Metal Gear Solid Order

Hey everyone so I thought to myself, since I've only played MGS4, I should play all the MGS games on my PS3 to get a better understanding of the story.

Now I'm going to buy the Metal Gear Solid Legacy Collection which comes with eight games on the PS3, but it doesn't come with Portable Ops, and as you know that's a PSP exclusive.

The problem is I don't have access to a PSP, so I wanted to know where that game is placed in the order of games (I'll probably just watch all cut scenes for it on Youtube).

This is what comes in the Legacy Collection, and in what order I'll play them:

• Metal Gear
• Metal Gear 2
• Metal Gear Solid 1
• Metal Gear Solid 2
• Metal Gear Solid 3
• Metal Gear Solid 4 (Hell, I'll play it again it was that awesome)
• Metal Gear Solid: Peace Walker
• Metal Gear Solid: VR missions (Whatever they are)

Now I wanted to know where Portable Ops stands in that list, does it come after Peace Walker? And whilst I'm here, how about Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance, does it matter when I play that game?

Thanks again my fellow PlayStation Nation =D

No one can answer this question? PlayStation forum has no Metal Gear Solid wizards? Ah well, it was worth a shot.

Its really not that important to the lore....Hideo Kojima did not make this game so really there is little relevance to the Metal Gear Series....It is between MGS3 and PeaceWalker Though....

@soapman72: Thanks Soapman, now you've got me dancing like the guys in your sig.

NO, no, no, you're doing it wrong. If it is your intent to understand the story better then playing the games in order of release is the wrong way to go about it.

Try this order:

MGS 3

MGS PO(no longer canon but worth a looksie)

MGS Peacewalker

MGS 5: GZ

Metal Gear

Metal Gear 2

MGS 1

MGS VR

MGS 2

MGS 4

This is how it's done, Son!

completely WRONGGGGGG. I am a metal gear solid fan, I played them in the order of release...that is the ONLY way to play them, just because mgs3 jumps back in time 30-40 years doesn't mean you should play it first, you appreciate the evolution of the gameplay a lot more if you play them in the order of release. However I never played the original games released for nintendo. Play them in the order of release because once you get to MGS3 you will fall in love with the series even more. Even though mgs1 is my favorite of the series, I know deep down that 3 is the best game of the series, everything is just perfectly peeks in that game.

Kojima doesn't consider it cannon, so I would avoid it and not lose any sleep over passing on Portable Ops. I'm currently almost done replaying all the MGS games too, actually. I'm on Act 3 of 5 in MGS4. And when I finished Snake Eater, I ran into the same dilemma as you.., I even tried to buy the PSP version and transfer it to my Vita. Found out the hard way that only works in Europe for some reason. Anyway, Sony refunded my money and I just ended up watching "MGS Portable Ops: the Movie" on YouTube before preceding to play Peace Walker. Honestly, the two handheld versions are my least favorite from a Gameplay and Story perspective, but I must say if you want to understand the whole Story Arc, Peace Walker is essential. Portable Ops, by contrast, brings nothing new to the table.

Incidentally, I really suffered through Peace Walker. The story was necessary, but I really didn't care for the game itself. Also, I couldn't play the 8 bit games... I tried, and just ended up watching a YouTube synopsis. Luckily, the story isn't to difficult to follow in those original games.

play the games in their order of release. nobody, not even somebody with a taste for the convoluted like kojima, tells a story that wasn't meant to be heard in the order they told it in. the whole point of a prequel is that you know what happens after the story.

Nope. With constant references to past games, for first playthrough it's crucial to play them in the order they were released.

this totally, you're SUPPOSED to be curious about certain references about the past, thats why when you play them in the order of release it unwinds the story better so you think "Ahhh so thats why he did this and that", makes it more interesting.

Yeah definitely playing them in order of release, the way they were meant to be played. I just hope the first metal gear games (you know the birds eye view) are playable and don't put me off too much, and I can push through them.

TC never mentioned wanting to play the games to appreciate the evolution in the series' gameplay. Also, many of you are mistaking plot nostalgia for story clarity. Those "oh that's who or what they were referring to" moments aren't that satisfying as they are few and far between. It might have felt rewarding for us longtime fans to finally receive those missing pieces in the story(because of the long time between games) but there's nothing wrong with newcomers to experience the story in chronological order for clarity's sake(storywise). Save that "I'm a Metal Gear Fan" pomp as most of us responding to this post are and have been since '98.

Umm, I'm not sure you read my post then. in my very first sentence I state "I should play all the MGS games on my PS3 to get a better understanding of the story." I intend to play them all.

Correct. I couldn't believe that post. Thankfully, others noticed and spoke up as well.

Although some are prequels, they manage to answer questions from the previous games. I couldn't believe that post, tbh.

Since I had already played the games in the order of their release, I thought it might add something to the story to play them in timeline rather than release order. In my opinion, it did. MGS4's lengthy story revelations feel much more appropriate when viewed at the end of a long journey. Not to say I was one of the people that hated them the first time... I actually am sad that that MGSV will have fewer cut scenes since it's one of the main draws for me in the series. I just got a lot more out of the characters by understanding their chronological development in a broad arc. For example Sunny was a lot more tragic and interesting when recalling Olga. The repeated themes are also highlighted by playing the entire series, regardless of the order.

I highly recommend the Super Bunny Hop Critical Close up videos on YouTube which discuss the Metal Gear games series in surprising depth. The video about MGS2 in particular added a lot to my appreciation of a game I until recently loathed. It's still not my favorite game, but it gave me a better understanding of what Kojima was going for. I have played half of Revengeance on PC, and will play that one to completion last, despite the fact that it's a spin off. After watching Raiden kick ass in MGS4, it will be satisfying to play as a character I once despised.