Whether or not it’s Snake’s elevator ascent to the wet cliffs of Shadow Moses or the climactic battle between scholar and mentor in the ultimate moments of Snake Eater, Hideo Kojima and Konami’s epic spy thriller franchise, Metal Gear, is house to a few of gaming’s most iconic moments. Telling a narrative that spanned a number of console generations and pushed the artistic capabilities of video video games to their limits, Solid Snake and Large Boss’ adventures are legendary, a lot in order that many declare they’re amongst the most vital releases the medium has ever produced.
Again in 2015, Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Ache seemingly ended the franchise for good, with Kojima leaving Konami and the Metal Gear Solid IP behind to kind his personal studio. Nevertheless, Konami has began resurrecting the sequence by re-releases and remakes, like Metal Gear Solid Delta: Snake Eater popping out later this 12 months. With so many new gamers experiencing this world of undercover espionage, shady authorities conspiracy and gruff-voiced dudes with cool eyepatches for the first time, we’ve laid out the chronological order of the Metal Gear Solid sequence so newcomers and returning followers can catch up.
Not together with remakes, ports or remasters, there are 17 total Metal Gear games: 11 mainline video games, 5 on handheld gadgets and one on cellular. Though that’s lots of video games, a good chunk of them are thought of non-canon, with their tales overriding occasions from the foremost saga and spinning off into their very own distinctive takes on the universe.
2018’s Metal Gear Survive takes place in an apocalyptic actuality the place a zombie virus has overtaken the world, so it falls outdoors the foremost canon. As for the PSP’s Metal Gear: Acid and Metal Gear: Acid 2, they veer from the timeline and inform a brand new story, making them alternate-timeline spin-offs. Then there’s the Recreation Boy Coloration’s Metal Gear: Ghost Babel, which is an alternate-universe Metal Gear sequel that wipes away the occasions of Metal Gear 2: Solid Snake, thus eradicating it from the timeline. And eventually, Metal Gear Cell and Snake’s Revenge have since been deemed non-canon by the neighborhood and Kojima himself in interviews.
That leaves 11 video games inside the foremost storyline. Every recreation is taken into account a part of the true Metal Gear Saga, spanning from a fictional alternate-history Nineteen Sixties to the late 2010s. So, let’s run you thru all the video games in that story.
We suggest two potential beginning factors for Metal Gear. For these in the full saga, we suggest 2023’s Metal Gear Solid: Grasp Assortment Vol. 1, which incorporates the finest out there variations of Metal Gear Solid 1–3. Alternatively, for these in merely attempting out the franchise (and for these with a decrease tolerance for older video games), we suggest beginning with the sequence’ most modern iteration, Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Ache.
Metal Gear Solid: Grasp Assortment Vol.1 (PS5)
Metal Gear Games in Chronological Order
These blurbs comprise delicate spoilers for every recreation, together with characters, settings, and story beats.
1. Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater
The first slot in the saga’s timeline and the subsequent recreation to get a contemporary remake, Snake Eater follows a US Particular Forces operative codenamed Bare Snake throughout the occasions of the Chilly Struggle. Despatched to find and extract a Russian scientist from the Soviet Union to forestall him from constructing a weapon of mass destruction referred to as the Shagohod, Snake’s shocked to discover his former mentor, The Boss, has betrayed the US authorities and sided with the Soviets.
After a heated battle, Bare Snake is brutally defeated and left for useless in the jungle. Surviving the encounter, he’s tasked by his commanding officer, Zero, to return to Russia, discover his mentor and kill her, all the whereas monitoring down the Shagohod to forestall nuclear battle. By the finish of the story, Bare Snake adopts the moniker of Large Boss, changing into a legend amongst the US Particular Forces. Nevertheless, his battle with The Boss and the secrets and techniques he’s uncovered all through his journey depart him disillusioned along with his responsibility and the authorities he serves.
Learn our Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater Evaluation or see updates about the Metal Gear Solid 3 remake.
2. Metal Gear Solid: Moveable Ops
Set six years after Large Boss’ climactic battle along with his former mentor, Metal Gear Solid: Moveable Ops picks up the legendary soldier’s story as he goes head to head along with his former squad, FOX Unit. The recreation begins with Large Boss studying FOX has gone rogue, betraying the CIA and staging a revolt.
Captured and tortured on a Colombian base by FOX Unit, Boss breaks free however learns he’s been accused of treason. In a bid to clear his identify, he decides to seek out his former allies and pursue their ruthless chief, Gene. By the finish of the recreation, Large Boss learns of Gene’s want to create a nation of mercenary troopers referred to as Military’s Heaven and acquires the mass of funds and tools saved for the undertaking. Returning to the US, he later varieties a squadron of particular ops troopers referred to as FOXHOUND.
Learn our overview of Metal Gear Solid: Moveable Ops.
3. Metal Gear Solid: Peace Walker
4 years after the occasions of Moveable Ops, we meet up with Large Boss, who has left FOXHOUND and the Patriots. Since leaving, he’s shaped a brand new band of mercenary troopers referred to as Militaires Sans Frontières (or MSF) with Kazuhira Miller. Utilizing their newfound military to defend international locations that don’t have the forces or means to defend themselves, Large Boss and Miller wage battle in opposition to an armed militia referred to as the Peace Sentinels after they invade Costa Rica.
Throughout his investigation, Large Boss quickly realizes that his former mentor, The Boss, is in some way concerned in the Peace Sentinels’ plans. Worse, they’ve entry to nuclear weapons, wielding a supremely highly effective mech known as the Peace Walker. Rallying on an off-shore oil rig referred to as Motherbase, Snake and the Militaires Sans Frontières take the struggle to the Peace Sentinels, making an attempt to uncover their true motive and secrets and techniques. The recreation ends with Large Boss battling his former ally Paz, who seems to be a undercover agent of Zero’s shady authorities group, Cipher.
Learn our overview of Metal Gear Solid: Peace Walker.
4. Metal Gear Solid V: Floor Zeroes
A couple of months following the occasions of Peace Walker, Floor Zeroes acts as a prologue to the fifth entry in the Metal Gear Solid sequence: Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Ache. The story sees Large Boss embark on a brand new mission after studying that Paz survived their climactic battle throughout the ultimate moments of Peace Walker and is being interrogated by Cipher at a mysterious navy base referred to as Camp Omega. Understanding that she has essential details about Cipher and will reveal secrets and techniques about MSF to the shadowy group, he rushes to extract her.
Whereas infiltrating the base, he discovers a mysterious Cipher cell referred to as XOF, which is led by a sadistic, severely burned commander known as Cranium Face. The prologue ends with Snake extracting Paz solely to understand his allies are being attacked by the XOF again at Motherbase. The onslaught destroys the oil rig and eradicates Militaires Sans Frontières, leaving Large Boss on the cusp of demise.
Learn our overview of Metal Gear Solid: Floor Zeroes.
5. Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Ache
9 years later, Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Ache opens with a severely injured Large Boss waking up in a hospital in Cyprus. Evading an assassination try the place he’s attacked by a person coated in flames, a telekinetic soldier and a grasp sniper, Boss is saved by Revolver Ocelot and returns to motion as he leads a brand new mercenary group referred to as the Diamond Canines.
Swearing to cease the XOF after they destroyed Militaires Sans Frontières, he adopts the codename Venom Snake and heads to Africa to choose up their path, studying that the former-Cipher-affiliated group went rogue. Their chief, Cranium Face, is as an alternative engaged on a devastating parasitic weapon with the energy to eradicate the Western world. The recreation ends with Large Boss setting in movement his plans to create a navy nation referred to as Outer Heaven, the place troopers are free to stay with out getting used to additional shady authorities plans.
Learn our overview of Metal Gear Solid 5: The Phantom Ache.
6. Metal Gear
11 years later, the story catches up with the first entry in the sequence: Metal Gear. The recreation follows Solid Snake: a rookie soldier and member of FOXHOUND. FOXHOUND is as soon as once more run by Large Boss, who acts as Snake’s mentor and commanding officer. On his first mission, Solid Snake is shipped to observe down a weapon of mass destruction being constructed in a navy nation referred to as Outer Heaven.
Throughout his mission, he finds one other agent codenamed Gray Fox, who was additionally despatched to observe the weapon. Gray Fox reveals the mysterious weapon is a mech codenamed Metal Gear, which has the energy to launch nuclear bombs. The recreation ends with Solid Snake and Large Boss coming to blows, with the latter revealing he was behind Outer Heaven’s plans.
Learn our overview of Metal Gear.
7. Metal Gear 2: Solid Snake
4 years later, Solid Snake returns to motion after he learns Large Boss survived the occasions of the earlier recreation and is presently developing a brand new Metal Gear for the fictional nation of Zanzibar Land.
Teaming with numerous characters, Snake infiltrates Zanzibar Land and makes an attempt to destroy the weapon of mass destruction, battling Large Boss and his military of troopers alongside the means.
See extra about Metal Gear 2: Solid Snake.
8. Metal Gear Solid
Six years after Metal Gear 2, Solid Snake returns in a brand new mission. This time he’s despatched to battle his former unit, FOXHOUND, which has gone rogue, turned in opposition to the US and brought over a mysterious authorities facility on an island referred to as Shadow Moses. Shadow Moses is allegedly a check website for a secret Metal Gear, with FOXHOUND threatening to use its nuclear weapons in the event that they aren’t equipped with Large Boss’ corpse and a big sum of cash.
Snake heads to the facility and fights numerous members of FOXHOUND, together with Revolver Ocelot, Psycho Mantis and a Cyborg model of his former ally, Greyfox. He additionally meets the eccentric chief of FOXHOUND, Liquid Snake. The recreation ends with Snake being declared killed-in-action by Colonel Campbell and presumed useless by the authorities after they supposed to double-cross him. He flees Shadow Moses alive.
Learn our overview of Metal Gear Solid or see extra of the finest PS1 video games.
9. Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty
Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty opens two years later, with a now-rogue Solid Snake infiltrating an oil tanker whereas searching down a brand new Metal Gear being transported to the US. There he discovers a prototype Metal Gear referred to as Metal Gear Ray, which is subsequently stolen by Revolver Ocelot. Ocelot sinks the tanker and escapes, whereas Snake is blamed for the tanker’s destruction.
Two years later, we shift to a brand new protagonist: Raiden. An agent of FOXHOUND, Raiden is shipped on a mission to an off-shore decontamination facility referred to as Large Shell, which was constructed to clear the crude oil spill triggered when the oil tanker was destroyed throughout Solid Snake’s mission. Large Shell has been hijacked by a militant group referred to as the Sons of Liberty, which has taken the US president hostage.
Infiltrating the facility, Raiden quickly discovers issues aren’t fairly what they appear, wanting into Large Shell’s secrets and techniques and assembly a junior lieutenant named Iroquois Pliskin, who’s clearly hiding an enormous secret. By the finish of the recreation, Solid Snake joins Raiden’s mission, telling him he’s going after Ocelot (who it’s revealed is possessed by the will of Liquid Snake) and the Patriots.
Learn our overview of Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty or try extra of the finest PS2 video games.
10. Metal Gear Solid 4: Weapons of the Patriots
Marking the finish of the foremost story and Solid Snake’s ultimate mission, Metal Gear Solid 4: Weapons of the Patriots catches up with Snake three years after the occasions of Sons of Liberty. Due to the cloning course of used to create Snake and the rampant FOXDIE virus nonetheless coursing by his veins, we uncover that his physique is quickly getting older, with the protagonist being advised he solely has a 12 months left to stay. Donning a brand new nickname, Outdated Snake, he returns for one ultimate mission.
He’s to assassinate Liquid Ocelot, who’s presently working a brand new model of Outer Heaven which is comprised of a few of the largest non-public militaries in the Center East. Equipping his physique with nanomachines, Snake units out to convey Ocelot down, studying that his nemesis intends to as soon as once more find Large Boss’ corpse and execute a mysterious plan. As Snake battles his age and the lingering FOXDIE mutating in his physique, he makes his means in the direction of a ultimate confrontation along with his most ruthless enemy.
Learn our overview of Metal Gear Solid 4: Weapons of the Patriots.
11. Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance
The ultimate story in the present Metal Gear timeline, Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance focuses on Raiden who, as we discovered throughout Weapons of the Patriots, has remodeled right into a cyborg. The story picks up 4 years after Metal Gear Solid 4, revealing that Raiden now works with a non-public navy firm known as Maverick Safety Consulting.
Throughout an operation in Africa, Raiden is attacked by a rival non-public navy group referred to as Desperado Enforcement. Wounded and left for useless by its commander, Jet Stream Sam, Raiden continues his investigation into Desperado and learns some sinister secrets and techniques about the group and its allies. As the revelations about the non-public navy develop darker, Raiden swears to convey them down, setting off on his personal to ship violent justice.
Learn our overview of Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance.
How to Play the Metal Gear Games by Launch Date
- Metal Gear (1987)
- Snake’s Revenge (1990)
- Metal Gear 2: Solid Snake (1990)
- Metal Gear Solid (1998)
- Metal Gear Solid: Ghost Babel (2000)
- Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty (2001)
- Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater (2004)
- Metal Gear Solid: Acid (2004)
- Metal Gear Solid: Acid 2 (2005)
- Metal Gear Solid: Moveable Ops (2006)
- Metal Gear Solid: Cell (2008)
- Metal Gear Solid 4: Weapons of the Patriots (2008)
- Metal Gear Solid: Peace Walker (2010)
- Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance (2013)
- Metal Gear Solid V: Floor Zeroes (2014)
- Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Ache (2015)
- Metal Gear Survive (2018)
- Metal Gear Solid Δ: Snake Eater (2025)
What’s Subsequent for Metal Gear?
Though for a few years, it appeared Metal Gear was formally completed as a sequence, Konami has confirmed an upcoming remake of Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater. Proven with a cinematic trailer throughout PlayStation’s 2023 summer season showcase, Metal Gear Solid Delta: Snake Eater will rebuild the recreation from the floor up, giving followers a contemporary reimagining of Bare Snake’s legendary battle with The Boss. The remake is about to launch on August 28, 2025, as revealed in Sony’s February 2025 State of Play.
As for potential new entries in the sequence, Konami hasn’t confirmed whether or not they plan to make unique Metal Gear video games with out Hideo Kojima. That being mentioned, Metal Gear Solid Delta: Snake Eater developer Virtuous Studios did tease that remakes of different Metal Gear video games aren’t off the desk. Talking with IGN, the staff mentioned, “Relating to remakes of earlier video games in the sequence apart from Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater, we’ll pay attention to participant demand and contemplate accordingly.”
For extra lists like these, additionally see Murderer’s Creed Games in Order and a listing of Far Cry Games in order.
Callum Williams is a freelance media author with years of expertise as a recreation critic, information reporter, guides author and options author.