From the gripping elevator ascent to the rain-soaked cliffs of Shadow Moses to the intense mentor-student showdown in the closing scenes of Snake Eater, Hideo Kojima and Konami's epic spy thriller franchise, Metal Gear, boasts some of the most unforgettable moments in video gaming. This series has woven a narrative that stretches across multiple console generations, pushing the boundaries of what video games can achieve. The adventures of Solid Snake and Big Boss have cemented their place as legendary within the gaming community, with many arguing they rank among the most influential titles ever released.

In 2015, Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain appeared to conclude the saga, with Kojima parting ways with Konami and the Metal Gear Solid IP to establish his own studio. Yet, Konami has since revived the series with re-releases and remakes, including the upcoming Metal Gear Solid Delta: Snake Eater set to launch later this year. As a new wave of players delves into this world of covert operations, shadowy conspiracies, and characters sporting cool eyepatches, we've organized the chronological order of the Metal Gear Solid series to help both newcomers and seasoned fans get up to speed.

Jump to:

• How to play in chronological order
• How to play by release order

How Many Metal Gear Solid Games Are There? ------------------------------------------

Every IGN Metal Gear Review

19 ImagesExcluding remakes, ports, or remasters, the Metal Gear franchise comprises 17 games: 11 mainline titles, five on handheld devices, and one on mobile. While this is a substantial lineup, several are deemed non-canon, diverging from the central storyline and exploring alternative narratives.

For example, 2018's Metal Gear Survive unfolds in a post-apocalyptic world overrun by a zombie virus, placing it outside the main canon. The PSP's Metal Gear: Acid and Metal Gear: Acid 2, along with the Game Boy Color's Metal Gear: Ghost Babel, are considered alternate-timeline spin-offs. Metal Gear Mobile and Snake's Revenge have also been officially declared non-canon by the community and Kojima.

This leaves 11 games within the main storyline, each integral to the true Metal Gear Saga, which spans from a fictional alternate-history 1960s to the late 2010s. Let’s explore these games in their chronological order.

Which Metal Gear Should You Play First?

For those eager to dive into the entire saga, we suggest starting with the 2023 release, Metal Gear Solid: Master Collection Vol. 1, which offers the best versions of Metal Gear Solid 1–3. For those preferring a more modern entry point or less tolerant of older games, Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain serves as an excellent introduction to the series.

Prime Day Deal### Metal Gear Solid: Master Collection Vol.1 (PS5)

5See it at AmazonMetal Gear Games in Chronological Order

These summaries contain mild spoilers regarding characters, settings, and key plot points.

1. Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater

The saga kicks off with Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater, which is also slated for a modern remake. This installment follows Naked Snake, a US Special Forces operative, during the Cold War. Tasked with extracting a Russian scientist from the Soviet Union to thwart the creation of a weapon of mass destruction called the Shagohod, Snake is shocked to discover his former mentor, The Boss, has defected to the Soviets.

After a fierce confrontation leaves him for dead in the jungle, Snake is commissioned by his commander, Zero, to return to Russia, confront The Boss, and dismantle the Shagohod to avert nuclear war. By the game’s end, Naked Snake earns the moniker Big Boss, becoming a legend within the US Special Forces. Yet, his battle with The Boss and the truths he uncovers leave him disillusioned with his mission and the government he serves.

Read our Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater Review or check out updates on the Metal Gear Solid 3 remake.

2. Metal Gear Solid: Portable Ops

Set six years after Snake Eater, Metal Gear Solid: Portable Ops continues Big Boss’s journey as he confronts his former unit, FOX Unit, which has gone rogue. The narrative begins with Big Boss being captured and tortured at a Colombian base by FOX, only to escape and learn he's been framed for treason.

Determined to clear his name, Big Boss pursues his former comrades and their leader, Gene, who aims to establish a nation of mercenary soldiers known as Army's Heaven. By the game's conclusion, Big Boss secures the resources meant for this project and returns to the US, where he later forms the special ops unit FOXHOUND.

Read our review of Metal Gear Solid: Portable Ops.

3. Metal Gear Solid: Peace Walker

Four years after Portable Ops, Big Boss has left FOXHOUND and the Patriots, founding Militaires Sans Frontières (MSF) with Kazuhira Miller. Their mission is to protect nations without the means to defend themselves. Big Boss faces off against the Peace Sentinels, a militia that has invaded Costa Rica.

As he investigates, Big Boss uncovers the involvement of his former mentor, The Boss, in the Peace Sentinels' scheme, which involves a nuclear-capable mech named the Peace Walker. Operating from Motherbase, an off-shore oil rig, Big Boss and MSF challenge the Peace Sentinels to uncover their motives. The story concludes with Big Boss battling Paz, revealed to be a Cipher agent.

Read our review of Metal Gear Solid: Peace Walker.

4. Metal Gear Solid V: Ground Zeroes

Following Peace Walker by a few months, Ground Zeroes serves as a prologue to Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain. Big Boss learns that Paz, presumed dead, is alive and being interrogated by Cipher at Camp Omega. Intent on rescuing her and preventing Cipher from gaining crucial information about MSF, he infiltrates the base.

There, he encounters XOF, a Cipher faction led by the ruthless Skull Face. The prologue ends with Big Boss rescuing Paz, only to learn that XOF is attacking Motherbase, resulting in the destruction of MSF and leaving Big Boss near death.

Read our review of Metal Gear Solid: Ground Zeroes.

5. Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain

Nine years later, Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain begins with a severely injured Big Boss awakening in a Cypriot hospital, narrowly escaping an assassination attempt. Rescued by Revolver Ocelot, he returns as the leader of the Diamond Dogs, adopting the codename Venom Snake.

Vowing to dismantle XOF after their assault on MSF, Big Boss tracks them to Africa, discovering Skull Face's plan to unleash a devastating parasitic weapon. The game concludes with Big Boss setting the stage for Outer Heaven, a military nation free from governmental manipulation.

Read our review of Metal Gear Solid 5: The Phantom Pain.

6. Metal Gear

Eleven years on, the narrative shifts to the original Metal Gear. Solid Snake, a rookie FOXHOUND operative under Big Boss’s mentorship, is dispatched to Outer Heaven to investigate a weapon of mass destruction.

During his mission, he encounters Grey Fox, another agent sent to investigate, who reveals the weapon is a nuclear-capable mech named Metal Gear. The story culminates in a confrontation with Big Boss, who is revealed to be behind Outer Heaven's operations.

Read our review of Metal Gear.

7. Metal Gear 2: Solid Snake

Four years later, Solid Snake returns to stop Big Boss, who has survived and is now building another Metal Gear in Zanzibar Land. With the help of various allies, Snake infiltrates the nation and battles Big Boss's forces to destroy the weapon.

See more about Metal Gear 2: Solid Snake.

8. Metal Gear Solid

Six years after Metal Gear 2, Solid Snake is tasked with quelling a rebellion led by his former FOXHOUND unit at Shadow Moses, a facility rumored to house a secret Metal Gear. The rebels demand Big Boss's body and a hefty ransom to avert a nuclear strike.

Snake confronts various FOXHOUND members, including Revolver Ocelot, Psycho Mantis, and a cyborg Grey Fox, before facing the unit's leader, Liquid Snake. The game ends with Snake faking his death to escape governmental betrayal.

Read our review of Metal Gear Solid or explore more of the best PS1 games.

9. Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty

Two years later, Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty begins with Solid Snake infiltrating an oil tanker to investigate a new Metal Gear, only to see it stolen by Revolver Ocelot, who sinks the tanker and frames Snake.

The story then shifts to Raiden, a FOXHOUND agent, sent to Big Shell, a facility built to clean up the tanker spill, now taken over by the Sons of Liberty, who hold the US president hostage. As Raiden delves deeper, he uncovers the facility's secrets and meets Iroquois Pliskin, who is revealed to be Solid Snake. The game concludes with Snake joining Raiden to confront Ocelot, now possessed by Liquid Snake's spirit, and the mysterious Patriots.

Read our review of Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty or discover more of the best PS2 games.

10. Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots

Marking the end of the main storyline and Solid Snake’s last mission, Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots follows Snake, now rapidly aging due to his cloning and the FOXDIE virus, with only a year left to live.

Dubbed Old Snake, he embarks on a mission to assassinate Liquid Ocelot, who leads a new Outer Heaven comprised of private militaries in the Middle East. Equipped with nanomachines, Snake navigates his deteriorating condition and the mutated FOXDIE to confront Ocelot and thwart his plans involving Big Boss’s body.

Read our review of Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots.

11. Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance

The current timeline concludes with Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance, focusing on Raiden, now a cyborg, working for Maverick Security Consulting. During a mission in Africa, he's attacked by Desperado Enforcement and left for dead by Jet Stream Sam.

As Raiden investigates Desperado, he uncovers dark secrets, spurring him to seek justice against the group and its allies.

Read our review of Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance.

How to Play the Metal Gear Games by Release 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: Portable Ops (2006)
• Metal Gear Solid: Mobile (2008)
• Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots (2008)
• Metal Gear Solid: Peace Walker (2010)
• Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance (2013)
• Metal Gear Solid V: Ground Zeroes (2014)
• Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain (2015)
• Metal Gear Survive (2018)
• Metal Gear Solid Δ: Snake Eater (2025)

What’s Next for Metal Gear?

Though it once seemed that the Metal Gear series had reached its end, Konami has confirmed a forthcoming remake, Metal Gear Solid Delta: Snake Eater. Showcased with a cinematic trailer at PlayStation’s 2023 summer event, this modern reimagining of Naked Snake’s iconic battle with The Boss is slated for release on August 28, 2025, as announced during Sony's February 2025 State of Play.

As for new entries, while Konami has not announced plans for original games without Hideo Kojima, Virtuous Studios, the developer behind the Delta remake, has hinted at the possibility of remaking other Metal Gear titles, stating, “Regarding remakes of previous games in the series other than Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater, we will listen to player demand and consider accordingly.”

Metal Gear Games: Complete Playlist

Here are all the standalone Metal Gear games and spin-offs, listed in release order. Log in to rank them, mark games as owned or completed, or create a game plan for your next playthrough.

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Konami2Konami3Konami4Konami5Konami6Konami7Konami OSA (KCEO)8Konami9KCEJ10KonamiFor more lists like these, also see Assassin's Creed Games in Order and a list of Far Cry Games in order.