Which Metal Gear Solid title is your favorite?

[KentaRawr!]

So, as the title states, which Metal Gear Solid game is your personal favorite? As for me, I'm stuck between Metal Gear Solid: The Twin Snakes and Metal Gear Solid 3. I've never played the original version of Metal Gear Solid, sadly for me.

So, yeah. Discuss.

[Psychotic]

I'm torn between MGS and Snake Eater. The gameplay and graphics were absolutely immense on Snake Eater, but MGS had the better story and characters.

[DK]

MGS for mine. Snake eater runs it pretty close but the story, the characters, the boss fights, the setting in that base in Alaska and the Stealth Camo not turning off when you run through people on MGS shades it for mine. I felt that aside from The End, the boss fights in Snake Eater were pretty weak as well. Nothing compares to the Ninja or the Hind.

[Odaisé Gaelach]

Metal Gear Solid 5, of course.

I haven't played 3, so I'd have to say 1. Metal Gear Solid 2 was underbaked: it had much more potential.

[Orophin]

Metal Gear Solid 3 but the first one, both the original and the remake, are very close.

[Psychotic]

I felt that aside from The End, the boss fights in Snake Eater were pretty weak as well. Nothing compares to the Ninja or the Hind.

Oh yeah, this too. Although I thought The Boss was a smurfing awesome fight and that The End was something of a drag. I think the only fights in the original that were lacking were the Sniper Wolf fights.

[LunarWeaver]

I usually save and put my Ps2's clock forward a handful of years and kill The End that way because I hate looking for him .

The second was my faviefave. <3

[Slothy]

I'm sorry, but the boss fights in MGS3 beat the boss fights in all the other games Gordon Freeman style. I'm almost tempted to say it had a better story, but I'm not sure I'd go that far. MGS is slightly ahead in story and characters for me, but I think Subsistence had the tightest story telling, and the best gameplay.

[Mirage]

I liked the one with the huge robots...

[Big D]

The original MGS, for me, is the best overall. Superb pacing - you're always on the way somewhere, with a clear goal in mind, and a new set of obstacles to overcome; a sharp contrast to the two subsequent games, where there's a lot of idleness or repetition.

Best fights - unique boss fights, rather than sporadic duels with shallow bosses. The Cobra fights in MGS3, like the Cobras themselves, feel like they were included simply for the sake of having 'boss fights' throughout the game. In MGS1, however, each major battle is relevant to the plot in some major way.

Great characters - every FOXHOUND member has an important role in the plot, rather than being tacked-on for dramatic purposes. Very well developed, even those with little screen-time, like Mantis and Wolf.

Significantly, I feel that MGS is less... well, 'self-important' that its successors. Probably because the latter games were made with the knowledge that they were part of a gaming legend. The original MGS, while carrying on the legacy of the old 16(?)-bit games, was in a format that was untested, so it wasn't guaranteed phenomenal success from the outset. I think it benefited as a result.

I have major issues with how the series discusses World War Two, but the first game was by far the most reasonable. By the time you reach MGS3, the game would have you believe that Japan's involvement in the war was thus: 'they were an utterly peaceful nation, doing nothing except enjoying blissful pacifism until some evil Americans started dropping nuclear bombs on them for no reason, which was the single worst atrocity in human history'. The first game is far less propagandistic in this regard, though that remains my biggest grip with the series as a whole.

Basically, MGS1 wins for originality, creative challenges, a heavily involved plot and cast, and simply setting the standard that its successors have striven to emulate.

[Slothy]

I have major issues with how the series discusses World War Two, but the first game was by far the most reasonable. By the time you reach MGS3, the game would have you believe that Japan's involvement in the war was thus: 'they were an utterly peaceful nation, doing nothing except enjoying blissful pacifism until some evil Americans started dropping nuclear bombs on them for no reason, which was the single worst atrocity in human history'. The first game is far less propagandistic in this regard, though that remains my biggest grip with the series as a whole.

I've played every instalment in the series since MGS multiple times, and I remember very little discussion about WWII outside of some references to the atomic detonations. I certainly don't recall anything that suggested they were a bunch of pacifists and America was evil.

And the pre-MGS games were 8-bit era for the record.

[Cz]

What, no MGS: Special Missions option?

It's a close call between MGS and MGS2 for me. The original had the better plot, and the boss fights were certainly superior, but MGS2 had its moments as well, and because the gameplay was so much more advanced it made an Extreme run far more challenging. I think that nostalgia probably tips things in favour of MGS, even if it isn't the better game outright. Plus, it helps that it didn't happy any crappy swimming sections.

[Dreddz]

MGS1 but followed very closely by MGS2.

[Carl the Llama]

For those of you who want a challenge then try takeing on the Bosses of MGS3 with your fists (you get their cammo if you do this) and it makes the game much more challengeing for me MGS3 has a very powerfull story line esp at the end when you find out the truth about BOSS never in gameing history have I encountered such a bitter sweet ending... MGS3 is a legend unto itself

[Slothy]

You know, I probably should have sent some love MGS2's way as well. Until it came along, nothing I had seen pushed things like AI as far in a game. That, and I spent no less than 20 hours playing the demo that came with ZOE. I still remember the ranking board they had for people to post their completion times. I think that was why I spent so much time with it.