In today’s world of role-playing video games, stealth games are seemingly a thing of the past. Unless you are a 90s gamer, you wouldn’t encounter relatively a lot of stealth video games these days.
But, if there’s a game of this kind that has etched a mark on gamers’ hearts, that has to be “Metal Gear Solid.” This time, we’re learning gaming history and tell you how you can play this 90s action-adventure stealth video game in story chronological order.
‘Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater’
Interestingly, playing “Metal Gear Solid” games is not equivalent to arranging your library based on their release dates. It’s not going to work. Later on, you will get to know how to play the games based on release dates, but let’s focus on the story order first.
The first game to play is “Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater,” which, even if it’s the fifth game to be launched, it takes place in 1964. During this year, a young Naked Snake infiltrates Tselinoyarsk in the Soviet Union, the former name of Russia, to rescue a scientist working on the nuclear weapon called the Shagohod, which they are attempting to defect.
‘Metal Gear Solid: Portable Ops’
Up next, head to “Metal Gear Solid: Portable Ops.” This “Metal Gear Solid” game takes place six years after the events in “Snake Eater.” Instead of in Russia, the main character finds themselves in South America. It’s still Snake, but he is now being targetered by former employers FOX as he chronicles the origins of FOXHOUND and the events that shape its leader, Big Boss, as a character.
‘Metal Gear Solid: Peace Walker’
Then, proceed to “Metal Gear Solid: Peace Walker.” Count a decade from the events in “Snake Eater,” but focusing on the story of the Big Boss, this game takes you to the creation of the military state called Outer Heaven. It’s still in Latin America, in Costa Rica, a country you need to save (huge responsibility, right?) from an unknown soldier army and their nuclear warhead named no other than Peace Walker.
‘Metal Gear Solid V: Ground Zeroes’
Afterward, it’s time for “Metal Gear Solid V: Ground Zeroes.” There’s not much of a gap here since it is set just a year following the events in “Peace Walker.” This game is the direct precursor to The Phantom Pain and is usually bundled with the main game, albeit you being able to buy it separately.
You won’t play as Naked Snake here, but the Big Boss (just like in “Peace Walker”), then once again working with the Militaires Sans Frontières to infiltrate a Cuban black site and save Ricardo “Chico” Valenciano Libre and Paz Ortega Andrade. What an adventure, indeed.
‘Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain’
You started all the way to the 1960s, and now, you’re in the 80s! Taking place almost a decade following the events in “Metal Gear Solid V: Ground Zeroes,” “The Phantom Pain” will see you playing Snake once more, but on a journey into the open-world expanses of Afghanistan and the Angola-Zaire border, then occupied by the Soviet. Here, you seek revenge on those who put you in a coma. The game will also introduce you to the establishment of the Diamond Dogs private military company.
‘Metal Gear’
Now, don’t get surprised if things will turn a bit complicated here. Taking place in 1995, you play as Solid Snake who is working for FOXHOUND. They head off on a mission to Outer Heaven to topple the eponymous Metal Gear. The Metal Gear is a walking tank that can launch nukes anywhere in the world.
‘Metal Gear 2: Solid Snake’
The titled is seemingly a juggled version of the first game on this chronological list. Happening in 1999, “Metal Gear 2: Solid Snake” retains you as Solid Snake but who is not retired and delegated to Zanzibar Land to rescue Dr. Kio Marv. He is also on a mission to destroy Metal Gear D or the revised Metal Gear. Still an exciting game to play.
‘Metal Gear Solid’
Considered by gaming insiders as the best of the series, but will have you playing like, seven games first before this if you want the chronological order. Believe it or not, the year is 2005 when Solid Snake comes out of retirement (once again), but this time to thwart the motives of Liquid Snake on an island called Shadow Moses off the Alaskan coast.
‘Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons Of Liberty’
Set a few years after “Metal Gear Solid,” here, you have Solid Snake on another mission to destoy a new type of Metal Gear. The game also plays it forward to two years after where you play as the new FOXHOUND recruit named Raiden to neutralize the threat of the Sons of Liberty and Big Shell.
‘Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns Of The Patriots’
The second to the last game, “Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots” is where things get even more exciting as it happens much more recently, in 2014. Now, Solid Snake is old, but is still tasked to assasinate Liquid Ocelot in war-torn Middle East.
‘Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance’
Last but not least is “Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance,” taking place in 2018, where you play as Raiden. Check it out and see for yourself.
Now, as promised, here’s how to play the “Metal Gear Solid” games by the order of release dates. Won’t guarantee a trip through history, though!
- “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: Peace Walker”
- “Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance”
- “Metal Gear Solid V: Ground Zeroes”
- “Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain”
See the difference? Truly, the “Metal Gear Solid” game series lays the foundation for other games who want to embark players on a journey through time.
