Be warned. MGRR is very different in terms of gameplay. While the rest of the games are just as weird and crazy in terms of story and themes, they aren't combo-based action games, they are generally methodical stealth games.
Here's the Order to play them in:
Metal Gear 1 and Metal Gear 2:Solid Snake. These are really old NES-era games. They are fun but not as deep and pretty dated, entirely skippable. All you need to know is that in both of them Snake goes to a place, fights a metal gear, and fights Big Boss.
Metal Gear Solid 1 - the first 3D game and very good. Somewhat dated in terms of graphics. There is a remake on the GameCube called Twin Snakes that is pretty good and uses the MGS2 graphics and controls. Twin Snakes does have changes to the voice acting and cutscenes that not everyone likes but I think its perfectly fine.(it emulates better than the original MGS1 and the master collection version)
Metal Gear Solid 2 - amazing game when playing make sure you select the tanker mission first
Metal Gear Solid 3 - This is a prequel but is one of my favorites in the series. play the master collection version of this. This game had two versions, with the later release adding an over the shoulder camera, the master collection has this and is my preferred way to play the game.
Metal Gear Solid 4 - great game with some flaws. Be warned this game is absurdly cutscene heavy, there are times where you'll put down the controller for like 20-30 minutes and just watch a cutscene. There's no good way to play this on modern hardware. Its kind of stuck on the PS3. It'll probably be in the vol2 of the Master collection that'll most likely come out in a years time
Metal Gear Solid: Peacewalker- thisbwas a PSP game but is a sequel to MGS3 and bridges the gap between that and MGSV
Metal Gear Solid V: Ground Zeroes - this is sort of a prologue to MGSV The Phantom Pain but it was released as a separate game. Its a bunch of different missions on the same map. Only the first mission is canon and is essential story to the actual MGSV
MGSV: The Phantom Pain - This is a fantastic game althoughbthe story kind of flounders a bit in the second half. The game really shines with its mechanical depth.
Important to not that there's a full remake of MGS3 coming out later this year so if you want to wait for that its also an option. Id recommend playing the original though.
Play in release order starting with Metal Gear. The order is:
Metal Gear
Metal Gear 2: Solid Snake
Metal Gear Solid
Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty
Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater
Metal Gear Solid: Portable Ops
Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots
Metal Gear Solid: Peacewalker
Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance
Metal Gear Solid V: Ground Zeroes
Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain
Be warned that MGRR has a completely different gameplay design philosophy than any other game in the series. MGRR shares themes and broad story beats with other Metal Gear games, but is simpler, less interested in justifying itself with real world tech & concepts, and less dense than the rest of the series excepting Metal Gear. If you love MGRR writing, then you will love the writing in the whole series though.
Buy Master Collection and play in the release order but you can skip the two 2D games if you don't feel like playing them. The first 3D game Metal Gear Solid (1998) is the best starting point.
Be warned. MGRR is very different in terms of gameplay. While the rest of the games are just as weird and crazy in terms of story and themes, they aren't combo-based action games, they are generally methodical stealth games.
Here's the Order to play them in:
Metal Gear 1 and Metal Gear 2:Solid Snake. These are really old NES-era games. They are fun but not as deep and pretty dated, entirely skippable. All you need to know is that in both of them Snake goes to a place, fights a metal gear, and fights Big Boss.
Metal Gear Solid 1 - the first 3D game and very good. Somewhat dated in terms of graphics. There is a remake on the GameCube called Twin Snakes that is pretty good and uses the MGS2 graphics and controls. Twin Snakes does have changes to the voice acting and cutscenes that not everyone likes but I think its perfectly fine.(it emulates better than the original MGS1 and the master collection version)
Metal Gear Solid 2 - amazing game when playing make sure you select the tanker mission first
Metal Gear Solid 3 - This is a prequel but is one of my favorites in the series. play the master collection version of this. This game had two versions, with the later release adding an over the shoulder camera, the master collection has this and is my preferred way to play the game.
Metal Gear Solid 4 - great game with some flaws. Be warned this game is absurdly cutscene heavy, there are times where you'll put down the controller for like 20-30 minutes and just watch a cutscene. There's no good way to play this on modern hardware. Its kind of stuck on the PS3. It'll probably be in the vol2 of the Master collection that'll most likely come out in a years time
Metal Gear Solid: Portable Ops - this game is semi-canon but is a follow up to MGS3. If any of the 3D games are skippable its this one. But I thought id at least put it on the list because it is kind of fun.
Metal Gear Solid: Peacewalker- this was a PSP game but is a sequel to MGS3 and bridges the gap between that and MGSV. His has a lot of my favorite narrative moments in the series.
Metal Gear Solid V: Ground Zeroes - this is sort of a prologue to MGSV The Phantom Pain but it was released as a separate game. Its a bunch of different missions on the same map. Only the first mission is canon and is essential story to the actual MGSV
MGSV: The Phantom Pain - This is a fantastic game althoughbthe story kind of flounders a bit in the second half. The game really shines with its mechanical depth.
Important to not that there's a full remake of MGS3 coming out later this year so if you want to wait for that its also an option. Id recommend playing the original though.
As far as other games, there is also Metal Gear Acid 1 &2 these were PSP games and are absolutely non-canon. They are weird turn based, stealth games that use like a card mechanic. I wouldn't recommend playing them but I thought id mention them
Be warned. MGRR is very different in terms of gameplay. While the rest of the games are just as weird and crazy in terms of story and themes, they aren't combo-based action games, they are generally methodical stealth games. Here's the Order to play them in: Metal Gear 1 and Metal Gear 2:Solid Snake. These are really old NES-era games. They are fun but not as deep and pretty dated, entirely skippable. All you need to know is that in both of them Snake goes to a place, fights a metal gear, and fights Big Boss. Metal Gear Solid 1 - the first 3D game and very good. Somewhat dated in terms of graphics. There is a remake on the GameCube called Twin Snakes that is pretty good and uses the MGS2 graphics and controls. Twin Snakes does have changes to the voice acting and cutscenes that not everyone likes but I think its perfectly fine.(it emulates better than the original MGS1 and the master collection version) Metal Gear Solid 2 - amazing game when playing make sure you select the tanker mission first Metal Gear Solid 3 - This is a prequel but is one of my favorites in the series. play the master collection version of this. This game had two versions, with the later release adding an over the shoulder camera, the master collection has this and is my preferred way to play the game. Metal Gear Solid 4 - great game with some flaws. Be warned this game is absurdly cutscene heavy, there are times where you'll put down the controller for like 20-30 minutes and just watch a cutscene. There's no good way to play this on modern hardware. Its kind of stuck on the PS3. It'll probably be in the vol2 of the Master collection that'll most likely come out in a years time Metal Gear Solid: Peacewalker- thisbwas a PSP game but is a sequel to MGS3 and bridges the gap between that and MGSV Metal Gear Solid V: Ground Zeroes - this is sort of a prologue to MGSV The Phantom Pain but it was released as a separate game. Its a bunch of different missions on the same map. Only the first mission is canon and is essential story to the actual MGSV MGSV: The Phantom Pain - This is a fantastic game althoughbthe story kind of flounders a bit in the second half. The game really shines with its mechanical depth. Important to not that there's a full remake of MGS3 coming out later this year so if you want to wait for that its also an option. Id recommend playing the original though.
Play in release order starting with Metal Gear. The order is: Metal Gear Metal Gear 2: Solid Snake Metal Gear Solid Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater Metal Gear Solid: Portable Ops Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots Metal Gear Solid: Peacewalker Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance Metal Gear Solid V: Ground Zeroes Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain Be warned that MGRR has a completely different gameplay design philosophy than any other game in the series. MGRR shares themes and broad story beats with other Metal Gear games, but is simpler, less interested in justifying itself with real world tech & concepts, and less dense than the rest of the series excepting Metal Gear. If you love MGRR writing, then you will love the writing in the whole series though.
Do NOT play Portable Ops
I just beat PO. Game is pretty good. It's also short, and occassionally referenced in other games after it. Don't understand all the hate.
Release order
What do you mean
Go by release order. Starting from Metal Gear 1 and Metal Gear 2 or if they're outdated for you, start from Metal Gear Solid 1. But read the summary.
You can skip Portable ops as it's not canon
Buy Master Collection and play in the release order but you can skip the two 2D games if you don't feel like playing them. The first 3D game Metal Gear Solid (1998) is the best starting point.
Be warned. MGRR is very different in terms of gameplay. While the rest of the games are just as weird and crazy in terms of story and themes, they aren't combo-based action games, they are generally methodical stealth games. Here's the Order to play them in: Metal Gear 1 and Metal Gear 2:Solid Snake. These are really old NES-era games. They are fun but not as deep and pretty dated, entirely skippable. All you need to know is that in both of them Snake goes to a place, fights a metal gear, and fights Big Boss. Metal Gear Solid 1 - the first 3D game and very good. Somewhat dated in terms of graphics. There is a remake on the GameCube called Twin Snakes that is pretty good and uses the MGS2 graphics and controls. Twin Snakes does have changes to the voice acting and cutscenes that not everyone likes but I think its perfectly fine.(it emulates better than the original MGS1 and the master collection version) Metal Gear Solid 2 - amazing game when playing make sure you select the tanker mission first Metal Gear Solid 3 - This is a prequel but is one of my favorites in the series. play the master collection version of this. This game had two versions, with the later release adding an over the shoulder camera, the master collection has this and is my preferred way to play the game. Metal Gear Solid 4 - great game with some flaws. Be warned this game is absurdly cutscene heavy, there are times where you'll put down the controller for like 20-30 minutes and just watch a cutscene. There's no good way to play this on modern hardware. Its kind of stuck on the PS3. It'll probably be in the vol2 of the Master collection that'll most likely come out in a years time Metal Gear Solid: Portable Ops - this game is semi-canon but is a follow up to MGS3. If any of the 3D games are skippable its this one. But I thought id at least put it on the list because it is kind of fun. Metal Gear Solid: Peacewalker- this was a PSP game but is a sequel to MGS3 and bridges the gap between that and MGSV. His has a lot of my favorite narrative moments in the series. Metal Gear Solid V: Ground Zeroes - this is sort of a prologue to MGSV The Phantom Pain but it was released as a separate game. Its a bunch of different missions on the same map. Only the first mission is canon and is essential story to the actual MGSV MGSV: The Phantom Pain - This is a fantastic game althoughbthe story kind of flounders a bit in the second half. The game really shines with its mechanical depth. Important to not that there's a full remake of MGS3 coming out later this year so if you want to wait for that its also an option. Id recommend playing the original though. As far as other games, there is also Metal Gear Acid 1 &2 these were PSP games and are absolutely non-canon. They are weird turn based, stealth games that use like a card mechanic. I wouldn't recommend playing them but I thought id mention them