Skip to main content
Tom's Guide Tom's Guide
Subscribe
RSS
flag of Australia
Australia
flag of UK
UK
flag of US
US
flag of Canada
Canada
Technology Magazines
Technology Magazines
Why subscribe?
  • The best tech tutorials and in-depth reviews
  • Try a single issue or save on a subscription
  • Issues delivered straight to your door or device
From$12.99
View
  • Best Picks
  • News
  • Reviews
  • How Tos
  • Phones
  • Streaming
  • Deals
  • More
    • Antivirus
    • Audio
    • Coupons
    • Fitness
    • Gaming
    • Home
    • Laptops
    • Mattresses
    • Personal Finance
    • Security
    • Smart Home
    • TV
    • VPNs
    • Wearables
    • What To Watch
    • All Topics
Forums
Trending
  • Apple Vision Pro
  • iOS 17
  • MacBook Air 15
  • iPhone 15
  • Pixel Fold
  • Best TVs

When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Here’s how it works.

  1. Home
  2. Best Picks
  3. Gaming

The Best Metal Gear Games of All Time

By Tom's Guide Staff
published 24 February 2018

From Revengeance to Snake Eater, here are the the best games in Konami's storied Metal Gear franchise.

Comments (0)
The Best Metal Gear Games of All Time

The Best Metal Gear Games of All Time

Snaaaaaake! Just when we had given up on getting another Metal Gear game, Konami released Metal Gear Survive. An open-world, action-adventure title, Survive pits you as a soldier against zombies as you scavenge to build a base. Oh, there are also wormholes.

In honor of the latest addition to the Metal Gear series, here are our favorite titles in Konami's long-running, often-ridiculous stealth-action franchise, ranked from worst to best.

Credit: Konami

Page 1 of 10
Page 1 of 10
9. Metal Gear Solid 4 (2008)

9. Metal Gear Solid 4 (2008)

Metal Gear Solid 4 isn't the last game in the series, either by release or chronologically (that goes to Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance), but this game brought protagonist Solid Snake's story to a close. As Old Snake, he's rapidly aging due to the Foxdie virus and has one last mission: to assassinate his brother, Liquid Snake. This brings him to a part of the Middle East caught in a war between private military companies, and he becomes a soldier in a war where AI and nanomachines are just as much weapons as humans are. The game tackles the hero learning to deal with growing sick and preparing to die, and draws his story to a satisfying close. — Andrew E. Freedman

Play it now: PS3

Credit: Konami

Page 2 of 10
Page 2 of 10
8. Metal Gear Solid 2 (2001)

8. Metal Gear Solid 2 (2001)

After the heady success of MGS, gamers were eager for more Solid Snake. And Konami delivered –– sort of. On a mission to do reconnaissance of a new Metal Gear, Snake arrives just in time to see his old foe Revolver Ocelot stealing the new Metal Gear and revealing he's being possessed by Snake's brother, Liquid Snake. Afterward, gamers are shocked to discover that the true protagonist is Raiden, a rookie operative who's on the hunt for the Sons of the Patriots and the terrorist organization Dead Cell. As the plot unfolds, nothing is what it seems in the notorious scene of the Colonel seemingly having a mental breakdown. As the scene gets increasingly more erratic, it's revealed that the "Colonel" is actually an artificial intelligence under the control of the Patriots, the shadow organization that rules the world via information control. It's a mind-bending tale of stealth, betrayal and intrigue that makes you question the world around you. — Sherri L. Smith

Play it now: Metal Gear Solid HD Collection (PS3, PS Vita, Xbox 360)

Credit: Konami

Page 3 of 10
Page 3 of 10
7. Metal Gear Solid V: Ground Zeroes (2014)

7. Metal Gear Solid V: Ground Zeroes (2014)

While some would call it a glorified demo, Metal Gear Solid V: Ground Zeroes is a fun, bite-size and fairly essential piece of the full Metal Gear Solid V experience. This prologue establishes both the story and revered open-world gameplay of Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain, offering a dynamic sandbox of a map that you can tackle any way you see fit. Featuring a roughly 2-hour campaign and a healthy amount of side challenges, Ground Zeroes is a solid no-filler slice of Metal Gear and an inexpensive way to gauge whether The Phantom Pain is for you. — Mike Andronico

Play it now: PS4, Xbox One, PC

Credit: Konami

Today's best Metal Gear Solid V: Ground Zeroes deals
Metal Gear Solid V: Ground...
Amazon
$9
View
Metal Gear Solid V: Ground...
Amazon
$24.82
View
Metal Gear Solid V Ground Xone
Amazon
$44.98
View
Metal Gear Solid V Ground Ps3
Amazon
$58.82
View
146 Amazon reviews
☆☆☆☆☆
|
See all prices (5 found)
Page 4 of 10
Page 4 of 10
6. Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance (2013)

6. Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance (2013)

Set after the events of Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots, Revengeance leans into the weirdness of the Metal Gear Solid franchise and never looks back, focusing on speed, action and over-the-top characters. Rising trades in the series' standard stealth-espionage action for in-your-face, energetic swordplay against an army full of cybernetic super-ninjas. Blade Mode is a surprisingly deep gameplay mechanic that allows you to slice and dice anything and anyone that gets in Raiden's way.  — Jorge Jimenez

Play it now: Xbox One (via backward compatibility), PC

Credit: Konami

Today's best Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance deals
Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance
Amazon
$16
View
Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance
Walmart
$26.34
View
Metal Gear Rising Revengeance...
Amazon
$26.99
View
Metal Gear Rising Revengeance
Amazon
$31.97
View
267 Amazon reviews
☆☆☆☆☆
|
See all prices (6 found)
Page 5 of 10
Page 5 of 10
5. Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain (2015)

5. Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain (2015)

After the events of MGS: Ground Zeroes and before the original Metal Gear, Big Boss, known as Punished Venom Snake, goes on a mission to hunt down his attackers from Ground Zeroes. In addition to the close-quarters combat (CQC) and stealth that fans have become accustomed to, Phantom Pain adds a base-building mechanic from Peace Walker to help you get stronger weapons and gear. You're going to need all those toys as you go against XOF, a rogue military faction intent on releasing a parasite designed to kill all English speakers while disseminating nuclear weapons to every country to ensure world peace. With a story that's equal parts spy thriller and sci-fi action movie, The Phantom Pain is a must-play title in the series. — Sherri L. Smith

Play it now: PS4, Xbox One, Steam

Credit: Konami

Today's best Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain deals
Metal Gear Solid V The...
Walmart
$17.97
View
Metal Gear Solid V: Phantom...
Amazon
$19.95
View
Metal Gear Solid V: The...
Amazon
$22.32
View
Metal Gear Solid V: The...
Amazon
$30
View
929 Amazon reviews
☆☆☆☆☆
|
See all prices (6 found)
Page 6 of 10
Page 6 of 10
4. Metal Gear Solid: The Twin Snakes (2004)

4. Metal Gear Solid: The Twin Snakes (2004)

In 2004, what's old was new again. Metal Gear Solid: The Twin Snakes was a remake of the original Metal Gear Solid, made exclusively for the Nintendo GameCube. This title offered better graphics, rerecorded voice acting by the majority of the game's original cast, some new cut scenes (because Metal Gear Solid always needs more cut scenes) and a few features that were introduced in Metal Gear Solid 2. The retelling introduced the series to a whole bunch of new players, though some die-hard gamers believe that the additions weren't necessary in an already-great game. — Andrew E. Freedman

Play it now: GameCube

Credit: Konami

Page 7 of 10
Page 7 of 10
3. Metal Gear Solid: Peace Walker (2010)

3. Metal Gear Solid: Peace Walker (2010)

Metal Gear Solid Peace Walker shows the origin story of Big Boss and his army, Militaires Sans Frontieres. The most impressive thing about Peace Walker was that it had so much content for a PlayStation Portable game (though you can now play the title on PS3 and Xbox 360). The game features four-player, online co-op against dinosaur-size Metal Gears, along with base management, troop recruitment, item crafting and an incredible soundtrack. Peace Walker's design also influenced a lot of Metal Gear Solid V's mission structure, and the game feels like like a proper lead-up to the events of The Phantom Pain. — Jorge Jimenez

Play it now: Metal Gear Solid HD Collection (PS3, PS Vita, Xbox 360)

Credit: Konami

Page 8 of 10
Page 8 of 10
2. Metal Gear Solid (1998)

2. Metal Gear Solid (1998)

This is the title that got many gamers onto the MGS bandwagon. Ditching the top-down action of the first two Metal Gear games, Metal Gear Solid is a third-person, action-stealth game that pits Snake against the terrorist group Foxhound in an attempt to stop a nuclear threat. As Snake infiltrates a remote base in Alaska, he encounters new allies and foes, as well as some uncomfortable acquaintances from the past. Metal Gear Solid is highly regarded, seen as the game that revolutionized the stealth genre and gave us memorable boss fights such as the Psycho Mantis battle. In that contest, you could fool the mind reader by plugging your controller into the other port, but not before he read your memory card. — Sherri L. Smith

Play it now: PS3, Vita

Credit: Konami

Page 9 of 10
Page 9 of 10
1. Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater (2004)

1. Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater (2004)

Metal Gear Solid 3 ditched military bases for open-air jungles in the Soviet Union, focusing on Naked Snake during a Cold War nuclear crisis. The game brought a new level of stealth to the franchise, with camouflage, and also introduced close-quarters combat, or CQC, for attacking enemies without using firearms. Snake Eater is also distinguished by the emotional boss fight at the game's climax and a catchy theme song that plays in its entirety while Snake climbs one very long ladder during the game.

Snake Eater also spawned a second branch of the franchise that takes place before the original Metal Gear Solid; that branch includes Metal Gear Solid V and Metal Gear Solid: Peace Walker. Factor in this game's much-improved Subsistence rerelease, and you've got one of the best-playing Metal Gear games in the series — and without a doubt the most impactful. — Andrew E. Freedman

Play it now: Metal Gear Solid HD Collection (PS3, PS Vita, Xbox 360), Snake Eater 3D (Nintendo 3DS)

Credit: Konami

Page 10 of 10
Page 10 of 10
Comments (0)
Tom's Guide Staff
Tom's Guide Staff
Social Links Navigation

Tom's Guide upgrades your life by helping you decide what products to buy, finding the best deals and showing you how to get the most out of them and solving problems as they arise. Tom's Guide is here to help you accomplish your goals, find great products without the hassle, get the best deals, discover things others don’t want you to know and save time when problems arise. Visit the About Tom's Guide page for more information and to find out how we test products.

More about gaming
Samsung 980 Pro SSD with a Tom's Guide deal tag

Samsung 1TB PS5 SSD crashes to just $79 - that’s the lowest price ever

WD_Black SN850P SSD

Western Digital launches new PS5 SSD that costs more than the console

Latest
A photo of the Samsung Q80B QLED TV on a TV stand

Hurry! Best Buy just slashed $500 off this 65-inch Samsung QLED TV

See more latest ►
Topics
Gaming
PlayStation
No comments yet Comment from the forums
Most Popular
Best fire pits in 2023: Tested and rated

By Rich WoodbridgeMarch 05, 2023

Best Samsung Galaxy S23 screen protectors in 2023

By Andy SansomMarch 03, 2023

Best golf shoes 2023

By Scott KramerMarch 02, 2023

25 best Disney+ movies to watch now (M06 2023)

By Kelly WooFebruary 23, 2023

Best Samsung Galaxy S23 Plus cases in 2023

By Philip MichaelsFebruary 20, 2023

Best OnePlus 11 cases in 2023

By Andy SansomFebruary 19, 2023

Best Peacock movies in M06 2023

By Henry T. CaseyFebruary 17, 2023

Best Samsung Galaxy S23 cases in 2023

By Andy SansomFebruary 15, 2023

Best Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra cases in 2023

By Sanjana PrakashFebruary 14, 2023

Best cheap mesh Wi-Fi systems of 2023

By Anthony SpadaforaFebruary 05, 2023

The best TV in 2023: our top picks from LG, Samsung, Sony, TCL, Vizio and more

By Nick PinoFebruary 03, 2023

Tom's Guide is part of Future US Inc, an international media group and leading digital publisher. Visit our corporate site.

  • Terms and conditions
  • Contact Future's experts
  • Privacy policy
  • Cookies policy
  • Accessibility Statement
  • Advertise with us
  • About us
  • Archives
  • Careers

© Future US, Inc. Full 7th Floor, 130 West 42nd Street, New York, NY 10036.