Best Metal Gear Solid Games Ranked 1

Metal Gear Solid is one of the greatest video game franchises of all time, and so it’s a good job that it’s synonymous with PlayStation.

With every single mainline release putting in an appearance on a Sony system, it’s hard not to associate the famous Solid Snake with the family of consoles, despite only one entry remaining an exclusive throughout its entire lifespan.

To celebrate that, and the sneaking machine’s placement in Push Square’s Ultimate PlayStation Character Tournament, we’ve decided to rank the mainline entries in order – from best to worst.

Just to be clear, this list revolves around every game directed by Hideo Kojima himself. Unfortunately, that rules out the likes of Metal Gear Rising: Revengance and Metal Gear Solid: Portable Ops.

Oh, and Metal Gear Survive.

7. Metal Gear Solid V: Ground Zeroes (PS4)

Acting as a starter to the main course, Metal Gear Solid V: Ground Zeroes introduced us to Hideo Kojima’s final chapter with a short expedition to Camp Omega that laid the foundations for The Phantom Pain. Despite receiving constant criticism for its tepid running time, supporters took to the entry well thanks to its deep demonstration of the new mechanics in play, and an open world playground ripe with manipulation and experimentation. A short but sweet sneaking experience.

6. Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain (PS4)

Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain could have topped this list with ease, but it forgot to come packaged with a compelling narrative. What makes this all the more heartbreaking is that the fifth mainline entry in the franchise is the best playing one out of the whole lot, with an unrivalled amount of stealth-based tactics to employ that let you play the game however you want. The open world structure expands intrusion options to a whole new level, the amount of customisability in your loadout allows you to cater for any engagement, and the modes of mobility make navigation a breeze. It’s the ultimate Metal Gear Solid sandbox, that lacks a story worthy of the series to tie it all together.

5. Metal Gear Solid: Peace Walker (PSP)

Initially released on the PSP and then slightly updated for the HD Collection on PS3, Metal Gear Solid: Peace Walker was held back by hardware limitations at every turn. Rather than shaping itself around a seamless environment that took you from one encounter to the next, missions were selected from a menu in the shape of short skirmishes. Much of the story presentation is stripped back too, with comic book panels taking centre stage for twists and revelations, while codec calls are completely static. It’s a different type of game, and while it does have its fans, the portable entry can’t quite reach the heights of its home console counterparts.

4. Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots (PS3)

The concluding chapter of the Metal Gear Solid saga in terms of its story was one of the biggest landmark moments of the PlayStation 3 era. A title boasting beautiful graphics, the promise of every story thread receiving closure, and a new control scheme and set of mechanics that brought the series into the modern era made Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots the talk of the town back in June 2008. And with single cutscenes that stretched to the two hour mark alone, boy did it deliver for series veterans. While the Beauty and the Beast Unit weren’t quite up to snuff when it came to boss fights, the concluding chapters more than made up for their mediocrity. We doubt the hysteria surrounding Solid Snake’s final hour will ever be beat, as a story 20 years in the making made its final bow.

3. Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty (PS2)

Probably the greatest bait-and-switch in vide ogame history, Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty divided fans for a long time. The introduction of Raiden was a sticking point for many devotees, despite taking centre stage for one of the series’ most bonkers journeys. It’s here that we are introduced to the Patriots, the phrase “La-Li-Lu-Le-Lo”, Vamp is presented as a vampire who can walk on water, and Colonel Campbell turns out to be an AI who strongly suggests you turn the game off. It was utter insanity, and it’s here where the series really got its reputation, thanks to a number of otherworldly occurrences that could only have come from the mind of Hideo Kojima. It’s a good job then that the gameplay that tied every one of these bizarre strings together was more than up to scratch then. Did we mention that the final boss fight with Solidus Snake, the former president of the United States, takes place on top of Federal Hall?

2. Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater (PS2)

Not only did Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater turn the clocks back with an origin story that helps to set up every other game in the franchise, it also flipped the gameplay on its head with a jungle setting that posed brand new challenges. Animals became a threat, weather affected your visibility, and a new camo system played a part in detection whenever an enemy happened to cross your path. It was innovative for the time, with certain mechanics expanded upon in sequels down the line. And then there was the cast of bad guys: The Boss, Ocelot, and The End probably stand out the most, but they only scratch the surface of the outlandish foes you’ll meet along the way. It was a phenomenal experience, but there’s one game we think is even better.

1. Metal Gear Solid (PS1)

You can’t beat the original. Metal Gear Solid changed the game back in 1998, ushering in a cinematic style that blended cutscenes and gameplay into one unadulterated experience. Featuring an unforgettable cast of characters from both sides of the moral compass, Solid Snake’s infiltration of Shadow Moses redefined the stealth genre forever thanks to the emphasis it placed on avoidance rather than detection, while also raising the stakes whenever major personalities crossed paths. With a phenomenal plot that led to numerous memorable moments, remarkable boss fights that we still look back on fondly today, and cutscene direction that put anything at the time to shame, it simply doesn’t get any better than this.

What's your favourite Metal Gear Solid game? Did we get our order right, or would you move things around? Scream Snake in the comments section below.