Ranking the Best Metal Gear Solid Games 

We’ll be honest, trying to rank the Metal Gear series is a boss fight in itself. Seriously, where do you even begin with a saga this legendary? We’re talking decades of sneaking, wild philosophical tangents about genres, memes and enough nostalgia to fill a codec call. Hideo Kojima’s masterpiece is a cornerstone of gaming history — every entry could claim a spot, but someone’s got to make the tough calls. Here’s our take on the best Metal Gear games, ranked.

How Many Metal Gear Solid Games Are There?

Not counting spinoffs and portable games, there are 9 mainline Metal Gear games, with the first being released in 1987:

• Metal Gear
• Metal Gear 2: Solid Snake
• Metal Gear Solid
• Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty
• Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater
• Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots
• Metal Gear Solid: Peace Walker
• Metal Gear Solid V: Ground Zeroes
• Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain

To understand the story’s full narrative, you must play them in order of release to have a greater grasp of the plot twist, suspense and major reveals. 

Our Ranking of the Top Metal Gear Games

We ranked the best Metal Gear games based on the story — the complexity, emotional impact and overall quality of the story. Next, we considered how innovative and enjoyable the gameplay is, particularly the stealth elements. The team also considered how the game’s influence in the industry, the memorability of characters and the creativity of boss encounters.

Without further ado, here’s Modded’s best of Metal Gear.

10. Metal Gear

This game is a legend that essentially put the stealth genre on the map, and that fact alone deserves every bit of praise it gets. But let’s be real — it’s clear why it lands at the bottom of our list. The gameplay feels a bit clunky for today’s standards, but the story and character? Absolute gold. All in all, it’s a true classic that still deserves a tip of the hat.

9. Metal Gear Solid V: Ground Zeroes

From a conceptual point of view, Metal Gear Solid V: Ground Zeroes is jaw-dropping. This is a short, two-hour prologue to The Phantom Pain, but it’s an amazing game in its own right. It’s an open-ended mission that you can play again and again, and you won’t feel bored. 

However, it received mixed reactions, with some feeling that Hideo Kojima — the video game’s designer — had sold them a demo, since the episodes were short. Nevertheless, issues aside, it has successfully delivered on the visuals side of things.

8. Metal Gear 2: Solid Snake

This is what made Metal Gear a household name in the stealth genre. It’s a huge leap forward from the first game, with a more complex storyline, more advanced gameplay mechanics and a more detailed world. It introduced many staples, such as a more advanced radar system, the ability to crawl and a story that was more than “go here and do this.” Despite being stuck in 8-bit technology, it’s still one of the most groundbreaking releases of this series.

7. Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance

We might not be the biggest fans of the name, but we love how it gave the game a new spin. Developed by PlatinumGames, this 2013 title boasts a killer soundtrack that complements the game’s high-octane action. It’s a spin-off that highlights Raiden — who is now a cyborg ninja — after the events of Metal Gear Solid 4. The “blade mode” mechanic is a total star, allowing you to slow down time and slice your enemies with precision.

6. Metal Gear Solid: Peace Walker

Originally a PSP game, Peace Walker is a full-fledged Metal Gear Solid experience that you can take on the go. It continues the story of Big Boss and his private army, Militaires Sans Frontières. It boasts a well-honed, stealth-packed gameplay, making it a must-have during its golden days. Plus, it introduced the mission-based structure and base management that would be perfected in The Phantom Pain.

5. Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots

This is the conclusion to the saga of Solid Snake, featuring a story that celebrates the series’ history. If you’re a fan of the series, you probably already know why it’s the most emotional one. It delivers pure fan service in the best possible way, tying up all the loose ends from the past games and gives Solid Snake the send-off he deserves. That’s not to say it wasn’t full of surprises.

4. Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty

This is one of the best Metal Gear games if you put more weight on the storyline. It’s also one of the most hyped games ever, featuring Solid Snake in a mullet. It took a deep dive into themes of fake news and misinformation, which felt ahead of its time. It’s a game that demands to be played and discussed with a fellow player to process everything that just happened.

3. Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain

After the events of Ground Zeroes, Big Boss falls into a coma and wakes up nine years later to find his army destroyed. He’s seeking revenge, and you get to help him build the Diamond Dogs. The gameplay is open-world, allowing you to approach missions in the way you want. The Fulton recovery system, where you attach a balloon to soldiers and equipment to send them back to the base, is one of the most satisfying game mechanics ever. 

2. Metal Gear Solid

Even with all the flashy upgrades and tech leaps since then, the OG Metal Gear Solid still stands tall as one of the absolute best in the series. It’s proof that Hideo Kojima knows exactly how to blend blockbuster cinema with unforgettable characters. The atmosphere? Absolutely electric. The story? It dives headfirst into nuclear threats, genetic experiments, and what it really means to be a soldier. 

Back in the late 1990s and early 2000s, firing this up was the ultimate gamer flex. It’s one of those games that trigger nostalgia, and we’re hoping the PS6 offers more flexibility for this title.

1. Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater

This game easily claims the top spot for us. It nails everything — pacing, graphics, gameplay mechanics and those unforgettable boss fights. All of this comes together to create a survival experience that pulls you in and refuses to let go. It’s a story packed with loyalty, the rise of a legend, and gut-wrenching betrayal. 

You’re thrown into a mission to take down your former mentor, The Boss — and trust us, the emotional punch of that task hits you at every turn. Honestly, that feeling still hasn’t left us, and when a game lingers with you like that, it absolutely deserves the crown.

The Top Metal Gear Games

Each of these games is a stealthy gem, proving that sneaking around can be just as heart-pounding as a shootout, and that games can dive into deep themes, tackling political intrigue long before it became a trend.