played but I just dont enjoy the first as much
Also I've only played the PSN port, ive tried it on PS3 and Vita and each time the controls feel way too delayed really ruined my experience with it, fantastic codecs though

5.) MGS4:
I do like this one, im just not sure why, it feels like a very lackluster sequel compared to how good 3 is, the writing is awful in this one, nanomachines are as stupid a plot tool here as midichlorians are in star wars just completely ruins the magic.
Even though it does feel like focus shifted from stealth towards action here those first two chapters are pretty freaking great as well as the last one, bosses are okay actually fighting them is pretty fun (except the one in the tower flying about) but in terms of character the beauty and beast squad are just rehashes interesting backstories that are dumped onto you in long winded expository drebin codec convos they all have interesting back stories but the way they are delivered makes them entirely forgettable.
but yeah cool ending but should really only be played by people who are already invested in the franchise

leaving out MGSV as I havent finished it yet, gameplay is superb and id probably put it at the number 2 spot as the story just doesnt seem to be tight as Snake Eater but gameplay feels like a very great marriage of MGS3 + Peace Walker
 
Not counting TPP as im nowhere near the end so i cant pass judgement on it yet:

MGS2
MGS3
MGS1
MGS4
PW
PO

Not sure if we should consider Rising, but if we do then between 2 and 3
 
3 - great story, gameplay, and fantastic pacing.
2 - great story and gameplay.
1 - fun story, good gameplay.
5 - terrible story with good characters, amazing gameplay.
PW - terrible story with good characters, mediocre gameplay.
4 - terrible story with poorly written characters, glaring design flaws permeating the entire game.
 
1. MGS4 - Recently replayed it. It's still a masterwork that really tied up a lot of loose ends over the years. Not to mention it probably plays the best of the entire series. Introducing versatility in tackling setpieces was a great idea from a videogame's standpoint.
2. MGS2 - In retrospect, the bait and switch actually provided Metal Gear with one of its most memorable characters. And they did improve on MGS1's gameplay. So I would have to put it above even MGS1. Speaking of which...
3. MGS1 - An absolute classic game that really put "Metal Gear" on the map. Dated by today, but always worth reminiscing over for various reasons.
4. MGS3 - Unfortunately the one I enjoyed the least. Most of the QoL stuff from MGS2 is gone, and a couple of segments were dependent on gameplay elements that weren't fully explained. It boils down to "Menu Gear Solid" at times.
 
1. Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater/Subsistence - One of the finest video games I've ever had the pleasure of experiencing. 10/10

2. Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty - The game that made me realize that I didn't actually buy my PS2 for GTA3, not really. I bought it for this. My introduction to the series. 9/10

3. Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots - WTF/10

4. Metal Gear Solid 5: The Phantom Pain/Ground Zeroes - Great game, just not a great Metal Gear game. 8.5/10 (so far)

5. Metal Gear Solid - Truly ahead of it's time, but I was way late to the party and played it when it was a somewhat dated experience. 8/10

6. Metal Gear Solid: Portable Ops - You can see where Kojima is going with this... 7/10

7. Metal Gear Solid: Peace Walker - ...He lands on this...whatever Monster Hunter tryhard this is. 6/10
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

Lost Metal Gear 1 fan remake?
15
354
Red Crayon Aristocrat replied
David Hayter Didn't Fully Understand Metal Gear While Recording
Opinion Trailer Game Dev 
9
139
Wandering Leopard replied
Metal Gear Solid Collection Volume 2 Includes Metal Gear 4 and Peace Walker | State of Play 2026
News Trailer  3 4 5 6 7
303
2K
Mr. PlayStation replied
Strafefox - The Making of Metal Gear Solid
0
325
winjer replied
Shutaro Iida (Castlevania, Bloodstained, Metal Gear) has passed away
Business Game Dev 
19
405
Mr Moose replied
Top Bottom