I played through Metal Gear Solid (1) late last year, and it drove me crazy...in the worst way. I thought the story was awful, the gameplay was frustrating at best and maddening at worst.

I really want to get to Metal Gear Solid V based on what I heard about it when it came out, and I think I could like MGS4 based on what was said about it. However, it's really hard getting through the early games.

So, I got around to playing MGS2, and while the gameplay was not as anger-inducing as MGS1, it was still frustrating at times and boring most of the time, in my opinion.

I really hated the mostly top-down perspective of the gameplay. I really want something more over-the-shoulder, because having to always switch to first-person just to see what is in front of me was very frustrating. More often, I would run into the sightline of an enemy or into some obstacle simply because I couldn't see what was in front of me.

The story got even more absurd than 1, as I somewhat expected based on Bombcasts, but it still managed to be worse than I thought. I had a hard time keeping track of the characters and the developments that came at too quick of a pace and were just so beyond Sci-Fi into fantasy, and the over-explaining was very trying...

After getting about ten hours into MGS2, I literally lost all desire to play video games, period. As stupid as it sounds, my lack of enjoyment with MGS2 really made me question the time I was putting into gaming as a hobby.

I'm also a musician, and while it's been a while since I played in a band, I am trying to play more and eventually get back into a band and starting creating more art instead of only being the consumer. So, with those thoughts already in my head, MGS2 was the straw that broke me.

Also, something very important to my mindset is that I'm a father of two children under three years old. So, I have very little free time. Therefore, I really have to feel I'm using it the best I can.

Add to that a whole other giant mess that I don't love what I do for my job and am always thinking of another possible career doing something I care more about...

Anyway, after hearing so many good things about Inside and Doom and getting excited for some upcoming games like No Man's Sky, Deus Ex: Mankind Divided, and South Park: The Fractured but Whole, I got the motivation to finish MGS2 last night so I could just move on. I powered through it in a few more sittings this week, and I was very happy to finally complete it.

I feel free now, excited to play some other games, though I'll probably be putting less time in than I was even able to before.

I still plan on trying MGS3 eventually, and I really hope I like it more. I still think I'll like MGS5, and I think MGS4 has a good shot, as well, if it is true that it has more cutscenes than gameplay. :P

TLDR: I don't think Metal Gear Solid 2 is the worst game ever. It's not even the worst game I've ever played. I just was expecting more and got very frustrated and bored, personally. I feel compelled to play the games that so many like so much, so that I have an opinion. Plus, I want to get to MGS5, which I do think I'll like, but I'd love to play all the games in order to get there, to know all the narrative... I'm not saying that no one should like these games. As always, it's about preference and taste.

This post is all over the place.

If you don't enjoy Metal Gear, thats fine it's not representing of gaming is a whole. Just stop playing Metal Gear. Just figure out what small parts you enjoyed about Metal Gear and seek it out in other games.

You know, you could just start MGS 5. That is a game that unfortunately, you don't need to have played the others to get the most out of. I loved the older MGS', and five was fine, but lacked a good enough story, so it isn't really my favorite MGS. MGS 4 I arguably like more in terms of gameplay than five, it's just that five is in a open world and a lot more gameplay. Only one mechanic in terms of Snake's abilities was taken out of Ground Zeroes and five that was in four, which is the ability to lean over a ledge as you're prone, which was nice in four. If you dislike the story of the games, there's no reason to keep going with it. If you just want gameplay that I assume is tolerable to you, just play five.

Well if you don't like MGS2's story you won't like 4's, 3 is less convoluted (but less interesting atleast IMO) and V is pretty much all gameplay. You could play V and not have played the others honestly, or just play 3 and 1. But if your interested in solid snake then 4 is the end of his storyline, 3 and V are about big boss.

@tothenines:You're definitely right about the post not being as thought out as it could be. I set out to just write a first draft last night, but I didn't know when I'd get back to it, so I just decided to post it. I always say I want to get back to writing more about the games I play (I used to have my own blog hosted elsewhere), but I just never can find the time.

Anyway, I definitely know MGS2 isn't representative of gaming, as a whole. That's really the reason I never played the MGS games before and have had such a hard time with the series. I'm in my mid-thirties and was mainly a PC gamer from a kid. For example, I prefer the Splinter Cell and Hitman games for stealth, and PC RPG's have always been my favorite genre, mainly for story/narrative.

Also, I didn't go into it, because I feel like I bring it up in every post I do, but I have two kids under the age of three, now. So, that has a lot to do with how I think about using my time.

So, yeah, you're right that I should have taken more time on this post. I'm just hoping that publishing this may get me to start writing more often, and I'll work more on the quality, too. :) Thanks for reading!

@ntm: Yeah, I may just start MGS5 at some point... I hate to say it, but I am almost exactly like Vinny when it comes to narrative/story in games. I have a really hard time not playing every game in a series and really knowing the entire story and such. The really bad thing about that is that I get in positions like this one where I force myself to complete games and whole series, even if I am not having fun... I gotta get over that, but it's a huge mental "block." :/

@oursin_360: Honestly, I think I may enjoy MGS3's story much more. I've definitely heard a lot of people say MGS2 and MGS4 are the most "out there" for story. I also keep expecting that the gameplay will feel better to me as the series goes on, since they are becoming more modern in their controls and such. MGS3's more open spaces and stealth systems involving camo and such actually sounds interesting. So...I really do feel like I have to give it a shot. But, yeah, I definitely understand what you mean, and I really appreciate the input. It's helpful in helping me process through these games. :D

I played a souls game once and hated it, felt no urge to play any other games in the series. Just curious, what compels you to keep playing metal gear games if you hate them?

I feel that it's worth saying that if you can't get a handle on the esoteric gameplay of Metal Gear (which I would completely understand), or really any series, you don't need to try to convince yourself that you should like it because its reputation suggests so. It's kind of maddening to not see what you assume should be there, but at this rate I don't think you're going to suddenly turn a corner on anything - outside maybe the modernization aspect of the fifth game.

There's not exactly a lot of the Metal Gear narrative that I'm going to absolutely stand by, and I just don't think "playing for the story" in spite of everything else is likely to be all that rewarding.

@xanadu: Two/three not so great reasons. 1.) I just want to have played and formed an opinion of one of the most popular series in gaming. 2&3.) I want to play MGS5, because I think I'd like that gameplay...but I have a stupid urge to play through the past games in order to get all the story...

@Kovie: You are correct, but I keep thinking the changes from game to game will eventually mean one grabs me. For example, maybe the more open environments in 3 will be more fun. Or maybe the even more grand presentation of 4 will be more entertaining, especially after building up more knowledge of the characters...

MGS 3 got me back into gaming. So I'll just go and recommend it.

@csl316: that's very encouraging! Do you mind telling me a couple things that made you like it so much? Thanks!

i don't see the question in this forum point, or what to really discuss. But if i where you I wouldn't play any more Metal Gear. It doesn't seem to be your taste. Its okay to not finish games, quit them when you feel bored!

It really sounds like you just don't like Metal Gear and should probably not bother with MGSV despite the excellent gameplay because it has a lot of elements intrinsic to the series which you don't seem to enjoy.

The "I think MGS1 is the worst" to "MGS2 made me stop playing games for an extended period of time" to "hey I'm about to launch into MGS3" is an odd progression. You don't have to finish the series. Really.

@fakekisser:

None of the metal gear solid's are really game's that you should force yourself to play. 1-4 are pretty consistently just 15hrs of well thought out levels, great stealth game mechanics, and an over-the-top story that really dominates the entire experience. Either this really grabs you or it doesn't.

MGSV's a little different, but its open world map and gameplay probably isn't enough on its own to get you enticed. It's still just a stealth game, except with modern open-world mechanics kind of awkwardly tacked on.

Don't let this series skew your interest in gaming in general; it's a pretty niche series. There's always other stuff to play, or maybe you just need to take a quick break and find another hobby. When you come back to gaming the magic will be there :)

To stand out by saying he dislikes a popular game!

Just play MGSV if it intrigues you. It's a great game where the story is pretty secondary.

...really? the story is pretty integral to metal gear in my opinion. care to elaborate on your statement?

also, to the op, if you dont want to play through the game because you dont enjoy it, but want the story bits, youtube is your friend. i only had played snake eater, 4, and a bit of peace walker before 5. i just went to youtube for the rest.

MGS3 is the game that made me quit Metal Gear after loving 1 and 2.

Like everyone else is saying, if you think you'll like 5 play 5. The story is idiotic and mostly absent outside of the unbearable opening, you don't need to suffer through the rest of the series to enjoy it.

If you're playing to catch up on the story for MGSV, you're playing in the wrong direction. Snake Eater > Peace Walker > Ground Zeroes > The Phantom Pain. 1, 2 or 4 won't tell you anything you really need to know about V.

@mathj Would you say the story is as important in The Phantom Pain as any other Metal Gear game? I got more enjoyment playing that just for the gameplay than I did playing MGS1 just for the story.

I do not approve of this thread, not one bit.

Why would you force yourself to play all of the earlier Metal Gear games so you can play MGSV if you hate both the gameplay and the story in them? Just skip to MGSV, it's the only one that's radically different in terms of gameplay, everything else is just an evolution of the mechanics found in MGS1. Also if you're one of those people that have to play all of the earlier games you already fucked up by skipping Metal Gear and Metal Gear 2: Solid Snake for the MSX.

It seems silly to me that one bad experience with one video game would put you off of video games as a whole. Just play something else. Not everybody has to like or even play Metal Gear. Get Doom or something.

@mrcaptain: There is no question, and I'm not trying to make any point. I just was writing a very short post about my experience, because it was a weird moment for me when I suddenly lost my appetite for gaming after going strong for literally decades. :) To be honest, I am surprised at how many people have commented, as my posts rarely garner such attention. However, in hindsight, the reason so many people are commenting is the same reason I've been forcing myself to play the series - because it's so popular.

@xchairmandrekx: It's reallyjust to say I played through one of the most popular series in gaming and have an opinion, but you're definitely right. I'm actually trying to focus my gaming time a lot more, so it's possible that will cause me to keep the rest of the MGS games on my backlog. I just got really motivated to go through the series when so many people adored MGS5. If that game hadn't been very good, I doubt I'd have started the series, and it would have stayed in my backlog forever. :P

@humanity: Honestly, I think my main decision now is to try MGS5 or not bother with the whole series, but so many people loved 5, and I know it is more of a modern open-world game which does appeal to my tastes. So, yeah, I do have a lot to think about... Thanks for commenting!

@artisanbreads: I can definitely see how it sounds pretty dumb, but a lot of it has to do with the fact that each game is so many years apart that they seem to change, and I feel like one could grab me...though it may only be 5... I wouldn't start 3 until next year anyway, at this point (too many other games I want to play first), so I have time to think about it... :D

@sasnake: Not sure if that's directed towards me and/or just a joke, but I definitely don't care about attention at liking or disliking a game, and I'm sorry if my post seemed like clickbait or controversial just to be so. I didn't intend it to be anything but a very simple post and maybe partially a venting session. I don't write very often anymore, and very little people read my stuff, so I didn't even expect this response. :)

@dragon_puncher: That very well may happen. I'm considering just playing 5 at some point, and if I really love it, I may try to go back to 3 or 4, though those may seem even worse, at that point. Sometimes, I go through series in order just because it can be so hard to go back after playing a later sequel, since the earlier games will have aging mechanics and earlier versions of things the sequels did better. But, yeah, the logical thing is just to try 5, at this point...

@mathj: Yeah, to be honest, I'm having to read summaries of the stories and re-watch some cutscenes even after playing the games to make sure I get everything! :P :P

@warlordpayne: Wow. I wonder, though, if the opposite could be true that I'd like 3 if I didn't like 1 or 2, but I do get your point. Thank you for posting that counterpoint!!

@eccentrix: Oh no!! Now I'm really face-palming! ;)

@flstyle: I should have made a better post. I realize now that just writing stream of consciousness on this topic probably wasn't a good idea. I know a lot of people love the series, but I should have done a better job explaining why I have so little gaming time in my life and why that causes me to question my hobbies much more harshly. But, it's a fun discourse, anyway, and, in the end, I hope this motivates me to posting more in the forums, again, and posting more (more well-thought out) blogs!

@TechnoSyndrome:That's really helpful to know that 5 is really the only departure on gameplay. Thank you! The funny thing about the gameplay in 2 is that I would have liked it a lot more if the perspective were more "behind the shoulder" than being so close to top-down. That REALLY bothered me, because I didn't have good perspective of what was in front of me. I had to either switch into first-person constantly or, many times, would run into someone or something completely unexpectedly, because it wouldn't come into my view until it was too late...

@kasaioni: I totally hear you. It's not the first time. I've been playing video games for literally almost 30 years. I've put thousands of hours into the hobby (as many people have - I'm not bragging or anything like that). I've been frustrated by many games, and I even quite gaming for 2 years completely while I was in grad school. So, I'm not saying that MGS2 is the worst game ever...or even the worst game I've ever played. I hope that's not what people read. I was just struck at how this game impacted me, so I wanted to write about it. As I said in another comment, though, I should have written a better post with a more thorough explanation of everything else in my life that is changing how I see gaming as a hobby. But, yeah, I just bought Doom and will be playing it VERY soon. I'm playing Inside now and loving it and have several great games I'm playing next that I know I'll really like. There is definitely no shortage of great games to play! :D

I actually did the same thing, I played through and beat Metal Gear Solid 1 last year, and then stopped at 2. I was at a part where I needed to defuse a bunch of bombs I think, and I honestly was getting into it, but I just didn't really like the gameplay very much. I actually have the same exact issue with the Uncharted series - I liked the story, but the gameplay just doesn't grab me.

I do want to get back into it though, just so I can finally play the 5th one that everyone lost their shit over last year.

@fakekisser: All I can say is 1 blew me away when it came out, 2 was actually a let down, and 3 when it came out was so frusterating with its camera that I quit it quick. Then came back with Subsistence and it's one of my favorite games and the best MGS game I think.

I think 2 is interesting but I actually think it's a really annoying game and a lot of it is lame. Like the overall ideas are definitely cool, but the bosses are not cool or fun at all and the environments are drab and repetitive. Raiden and his storylines are irritating.

Even with 3 the gameplay had its quirks but was better and eveything else was a vast improvement. 4 was a huge step up and V is one of the best action games period so they came a long way.

@fakekisser: I'm the exact same way to be honest; I have to know the story, and I have to experience the history of them before getting a new one. I just don't want to miss anything, even if it's small like a few references. That said, more so than most games, and the reason I said 'unfortunately', is that by the time you get to five, since you're not enjoying the other MGS games, you'll probably be saying 'why did I even play those?' If I were in your position, I'd personally still go through them despite me saying this, but now knowing what I know, I don't recommend it if you can get yourself away from it. MGS5 does nothing for the series in terms of story really; what it does is bring up an answer for a question no one had in the end. I didn't hate it, but it didn't do anything to move the series' story, and it was somewhat bare. Plus, although I think you might enjoy the gameplay more, another game that you may not have on mind, which is recommended that you play before five is Peace Walker.

@fakekisser: They actually introduce a behind the back sorta more traditional camera in MGS3 Subsistence (but not the original). I find it impossible to return to the first title now the camera is just such a huge improvement.

From what I'm hearing though 3 might be right up your street. Unless of course the underlying problems with gameplay would prevent you enjoying it at all. It does a better job of keeping the story pretty self contained while still dropping enough hints and story to feel relevant to the rest of series. I also think the mood and setting are just more fun in general. It's pretty short too so it's not much of a commitment. 5 on the other hand is really long, is not light-hearted at all, and does a pisspoor job of framing the action.Though it is easily the most accessible and fun in terms of gameplay, I think there's a lot the game does to diminish that. I find it difficult to feel good while playing that game and maybe that's by design but without spoiling, it never left me feeling satisfied. Hell of a game anyway.

MGS3 made gaming okay for me again, fellow pilgrim.

MGS 3? Well, I felt burned by MGS 2 at the time. To the point where I had zero expectations for 3. Saw the new era, didn't really care for it, thought it'd be a dumb, needless prequel. I was in my first year of college at the time, felt overwhelmed, and was ready to quit playing games altogether. But once I started 3, I realized I could cut a few hours of sleep from each day.

So it came out and there were several things that hit me.

- The story, out of the gate, just grabbed me. There's an introductory mission that sets things up nicely, and the way it ends just shocked me. There's a point an hour or two in where so much happens, but not in a cluttered MGS 2 way. It continues to be strong throughout, emotionally-affecting, well told and well paced. The ending leading into the perfect credits song still brings a tear to my eye.

- The gameplay just felt so open, as there were a ton of ways to approach every situation. It led to a ton of replayability for me. This probably has the "most" gameplay outside of V, but it was so well-designed at the time that I didn't mind it one bit.

- The characters felt developed in a way that prior games did not. It's a lengthy game that has time to breathe, and during the smaller moments you start to get a feel for who these people are and how they change. The Big Boss/Revolver Ocelot dynamic in the game is a highlight of the series and set a foundation for all this prequel stuff. I went from no interest to preferring this period to the "modern" stuff.

There are things in this game that might be hard to adjust to. Some people can't grasp the controls (or don't know that the d-pad is required to be super-sneaky). There are some overly-complicated system when it comes to the survival and camo mechanics. The aesthetic of the game is fairly grungy. There's still plenty of codec. But despite some of those flaws, I still name it my favorite in the series for the reasons above. V has better gameplay, 4 is the most bombastic, and 1 has nostalgia going for it. But there's a reason the pachinko machine remake is bumming so many people out: 3 is one of the best Kojima games and would be incredible in the FOX engine.

While I tend to agree with your point of view here, I also think there is an argument to be made for wanting to push through to understand somethings reputation, more specifically why it exists. It's why something like Kojima's crazy stupid silly story stuff works so well. It creates this bizzare reputation around it where if you haven't seen it, the mystery of just why so many people absolutely adore this stuff is enough to force you to sit through it, even when there are moments you truly hate. For me, I think most of the MGS games play like absolute garbage. But then features like Metal Gear Scanlon exist that allow me to see the entire crazy stuff people like Dan enjoy and get that, without having to suffer through some pretty bad games to be honest.

@random45 said:

Exactly! :D

@artisanbreads: Everything you said is incredibly encouraging to me! I feel the same about 2, and my whole thought about continuing to push on is because I'm expecting them to keep getting better with gameplay, and so many people say 3 is much more "focused" story than 2. Thanks for commenting!

@polyesterkyle: Thanks for the info on 3 Subsistence. I have the MGS Legacy Collection, so I have that updated version. I think I will like the game immensely more than the first two just with the change to the perspective as well as the other gameplay mechanics that involve stealth more on the lines with other over-the-shoulder stealth games like Splinter Cell. Also, I agree that the story will probably be much better for me, based on what people have said. I think I'm just going to have to try 3 for myself.

@bybeach: Great to hear! Thanks for commenting!

@devise22: Yeah, I've thought a few times of watching playthroughs of games, but it just seems so odd to me to not really be playing them. It's just a mental hurdle I should get over. If I don't like playing 3, that may be the game that gets me to try watching Drew play it... :)

@ntm said:

Thanks for saying that so at least I'm not the only one! :D I do think I have to try 3, but I agree that 5 is going to be the most "my cup of tea" which is why I think it grabbed SO many people. It seems like it is more similar to other games as far as gameplay. And, of course, I'm sure it does many of its own things, but it seems like it's building on existing gameplay concepts more than some of the other games. Anyway, thanks for the input!

@csl316: This is awesome!! What you said about 2's story being convoluted is exactly what I felt! And I would LOVE for the characters to matter more than they seemed to in 2, like you said they are in 3. I really feel like the more open environments could really make a big difference, too, because I agree that the restrictive corridors in 2 got really old, especially when there were so many things to constantly run into, fall off of, fall into... Thanks for posting your thoughts! That really helped!

@fakekisser: Don't want to overhype or anything, as I'm sure the impact may be lessened years later. But hey, Drew just played it for the first time and seemed to enjoy it, at the very least.

If you hate first two MGSs, you'll probably won't like what MGS3 isn't going to change much for you. Going straight to MGS4 is also a bad idea, however if you just want to play MGSV I think it's separated enough from the rest of the series that can work as a standalone game. Obviously there'll be a lot of events and characters either directly referenced or actually shows up in that game that would confuse people unfamiliar with the series, but the story is so sprinkled few and far between each mission it's kinda hard to really get invested in it. So yeah just play MGSV if that's the one you wanted to play from the start.

I love MGS, pretty much every game is fantastic in their own way and I would recommend everyone should play from the beginning but if you're that frustrated, you might as well just watch a playthrough of the older games.

Dude, stop playing Metal Gear games. I love them, but they're not for everyone. If Hideo Kojima can put Metal Gear behind him, you can too!

If you didn't like the story in MGS1, MGS4 will probably make you want to take your life. As an MGS fan that game made hate myself by the end. God what a dumbass, troubled game.

MGS3 has a pretty different feel from 1&2, so you might like it. The HD version is good and I really liked the 3DS version where they added more modern stuff like crouch walking from MGS4&5.

Oh man, what a slogan!

I feel like I have an uncommon set of opinions on the Metal Gear Solid Series.

I am incredibly neutral on MGS1, I don't think it's aged well at all but I appreciate what it was at the time

I think MGS2 is utterly brilliant and easily my personal favorite, the subversion of that game is unlike any other game including the others in this series.

I think MGS3 is excellent for its sense of style and is easily the most "fun", and I mean that in a tonal way as much as in the gameplay

I think MGS4 was maybe the worst of the entire series. It's ridiculous in a way that is just honestly stupid, and not fun stupid like in the previous games. It's far too serious for its own good and probably the worst bosses of the series.

MGS5 undoubtedly plays like a dream but is easily the most disappointing of the series for me. This is partially because I got into the series due to Metal Gear Scanlon, so this was the only one that I had time to build up expectations for. The way MGS5 handles it's story is abysmal, and its "twist" is easily the most poorly executed in the series. Others have said these things far better than I though.

In particular it seems to me that people who generally like 2 also love 4, and those that love 3 usually hate 2. Anyways this post just made me reflect on this and I've always wanted to get my opinions on this series down somewhere.

That is exactly the reason I quit MGS3. Subsistence added a behind the back camera, but the original MGS3 was as bad as 1 and 2. If not worse.

@joshth: I'd actually say that's a fairly common set of opinions on the series.

It seems a lot of people are fans of the odd or even numbered games (although MGSV seems to have broken this mold). Patrick has said he's a 1 and 3 guy, whereas Jeff has said he's a 2 and 4 guy (and also a V guy, which is the mold breaker).

I'd actually say my opinion might be more uncommon, because within the first 4 numbered games I like 2 and 3 a bit more than 1 and 4. I also like the story and lore that MGSV adds to the series, but will agree to a certain degree that the presentation of said story and lore wasn't great.

Just talk to Greg Miller about unpopular MGS opinions; apparently Peace Walker is his favourite game of the previous generation (I like Peace Walker a lot as well, but wow).

It's his favorite game period.

@fakekisser: fwiw I found the controls in 3 so offputting that I quit Metal Gear for years.

Just go to 5 if you want, you can always read the backstory stuff online.

I think the danger in feeling like you "Have to" play all these old games to appreciate the new one is that it easily turn games into a chore and that turns into burnout very quickly.

I dunno about you but as I've gotten older and thus consequently have played a ton more games while simultaneously having a lot less time, my burnout threshold had gotten lower and lower. I'll breaks from games, for months at a time if need be, when I start to feel frazzled (most often caused by grinding or similar slowed progession issues caused by desire to track down every collectible). Helps stave it off for me anyway.

It makes happy to know some people hate one of my favorite games of all time.

Lol dude wtf. Just don't play metal gear if you don't like it

@slag: Dude, you're totally right. I have much less patience for games I'm not really enjoying. I used a FAQ for MGS2 several times just to avoid having to run back and forth through all the environments to find where I needed to go...

Thanks for the comment and input, as always. I do need to just break that crazy impulse I have to finish all games I start and play through whole series that I'm not really enjoying...

Quick Question about that... Did you play the original version or the Subsistence version? I heard the original's controls/gameplay was really bad, but Subsistence fixed it with a more traditional behind-the-back camera and more modern controls.

If you didn't like the story of 1 or 2 I really don't understand why you keep on wanting to play the series. People love these games because of the story. Controlling these games has never been the crucks of this franchise until 5.