Quote Originally Posted by Big D View Post
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.