Metal Gear Solid is a disaster. Honestly, if you try to look at the timeline without a stiff drink and a flowchart, you're going to end up with a headache. Hideo Kojima didn't make it easy for us. He jumped from the 1960s to the 2010s, then back to the 70s, then into a dystopian future where everyone has nanomachines in their blood. It's a lot. People always ask about the best way to handle mgs games in order, and there isn't just one "correct" answer. You have to choose between the way the story actually happened or the way the world actually played them.
Most people get this wrong. They think starting with the 1964 Cold War setting of Snake Eater is the move. It’s not. If you do that, you miss the technical evolution. You go from a masterpiece of PS2 mechanical depth back to a 1987 MSX2 game that feels like a fossil. That’s a rough transition.
📖 Related: Finding Kids Games for Free Without Losing Your Mind or Your Privacy
Why Release Order Usually Wins
The reality is that Metal Gear is a series about meta-commentary. Kojima wasn't just telling a story about soldiers; he was talking to the player. When you play mgs games in order of their release, you're experiencing the growth of the medium itself. You see the jump from the 8-bit pixels of the original Metal Gear to the cinematic ambition of the 1998 PlayStation classic.
- Metal Gear (1987): This is where it starts. It’s clunky. It’s hard. It’s basically a series of "Where do I find the plastic explosive?" puzzles. But it sets the stage.
- Metal Gear 2: Solid Snake (1990): Way better than the first one. It introduced the radar and the idea that guards have a field of vision. It’s basically Metal Gear Solid in 2D.
- Metal Gear Solid (1998): This changed everything. If you skip the MSX games (most people do), start here. The psycho-analysis of the boss fights was unheard of.
The jump to Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty in 2001 was a massive troll. Everyone wanted more Solid Snake, and Kojima gave them Raiden. It was a bold move that still gets debated in forums today. Then came Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater in 2004, which took us back to the jungle. This is where the timeline gets messy. Suddenly, we’re playing as the villain from the first game, Big Boss, but he’s the hero now. Kind of.
The Chronological Nightmare
If you’re a glutton for punishment and want to see the rise and fall of Big Boss followed by the struggle of Solid Snake, you go chronological. It’s a different vibe. You start in the 60s. You see the idealism of the Cold War era before everything turns into a gray mess of PMCs and global conspiracies.
- Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater (1964)
The birth of the legend. You’re Naked Snake. You’re eating snakes. You’re crying during the final boss fight. It’s the peak of the series for many. - Metal Gear Solid: Peace Walker (1974)
Originally on the PSP, this is actually one of the most important entries. It explains how Big Boss built his private army. Without this, the beginning of The Phantom Pain makes zero sense. - Metal Gear Solid V: Ground Zeroes / The Phantom Pain (1975-1984)
This is the "unfinished" masterpiece. The gameplay is the best in the stealth genre, bar none. The story? It’s divisive. It’s dark. It ends abruptly because of the whole Konami/Kojima fallout that everyone knows about by now.
After the 80s, the timeline jumps to the MSX games (1995 and 1999) where Solid Snake enters the picture to stop his "father." Then you hit the 2000s with the Shadow Moses incident and the Big Shell. Finally, you end with Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots in 2014. Seeing an elderly Solid Snake crawl through a microwave hallway is one of the most visceral moments in gaming history.
What Most People Get Wrong About the Lore
People think "Metal Gear" is just the name of the robot. It’s not. Well, it is, but it’s also a symbol. It’s the missing link between infantry and artillery. But more than that, the series is about "memes" before the internet knew what memes were. Not funny pictures of cats, but the literal definition: the transfer of cultural information.
Kojima was obsessed with how we pass on our legacy. MGS1 was about genes. MGS2 was about memes (ideas). MGS3 was about the scene (the context of the era). If you aren't paying attention to those themes while playing mgs games in order, you’re just playing a weird hide-and-seek simulator with cardboard boxes.
There’s also the Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance problem. It takes place in 2018. It’s an action game, not a stealth game. Does it count? Purists say no. Fans of high-speed cyborg sword-fighting say yes. It’s technically the end of the timeline, but it feels like a spin-off because it wasn't directed by Kojima. If you want the full experience, play it last. It’s a great palate cleanser after the heavy emotional weight of the main entries.
Dealing with the "Missing" Content
We have to talk about the elephant in the room: Metal Gear Solid V is incomplete. It’s missing "Episode 51." If you play the games in order and reach the end of The Phantom Pain, you’re going to feel like a chapter is missing because, frankly, it is. You have to go watch the "Kingdom of the Flies" video on YouTube to see how that specific plot thread was supposed to resolve. It’s annoying, but that’s the reality of the Kojima/Konami split.
Then there's Portable Ops. Is it canon? Kojima has been wishy-washy about it. Some parts fit; some don't. Most fans just stick to Peace Walker for the Big Boss bridge story. It’s cleaner that way.
How to Actually Play These Today
Accessibility is the biggest hurdle for anyone trying to tackle the mgs games in order right now. For years, you needed a legacy console or a specific collection that went out of print.
- Master Collection Vol. 1: This is the easiest way to get MGS1, 2, and 3 on modern hardware like PS5, Xbox, or PC. It also includes the MSX games.
- The MGS4 Problem: This is the hardest one to play. It's still basically trapped on the PlayStation 3. Unless you have a disc and a functioning console, or a very beefy PC for emulation, you're stuck. There are rumors of a Volume 2 collection, but until that drops, Guns of the Patriots is the gatekeeper of the timeline.
- MGS Delta: This is the remake of Snake Eater. It’s gorgeous, but it’s a remake. For your first "in order" run, I’d still argue for the original version to appreciate the 2004 design philosophy, then hit the remake to see how they modernized the controls.
The Actionable Path Forward
Don't overthink it. If you want the best experience, do release order. It’s the only way to appreciate the "meta" layers Kojima was building. If you start with MGS3, you won't appreciate why the reveal of certain characters is a big deal.
Step 1: Grab the Master Collection Vol. 1.
Step 2: Start with Metal Gear Solid (1998). If you find it too dated, watch a story summary of the MSX games first, but don't skip the PS1 classic.
Step 3: Move through MGS2 and MGS3.
Step 4: Find a way to play MGS4. Don't skip it; it's the ending. Everything else is just filling in the gaps.
Step 5: Play Peace Walker and MGSV.
💡 You might also like: Getting the Most Out of Demigod’s Virtue Golden Visage in Your Next Run
The series is a journey. It’s weird, it’s often pretentious, and it’s occasionally very silly (looking at you, Johnny Sasaki). But there is nothing else like it in the world of entertainment. You’ll come out the other side with a deep appreciation for why "A Hideo Kojima Game" became such a legendary credit on a loading screen.
Be prepared for the "Post-MGS Depression." Once you finish the saga, every other stealth game feels a little bit hollow. You've been warned. Just remember: there are no heroes in war. Only people who follow orders and those who don't.
Actionable Insights for New Players:
- Master the Controls: Every game has a different control scheme. MGS2 and MGS3 use pressure-sensitive buttons on original hardware; on modern ports, you’ll need to learn the new remappings for aiming and holstering.
- Codec is Key: If you're lost or bored, call everyone on the Codec. Half the story and the best jokes are hidden in optional phone calls.
- Non-Lethal is "Better": While you can shoot your way out, the games generally reward you with better ranks and items for using tranquilizers and CQC (Close Quarters Combat).
- Look for the Easter Eggs: Kojima loves hiding things. Look at posters, hide in lockers, and try to blow up things you shouldn't. The game usually has a recorded reaction for your nonsense.
The timeline is a loop. It's a tragedy about a man who wanted to change the world and the "son" who had to stop him. Whether you play them chronologically or by release date, the impact remains the same. It's a messy, beautiful, convoluted masterpiece that defined what cinematic gaming could be.