Hideo Kojima's Metal Gear series is a sprawling, ambitious, and often peculiar journey through espionage, war, and existential philosophy. Throughout its history, the franchise has been a consistent source of innovation in action games, pushing boundaries in narrative delivery and boss fight design. However, it has also been home to concepts that falter, writing with questionable implications, and even unfinished products. A critical examination of each entry reveals distinct peaks of brilliance and valleys of frustration.
The Foundation and Its Flaws
The original Metal Gear established a template that subsequent titles would refine. Its boss encounters, such as a fight against four mercenaries, laid the groundwork for more complex ambushes in Metal Gear Solid and narrative shootouts in Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty. Similarly, puzzle mechanics, like the use of a guard uniform, evolved into full undercover systems in later games. However, the first installment also contained a critical design flaw: its RPG-lite progression system, which allowed players to accidentally shoot hostages, could lead to an unwinnable state by reducing health and inventory. This could leave players without the necessary explosives for the final boss, a potentially game-breaking oversight.
Metal Gear 2: Solid Snake introduced improvements like longer codec calls and a rudimentary radar, but it also featured a notorious swamp sequence. This segment required players to navigate a poorly indicated, narrow path through a swamp, with any deviation resulting in instant death. Given the era's less refined controls, this maze-like puzzle could severely disrupt the game's pacing and frustrate players.
Iconic Stealth and Narrative Stumbles
Metal Gear Solid is celebrated for its early infiltration sequence, encompassing Snake's stealthy insertion onto Shadow Moses Island, the ascent via elevator, and the atmospheric tension of searchlights and snow imprints. Despite its iconic stealth action, the game concludes with a less successful car chase sequence. This gauntlet of explosions and turret shooting, involving Liquid Snake's pursuit, suffered from awkward controls and an overlong duration, standing out as a rare gameplay low point in an otherwise stellar title.
Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty introduced Raiden, a divisive protagonist whose presence was crucial to the game's exploration of identity and its commentary on the nature of heroism. The narrative's thematic depth, centering on the damage of war and manipulation, is considered a significant strength. Conversely, the latter half of the game, set in the Big Shell facility after the Harrier fight, becomes overly linear. It includes an awkward swimming section, a clumsy escort mission with Emma Emmerich, and baffling plot revelations, marking the game's least compelling stretch.
Emotional Depths and Visual Disappointments
Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater is frequently lauded for its compelling narrative, particularly the complex relationship between Snake and The Boss, which is often cited as one of the most interesting in the series and a standout portrayal of a female character in gaming. This installment masterfully blended political thriller elements with deep emotional resonance. However, the recent remake, Metal Gear Solid Delta: Snake Eater, has drawn criticism for its visual presentation. Compared to the original, Delta is described as having a washed-out color palette and less vibrant lighting, particularly in scenes utilizing sunlight and fire, resulting in a flatter visual experience.
Mechs, Memes, and Multiplayer
Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots features a spectacular mech battle between Snake piloting Metal Gear REX and Liquid piloting Metal Gear RAY. This high-octane sequence, channeling cinematic action, offers a unique and cathartic gameplay experience distinct from the series' usual on-foot stealth encounters. The game's narrative low point, however, is the increased importance and peculiar romantic subplot of Johnny Sasaki. His transition from a minor, albeit memorable, character to a significant plot element and Meryl's eventual husband is seen as an absurd and poorly executed narrative choice that diminishes the impact of the finale.
Peace Walker's greatest strength lies in its cooperative multiplayer, allowing two players to team up for infiltration missions. This feature offered a fun, engaging experience for the PlayStation Portable. However, the game's boss battles are considered a notable weakness. The reliance on fighting tanks and robots, while not inherently bad, leads to a sense of repetition and makes these climactic encounters the most dull parts of an otherwise strong title.
Dense Environments and Disturbing Content
Metal Gear Solid 5: Ground Zeroes, despite being a standalone prologue, is praised for its highly detailed and dense sandbox environment, Camp Omega. This Cuban black site provides numerous infiltration routes and opportunities for exploration across its various side missions, making it an exceptionally replayable location. The game's most significant detraction is its handling of Paz Ortega's fate. The graphic depiction of her torture, the discovery of a second bomb, and her subsequent self-sacrifice to save the helicopter crew are described as excessively vicious and crossing a boundary into gratuitousness, feeling more like schlock than impactful storytelling.
Metal Gear Solid 5: The Phantom Pain excels in its stealth gameplay, offering vast open environments and a high degree of player freedom. Its standout moment is Mission 43, an outbreak scenario where players must make the grim decision to eliminate infected soldiers. This event masterfully interlocks the game's base-building and soldier management mechanics with its narrative, creating a powerful and somber experience. Conversely, the game's broader storytelling is often criticized for its fragmented delivery through optional cassette tapes and awkward sequences, such as the jeep ride with Skull Face. The unfinished third act, likely due to Konami's interference, contributes to a narrative that often feels lacking in weight and focus.
Character Action and Drawn-Out Sections
Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance is celebrated for its incredible boss fight music, with tracks like "The Only Thing I Know For Real" and "It Has to Be This Way" not only being catchy but also lyrically rich, complementing the characters and narrative. The game's development saw a shift to a character-action focus, resulting in a highly acclaimed title with an angry, bloody tone. The most criticized aspect of Revengeance is its Denver section. While featuring bold moments of action against corrupt forces, the prolonged string of levels, particularly a tedious skyscraper climb and slow-walking segments, make it a drag in the middle of the game.