Metal Gear#Reception

{{Timeline of release years

| compressempty = yes

| range1 = 1987

| range1_color = #000 #ccc

| 1987 = Metal Gear

| 1990a =Snake's Revenge

| 1990b = Metal Gear 2: Solid Snake

| 1998 = Metal Gear Solid

| 1999 = Metal Gear Solid: VR Missions

| 2000 = Metal Gear: Ghost Babel

| 2001 = Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty

| 2004a = Metal Gear Solid: The Twin Snakes

| 2004b = Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater

| 2004c = Metal Gear Acid

| 2005 = Metal Gear Acid 2

| 2006 = Metal Gear Solid: Portable Ops

| 2007 = Metal Gear Solid: Portable Ops Plus

| 2008a = Metal Gear Solid Mobile

| 2008b = Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots

| 2008c = Metal Gear Online

| 2009 = Metal Gear Solid Touch

| 2010 = Metal Gear Solid: Peace Walker

| 2011 = Metal Gear Solid HD Collection

| 2012a = Metal Gear Solid: Snake Eater 3D

| 2012b = Metal Gear Solid: Social Ops

| 2013a = Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance

| 2013b = Metal Gear Solid: The Legacy Collection

| 2014 = Metal Gear Solid V: Ground Zeroes

| 2015 = Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain

| 2018 = Metal Gear Survive

| 2023 = Metal Gear Solid: Master Collection Vol. 1

| 2025 = Metal Gear Solid Δ: Snake Eater

}}

Hideo Kojima designed the original Metal Gear, which debuted in Japan and Europe in 1987 for the MSX2 computer platform.{{cite web |url=http://www.gamespot.com/msx/action/metalgear/similar.html?mode=versions |title= Metal Gear (MSX2) | website=GameSpot |access-date=April 1, 2009}} A separate team created a heavily modified Nintendo Entertainment System (NES) port of the game that was released in Japan on December 22, 1987, North America in June 1988, and Europe and Australia sometime in 1989.{{cite video |people=Kojima, Hideo (Presenter) |date=March 25, 2009 |title=GDC 2009: Hideo Kojima Keynote Address Part 1 |url=http://www.gamespot.com/news/6206802.html |format=Flash Video |medium=Presentation |publisher= GameSpot |access-date=April 13, 2009 |time=27:02 |quote=Kojima: You may know the NES version of Metal Gear but that's a crap game because I didn't participate on that game. |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090401040256/http://www.gamespot.com/news/6206802.html |archive-date=April 1, 2009 |url-status=live}} Konami produced an NES sequel, Snake's Revenge, again without Kojima, released in North America and Europe in 1990. One of that game's designers became acquainted with Kojima and asked him to create a "real Metal Gear sequel". In reaction, Kojima began development of Metal Gear 2: Solid Snake, which was released in Japan in 1990 for the MSX2.{{cite web |url=http://www.1up.com/do/minisite?cId=3146356 |title=Retro/Active: Metal Gear: Kojima's Productions |work=metalgear.1up.com |publisher=1UP.com |author=Chen, David |date=December 14, 2005 |access-date=May 18, 2009 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070927194345/http://www.1up.com/do/minisite?cId=3146356 |archive-date=September 27, 2007}}{{cite web |url=http://www.gamespot.com/nes/action/snakesrevenge/index.html?tag=result;title;0 |title=Snake's Revenge |website=GameSpot |access-date=March 28, 2009}}

Following Metal Gear 2{{'}}s completion, Kojima worked on other projects before directing his third Metal Gear game, Metal Gear Solid, for the PlayStation. It began development in 1994 and debuted at the 1996 Tokyo Game Show,[https://www.unseen64.net/2008/04/11/metal-gear-solid-psx-tech-demo-proto/ Metal Gear Solid (Beta + Tech Demo – PSX)] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181125162417/https://www.unseen64.net/2008/04/11/metal-gear-solid-psx-tech-demo-proto/ |date=November 25, 2018}}, Unseen64, April 11, 2008 before being released in 1998.{{cite web |author=IGN staff |title=Game Details for Metal Gear Solid |url=http://psx.ign.com/objects/000/000569.html |website=IGN |access-date=March 28, 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121005034055/http://www.ign.com/games/metal-gear-solid/ps-569 |archive-date=October 5, 2012 |url-status=live}}{{cite web |url=http://psx.ign.com/articles/064/064699p1.html |title=Metal Gear Solid Hits Japan |date=September 3, 1998 |website=IGN |access-date=May 19, 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090213113854/http://psx.ign.com/articles/064/064699p1.html |archive-date=February 13, 2009 |url-status=live}} The success of Metal Gear Solid resulted in a series of sequels, prequels, spin-offs, ports, and remakes for Microsoft Windows, the Game Boy Color, PlayStation 2, Xbox, GameCube, PlayStation 3, PlayStation Portable, PlayStation Vita, Xbox 360, Nintendo 3DS, PlayStation 4, and Xbox One. Metal Gear Solid was followed up by the sequel Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty released in November 2001 for the PlayStation 2. A remake of the original Metal Gear Solid called Metal Gear Solid: The Twin Snakes was released for the Nintendo GameCube in early 2004.{{cite web |url=http://www.gamespot.com/gamecube/action/metalgearworkingtitle/similar.html?mode=versions |title=Metal Gear Solid: The Twin Snakes – Related Games |website=GameSpot |access-date=March 28, 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091113121646/http://www.gamespot.com/gamecube/action/metalgearworkingtitle/similar.html?mode=versions |archive-date=November 13, 2009 |url-status=live}} Later that year, the third numbered entry, Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater, was released on the PlayStation 2. This is the first prequel which was set prior to all the previously released Metal Gear games and which acted as an origin to the franchise.{{cite web | title=Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty – Related Games | url=http://www.gamespot.com/ps2/adventure/metalgearsolid2sonsol/similar.html?mode=versions | website=GameSpot | access-date=April 1, 2009 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100729085208/http://www.gamespot.com/ps2/adventure/metalgearsolid2sonsol/similar.html?mode=versions | archive-date=July 29, 2010 | url-status=live}}{{cite web | author=IGN staff | title=Game Details for MGS3: Snake Eater | url=http://ps2.ign.com/objects/536/536086.html | website=IGN | access-date=March 28, 2009 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120813223931/http://www.ign.com/games/metal-gear-solid-3-snake-eater/ps2-536086 | archive-date=August 13, 2012 | url-status=live}} These games were followed by a sequel to Snake Eater, Metal Gear Solid: Portable Ops, which was released on the PlayStation Portable in 2006.{{cite web | title=Metal Gear Solid: Portable Ops – Related Games | url=http://www.gamespot.com/psp/action/metalgearsolidpo/similar.html?mode=versions | website=GameSpot | access-date=April 1, 2009 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090204133924/http://www.gamespot.com/psp/action/metalgearsolidpo/similar.html?mode=versions | archive-date=February 4, 2009 | url-status=live}}{{cite web | author=IGN staff | title=Game Details for MGS: Portable Ops | url=http://psp.ign.com/objects/783/783630.html | website=IGN | access-date=March 28, 2009 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120921221018/http://www.ign.com/games/metal-gear-solid-portable-ops/psp-783630 | archive-date=September 21, 2012 | url-status=live}} The series' main storyline was concluded in Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots for the PlayStation 3 in 2008.{{cite web | title=Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots – Related Games | url=http://www.gamespot.com/ps3/adventure/metalgearsolid4/similar.html?mode=versions | website=GameSpot | access-date=April 1, 2009 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090331160736/http://www.gamespot.com/ps3/adventure/metalgearsolid4/similar.html?mode=versions | archive-date=March 31, 2009 | url-status=live}}{{cite web | author=IGN staff | title=Game Details for MGS4: Guns of the Patriots | url=http://ps3.ign.com/objects/714/714044.html | website=IGN | access-date=March 28, 2009 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090221114402/http://ps3.ign.com/objects/714/714044.html | archive-date=February 21, 2009 | url-status=live}} The game featured a multiplayer spin-off called Metal Gear Online.{{cite web | author=IGN staff | title=Game Details for Metal Gear Online | url=http://ps3.ign.com/objects/950/950626.html | website=IGN | access-date=March 28, 2009 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090220044826/http://ps3.ign.com/objects/950/950626.html | archive-date=February 20, 2009 | url-status=live}}

In April 2010, another sequel to Snake Eater, Metal Gear Solid: Peace Walker, was released for the PlayStation Portable and was set shortly after the events of Portable Ops.{{cite web |url=http://www.kotaku.com.au/2009/06/metal-gear-solid-peace-walker-listed-for-psp/ |title=Metal Gear Solid: Peace Walker Listed For PSP |website=Kotaku |date=June 1, 2009 |access-date=June 1, 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090605161157/http://www.kotaku.com.au/2009/06/metal-gear-solid-peace-walker-listed-for-psp/ |archive-date=June 5, 2009 |url-status=dead}}{{cite web|url=http://palgn.com.au/sony-psp/16566/metal-gear-solid-peace-walker-review/|title=Metal Gear Solid: Peace Walker Review|website=PALGN|date=June 22, 2010|access-date=September 16, 2011|author=Hasset, Hian|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130208203300/http://palgn.com.au/sony-psp/16566/metal-gear-solid-peace-walker-review/|archive-date=February 8, 2013}} The spin-off game, Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance, was released in 2013 on the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360, and in Jan 2014 on Steam (PC). The game is set after Guns of the Patriots and stars Raiden, the protagonist of Sons of Liberty who turned into a cyborg ninja.{{cite web | title=INTERVIEW: The Truth Behind RISING |website = YouTube| date=December 13, 2011 | url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gV1BMUg4NsA | access-date=December 4, 2015 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151212210406/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gV1BMUg4NsA | archive-date=December 12, 2015 | url-status=live}}

Expanded re-releases of games in the series were produced as well, such as Integral (Metal Gear Solid), Substance (Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty), and Subsistence (Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater).{{cite web | author=IGN staff | title=Game Details for MGS: Integral (PlayStation) | url=http://uk.psx.ign.com/objects/011/011989.html | website=IGN | access-date=April 13, 2009 | url-status=dead | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081002174336/http://uk.psx.ign.com/objects/011/011989.html | archive-date=October 2, 2008 | df=mdy-all}}{{cite web |url=http://www.gamespot.com/ps/adventure/metalgearsolidvrmissions/similar.html?mode=versions |title=Metal Gear Solid VR Missions – Related Games |website=GameSpot |access-date=May 18, 2009}}{{cite web | title=Metal Gear Solid 2: Substance (PlayStation 2) – Related Games | url=http://www.gamespot.com/ps2/adventure/metalgearsolid2substance/similar.html?mode=versions | website=GameSpot | access-date=April 1, 2009 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091207022850/http://www.gamespot.com/ps2/adventure/metalgearsolid2substance/similar.html?mode=versions | archive-date=December 7, 2009 | url-status=live}}{{cite web |url=http://www.gamespot.com/ps2/adventure/mgs3subsistence/similar.html?mode=versions |title=Metal Gear Solid 3: Subsistence – Related Games |website=GameSpot |access-date=April 1, 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121104051147/http://www.gamespot.com/metal-gear-solid-3-subsistence/related/platform/ps2/ |archive-date=November 4, 2012 |url-status=live}} The series' portable installments are usually set outside the main storyline. Metal Gear: Ghost Babel was released for the Game Boy Color, and several games were released for Sony's PlayStation Portable. In a departure from the series' style, Metal Gear Acid and its sequel used turn-based strategy mechanics based on collectible cards.{{cite web | author=IGN staff | title=Game Details for Metal Gear Acid | url=http://psp.ign.com/objects/664/664947.html | website=IGN | access-date=March 28, 2009 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090210083030/http://psp.ign.com/objects/664/664947.html | archive-date=February 10, 2009 | url-status=live}}{{cite web | author=IGN staff | title=Game Details for Metal Gear Acid 2 | url=http://psp.ign.com/objects/748/748621.html | website=IGN | access-date=March 28, 2009 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090311072424/http://psp.ign.com/objects/748/748621.html | archive-date=March 11, 2009 | url-status=live}}

On May 18, 2009, a teaser site for the following installment in the Metal Gear series was uploaded by Kojima Production.{{cite web | url=http://www.konami.jp/kojima_pro/next/index.html | title=KOJIMA PRODUCTION "NEXT" | date=May 26, 2009 | access-date=August 30, 2011 | publisher=Konami | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110828025840/http://www.konami.jp/kojima_pro/next/index.html | archive-date=August 28, 2011 | url-status=live}} The site initially consisted of a series of countdowns leading to several flashing letters and the images of two characters looking like a middle-aged Big Boss and a cyborg Raiden. An article published in the July 2009 issue of Famitsu PSP + PS3 covers the content of the site and features an interview with Hideo Kojima.{{Cite journal|journal=Famitsu PSP + PS3|title=MGS4|language=ja|issue = July 2009|pages=12–17}}{{cite web | url=http://kotaku.com/5270922/first-big-boss-and-then-raiden-with-censored-kojima-interview | website=Kotaku | title=First Big Boss, and then Raiden (With Censored Kojima Interview) | date=May 26, 2009 | access-date=August 30, 2011 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110719044500/http://kotaku.com/5270922/first-big-boss-and-then-raiden-with-censored-kojima-interview | archive-date=July 19, 2011 | url-status=live}} The interview, revealing many details, is heavily censored and was published that way as a request by Kojima, who was directing and designing the new game. Famitsu was to publish the full interview in its following issue.{{cite web | url=http://uk.ps3.ign.com/articles/986/986801p1.html | title=Raiden Appears in New Metal Gear; Hideo Kojima directing and designing new title | date=May 26, 2009 | access-date=August 30, 2011 | website=IGN | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120610145757/http://uk.ps3.ign.com/articles/986/986801p1.html | archive-date=June 10, 2012 | url-status=live}}{{cite web|url=http://uk.ps3.ign.com/articles/986/986841p1.html|title=Metal Gear Next Update; The censors win this round|date=May 27, 2009|access-date=August 30, 2011|website=IGN|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120610145836/http://uk.ps3.ign.com/articles/986/986841p1.html|archive-date=June 10, 2012|url-status=live}} The new game was eventually revealed to be Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance, which was announced on June 1, 2009, at E3, during the Microsoft Press Conference.{{cite web|url=http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/mgs-rising-confirmed-for-360|title=E3: New Metal Gear confirmed for 360 News – Xbox 360 – Page 1|website=Eurogamer|date=June 2009|access-date=August 30, 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120927032452/http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/mgs-rising-confirmed-for-360|archive-date=September 27, 2012|url-status=live}}

At E3 2010, a demo, "Metal Gear Solid 3D: Snake Eater – The Naked Sample", was shown on the Nintendo 3DS. The official E3 Kojima site later released screenshots and official art for the demo.{{cite web| url=http://www.konami.jp/kojima_pro/e3_2010/mgs3d/en/| title=Kojima Pro E3 2010 Special Site| date=June 15, 2009| access-date=August 30, 2011| publisher=Konami| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110829191425/http://www.konami.jp/kojima_pro/e3_2010/mgs3d/en/| archive-date=August 29, 2011| url-status=live}} Kojima did state, however, that this was not a preview for a full game but just a sample of what could be done on the 3DS hardware.{{cite web|url=http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/mgs-3ds-just-testing-the-grounds|title=MGS 3DS "just testing the grounds"|author=Wesley Yin-Poole|access-date=August 30, 2011|website=Eurogamer|date=July 6, 2010|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110909050900/http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/mgs-3ds-just-testing-the-grounds|archive-date=September 9, 2011|url-status=live}} Another mobile port of a previously released game was shown at Sony's PlayStation Meeting on January 27, 2011, where Hideo Kojima demonstrated a possible portable version of Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots for the upcoming PlayStation Vita.{{cite web | url=http://kotaku.com/5744571/metal-gear-solid-4-lost-planet-yakuza-shown-playable-on-psp2 | publisher=Kotau | title=MGS4 on PSP2 | date=January 27, 2011 | access-date=August 30, 2011 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110130062049/http://kotaku.com/5744571/metal-gear-solid-4-lost-planet-yakuza-shown-playable-on-psp2 | archive-date=January 30, 2011 | url-status=live}}

On June 2, 2011, Konami announced the Metal Gear Solid HD Collection which was released in November 2011 for both the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360. The collection features remastered versions of Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty, Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater, and Metal Gear Solid: Peace Walker, rendered in 720p and running at 60fps, including Trophies/Achievements, and remastered audio.{{cite web |url=http://kotaku.com/5808055/metal-gear-zone-of-the-enders-return-with-hd-collections |website=Kotaku |date=June 2, 2011 |access-date=June 3, 2011 |title=Metal Gear, Zone of the Enders Return With HD Collections |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110604133725/http://kotaku.com/5808055/metal-gear-zone-of-the-enders-return-with-hd-collections |archive-date=June 4, 2011 |url-status=live}}{{cite web |url=http://www.gadgetsandgizmos.org/mgs-hd-collection-will-include-the-original-game-in-japan/ |publisher=Gadgets Gizmos |date=August 15, 2011 |access-date=August 16, 2011 |title=MGS HD Collection will include the original game in Japan |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111008131118/http://www.gadgetsandgizmos.org/mgs-hd-collection-will-include-the-original-game-in-japan/ |archive-date=October 8, 2011 |url-status=live}} On August 15, 2011, UK retailer Zavvi secured the exclusive right to sell the Metal Gear Solid: Ultimate HD Collection only available for the PlayStation 3, which was released on November 25.{{cite web|url=http://www.computerandvideogames.com/315349/ps3-secures-exclusive-metal-gear-solid-hd-ultimate-box/|publisher=Computer And Video Games|date=August 15, 2011|access-date=August 16, 2011|title=PS3 secures exclusive Metal Gear Solid HD: Ultimate box|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111019142859/http://www.computerandvideogames.com/315349/ps3-secures-exclusive-metal-gear-solid-hd-ultimate-box/|archive-date=October 19, 2011|url-status=live}}

In November 2011, Kojima discussed with PlayStation Official Magazine (UK) the series' future commenting an upcoming Metal Gear Solid 5.{{cite news |url=https://www.animenewsnetwork.com/interest/2011-11-17/playstation-uk-mag/kojima-to-discuss-metal-gear-solid-5 |work=Anime News Network |date=November 17, 2011 |access-date=November 18, 2011 |title=PlayStation UK Mag: Kojima to Discuss Metal Gear Solid 5 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111119000505/http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/interest/2011-11-17/playstation-uk-mag/kojima-to-discuss-metal-gear-solid-5 |archive-date=November 19, 2011 |url-status=live}} Kojima said: "I think we'll probably have to make it [a sequel to MGS4] at some point, but what that will be, we have no idea". Kojima stated that when Konami does get around to building the game, he will have less influence than he had on previous iterations in the series.{{cite web |url=http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/2011-11-21-kojima-well-probably-have-to-make-metal-gear-solid-5 |website=Eurogamer |date=November 21, 2011 |access-date=November 22, 2011 |title=Kojima: "We'll probably have to make Metal Gear Solid 5" |author=Yin-Poole, Wesley |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111123162050/http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/2011-11-21-kojima-well-probably-have-to-make-metal-gear-solid-5 |archive-date=November 23, 2011 |url-status=live}} After the mixed fan reactions of the reveal of the rebooted action gameplay focused spin-off Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance, Hideo Kojima reassured fans that an "authentic stealth Metal Gear Solid" sequel would be coming in the future.{{cite web |last=Yin |first=Wesley |url=http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/2011-12-13-kojima-promises-authentic-stealth-metal-gear-solid-sequel-is-coming |title=Kojima promises "authentic stealth Metal Gear Solid" sequel is coming • News • |publisher=Eurogamer.net |date=December 13, 2011 |access-date=August 17, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121115025145/http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/2011-12-13-kojima-promises-authentic-stealth-metal-gear-solid-sequel-is-coming |archive-date=November 15, 2012 |url-status=live}}

During a discussion panel at the Smithsonian American Art Museum in March 2012, Kojima stated: "I am working on something that I think will become the shining moment" for his career and the Metal Gear series.{{cite web|url=http://www.g4tv.com/thefeed/blog/post/725161/metal-gear-solid-5-confirmed-solid-snake-is-back-with-the-fox-engine/|title=Metal Gear Solid 5 Confirmed – Solid Snake Is Back with the Fox Engine|last=Jackson|first=Leah|date=June 20, 2012|access-date=December 13, 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130114001150/http://www.g4tv.com/thefeed/blog/post/725161/metal-gear-solid-5-confirmed-solid-snake-is-back-with-the-fox-engine/|archive-date=January 14, 2013|url-status=live}} During the franchise's 25th anniversary, Konami revealed a demo for a new game in the Metal Gear series, Metal Gear Solid: Ground Zeroes.{{cite web |author=Gantayat, Anoop |url=http://andriasang.com/con2hr/metal_gear_ground_zero_art/ |title=First Metal Gear Solid Ground Zeroes Artwork |work=Andriasang |date=August 30, 2012 |access-date=August 30, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120902022211/http://andriasang.com/con2hr/metal_gear_ground_zero_art/ |archive-date=September 2, 2012 |url-status=live}} A social game for the GREE, Metal Gear Solid: Social Ops, was released in December 2012.{{cite web |author=Gantayat, Anoop |url=http://andriasang.com/con2ha/social_metal_gear/ |title=Social Metal Gear Announced for GREE |work=Andriasang |date=August 30, 2012 |access-date=August 30, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120902184619/http://andriasang.com/con2ha/social_metal_gear/ |archive-date=September 2, 2012 |url-status=live}}

On December 7, 2012, a teaser for The Phantom Pain was revealed on the Spike Video Game Awards. Following the teaser trailer, numerous video game-related websites and fansites reported the trailer's seemed connection to the Metal Gear series of video games.{{cite web|last=Mallory|first=Jordan|title=The Phantom Pain speculation round-up: Metal Gear?!|url=http://www.joystiq.com/2012/12/08/the-phantom-pain-speculation-round-up-metal-gear/|publisher=Joystiq|date=December 8, 2012|access-date=December 9, 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121210034747/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/12/08/the-phantom-pain-speculation-round-up-metal-gear/|archive-date=December 10, 2012|url-status=live}}

On March 27, 2013, Kojima announced at GDC 2013 that Metal Gear Solid: Ground Zeroes and The Phantom Pain were two different portions of one work, Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain, with Metal Gear Solid: Ground Zeroes serving as the prologue and The Phantom Pain serving as the main story. Snake's usual English-language voice actor David Hayter was not cast for the role.{{cite web|last=Goldfarb|first=Andrew|title=David Hayter Comments on Metal Gear Solid V Absence|url=http://ca.ign.com/articles/2013/04/01/david-hayter-comments-on-metal-gear-solid-v-absence|website=IGN|date=April 2013|access-date=April 2, 2013|archive-url=https://archive.today/20130411033747/http://ca.ign.com/articles/2013/04/01/david-hayter-comments-on-metal-gear-solid-v-absence|archive-date=April 11, 2013|url-status=live}} Instead, Hollywood actor and producer Kiefer Sutherland portrayed the character through voice acting and facial capture.{{cite web|author=|title=Konami's pre-E3 stream: Kiefer Sutherland Playing Snake in Metal Gear Solid 5|date=June 6, 2013|url=http://www.vg247.com/2013/06/06/metal-gear-solid-5-castlevania-los-2-pes-2014-to-feature-in-konamis-pre-e3-stream-tonight/|publisher=VG24/7|access-date=June 6, 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130608045129/http://www.vg247.com/2013/06/06/metal-gear-solid-5-castlevania-los-2-pes-2014-to-feature-in-konamis-pre-e3-stream-tonight/|archive-date=June 8, 2013|url-status=live}}

In 2015, Konami revealed that they were recruiting new staff members to develop a new Metal Gear game as Kojima left the company. On August 17, 2016, Konami announced during Gamescom 2016 that a new Metal Gear game was in the works, known as Metal Gear Survive. It is a spin-off game as well as a supplemental to Metal Gear Solid V as a whole, taking place between Ground Zeroes and The Phantom Pain.{{cite web|title=Gamescom 2016: Konami Announces Metal Gear Survive|url=https://www.ign.com/articles/2016/08/17/gamescom-2016-konami-announces-metal-gear-survive|last=Skrebels|first=Joe|work=IGN|date=August 17, 2016|access-date=August 17, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160817235035/http://www.ign.com/articles/2016/08/17/gamescom-2016-konami-announces-metal-gear-survive|archive-date=August 17, 2016|url-status=live}}

On May 24, 2023, during Sony's PlayStation Showcase event, a remake of Snake Eater, titled Metal Gear Solid Delta: Snake Eater{{efn|Stylized as Metal Gear Solid Δ: Snake Eater{{cite web|url=https://www.theverge.com/2023/5/24/23736704/metal-gear-solid-delta-not-triangle-remake|title=It's Metal Gear Solid Delta, not Metal Gear Solid Triangle|last=Peters|first=Jay|date=24 May 2023|access-date=25 May 2023|website=The Verge}}}} was announced, as well as the Metal Gear Solid: Master Collection Vol. 1, which was released on October 24 of that year. It includes the first five mainline Metal Gear games, as well as extra content including the NES version of Metal Gear, Snake's Revenge, Metal Gear Solid: Digital Graphic Novel, and Bande Dessinée, as well as additional content such as screenplay books, master books, character profiles, story summaries, strategy guides, and a playable soundtrack.{{Cite web |last1=Fanelli |first1=Jason |last2=Bonthuys |first2=Darryn |date=May 25, 2023 |title=Metal Gear Solid 3 Snake Eater Remake, Metal Gear Solid Collection Revealed |url=https://www.gamespot.com/articles/metal-gear-solid-snake-eater-remake-metal-gear-solid-collection-revealed/1100-6514455/ |access-date=2023-05-24 |website=GameSpot |language=en-US}}{{Cite web |last=Croft |first=Liam |date=2023-05-24 |title=Metal Gear Solid 1, 2, and 3 Launch on PS5 in the Master Collection |url=https://www.pushsquare.com/news/2023/05/metal-gear-solid-1-2-and-3-launch-on-ps5-in-the-master-collection |access-date=2023-05-27 |website=Push Square |language=en-GB}}{{Cite news |last=Nightingale |first=Ed |date=2023-05-26 |title=Metal Gear Solid: Master Collection Vol. 1 also includes Metal Gear 1 and 2 |language=en-gb |work=Eurogamer |url=https://www.eurogamer.net/konami-website-teases-mystery-addition-to-metal-gear-solid-master-collection-vol-1 |access-date=2023-05-27}}

{{Metal Gear chronology}}

In the Metal Gear universe, history had diverged at some point during World War II, with the fictional Cobra Unit, led by The Boss, being instrumental in the defeat of the Axis Powers. Cloning, AI and robotics technology of the 1970s are more advanced.{{cite web |author=Hosie, Ewen |year=2015 |title=The Technological Alt-History of 'Metal Gear Solid' |url=http://www.gamespot.com/ps2/action/metalgearsolid3/review.html |work=GameSpot |access-date=August 10, 2006 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060704211928/http://www.gamespot.com/ps2/action/metalgearsolid3/review.html |archive-date=July 4, 2006}} The eleven games in the main Metal Gear series continuity reveal a narrative that spans five and a half decades, from the Cold War, until the near future. Big Boss is the most relevant character within the story of the series and of the canonical 11 games five are prequels centering on his story, set decades before the events of the original Metal Gear. However, Solid Snake is still depicted as the primary main character of the series, as the prequels create context of his purpose and him being the antithesis of his father.

Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater which is chronologically the first game in the series, introduces Naked Snake (or Snake for short), an operative working for the fictional Force Operation X (FOX) unit of the CIA during the Cold War.{{cite web|author=Kasavin, Greg |year=2004 |title=Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater Review |url=http://www.gamespot.com/ps2/action/metalgearsolid3/review.html |work=GameSpot |access-date=August 10, 2006 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060704211928/http://www.gamespot.com/ps2/action/metalgearsolid3/review.html |archive-date=July 4, 2006 }} The game focuses on the rise of Snake from an apprentice to a legendary soldier, as well as the downfall of his mentor and matriarchal figure, The Boss. After The Boss defects to the Soviet Union, Snake is sent into Russia to kill her and end the threat posed by Yevgeny Borisovitch Volgin, a GRU colonel with plans to overthrow the Soviet government. Snake's heroics during the game earn him the nickname "Big Boss" at the end. The origins of The Patriots, an organization founded by Zero, are also explored.

Metal Gear Solid: Portable Ops serves as a direct sequel to Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater and follows Naked Snake's life after disbanding from FOX. With Snake not yet accepting the Big Boss codename, the plot features the origins of his mercenary unit as he attempts to escape the San Hieronymo Peninsula and battles his old unit.{{cite web | author=IGN site staff | title=Metal Gear Solid: Portable Ops First Look Game Profile | url=http://psp.ign.com/objects/783/783630.html | work=IGN | access-date=July 3, 2007 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120921221018/http://www.ign.com/games/metal-gear-solid-portable-ops/psp-783630 | archive-date=September 21, 2012 | url-status=live }} The canonicity of Portable Ops is disputed, with Kojima having stated that "the main story of Portable Ops is part of the Saga, is part of the official Metal Gear timeline, while some of the small details that are in Portable Ops are outside the Saga, not part of the main timeline of the game."{{cite web |last1=Miller IV|first1=Johnny |title=Myth: Hideo Kojima said that Portable Ops and Rising are canonical :: THE SNAKE SOUP |url=http://thesnakesoup.org/myth-articles/myth-hideo-kojima-said-portable-ops-rising-canonical/ |website=The Snake Soup |access-date=July 9, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180709072424/http://thesnakesoup.org/myth-articles/myth-hideo-kojima-said-portable-ops-rising-canonical/ |archive-date=July 9, 2018 |url-status=live }}

The next game, Metal Gear Solid: Peace Walker, is set ten years after the events of Snake Eater and returns to the story of the young Big Boss. Now the head of the mercenary corporation Militaires Sans Frontières (MSF), Big Boss discovers that nuclear warheads are being transported to Latin America and decides that he must put a stop to it. Peace Walker features a new cast of characters to provide both aid and intelligence for Big Boss. A few characters from later games, such as a younger Kazuhira Miller, make appearances in the game.

Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain, serves as the direct sequel to Peace Walker and is composed of two chapters. The prologue, Ground Zeroes, is set a few weeks after the final mission in Peace Walker, as Big Boss is tasked with rescuing two VIPs from a U.S. military black site on the coast of Cuba. Big Boss' mission coincides with a visit to Mother Base by the IAEA, which turns out to be a cover for an attack on Mother Base orchestrated by the mysterious organization XOF. In the chaos, Big Boss' helicopter collides with another, and he is sent to the hospital for nine years, which leads to the events of the main chapter, The Phantom Pain. The basis of the main story revolves around Big Boss forming a new private military company, the Diamond Dogs to retaliate for the destruction of MSF and the loss of his comrades. However, this "Big Boss" is revealed to be a part of the medical staff who survived the helicopter crash, who was brainwashed to believe himself to be Big Boss, while the real Big Boss went into hiding to create Outer Heaven, a place where soldiers can live without having to abide by any particular ideology.

The first Metal Gear game for the MSX follows Solid Snake, a rookie of the FOXHOUND special operations unit. He is sent by his superior Big Boss to the fortress in South Africa known as Outer Heaven, with the goal of finding the missing squad member Gray Fox and investigating a weapon known as Metal Gear. However, after Snake unexpectedly completes his goals, Big Boss is revealed to be the leader of Outer Heaven, which he has created as a place for soldiers to fight free of any ideology that he believes has been forced upon them by governments. He fights Snake and is killed. However, it turns out that this was actually the body double from Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain. In Metal Gear 2: Solid Snake the real Big Boss has established a new military nation, Zanzibar Land, and he and Snake face off again, with Snake achieving victory and seemingly killing Big Boss for good.

Metal Gear Solid elaborates on the storyline of the earlier games and reveals that Solid Snake is a genetic clone of Big Boss, created as part of a secret government project. An antagonist is introduced in the form of Liquid Snake, Snake's twin brother who takes control of FOXHOUND after Snake's retirement. Liquid and FOXHOUND take control of a nuclear weapons disposal facility in Alaska and commandeer REX, the next-generation Metal Gear weapons platform being tested there. They threaten to detonate REX's warhead unless the government turns over the remains of Big Boss. Solid Snake destroys Metal Gear REX and kills the renegade FOXHOUND members, with the exception of Revolver Ocelot.

A third Snake brother known as Solidus Snake is introduced as the United States President at the end of Metal Gear Solid and serves as the main antagonist of Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty. During his time as president, Solidus became aware of a secretive cabal known as "The Patriots" who were steadily manipulating the course of history. After his tenure as president is over, Solidus takes control of the "Big Shell" offshore facility, which is being used to develop Arsenal Gear, a mobile undersea fortress designed to house and protect a network of AIs created to influence human development by filtering the availability of information across the Internet. The game is set four years after Liquid's death in Metal Gear Solid, and it puts the player in control of Raiden, a soldier who fights against Solidus, who is revealed to be his former commander during his time as a child soldier.{{cite video game|title=Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty|year=2001|developer=Kojima Productions|publisher=Konami|quote=Colonel: You have two missions objectives. One: infiltrate the offshore decontamination facility "Big Shell" and safeguard the President and other hostages. And two: disarm the terrorists by any means necessary.}} Raiden joins forces with Snake and learns that they are being manipulated by Revolver Ocelot, who has been working for the Patriots. At the end of the game, Ocelot seemingly becomes possessed by Liquid Snake as the nanomachines from Liquid's arm (which Ocelot took to replace his own arm after Gray Fox slices it off in Metal Gear Solid) work their way into Ocelot's thought process.

Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots deals with a rapidly aging Solid Snake (now branded "Old Snake") who is on a mission to find and defeat Revolver Ocelot, now known as Liquid Ocelot. Despite the destruction of the Arsenal Gear in Sons of Liberty, the Patriots have continued in their plans to influence the course of human history, installing artificial intelligence systems around the world. Ocelot, opposed to this, has assembled armies with which to fight back and intends to hijack their entire operating system for his own ends. Solid Snake's objective later changes to destroying the AIs of the Patriots and stop their oppression. After he and his allies succeed, Snake decides to live out his life peacefully.

Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance is set four years after Guns of the Patriots and it stars Raiden as a cyborg ninja mercenary. Raiden joins the private military firm, Maverick Security Consulting, and is tasked with defending the prime minister of an unspecified African country. However, the situation goes awry and the prime minister is killed by a rival PMC company named Desperado Enforcement LLC. Raiden is defeated in the battle, but decides to re-avenge his failure and is sent out with a brand new cyborg body to fight the mysterious military group.

The original Metal Gear, which was released in 1987 during the Cold War, dealt with the manipulation of soldiers by politicians of the East and West, countered by the concept of "Outer Heaven", a country without politics. Its sequel Metal Gear 2: Solid Snake, which was released in 1990 at the end of the Cold War, expanded on this with themes regarding political intrigue, battlefield ethics, military history, and the negative effects of warfare.{{cite web|title=GameSpy's Top MGS Moments: Metal Gear Solid 2 (Day Two)|page=5|publisher=GameSpy|date=May 16, 2008|url=http://www.gamespy.com/articles/874/874851p5.html|access-date=November 25, 2009|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120319005811/http://www.gamespy.com/articles/874/874851p5.html|archive-date=March 19, 2012|url-status=live}}

The overarching theme of the Metal Gear Solid series is that of the "gene, meme, scene, sense, peace,{{cite web|url=https://twitter.com/HIDEO_KOJIMA_EN/status/244919664046649346|title=Gene→Meme→Scene→Sense→Peace→?|last=Kojima|first=Hideo|date=September 9, 2012|access-date=September 9, 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131022154710/https://twitter.com/HIDEO_KOJIMA_EN/status/244919664046649346|archive-date=October 22, 2013|url-status=live}} revenge{{cite web|url=http://www.twitlonger.com/show/kq5f6a|title=N/A|last=Kojima|first=Hideo|date=January 24, 2013|publisher=TwitLonger|access-date=January 24, 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130127230446/http://www.twitlonger.com/show/kq5f6a|archive-date=January 27, 2013|url-status=live}} and race,"{{cite web|last=Kojima|first=Hideo|title=Answer to the question|url=https://twitter.com/HIDEO_KOJIMA_EN/status/342798547168686080|publisher=Twitter|access-date=24 June 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131022160214/https://twitter.com/HIDEO_KOJIMA_EN/status/342798547168686080|archive-date=October 22, 2013|url-status=live}} and how people are affected by these factors according to the game's producer Kojima—Metal Gear Solid deals with genetics and the moral implications of genetic engineering, Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty deals with how identity can be affected by the philosophies of one's society (a "meme") and the effects of censorship on society, Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater deals with how the time and place one lives in (a "scene") affects their identity, how politics change along with the times and hyperreality, the inability to distinguish fact and fiction in an information-saturated world.{{Cite web|url=http://www.gamesetwatch.com/2010/07/what_metal_gear_solid_3_teache.php|title=GameSetWatch Analysis: What Metal Gear Solid 3 Teaches Us About Hyperreality|website=www.gamesetwatch.com|access-date=February 27, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180618075445/http://www.gamesetwatch.com/2010/07/what_metal_gear_solid_3_teache.php|archive-date=June 18, 2018|url-status=live}}

Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots deals with "sense", which is a person's understanding of the world that is lost when they die. It also encompasses how some things cannot be passed down to future generations and be misinterpreted as well as the artificially controlled (and globally shared) sense-data of the new era's nanotech-enhanced soldiers.{{cite web| editor=Hideo Kojima | year=2005 | title=HIDEOBLOG 2005.09.26 | url=http://www.blog.konami.jp/gs/hideoblog_e/2005/09/000166.html | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071020184532/http://blog.konami.jp/gs/hideoblog_e/2005/09/000166.html | archive-date=October 20, 2007| work= Hideoblog | access-date=August 5, 2006}} With Metal Gear Solid: Peace Walker the plot deals with the true nature of 'peace', and the concept of conflict in human societies. Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain deals with the themes "race" and "revenge" and how the latter can make one lose his humanity. Following the initial Metal Gear, each game has been a deconstruction of action movies and video games, using tropes to invoke the themes and ideas especially those of spy movies - it examines what kind of mind and complete control of a situation would be needed to pull off the absurdly complex and convoluted plans that rely on events completely within the realm of chance yet comes off without a hitch. Furthermore, it examines what happens to a child soldier forced to take up a normal life through the characters Eli (also known as Liquid Snake) in Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain and Jack (primarily known as Raiden) in Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots.{{cite magazine|url=https://www.gameinformer.com/b/features/archive/2017/10/12/the-virtual-life-trauma-and-the-futility-of-revenge-in-metal-gear-solid-v.aspx|title=The Virtual Life – Trauma And The Futility Of Revenge In Metal Gear Solid V|last=Gwaltney|first=Javy|magazine=Game Informer|date=October 12, 2017|access-date=February 28, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180827075332/https://www.gameinformer.com/index.php/b/features/archive/2017/10/12/the-virtual-life-trauma-and-the-futility-of-revenge-in-metal-gear-solid-v.aspx|archive-date=August 27, 2018|url-status=live}}

Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance also deals with "revenge". Raiden is defeated in the beginning and feels a deep sense of vengeance, and as such exacts his 'revenge' on the group who sabotaged him, as well as coming to terms with his own past and embracing his true nature. The games carry many implicit parallels to Nietzschean philosophy.{{cite book|publisher=Konami|year=2004|title=Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater, The Official Guide |isbn=1-903511-71-2}} Solid Snake serves as a deconstruction of the action hero archetype, as his wartime experiences have turned him into a bitter, broken-down soldier who wishes to retire, but cannot escape the life of conflict that had entwined him for so long. This concept is further explored through Raiden, who is put through the same torments as Snake in explicit detail. Big Boss is similarly not immune to this theme: as Naked Snake, he does not resemble a suave, impeccable secret agent that would otherwise fit into the 1960s spy film pastiche of Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater, but is instead an everyman character. Only after undergoing immense psychological and physical scarring does he begin to resemble the ultimate soldier known as Big Boss.{{cite book |last=Adams |first=Aubrie |date=2017 |title=100 greatest video game characters |publisher=Rowman & Littlefield Publishers Lanham |page=180 |isbn=978-1442278134 }}

Although the series takes place in a realistic military setting, the Metal Gear video games also feature a strong focus on supernatural elements, leading the series to be commonly described as magic realism.{{cite web |last=Moira|first=Hicks|date=August 3, 2019|url=https://www.fanbyte.com/features/metal-gear-magical-realism/|title=How Metal Gear Eschewed Realism to Convey the Horror of Imperial Violence|publisher=Gematsu |accessdate=June 12, 2021}}{{cite web |last=Keogh|first=Brendan|date=September 18, 2015|url=https://brkeogh.com/2015/09/18/on-metal-gear-solid-v-the-phantom-pain/|title=On Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain|publisher=Brkeogh.com|accessdate=June 12, 2021}}{{cite web |last=Davenport|first=James|date=August 27, 2015|url=https://www.pcgamer.com/uk/how-to-become-a-metal-gear-expert-before-the-phantom-pain-comes-out/|title=Become a Metal Gear expert before The Phantom Pain comes out|publisher=PC Gamer|accessdate=June 12, 2021}}{{cite web |last=Valle|first=Nathaniel|date=April 29, 2014|url=https://www.pcgamer.com/uk/how-to-become-a-metal-gear-expert-before-the-phantom-pain-comes-out/|title=Marquez, Vamp, and Me – Metal Gear Solid and the Supernatural|publisher=Christ and Pop Culture|accessdate=June 12, 2021}}

{{Main|List of characters in the Metal Gear series}}

File:Sons big boss.JPG]]

In games, players control a character who has to infiltrate into his enemy's area alone to complete his mission.{{cite magazine | author=GamePro site staff | year=2003 | title=Feature: Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater Interview | url=http://www.gamepro.com/sony/ps2/games/features/30936.shtml | magazine=GamePro | access-date = September 2, 2006|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20040228191427/http://www.gamepro.com/sony/ps2/games/features/30936.shtml|archive-date=February 28, 2004}} Across the mission, the player receives assistance from a supporting team communicated by Codec. While the team tells the player hints about the mission, it also helps expand the characters through their interactions.{{cite video game|title=The Document of Metal Gear Solid 2|year=2002|developer=Kojima Productions|publisher=Konami|level=Making of Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty}} During their debuts, player characters Solid Snake and Raiden are meant to represent the player while in the following games they acquire more defined personalities.{{cite web|url=http://www.konami.jp/gs/game/mgs4_inte/en/|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080304105426/http://www.konami.jp/gs/game/mgs4_inte/en/|archive-date=March 4, 2008|title=METAL GEAR SOLID 4 INTEGRATED SITE}}{{cite web|title=How Videogames Express Ideas|author=Matthew Weise|work=Level Up: Digital Games Research Conference|publisher=Massachusetts Institute of Technology|year=2003|url=http://www.digra.org/dl/db/05150.07598.pdf|access-date=November 21, 2009|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120710195302/http://www.digra.org/dl/db/05150.07598.pdf|archive-date=July 10, 2012|url-status=live}} A common motif in the series is the use of powerful enemies. As games were released, new concepts were given to the bosses to make them innovative and notice their strength. As the first games used humans with supernatural abilities, for Metal Gear Solid 4, the designers decided to use monsters rather than humans as enemies. A notable boss battle was The End from Metal Gear Solid 3 that was meant to differentiate it from all the other bosses in the franchise due to its strategic gameplay.{{cite web | author=Lewis, Ed | title=The Snake Eater Interview | url=http://ps2.ign.com/articles/569/569922p1.html | work=IGN | date=December 2004 | access-date=September 2, 2006 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120310054222/http://ps2.ign.com/articles/569/569922p1.html | archive-date=March 10, 2012 | url-status=live }} Another common motif has been the transformation of a previously normal character returning as a ninja. It started with Kyle Schneider in Metal Gear 2: Solid Snake when he fought against Snake as "Black Ninja". Several other characters have done the same, including Gray Fox, Olga Gurlukovich, and Raiden.{{cite web|title=Top 10 Metal Gear Villains|website=IGN|author=Scheeden, Jeese|date=June 11, 2008|url=http://stars.ign.com/articles/881/881015p8.html|access-date=July 2, 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120628231830/http://stars.ign.com/articles/881/881015p8.html|archive-date=June 28, 2012|url-status=live}}

Much as Metal Gear began as partially a pastiche of action movies of the time, characters were sometimes pastiches of contemporary action movie heroes.{{cite video|title=Metal Gear Saga Vol. 1|medium=DVD|publisher=Konami Digital Entertainment, Inc.|year=2006}} Metal Gear Solid characters have been designed by Yoji Shinkawa. Several of their real names and aliases are references to various Hollywood films.{{cite web|author=Kent, Steven|title=Hideo Kojima: Game Guru, Movie Maniac|work=Gamers Today| access-date = July 15, 2005|url=http://www.gamerstoday.com/world_tours/tour9.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20010727020355/http://www.gamerstoday.com/world_tours/tour9.html|archive-date=July 27, 2001}} Because of the time skip between games, a few of the characters have been redesigned to fit in the game's year. With the improvements from new video game consoles like the PlayStation and PlayStation 2, the staff gave the characters a more realistic look although they initially had doubts about it.{{cite web|author = Williamson, Colin|date = December 12, 2000|access-date = January 1, 2007|url = http://ps2.ign.com/articles/088/088856p1.html|title = Yoji Shinkawa interview|website = IGN|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20070213024854/http://ps2.ign.com/articles/088/088856p1.html|archive-date = February 13, 2007|url-status = live}} Kojima's thoughts regarding Snake's improved abilities by the time of Metal Gear Solid led to the concept of cloned characters who would be able to match him in combat.{{cite web|url=http://www.gamespot.com/news/6179757.html|website=GameSpot|title=TGS '07: Kojima speaks|access-date=August 30, 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100801091218/http://www.gamespot.com/news/6179757.html|archive-date=August 1, 2010|url-status=live}} By Metal Gear Solid 2, Kojima was inspired by the Sherlock Holmes novels to introduce a sidekick character in order to view Snake from a different perspective.{{cite web|title=The Final Hours of Metal Gear Solid 2|website=GameSpot|url=http://www.gamespot.com/gamespot/features/video/btg_mgs2/p02_01.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060103100148/http://www.gamespot.com/gamespot/features/video/btg_mgs2/p02_01.html|access-date = August 30, 2011|archive-date=January 3, 2006}}

File:Hideo Kojima 20100702 Japan Expo 1.jpg is the franchise's creator, and was involved in directing, designing, writing and producing the majority of installments in the main series until Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain (2015).]]

The first Metal Gear game was intended to be an action game that featured modern military combat. However, the MSX2's hardware limited the number of on-screen bullets and enemies, which Hideo Kojima felt impeded the combat aspect. Inspired by The Great Escape, he altered the gameplay to focus on a prisoner escaping.{{cite journal| journal = Retro Gamer| publisher = Imagine Publishing| title = Before They Were Famouos| issue = 35| page = 74|first = John| last = Szczepaniak}} In a series of articles written for Official PlayStation 2 Magazine, Hideo Kojima identified several Hollywood films as the primary sources of inspiration for the storylines and gameplay of the Metal Gear series. He further noted that the James Bond series is what influenced him the most regarding the creation of Metal Gear Solid.{{cite journal|journal=PlayStation Official Magazine (UK)|publisher=Future Publishing|title=Hideo Kojima at the Movies: 007|date=March 2003|url=http://www.metalgearsolid.org/features/hideo-kojima-at-the-movies-007|access-date=September 11, 2010|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100703014237/http://www.metalgearsolid.org/features/hideo-kojima-at-the-movies-007|archive-date=July 3, 2010|url-status=live}} The original plot has references to the nuclear war paranoia during the mid-1980s that resulted from the Cold War. Following games would revolve around nuclear weapon inspections in Iraq and Iran, but this idea was left out due to growing concern regarding the political situation in the Middle East. Other changes to the series were made in Metal Gear Solid 2 as a result of the September 11 attacks.{{cite video | people=Hideo Kojima |year=2002| title=The Document of Metal Gear Solid 2 | medium=DVD | location=New Zealand | publisher=Konami}}

After Metal Gear 2: Solid Snake, Kojima planned to release the third Metal Gear game in 1994 for the 3DO Interactive Multiplayer in 1994.{{cite web|url=http://www.kjp.konami.jp/gs/hideoblog/2007/07/000230.html|title=KOJIMA PRODUCTIONS – HIDECHAN RADIO – Episode 148|access-date=August 30, 2011|publisher=Konami|language=ja|format=mp3|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110722112025/http://www.kjp.konami.jp/gs/hideoblog/2007/07/000230.html|archive-date=July 22, 2011|url-status=dead}} Besides changing the game's platform to the PlayStation, the game was renamed, and its subsequent sequels were given the word "Solid" as the series started using 3D computer graphics.{{cite book|quote=Kojima: 'Metal Gear' is as it is, and 'Solid' has a deep meaning. Let me explain. This time Metal Gear is displayed in full polygonal form, and I used 'Solid' to describe the cubic structure. Also, the 'Solid' means to the third power mathematically. Also, most of the people don't know that there is a Metal Gear 1 and 2 for the MSX, and I wanted it to be the sequel for those. And, of course, Solid from Solid Snake.|title=Metal Gear Solid: Official Mission Handbook|author=Hogdson, David}} Since then, the games were designed to be more realistic to further entertain the players.{{cite web | author=IGN staff | title=More News From Metal Gear Solid Creator | url=http://psx.ign.com/articles/064/064632p1.html | website=IGN | date=April 28, 1998 | access-date=November 14, 2006 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071130091959/http://psx.ign.com/articles/064/064632p1.html | archive-date=November 30, 2007 | url-status=live}} Metal Gear Solid 3 was initially meant to be made for the PlayStation 3, but due to the long wait for the console, the game was developed for the PlayStation 2 instead.{{cite video game|title=Metal Gear Solid 4: Sons of Liberty Limited Edition Blu-ray DVD|level=Metal Gear 20-year SAGA|publisher=Konami|developer=Konami Productions|year=2008}} As previous game's settings were indoors areas due to difficulties with the consoles, since Metal Gear Solid 3, Kojima wished to drastically change it despite difficulties.{{cite web | author=Hivner, Brendon | title=Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater (First Look) Preview | url=http://www.gamingworldx.com/ps2/MetalGearSolid3SnakeEaterFirstLook.shtml | work=GamingWorldX | access-date=September 5, 2006 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20030704142839/http://gamingworldx.com/ps2/MetalGearSolid3SnakeEaterFirstLook.shtml | archive-date=July 4, 2003 | url-status=dead | df=mdy-all}} Since Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty had several plot points unresolved, it was originally meant to leave it to players to discuss them to come to their own conclusions.{{cite web|title=Kojima: 'I'll Have to Leave the Industry' if Next Game Goes Wrong|author=Kris Pigna|date=April 15, 2010|url=http://www.1up.com/news/kojima-leave-industry-game-wrong|website=1UP.com|access-date=March 8, 2011|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130530225632/http://www.1up.com/news/kojima-leave-industry-game-wrong|archive-date=May 30, 2013}}{{cite magazine|title=Kojima wanted to end Metal Gear but now wants to meet fan demand|url=http://www.computerandvideogames.com/327430/kojima-wanted-to-end-metal-gear-but-now-wants-to-meet-fan-demand/|magazine=Computer and Video Games|access-date=November 30, 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111129121444/http://www.computerandvideogames.com/327430/kojima-wanted-to-end-metal-gear-but-now-wants-to-meet-fan-demand/|archive-date=November 29, 2011|url-status=live}} This has led to consistency issues in the English versions of Metal Gear Solid and Metal Gear Solid 2 as they mentioned plot elements that were further explored in Metal Gear Solid 4.{{cite web|url=http://www.1up.com/news/metal-gear-solid-4-afterthoughts|title=Metal Gear Solid 4 Afterthoughts with Ryan Payton|date=November 9, 2008|website=1UP.com|access-date=August 23, 2011|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120724104654/http://www.1up.com/news/metal-gear-solid-4-afterthoughts|archive-date=July 24, 2012}}

{{See also|List of Metal Gear media#Other media}}

A novel adaptation of the original Metal Gear was published in 1988 as a part of Scholastic's Worlds of Power line of novelizations, which were based on third-party NES games.{{Cite book|first=Alexander|last=Frost|title=Metal Gear|year=1990|publisher=Scholastic |isbn=0-590-43777-1}} It was written by Alexander Frost. The novelization is not based on the game's official storyline, but rather on Konami of America's localization of the plot. The book takes further liberties by giving Solid Snake the name of Justin Halley, and by changing the name of Snake's unit from FOXHOUND to the "Snake Men". In Japan, a Metal Gear gamebook was published on March 31, 1988, shortly after the release of the game on the Famicom. It is set two years after the events of the original Metal Gear and is part of the Konami Gamebook Series.{{Cite book|title=Metal Gear|series=Konami Gamebook Series|language=ja|isbn=4-87655-013-1}} A novelization of Metal Gear Solid was published in 2008. It was written by Raymond Benson, the author of nine James Bond novels.{{Cite book|year=2008|last=Benson|first=Raymond|author-link=Raymond Benson|title=Metal Gear Solid|page=336|publisher=Del Rey|isbn=978-0-345-50328-2}} Benson also wrote a Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty novelization, which was published in 2009.{{Cite book|year=2009|last=Benson|first=Raymond|author-link=Raymond Benson|title=Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty|page=[https://archive.org/details/metalgearsolid200bens/page/320 320]|publisher=Del Rey|isbn=978-0-345-50343-5|url-access=registration|url=https://archive.org/details/metalgearsolid200bens/page/320}} Critical reaction to Benson's novelizations has been generally positive, with Bookgasm.com writing that "Benson does a fine job translating the game to the page" with Metal Gear Solid,{{cite web |author=Bruce Grossman |url=http://www.bookgasm.com/reviews/sci-fi/metal-gear-solid/ |title=Metal Gear Solid |publisher=Bookgasm.com |date=June 16, 2008 |access-date=June 3, 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110719155052/http://www.bookgasm.com/reviews/sci-fi/metal-gear-solid/ |archive-date=July 19, 2011 |url-status=live }} and MishMashMagazine.com calling Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty "a great companion to the game".{{cite web |author=Gaming |url=http://www.mishmashmagazine.com/2009/games/raymond-bensons-sons-of-liberty-a-novelization-of-metal-gear-solid/ |title=Raymond Benson's Sons of Liberty, a novelization of Metal Gear Solid | Video Games |publisher=Mishmash Magazine |date=September 24, 2009 |access-date=June 3, 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110714102031/http://www.mishmashmagazine.com/2009/games/raymond-bensons-sons-of-liberty-a-novelization-of-metal-gear-solid/ |archive-date=July 14, 2011 |url-status=usurped }} A Japanese-language novelization of Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots by Project Itoh was published on June 12, 2008.{{Cite book|author=Project Itoh|title=Metal Gear Solid – Guns of the Patriots|date=June 2008|publisher=角川書店 |language=ja|isbn=978-4-04-707244-2}} The novel was translated into English by Viz Media and was released on June 19, 2012.{{cite web|url=http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/metal-gear-solid-project-itoh/1103214488?ean=9781421540016&itm=6&usri=metal+gear+solid+4|title=Metal Gear Solid: Guns of the Patriot|publisher=Barnesandnoble.com|access-date=February 13, 2012}}

A comic book adaptation of the original Metal Gear Solid was published by IDW Publishing in 2004. It was written by Kris Oprisko and with illustrations by Ashley Wood. The series lasted 24 issues and has been collected in two trade paperbacks as well as a single hardback collector's edition which is currently out-of-print. The entire run of the comic was collected again in a paperback book, Metal Gear Solid Omnibus, and released in June 2010.{{cite book|url=https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/1600106633/|title=Metal Gear Solid Omnibus|date=June 15, 2010 |publisher=Amazon.com|isbn=978-1-60010-663-7 |access-date=August 30, 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131006170041/http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/1600106633/|archive-date=October 6, 2013|url-status=live}} A comic book adaptation of Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty has also been published by IDW, written by Alex Garner with illustrations by Ashley Wood.{{cite web|url=http://comics.ign.com/articles/802/802149p1.html|title=Metal Gear Solid: Sons of Liberty #10 Preview|website=IGN|access-date=March 27, 2012|date=July 6, 2007|author=George, Richard|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070911151659/http://comics.ign.com/articles/802/802149p1.html|archive-date=September 11, 2007|url-status=live}} A digital version of the first comic book adaptation was released for the PlayStation Portable, Metal Gear Solid: Digital Graphic Novel, in 2006.{{cite web|url=http://psp.ign.com/articles/712/712361p1.html|title=Metal Gear Solid: Digital Graphic Novel|website=IGN|access-date=March 27, 2012|date=June 13, 2006|author=Haynes, Jeff|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120414023403/http://psp.ign.com/articles/712/712361p1.html|archive-date=April 14, 2012|url-status=live}} A second digital version, Metal Gear Solid 2: Bande Dessinée, was released exclusively in Japan as a DVD release in 2008 and features fully voiced versions of both comic book adaptations.{{cite web|url=http://psp.ign.com/articles/807/807568p1.html|title=Metal Gear Solid 2: Bande Dessinee Announced|website=IGN|access-date=March 27, 2012|date=July 24, 2007|author=Miller, Greg|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090522172742/http://psp.ign.com/articles/807/807568p1.html|archive-date=May 22, 2009|url-status=live}} All the Japanese voice actors from the games reprised their roles with the exception of those that have died.

A radio drama based on the original Metal Gear Solid aired in Japan from 1998 to 1999 as part of Konami's syndicated CLUB db program. Directed by Shuyo Murata and written by Motosada Mori, the serial lasted over 12 weekly installments spanning three story arcs. The series was later collected as a two-volume set.{{cite web|url=http://www.konami.jp/gs/game/mgs2/japanese/goods/goods_mgs_cd02.html|title=DRAMA CDメタルギア ソリッド Vol.1|publisher=Konami|language=ja|access-date=August 3, 2006|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060323180120/http://www.konami.jp/gs/game/mgs2/japanese/goods/goods_mgs_cd02.html|archive-date=March 23, 2006|url-status=live}}{{cite web|url=http://www.konami.jp/gs/game/mgs2/japanese/goods/goods_mgs_cd03.html|title=DRAMA CD メタルギア ソリッド Vol.2|access-date=August 3, 2006|language=ja|publisher=Konami|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060323180113/http://www.konami.jp/gs/game/mgs2/japanese/goods/goods_mgs_cd03.html|archive-date=March 23, 2006|url-status=live}} The series serves as an alternate continuation to the events of Shadow Moses, with Solid Snake, Meryl Silverburgh, Mei Ling and Roy Campbell going on further missions as FOXHOUND operatives (Mei Ling and Meryl are depicted wearing a battle dress uniform and a sneaking suit respectively), although the stories are not considered part of the mainstream Metal Gear canon. The Japanese voice actors from the game reprised their roles for the series, while new characters are introduced as well.

Several promotional DVDs have been released detailing the Metal Gear series. Metal Gear Saga vol. 1 was released in 2006 as a pre-order disc for MGS3: Subsistence. It is divided into five chapters, each dealing with one game of the then five-part Metal Gear series in chronological order (beginning with MGS3), and each includes discussions by Hideo Kojima.{{cite web |url=http://dvd.ign.com/objects/801/801325.html |title=IGN: Metal Gear Saga Vol. 1 DVD |website=IGN |access-date=March 30, 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090207095207/http://dvd.ign.com/objects/801/801325.html |archive-date=February 7, 2009 |url-status=live }} Metal Gear Saga vol. 2 was first shown at the 20th Metal Gear Anniversary Party, and then released as a pre-order disc for MGS4. In this, the video is presented as a pseudo-documentary about Solid Snake and is divided into a prologue and four chapters: Naked Snake-the birth of Snake (chronicling the events of MGS3, MG1, and MG2), Liquid Snake-the second snake (MGS), Solidus Snake-the third Snake (MGS2) and Solid Snake-the first Snake (setting the stage for MGS4).{{cite web |url=http://www.joystiq.com/2008/03/29/mgs4-pre-order-dvds-shipping-with-mgo-beta-keys-beta-to-begin-a/ |title=MGS4 pre-order DVDs shipping with MGO beta keys, beta to begin April 21 |publisher=Joystiq |author=McElroy, Griffin |date=March 29, 2008 |access-date=March 30, 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080330113537/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/03/29/mgs4-pre-order-dvds-shipping-with-mgo-beta-keys-beta-to-begin-a/ |archive-date=March 30, 2008 |url-status=live }}

In 1999, McFarlane Toys, with the collaboration of Konami, launched a series of action figures depicting key characters from Metal Gear Solid.{{cite web | url = http://www.spawn.com/toys/series.aspx?series=172 | title = SPAWN.COM >> TOYS >> GAMES AND ANIMATION >> METAL GEAR SOLID | publisher = TMP International, Inc | access-date = December 21, 2006 | url-status = dead | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20130618085300/http://www.spawn.com/toys/series.aspx?series=172 | archive-date = June 18, 2013 | df = mdy-all }} In 2001, following the success of the first series, and with the release of Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty, McFarlane Toys, and Konami combined their efforts to produce a line of action figures depicting Sons of Liberty's main characters. Each character has a piece of Metal Gear RAY, so collecting the entire set is essential to build the robot.{{cite web | url = http://www.spawn.com/toys/series.aspx?series=173 | title = SPAWN.COM >> TOYS >> GAMES AND ANIMATION >> METAL GEAR SOLID 2: SONS OF LIBERTY | publisher = TMP International, Inc | access-date = December 21, 2006 | url-status = dead | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20130618083755/http://www.spawn.com/toys/series.aspx?series=173 | archive-date = June 18, 2013 | df = mdy-all }}

Konami has also released 4" scale blind-box figures based on MGS2 released in Japan, Sons of Liberty in 2002 and Substance shortly after in 2003; the Substance series was eventually brought to the US and UK markets packaged on card rather than blind boxed. During the release of MGS3, Medicom released 12" figures of Snake as part of their Real Action Heroes line. Medicom continued to support the franchise with the release of Kubrick figures for Snake Eater and Guns of the Patriots, which also included seven- and 12-inch versions of the game's characters.

In 2009, toy company ThreeA joined forces with Kojima to make related products. The first fruit of this partnership came in late 2012, when ThreeA released a massive 1/48 scale figure of Metal Gear REX, with working LED lights.{{cite web|url=http://www.threeaonline.com/blog/?p=1868|title=MGS REX|access-date=December 23, 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130313184040/http://www.threeaonline.com/blog/?p=1868|archive-date=March 13, 2013|url-status=live}}{{cite web|url=http://www.tomopop.com/threea-s-metal-gear-rex-on-sale-tonight-23670.phtml|title=ThreeA's Metal Gear Rex on sale tonight|access-date=December 23, 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130109030237/http://www.tomopop.com/threea-s-metal-gear-rex-on-sale-tonight-23670.phtml|archive-date=January 9, 2013|url-status=live}} It can also be dressed up to depict REX's decrepit condition in Guns of the Patriots. The company is also cooperating with graphic artist Ashley Wood to develop a similarly scaled Metal Gear RAY. A prototype was first unveiled at the ReVenture hobby show in Hong Kong in April 2012.{{cite web|last=Plunkett|first=Luke|title=The Most Amazing Portal, Halo & Metal Gear Toys You'll Ever See|url=http://kotaku.com/5906182/the-most-amazing-portal-halo--metal-gear-toys-youll-ever-see/gallery/1|website=Kotaku|access-date=December 23, 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130128144538/http://kotaku.com/5906182/the-most-amazing-portal-halo--metal-gear-toys-youll-ever-see/gallery/1|archive-date=January 28, 2013|url-status=live}}

Square Enix also joined the production of toys based on the franchise starting with the boss vehicles and characters from Metal Gear Solid: Peace Walker. The toys, which are from Square's Play Arts Kai line, were released in 2010.{{cite web |url=http://www.gpara.com/article/cms_show.php?c_id=20094&c_num=14 |title=『MGS PW』フィギュア発売決定！『FRONT MISSION EVOLVED』とコラボも/ゲーム情報ポータル：ジーパラドットコム |publisher=Gpara.com |access-date=June 3, 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120929093859/http://www.gpara.com/article/cms_show.php?c_id=20094&c_num=14 |archive-date=September 29, 2012 |url-status=live }}{{cite web |url=http://news.dengeki.com/elem/000/000/252/252416/ |title=これまでにない作品が誕生！ 『MGS PW』完成披露会で小島秀夫監督が熱弁 – 電撃オンライン |publisher=News.dengeki.com |date=April 7, 2010 |access-date=June 3, 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121021104315/http://news.dengeki.com/elem/000/000/252/252416/ |archive-date=October 21, 2012 |url-status=live }} The line has since expanded to include characters from Metal Gear Solid, Sons of Liberty, Ground Zeroes, and The Phantom Pain, with the detail more pronounced than the original McFarlane Toys figures.

In 2012, Hot Toys released a 1/6th action figure of Naked Snake in his original sneaking suit attire from MGS3, as well as the Boss.

To celebrate the franchise's 25th anniversary, model kit company Kotobukiya released a 1/100 scale Metal Gear REX, which features small figures of Solid Snake, Liquid Snake, and Gray Fox in both standing and near-death versions.,{{cite web|url=http://geek-news.mtv.com/2012/09/18/kotobukiya-metal-gear-rex-model|title=Kotobukiya Unveils Their Own Metal Gear Masterpiece With The Rex Model Kit!|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130610031332/http://geek-news.mtv.com/2012/09/18/kotobukiya-metal-gear-rex-model|archive-date=June 10, 2013}} and later followed suit with RAY. Kaiyodo's Revoltech action figure line includes versions of Big Boss from Peace Walker and Raiden from Rising: Revengeance, plus Venom Snake and a generic Soviet Army soldier from The Phantom Pain for the smaller RevoMini action figure category.

{{Main|Discography of the Metal Gear series}}

Soundtracks for the first two games were produced by Iku Mizutani, Shigehiro Takenouchi, and Motoaki Furukawa. For Metal Gear Solid, Kojima wanted "a full orchestra right next to the player"; a system which made modifications such as tempo and texture to the currently playing track, instead of switching to another pre-recorded track. Although these features could not be achieved at that time, they were implemented in Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty.{{cite web | title=E3: Hideo Kojima Interview | url=http://ps2.ign.com/articles/079/079352p1.html | website=IGN | date=May 15, 2000 | access-date=July 13, 2007 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070611231034/http://ps2.ign.com/articles/079/079352p1.html | archive-date=June 11, 2007 | url-status=live }} Hideo Kojima's choice of Harry Gregson-Williams, a Hollywood film composer from Hans Zimmer's studio, as the composer for Metal Gear Solid 2 was highly publicized in the run-up to the game's release.Harry Gregson-Williams' interview in The Making of Documentary in the Bonus Making of DVD. Gregson-Williams would reprise his role in Metal Gear Solid 3 and Metal Gear Solid 4.{{cite web|year=2006|url=http://www.gamespot.com/news/6158568.html?sid=6158568|title=TGS 06:Kojima on Metal Gear|work=GameSpot|access-date=January 22, 2007|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090811224905/http://www.gamespot.com/news/6158568.html?sid=6158568|archive-date=August 11, 2009|url-status=live}} Starting with Metal Gear Solid, theme songs have been provided by popular artists such as Rika Muranaka.{{cite web | author=Aoife Ní Fhearraigh | title=My Albums | url=http://www.aoife.ie/myalbums.htm | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20010826230242/http://www.aoife.ie/myalbums.htm | url-status=dead | archive-date=August 26, 2001 | work=Aoife Ní Fhearraigh | access-date=October 23, 2006 }} Several soundtracks based on the games have also been published.

In May 2006, Metal Gear series creator Hideo Kojima announced that an English-language film adaptation of Metal Gear Solid was in early development.{{cite web | author=Tom Bramwell | url=http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/news020506mgsmovie | title=Kojima confirms MGS movie | website=Eurogamer | date=May 2, 2006 | access-date=August 10, 2007 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090207004600/http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/news020506mgsmovie | archive-date=February 7, 2009 | url-status=live }} Kojima also announced at the Electronic Entertainment Expo later that month that he had negotiated a contract with a party in Hollywood to adapt the video game into a film, though no further details were shared at that time.{{cite web | author=Tor Thorsen | url=http://www.gamespot.com/news/6150282/e3-06-live-action-metal-gear-solid-movie-confirmed?part=rss&subj=6150282 | title=E3 06: Live-action Metal Gear Solid movie confirmed | website=GameSpot | date=May 10, 2006 | access-date=August 10, 2007 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110622013133/http://www.gamespot.com/news/6150282/e3-06-live-action-metal-gear-solid-movie-confirmed?part=rss&subj=6150282 | archive-date=June 22, 2011 | url-status=live }} David Hayter, the English voice actor for Solid Snake, submitted a film treatment that executives passed on.{{cite web | author=Stax | url=http://movies.ign.com/articles/788/788169p1.html | title=Metal Gear Solid Movie Exclusive | website=IGN | date=May 14, 2007 | access-date=August 10, 2007 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070904194007/http://movies.ign.com/articles/788/788169p1.html | archive-date=September 4, 2007 | url-status=live }} Producers had expressed interest in Equilibrium director Kurt Wimmer as writer and/or director,{{cite web |url=https://www.comingsoon.net/news/movienews.php?id=42924 |title=EXCL: Kurt Wimmer Adapting Metal Gear Solid? |publisher=ComingSoon.net |date=March 13, 2008 |access-date=June 3, 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110416024052/http://www.comingsoon.net/news/movienews.php?id=42924 |archive-date=April 16, 2011 |url-status=live }}{{cite web|url=https://www.collider.com/entertainment/interviews/article.asp/aid/7418/tcid/1/pg/2|title=Mike De Luca Exclusive Interview|access-date=August 30, 2011|website=Collider|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090321122305/http://www.collider.com/entertainment/interviews/article.asp/aid/7418/tcid/1/pg/2|archive-date=March 21, 2009|url-status=live}} or Paul Thomas Anderson to direct;{{cite web |author=Brian Ashcraft |url=http://kotaku.com/5008812/metal-gear-movie-update |title=Metal Gear Movie Update |publisher=Kotaku.com |date=May 13, 2008 |access-date=June 3, 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111227181138/http://kotaku.com/5008812/metal-gear-movie-update |archive-date=December 27, 2011 |url-status=live }} Kojima also denied claims that German director Uwe Boll was a possible contender.{{cite web | url=http://www.joystiq.com/2006/02/03/kojima-on-uwe-boll-its-impossible/ | title=Kojima on Uwe Boll "It's impossible" | website=Kotaku | date=February 3, 2006 | access-date=September 15, 2011 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130627174113/http://www.joystiq.com/2006/02/03/kojima-on-uwe-boll-its-impossible/ | archive-date=June 27, 2013 | url-status=live }} Viggo Mortensen{{Cite news | url=http://www.gamekyo.com/news15552_metal-gear-solid-the-movie.html | title=Metal Gear Solid: The Movie | publisher=JeuxFrance.com | date=April 30, 2006 | access-date=August 10, 2007 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080902000513/http://www.gamekyo.com/news15552_metal-gear-solid-the-movie.html | archive-date=September 2, 2008 | url-status=live }} and Hugh Jackman{{cite web|url=https://www.ign.com/articles/2012/09/27/who-kojima-wants-to-play-snake-in-mgs-movie|title=Who Kojima Wants to Play Snake in MGS Movie|date=September 27, 2012|access-date=September 28, 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191002173134/https://www.ign.com/articles/2012/09/27/who-kojima-wants-to-play-snake-in-mgs-movie|archive-date=October 2, 2019|url-status=live}} were considered for the role of Snake, while Christian Bale denied rumors of his involvement.{{cite web |url=http://multiplayerblog.mtv.com/2009/06/24/christian-bale-likes-metal-gear-doesnt-like-talking/ |title=MTV Multiplayer: Christian Bale Likes 'Metal Gear,' Doesn't Like Talking |publisher=Multiplayerblog.mtv.com |date=June 24, 2009 |access-date=June 3, 2011 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110504090353/http://multiplayerblog.mtv.com/2009/06/24/christian-bale-likes-metal-gear-doesnt-like-talking |archive-date=May 4, 2011}} On January 11, 2010, producer Michael De Luca confirmed that work on a Metal Gear film adaptation had been postponed indefinitely. He said Konami expressed concern that the entire Metal Gear franchise could be seriously affected if a movie version performed poorly.{{cite web|url=http://multiplayerblog.mtv.com/2010/01/11/metal-gear-solid-film-unlikely-to-happen-in-the-near-future|publisher=MTV|date=January 11, 2010|access-date=August 30, 2011|title='Metal Gear Solid' Film Unlikely To Happen in the Near Future|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120316050655/http://multiplayerblog.mtv.com/2010/01/11/metal-gear-solid-film-unlikely-to-happen-in-the-near-future/|archive-date=March 16, 2012}}{{cite web|url=http://uk.movies.ign.com/articles/105/1059866p1.html|title=Metal Gear Movie Dead|website=IGN|access-date=August 30, 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101212103629/http://uk.movies.ign.com/articles/105/1059866p1.html|archive-date=December 12, 2010|url-status=dead}} In March 2012, during The Art of Video Games exhibit at the Smithsonian American Art Museum, Kojima stated that he did not have a desire to write or direct a potential Metal Gear Solid movie himself.{{cite web|last=Snyder|first=Daniel D.|title=How Hideo Kojima Became a Legendary Video-Game Designer|date=March 21, 2012|url=https://www.theatlantic.com/entertainment/archive/2012/03/how-hideo-kojima-became-a-legendary-video-game-designer/254831/|publisher=theatlantic.com|access-date=June 17, 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120830123609/http://www.theatlantic.com/entertainment/archive/2012/03/how-hideo-kojima-became-a-legendary-video-game-designer/254831/|archive-date=August 30, 2012|url-status=live}}{{cite web|last=Carmichael|first=Stephanie|title=Hideo Kojima spoke at the Smithsonian's 'The Art of Video Games' exhibition|url=http://www.gamezone.com/products/metal-gear-solid/news/hideo-kojima-spoke-at-the-smithsonian-s-the-art-of-video-games-exhibition|publisher=gameszone.com|access-date=June 17, 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120425212952/http://www.gamezone.com/products/metal-gear-solid/news/hideo-kojima-spoke-at-the-smithsonian-s-the-art-of-video-games-exhibition|archive-date=April 25, 2012|url-status=live}}

At the Metal Gear 25th Anniversary on August 30, 2012, Hideo Kojima announced that Arad Productions, owned by Arad brothers Avi and Ari, had agreed to produce a movie version of Metal Gear Solid with Columbia Pictures. Columbia's parent company, Sony Pictures Entertainment, will be in charge of distribution.{{cite web|url=http://www.konami-digital-entertainment.co.jp/en/news/release/2012/0830_2/?ref=kdej-e_top|title='Metal Gear Solid' Movie Announced|access-date=August 31, 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121023035240/http://konami-digital-entertainment.co.jp/en/news/release/2012/0830_2/?ref=kdej-e_top|archive-date=October 23, 2012|url-status=dead}} On June 3, 2014, Deadline Hollywood reported that Sony was in talks with Jordan Vogt-Roberts to direct the film;{{cite web|url=https://deadline.com/2014/06/sony-in-talks-with-jordan-vogt-roberts-to-helm-metal-gear-solid-739744/|title=Sony In Talks With Jordan Vogt-Roberts To Helm 'Metal Gear Solid'|last=Fleming |first=Mike Jr.|work=Deadline|date=June 3, 2014|access-date=June 3, 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140606055624/http://www.deadline.com/2014/06/sony-in-talks-with-jordan-vogt-roberts-to-helm-metal-gear-solid/|archive-date=June 6, 2014|url-status=live}} he was confirmed to be attached as director of the project in 2015.{{cite web |last1=Jaafar |first1=Ali |title=Sony Taps Jay Basu To Write 'Metal Gear Solid' |url=https://deadline.com/2015/03/sony-playstation-jay-basu-metal-gear-solid-leviathan-fox-x-men-1201400987/ |website=Deadline |date=30 March 2015}} In February 2017, Vogt-Roberts said the filmmakers are working on the film's script with Kojima.{{cite web|url=https://collider.com/metal-gear-solid-movie-update-rating-jordan-vogt-roberts/|title='Metal Gear Solid' Movie Director Jordan Vogt-Roberts Offers Extensive Update, Talks Rating|publisher=Collider.com|last=Chitwood|first=Adam|date=February 20, 2017|access-date=February 22, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200109082444/https://collider.com/metal-gear-solid-movie-update-rating-jordan-vogt-roberts/|archive-date=January 9, 2020|url-status=live}} He has stated a desire for the film to receive an R rating, expressing a desire to make "the riskier, balls-to-the-wall, Kojima-san version of it. [...] it's a way to make the first great video game movie where it doesn't matter that it's based on a video game."{{cite web|url=https://comicbook.com/gaming/2018/08/06/jordan-vogt-roberts-r-rated-metal-gear-solid-movie/|title=Jordan Vogt-Roberts Wants R-Rated 'Metal Gear Solid' Movie|website=comicbook.com|date=August 6, 2018 |access-date=August 7, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191219152502/https://comicbook.com/gaming/2018/08/06/jordan-vogt-roberts-r-rated-metal-gear-solid-movie/|archive-date=December 19, 2019|url-status=live}} Although Jay Basu was initially announced as screenwriter in 2015, Derek Connolly was hired to rewrite the script in November 2017.{{cite magazine|last1= Kroll|first1=Justin|last2=Lang|first2=Brent|url=https://variety.com/2017/film/news/jurassic-world-derek-connolly-pen-sonys-metal-gear-solid-pic-1202610438/|title=Jurassic World Scribe To Write Metal Gear Solid Film (Exclusive)|date=November 8, 2017|magazine=Variety|access-date=October 18, 2021}} Connolly completed the first draft of the film's screenplay in July 2018,{{cite web|url=https://movieweb.com/metal-gear-solid-movie-script-finished/|title=Metal Gear Solid Movie Script Is Finished, More Art Revealed|website=MovieWeb|date=July 16, 2018|access-date=June 4, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190604131831/https://movieweb.com/metal-gear-solid-movie-script-finished/|archive-date=June 4, 2019|url-status=live}} and another draft in December 2019.{{cite web|url=https://www.animenewsnetwork.com/daily-briefs/2019-12-07/jordan-vogt-roberts-new-draft-script-turned-in-for-metal-gear-solid-film/.154102|title=Jordan Vogt-Roberts: New Draft Script Turned In for Metal Gear Solid Film|website=Anime News Network|access-date=December 7, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191211102216/https://www.animenewsnetwork.com/daily-briefs/2019-12-07/jordan-vogt-roberts-new-draft-script-turned-in-for-metal-gear-solid-film/.154102|archive-date=December 11, 2019|url-status=live}} In December 2020, it was announced that Oscar Isaac had been officially cast as Solid Snake{{Cite web|last=Kroll|first=Justin|date=2020-12-04|title=Oscar Isaac To Star As Solid Snake In Sony's 'Metal Gear Solid' Movie|url=https://deadline.com/2020/12/oscar-isaac-solid-snake-sonys-metal-gear-solid-movie-1234650259/|access-date=2020-12-04|website=Deadline|language=en-US}} following his having expressed interest in the role;{{Cite web |url=https://bloody-disgusting.com/movie/3549221/oscar-isaac-wants-solid-snake-vogt-roberts-metal-gear-solid-film/ |title=Oscar Isaac Wants to be Solid Snake for Vogt-Roberts' 'Metal Gear Solid' Film |date=March 4, 2019 |access-date=May 24, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190524042150/https://bloody-disgusting.com/movie/3549221/oscar-isaac-wants-solid-snake-vogt-roberts-metal-gear-solid-film/ |archive-date=May 24, 2019 |url-status=live }} a 2024 insider rumor suggests Isaac may have dropped out of the project.{{cite web | url=https://www.joblo.com/metal-gear-solid-oscar-isaac-rumor/ | title=Oscar Isaac is reportedly no longer hiding under a cardboard box as Snake for the Jordan Vogt-Roberts Metal Gear Solid movie | date=February 9, 2024 }}{{Better source needed|reason=Citation links to a locked Patreon post from an "industry insider", no additional detail or official word has emerged months later.|date=July 2024}} Updates have been minimal since 2020, with comments from Isaac in 2022{{cite web |last1=Kim |first1=Matt |title=Oscar Isaac Gives an Update on Metal Gear Solid Movie: 'We're Searching Like Solid Snake' |url=https://www.ign.com/articles/metal-gear-solid-movie-update-oscar-isaac |website=IGN |language=en |date=23 March 2022}} and Arad in 2024{{cite web |last1=Yin-Poole |first1=Wesley |title=Metal Gear Solid Movie Script Still Being Worked On, Producer Says |url=https://www.ign.com/articles/metal-gear-solid-movie-script-still-being-worked-on-producer-says |website=IGN |access-date=1 July 2024 |language=en |date=1 July 2024}} indicating that the script was still in progress.

{{VG Series Reviews

| updated = September 8, 2015

| game1 = Metal Gear Solid

| mc1 = (PS1) 94{{cite web |url=https://www.metacritic.com/game/metal-gear-solid/critic-reviews/?platform=playstation |title=Metal Gear Solid Reviews |website=Metacritic |access-date=September 8, 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150827032740/http://www.metacritic.com/game/playstation/metal-gear-solid |archive-date=August 27, 2015 |url-status=live }}
(PC) 83{{cite web |url=https://www.metacritic.com/game/metal-gear-solid/critic-reviews/?platform=pc |title=Metal Gear Solid Reviews |website=Metacritic |access-date=September 8, 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150907022926/http://www.metacritic.com/game/pc/metal-gear-solid |archive-date=September 7, 2015 |url-status=live }}

| game2 = Metal Gear Solid: VR Missions

| mc2 = -

| game3 = Metal Gear: Ghost Babel

| mc3 = -

| game4 = Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty

| mc4 = (PS2) 96{{cite web |url=https://www.metacritic.com/game/metal-gear-solid-2-sons-of-liberty/critic-reviews/?platform=playstation-2 |title=Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty Reviews |website=Metacritic |access-date=September 8, 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150827032145/http://www.metacritic.com/game/playstation-2/metal-gear-solid-2-sons-of-liberty |archive-date=August 27, 2015 |url-status=live }}

| game5 = Metal Gear Solid 2: Substance

| mc5 = (Xbox) 87{{cite web |url=https://www.metacritic.com/game/metal-gear-solid-2-substance/critic-reviews/?platform=xbox |title=Metal Gear Solid 2: Substance Reviews |website=Metacritic |access-date=September 8, 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151020073710/http://www.metacritic.com/game/xbox/metal-gear-solid-2-substance |archive-date=October 20, 2015 |url-status=live }}
(PS2) 87{{cite web |url=https://www.metacritic.com/game/metal-gear-solid-2-substance/critic-reviews/?platform=playstation-2 |title=Metal Gear Solid 2: Substance Reviews |website=Metacritic |access-date=September 8, 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151014063603/http://www.metacritic.com/game/playstation-2/metal-gear-solid-2-substance |archive-date=October 14, 2015 |url-status=live }}
(PC) 77{{cite web |url=https://www.metacritic.com/game/metal-gear-solid-2-substance/critic-reviews/?platform=pc |title=Metal Gear Solid 2: Substance Reviews |website=Metacritic |access-date=September 8, 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151025201545/http://www.metacritic.com/game/pc/metal-gear-solid-2-substance |archive-date=October 25, 2015 |url-status=live }}

| game6 = Metal Gear Solid: The Twin Snakes

| mc6 = (GCN) 85{{cite web |url=https://www.metacritic.com/game/metal-gear-solid-the-twin-snakes/critic-reviews/?platform=gamecube |title=Metal Gear Solid: The Twin Snakes Reviews |website=Metacritic |access-date=September 8, 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160319134359/http://www.metacritic.com/game/gamecube/metal-gear-solid-the-twin-snakes |archive-date=March 19, 2016 |url-status=live }}

| game7 = Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater

| mc7 = (PS2) 91{{cite web |url=https://www.metacritic.com/game/metal-gear-solid-3-snake-eater/critic-reviews/?platform=playstation-2 |title=Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater Reviews |website=Metacritic |access-date=September 8, 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150916105344/http://www.metacritic.com/game/playstation-2/metal-gear-solid-3-snake-eater |archive-date=September 16, 2015 |url-status=live }}

| game8 = Metal Gear Solid 3: Subsistence

| mc8 = (PS2) 94{{cite web |url=https://www.metacritic.com/game/metal-gear-solid-3-subsistence/critic-reviews/?platform=playstation-2 |title=Metal Gear Solid 3: Subsistance Reviews |website=Metacritic |access-date=September 8, 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150825052838/http://www.metacritic.com/game/playstation-2/metal-gear-solid-3-subsistence |archive-date=August 25, 2015 |url-status=live }}

| game9 = Metal Gear Acid

| mc9 = (PSP) 75{{cite web |url=https://www.metacritic.com/game/metal-gear-acid/critic-reviews/?platform=psp |title=Metal Gear Acid Reviews |website=Metacritic |access-date=September 8, 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190120165700/https://www.metacritic.com/game/psp/metal-gear-acid |archive-date=January 20, 2019 |url-status=live }}

| game10 = Metal Gear Acid 2

| mc10 = (PSP) 80{{cite web |url=https://www.metacritic.com/game/metal-gear-acid-2/critic-reviews/?platform=psp |title=Metal Gear Acid 2 Reviews |website=Metacritic |access-date=September 8, 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151101162237/http://www.metacritic.com/game/psp/metal-gear-acid-2 |archive-date=November 1, 2015 |url-status=live }}

| game11 = Metal Gear Solid: Digital Graphic Novel

| mc11 = (PSP) 78{{cite web |url=https://www.metacritic.com/game/metal-gear-solid-digital-graphic-novel/critic-reviews/?platform=psp |title=Metal Gear Solid: Digital Graphic Novel Reviews |website=Metacritic |access-date=September 8, 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151103233126/http://www.metacritic.com/game/psp/metal-gear-solid-digital-graphic-novel |archive-date=November 3, 2015 |url-status=live }}

| game12 = Metal Gear Solid: Portable Ops

| mc12 = (PSP) 87{{cite web |url=https://www.metacritic.com/game/metal-gear-solid-portable-ops/critic-reviews/?platform=psp |title=Metal Gear Solid: Portable Ops Reviews |website=Metacritic |access-date=September 8, 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151104054700/http://www.metacritic.com/game/psp/metal-gear-solid-portable-ops |archive-date=November 4, 2015 |url-status=live }}

| game13 = Metal Gear Solid: Portable Ops Plus

| mc13 = (PSP) 65{{cite web |url=https://www.metacritic.com/game/metal-gear-solid-portable-ops-plus/critic-reviews/?platform=psp |title=Metal Gear Solid: Portable Ops Plus Reviews |website=Metacritic |access-date=September 8, 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151122171915/http://www.metacritic.com/game/psp/metal-gear-solid-portable-ops-plus |archive-date=November 22, 2015 |url-status=live }}

| game14 = Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots

| mc14 = (PS3) 94{{cite web |url=https://www.metacritic.com/game/metal-gear-solid-4-guns-of-the-patriots/critic-reviews/?platform=playstation-3 |title=Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots Reviews |website=Metacritic |access-date=September 8, 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150903045400/http://www.metacritic.com/game/playstation-3/metal-gear-solid-4-guns-of-the-patriots |archive-date=September 3, 2015 |url-status=live }}

| game15 = Metal Gear Solid: Peace Walker

| mc15 = (PSP) 89{{cite web |url=https://www.metacritic.com/game/metal-gear-solid-peace-walker/critic-reviews/?platform=psp |title=Metal Gear Solid: Peace Walker Reviews |website=Metacritic |access-date=September 8, 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121111132550/http://www.metacritic.com/game/psp/metal-gear-solid-peace-walker |archive-date=November 11, 2012 |url-status=live }}

| game16 = Metal Gear Solid HD Collection

| mc16 = (X360) 90{{cite web |url=https://www.metacritic.com/game/metal-gear-solid-hd-collection/critic-reviews/?platform=xbox-360 |title=Metal Gear Solid HD Collection Reviews |website=Metacritic |access-date=September 8, 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150906200311/http://www.metacritic.com/game/xbox-360/metal-gear-solid-hd-collection |archive-date=September 6, 2015 |url-status=live }}
(PS3) 89{{cite web |url=https://www.metacritic.com/game/metal-gear-solid-hd-collection/critic-reviews/?platform=playstation-3 |title=Metal Gear Solid HD Collection Reviews |website=Metacritic |access-date=September 8, 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150905124118/http://www.metacritic.com/game/playstation-3/metal-gear-solid-hd-collection |archive-date=September 5, 2015 |url-status=live }}
(Vita) 81{{cite web |url=https://www.metacritic.com/game/metal-gear-solid-hd-collection/critic-reviews/?platform=playstation-vita |title=Metal Gear Solid HD Collection Reviews |website=Metacritic |access-date=September 8, 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150910224156/http://www.metacritic.com/game/playstation-vita/metal-gear-solid-hd-collection |archive-date=September 10, 2015 |url-status=live }}

| game17 = Metal Gear Solid: Snake Eater 3D

| mc17 = (3DS) 78{{cite web |url=https://www.metacritic.com/game/metal-gear-solid-3-snake-eater/critic-reviews/?platform=3ds |title=Metal Gear Solid: Snake Eater 3D Reviews |website=Metacritic |access-date=September 8, 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121106014341/http://www.metacritic.com/game/3ds/metal-gear-solid-snake-eater-3d |archive-date=November 6, 2012 |url-status=live }}

| game18 = Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance

| mc18 = (PC) 83{{cite web |url=https://www.metacritic.com/game/metal-gear-rising-revengeance/critic-reviews/?platform=pc |title=Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance Reviews |website=Metacritic |access-date=September 8, 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150826090422/http://www.metacritic.com/game/pc/metal-gear-rising-revengeance |archive-date=August 26, 2015 |url-status=live }}
(X360) 82{{cite web |url=https://www.metacritic.com/game/metal-gear-rising-revengeance/critic-reviews/?platform=xbox-360 |title=Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance Reviews |website=Metacritic |access-date=September 8, 2015 |archive-url=http://archive.wikiwix.com/cache/20150908200615/http://www.metacritic.com/game/xbox-360/metal-gear-rising-revengeance |archive-date=September 8, 2015 |url-status=live }}
(PS3) 80{{cite web |url=https://www.metacritic.com/game/metal-gear-rising-revengeance/critic-reviews/?platform=playstation-3 |title=Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance Reviews |website=Metacritic |access-date=September 8, 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131103011453/http://www.metacritic.com/game/playstation-3/metal-gear-rising-revengeance |archive-date=November 3, 2013 |url-status=live }}

| game19 = Metal Gear Solid: The Legacy Collection

| mc19 = (PS3) 93{{Cite web |url=https://www.metacritic.com/game/metal-gear-solid-the-legacy-collection/critic-reviews/?platform=playstation-3 |title=Metal Gear Solid: The Legacy Collection |website=Metacritic |access-date=October 19, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181215161813/https://www.metacritic.com/game/playstation-3/metal-gear-solid-the-legacy-collection |archive-date=December 15, 2018 |url-status=live }}

| game20 = Metal Gear Solid V: Ground Zeroes

| mc20 = (PC) 80{{cite web |url=https://www.metacritic.com/game/metal-gear-solid-ground-zeroes/critic-reviews/?platform=pc |title=Metal Gear Solid V: Ground Zeroes Reviews |website=Metacritic |access-date=September 8, 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150905123932/http://www.metacritic.com/game/pc/metal-gear-solid-v-ground-zeroes |archive-date=September 5, 2015 |url-status=live }}
(XONE) 76{{cite web |url=https://www.metacritic.com/game/metal-gear-solid-ground-zeroes/critic-reviews/?platform=xbox-one |title=Metal Gear Solid V: Ground Zeroes Reviews |website=Metacritic |access-date=September 8, 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150822103437/http://www.metacritic.com/game/xbox-one/metal-gear-solid-v-ground-zeroes |archive-date=August 22, 2015 |url-status=live }}
(PS4) 75{{cite web |url=https://www.metacritic.com/game/metal-gear-solid-ground-zeroes/critic-reviews/?platform=playstation-4 |title=Metal Gear Solid V: Ground Zeroes Reviews |website=Metacritic |access-date=September 8, 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150909001759/http://www.metacritic.com/game/playstation-4/metal-gear-solid-v-ground-zeroes |archive-date=September 9, 2015 |url-status=live }}
(PS3) 66{{cite web |url=https://www.metacritic.com/game/metal-gear-solid-ground-zeroes/critic-reviews/?platform=playstation-3 |title=Metal Gear Solid V: Ground Zeroes Reviews |website=Metacritic |access-date=September 8, 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150903050516/http://www.metacritic.com/game/playstation-3/metal-gear-solid-v-ground-zeroes |archive-date=September 3, 2015 |url-status=live }}

| game21 = Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain

| mc21 = (PC) 91{{cite web |url=https://www.metacritic.com/game/metal-gear-solid-v-the-phantom-pain/critic-reviews/?platform=pc |title=Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain Reviews |website=Metacritic |access-date=September 8, 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150906194202/http://www.metacritic.com/game/pc/metal-gear-solid-v-the-phantom-pain |archive-date=September 6, 2015 |url-status=live }}
(PS4) 93{{cite web |url=https://www.metacritic.com/game/metal-gear-solid-v-the-phantom-pain/critic-reviews/?platform=playstation-4 |title=Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain Reviews |website=Metacritic |access-date=September 8, 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150908023812/http://www.metacritic.com/game/playstation-4/metal-gear-solid-v-the-phantom-pain |archive-date=September 8, 2015 |url-status=live }}
(XONE) 95{{cite web |url=https://www.metacritic.com/game/metal-gear-solid-v-the-phantom-pain/critic-reviews/?platform=xbox-one |title=Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain Reviews |website=Metacritic |access-date=September 8, 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170319192815/http://www.metacritic.com/game/xbox-one/metal-gear-solid-v-the-phantom-pain |archive-date=March 19, 2017 |url-status=live }}

| game22 = Metal Gear Survive

| mc22 = (PC) 54{{cite web |url=https://www.metacritic.com/game/metal-gear-survive/critic-reviews/?platform=pc |title=Metal Gear Survive Reviews |website=Metacritic |access-date=March 7, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180314101351/http://www.metacritic.com/game/pc/metal-gear-survive |archive-date=March 14, 2018 |url-status=live }}
(PS4) 60{{cite web |url=https://www.metacritic.com/game/metal-gear-survive/critic-reviews/?platform=playstation-4 |title=Metal Gear Survive Reviews |website=Metacritic |access-date=March 7, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180312184437/http://www.metacritic.com/game/playstation-4/metal-gear-survive |archive-date=March 12, 2018 |url-status=live }}
(XONE) 62{{cite web |url=https://www.metacritic.com/game/metal-gear-survive/critic-reviews/?platform=xbox-one |title=Metal Gear Survive Reviews |website=Metacritic |access-date=March 7, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180310092434/http://www.metacritic.com/game/xbox-one/metal-gear-survive |archive-date=March 10, 2018 |url-status=live }}

}}

The Metal Gear franchise has sold over {{nowrap|62.1 million}} copies {{as of|2024|12|lc=y}}.{{cite web |date=September 2022 |title=KONAMI HOLDINGS CORPORATION |url=https://www.konami.com/corporate/en/business/digitalentertainment.html |access-date=March 15, 2024}} By February 2007, the series had grossed more than {{US$|1 billion|long=no}} (equivalent to between {{US$|{{Inflation|US|1|2007|r=1}}–{{Inflation|US|1|1987|r=1}} billion|long=no}} adjusted for inflation) from {{nowrap|20 million}} copies sold, in addition to having sold ancillary merchandise including {{nowrap|3 million}} strategy guides, {{nowrap|1.5 million}} action figures and 200,000 comic books.{{cite news |last1=Siegel |first1=Tatiana |last2=Kit |first2=Borys |title='Metal Gear Solid' film being forged at Columbia |url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/business/business-news/metal-gear-solid-film-being-129850/ |access-date=11 September 2021 |work=The Hollywood Reporter |date=9 February 2007}} {{As of|2019}}, the franchise has grossed about {{US$|2.5 billion|long=no}} worldwide.{{cite news |last1=Dennison |first1=Kara |title=Fate/GO Has Earned in Four Years What Metal Gear Solid Has in 32 |url=https://www.crunchyroll.com/anime-news/2019/04/06/fatego-has-earned-in-four-years-what-metal-gear-solid-has-in-32 |access-date=6 November 2021 |work=Crunchyroll |date=April 7, 2019}}

Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty sold {{nowrap|7.03 million}} copies worldwide,{{cite news |title=Million-Seller Genealogy |url=http://www.konamijpn.com/corporate/million_e.html |access-date=11 September 2021 |work=Konami Computer Entertainment Japan (KCEJ) |publisher=Konami |date=December 31, 2004 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20050315004002/http://www.konamijpn.com/corporate/million_e.html |archive-date=2005-03-15}}{{cite web|author=Big Gaz |title=Metal Gear Solid 3 Exclusive For Sony |url=http://www.gameplanet.co.nz/mag.dyn/Features/1751.html |work=GamePlanet |access-date=January 20, 2018 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20030802051846/http://www.gameplanet.co.nz/mag.dyn/Features/1751.html |archive-date=August 2, 2003 }} and is followed in sales by Metal Gear Solid with over {{nowrap|7 million}} copies sold,{{cite news |title=Form 20-F (For the fiscal year ended March 31, 2005) |url=http://edgar.secdatabase.com/1290/119312505146876/filing-main.htm |access-date=May 15, 2018 |work=U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission |publisher=Konami Corporation |date=July 22, 2005}} and then Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots and Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain, each with over {{nowrap|6 million}} copies sold.{{cite web|author=Big Gaz |title=Metal Gear Solid 3 Exclusive For Sony |url=http://www.gameplanet.co.nz/mag.dyn/Features/1751.html |date=May 15, 2003 |publisher=Gameplanet |access-date=July 7, 2007 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20030802051846/http://www.gameplanet.co.nz/mag.dyn/Features/1751.html |archive-date=August 2, 2003 }}{{cite web | title=FY 2010 3rd quarter Financial Results | url=http://www.konami.co.jp/en/ir/ir-data/meeting/2010/0204.pdf?ref=ir-e_topl | date=February 4, 2010 | publisher=Konami | access-date=August 12, 2011 | url-status=dead | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130618214131/http://www.konami.co.jp/en/ir/ir-data/meeting/2010/0204.pdf?ref=ir-e_topl | archive-date=June 18, 2013 | df=mdy-all }}{{cite web|url=http://www.gamasutra.com/view/news/218234/Republique_and_the_fight_for_narrative_games_in_a_modern_market.php|title=Republique, and the fight for narrative games in a modern market|last=Alexander|first=Leigh|date=May 21, 2014|work=Gamasutra|publisher=UBM TechWeb|access-date=May 21, 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140522004735/http://www.gamasutra.com/view/news/218234/Republique_and_the_fight_for_narrative_games_in_a_modern_market.php|archive-date=May 22, 2014|url-status=dead}}{{cite web|title=METAL GEAR SOLID 5: THE PHANTOM PAIN SHIPPED OVER 6 MILLION COPIES|url=https://uk.ign.com/articles/2016/01/29/metal-gear-solid-5-the-phantom-pain-shipped-over-6-million-copies|website=IGN|date=January 29, 2016|access-date=March 7, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190914200607/https://uk.ign.com/articles/2016/01/29/metal-gear-solid-5-the-phantom-pain-shipped-over-6-million-copies|archive-date=September 14, 2019|url-status=live}} According to Chart-Track, Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots was the second fastest-selling PlayStation 3 game in the United Kingdom after Grand Theft Auto IV.{{cite web|url=http://www.gamesindustry.biz/articles/chart-track-mgs4-had-minimal-impact-on-uk-ps3-sales|title=Chart-Track: MGS4 had "minimal" impact on UK PS3 sales|first=Johnny|last=Minkley|date=June 17, 2008|publisher=GamesIndustry.biz|access-date=June 18, 2008|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120908030013/http://www.gamesindustry.biz/articles/chart-track-mgs4-had-minimal-impact-on-uk-ps3-sales|archive-date=September 8, 2012|url-status=live}} The Phantom Pain grossed {{US$|179 million|long=no}} on release day, higher than the combined opening day box office of the films Avengers: Age of Ultron and Jurassic World.{{cite web |url=http://www.destructoid.com/metal-gear-solid-v-s-opening-day-beats-jurassic-world-avengers-combined-315459.phtml |title=Metal Gear Solid V's opening day beats Jurassic World, Avengers combined |website=Destructoid.com |date=2015-10-14 |access-date=2015-12-22 |archive-date=January 1, 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160101165154/http://www.destructoid.com/metal-gear-solid-v-s-opening-day-beats-jurassic-world-avengers-combined-315459.phtml |url-status=dead }} The PlayStation Portable games were met with notably lower sales, but it has been analyzed that this was because of the low sales of the console when the games were released.{{cite web |url=http://psp.ign.com/articles/110/1106817p1.html |title=Peace Walker Sales Difficult To Judge |website=IGN.com |date=July 17, 2010 |access-date=July 17, 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121004074213/http://www.ign.com/articles/2010/07/17/peace-walker-sales-difficult-to-judge |archive-date=October 4, 2012 |url-status=live }} Metal Gear Survive, the first Metal Gear game to be developed since series creator Hideo Kojima left Konami, sold only a fraction of the sales made by Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain.{{cite web|last1=Saed|first1=Sherif|title=Metal Gear Survive UK week 1 sales down considerably compared to The Phantom Pain, Metal Gear Rising|url=https://www.vg247.com/2018/02/26/metal-gear-survive-uk-week-1-sales-down-considerably-compared-the-phantom-pain-rising/|website=VG247|date=February 26, 2018|access-date=March 7, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180228165233/https://www.vg247.com/2018/02/26/metal-gear-survive-uk-week-1-sales-down-considerably-compared-the-phantom-pain-rising/|archive-date=February 28, 2018|url-status=live}}

The series as a whole (namely concerning the Kojima-directed titles) is often regarded as one of the most influential of all time and has received largely critical acclaim from critics and players. Most of the numbered installments are considered to be some of the greatest video games of all time. Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty currently possesses 95.09% on GameRankings and 96/100 on Metacritic, making it the highest-scoring game of the series to date.{{cite web |url=http://www.gamerankings.com/ps2/913941-metal-gear-solid-2-sons-of-liberty/index.html |title=Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty Reviews |publisher=GameRankings |access-date=September 8, 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170106180545/http://www.gamerankings.com/ps2/913941-metal-gear-solid-2-sons-of-liberty/index.html |archive-date=January 6, 2017 |url-status=live }} In 2002, IGN's editors ranked Metal Gear Solid as the best PlayStation game ever.{{cite web | author=IGN staff | title=Top 25 Games of All Time: Complete List | url=http://psx.ign.com/articles/080/080401p1.html | website=IGN | date=January 22, 2002 | access-date=November 3, 2006 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100301140737/http://psx.ign.com/articles/080/080401p1.html | archive-date=March 1, 2010 | url-status=live }} In Game Informer Magazine{{'}}s list of top 200 games of all time, Metal Gear Solid 2 ranked at No. 50 on the list.{{cite magazine|title=Top 200 Games|magazine=Game Informer|issue=200|date=December 2009}} Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater was also voted as the fifth greatest PlayStation game in a poll from PlayStation Official Magazine (UK).PlayStation Official Magazine issue 50, Future Publishing, October 2010 Metal Gear Solid and Metal Gear Solid 2 were featured in the Smithsonian American Art Museum's "The Art of Video Games" exhibition taking place from March 16 to September 30, 2012.{{cite web|url=http://americanart.si.edu/exhibitions/archive/2012/games/|title=The Art of Video Games|access-date=June 26, 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110110015838/http://americanart.si.edu/exhibitions/archive/2012/games/|archive-date=January 10, 2011|url-status=live}} Games have won multiple awards such as Metal Gear Solid, which won the "Excellence Award for Interactive Art" by the Japan Media Arts Festival,{{cite web | url=http://plaza.bunka.go.jp/english/festival/1998/degital/000311/ | title=1998 Japan Media Arts Festival Digital Art (Interactive Art) Excellence Prize Metal Gear Solid | publisher=Japan Media Arts Plaza | access-date=August 28, 2007 | url-status=dead | archive-url=https://archive.today/20071011214357/http://plaza.bunka.go.jp/english/festival/1998/degital/000311/ | archive-date=October 11, 2007 | df=mdy-all }} and Metal Gear Solid 2, which was given the Game of the Year award by Game Informer."Games of 2001." Game Informer. January 2002: p. 52

Metal Gear was the first mainstream stealth game, with the player starting the game unarmed,{{cite web|title=The sneaky history of stealth games: Hide and seek through the ages|author=Shane Patterson|publisher=GamesRadar|date=February 3, 2009|url=https://www.gamesradar.com/the-sneaky-history-of-stealth-games/|access-date=June 21, 2009|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120523181200/http://www.gamesradar.com/the-sneaky-history-of-stealth-games/|archive-date=May 23, 2012}} and sold over a million copies in the United States.{{cite AV media |people=Hideo Kojima (Interviewee) |date=March 14, 2006 |title=Metal Gear Saga, Vol. 1 |publisher=Konami |quote=Konami decided to develop a NES version of Metal Gear, but I had absolutely nothing to do with this game. The game launched worldwide and became a huge hit, selling one million copies in the U.S. }} Metal Gear 2: Solid Snake evolved the stealth gameplay of its predecessor and is considered one of the best 8-bit games of all time. Metal Gear and Metal Gear 2 are credited with pioneering stealth mechanics.{{cite web |last1=Stanton |first1=Rich |title=Metal Gear Solid: The first modern video game |url=https://www.eurogamer.net/articles/2015-08-12-metal-gear-solid-the-first-modern-video-game |website=Eurogamer |date=August 12, 2015 |access-date=December 4, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181115212309/https://www.eurogamer.net/articles/2015-08-12-metal-gear-solid-the-first-modern-video-game |archive-date=November 15, 2018 |url-status=live }} Metal Gear Solid, which debuted at the 1996 Tokyo Game Show, was the first 3D stealth game,{{cite book |title=Gamification: Concepts, Methodologies, Tools, and Applications: Concepts, Methodologies, Tools, and Applications |date=2015 |publisher=IGI Global |isbn=9781466682016 |page=168 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=oWvCCAAAQBAJ&pg=PA168}} and is credited with popularizing the stealth game genre,{{cite web| title=Sneak Attack| url=http://www.1up.com/do/feature?cId=3136603| work=1up| access-date=May 15, 2008| url-status=dead| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060715143919/http://www.1up.com/do/feature?cId=3136603| archive-date=July 15, 2006| df=mdy-all}} as well as the hiding-behind-cover mechanic.[http://gamesfirst.com/?id=1485 Gears of War Review] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181127064753/http://gamesfirst.com/?id=1485 |date=November 27, 2018 }}, GamesFirst The series pioneered the integration of cinematic techniques into video games,{{cite book |last1=Wolf |first1=Mark J. P. |title=Encyclopedia of Video Games: The Culture, Technology, and Art of Gaming |date=2012 |publisher=ABC-CLIO |isbn=9780313379369 |page=348 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=deBFx7QAwsQC&pg=PA348}} especially Metal Gear Solid which Eurogamer considers the "first modern video game".

Several boss fights have been praised for their variety and strategy required to beat them.{{cite web|url=http://www.gamespot.com/features/6175700/metal-gear-20-years-of-big-bad-boss-battles |archive-url=https://archive.today/20130102173609/http://www.gamespot.com/features/6175700/metal-gear-20-years-of-big-bad-boss-battles |url-status=dead |archive-date=January 2, 2013 |title=Metal Gear 20 Years of Boss Battles |date=July 28, 2007 |author=Dodson, Joe |website=GameSpot |access-date=July 5, 2007 }} The series is notorious for its fourth wall breaking scenes.{{cite web|title=Metal Gear Solid – My Top Five Moments|publisher=Play|author=Jones, Nick|url=http://www.play-mag.co.uk/editors-blog/metal-gear-solid-%e2%80%93-my-top-five-moments/|access-date=June 30, 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110928184333/http://www.play-mag.co.uk/editors-blog/metal-gear-solid-%E2%80%93-my-top-five-moments/|archive-date=September 28, 2011|url-status=live}}{{cite web|title=Metal Gear's Top 5 Awkward Moments|website=1UP.com|date=June 3, 2011|author=Sharkey, Scott|url=http://www.1up.com/features/metal-gear-top-5-awkward|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121019163635/http://www.1up.com/features/metal-gear-top-5-awkward|url-status=dead|archive-date=October 19, 2012|access-date=June 30, 2011}} The storyline has been commented to maintain "rich characterization" while touching on some controversial themes.{{cite web|author=Paul Soth |title=GOTW: Metal Gear 2: Solid Snake |publisher=GameSpy |url=http://classicgaming.gamespy.com/View.php?view=GameMuseum.Detail&id=31 |access-date=August 27, 2009 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081016103146/http://classicgaming.gamespy.com/View.php?view=GameMuseum.Detail&id=31 |archive-date=October 16, 2008 }} Hideo Kojima's ambitious script in Metal Gear Solid 2 has been praised, some calling it the first example of a postmodern video game,{{cite web|title=Kojima's Legacy|author=Mark Ryan Sallee|website=IGN|date=June 29, 2006|url=http://uk.pc.ign.com/articles/716/716022p3.html|access-date=June 20, 2009|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120317053846/http://uk.pc.ign.com/articles/716/716022p3.html|archive-date=March 17, 2012|url-status=live}}{{cite web|author=James Howell & Ryan Payton|title=The Kojima Productions Report Session 084|publisher=Kojima Productions|date=March 20, 2008|url=http://www.kjp.konami.jp/gs/hideoblog_e/2008/03/000153.html|access-date=November 24, 2009|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090604144853/http://www.kjp.konami.jp/gs/hideoblog_e/2008/03/000153.html|archive-date=June 4, 2009|url-status=dead}}{{cite web|title=Games as Art: The videogames that prove Rogert Ebert wrong |website=IGN |date=July 31, 2007 |url=http://uk.games.ign.com/articles/809/809655p1.html |access-date=November 24, 2009 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091216210036/http://uk.games.ign.com/articles/809/809655p1.html |archive-date=December 16, 2009 }} while others have argued that it anticipated concepts such as post-truth politics, fake news, echo chambers and alternative facts.{{cite web|last1=Wiltshire|first1=Alex|title=Flashback: How 'Metal Gear Solid 2' Foretold Our Post-Truth Future|url=http://www.glixel.com/news/how-metal-gear-solid-2-foretold-our-post-truth-future-w450225|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161119172715/http://www.glixel.com/news/how-metal-gear-solid-2-foretold-our-post-truth-future-w450225|url-status=dead|archive-date=November 19, 2016|website=Glixel|publisher=Rolling Stone|access-date=November 16, 2016}}{{Cite web|url=https://supernewslive.com/|title=Super News Live – Latest News|website=supernewslive.com}}{{Cite web |url=https://www.vice.com/en/article/the-scary-political-relevance-of-metal-gear-solid-2/ |title=The Scary Political Relevance of 'Metal Gear Solid 2' |date=January 20, 2017 |access-date=November 27, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170223120038/https://waypoint.vice.com/en_us/article/the-scary-political-relevance-of-metal-gear-solid-2 |archive-date=February 23, 2017 |url-status=live }}{{cite news |title=How Metal Gear Solid manipulated its players, warning us of an age of Fake News, Cambridge Analytica and data surveillance |url=https://www.gamesradar.com/how-metal-gear-solid-manipulated-its-players-warning-us-of-an-age-of-fake-news-cambridge-analytica-and-data-surveillance/ |work=GamesRadar |date=March 30, 2018 |language=en |access-date=November 27, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181127064805/https://www.gamesradar.com/how-metal-gear-solid-manipulated-its-players-warning-us-of-an-age-of-fake-news-cambridge-analytica-and-data-surveillance/ |archive-date=November 27, 2018 |url-status=live }} The series' storytelling in general has received praise for being among "the most fascinating science fiction stories in any medium".{{cite web |last=Whitbrook |first=James |title=Metal Gear Solid Is One Of The Most Fascinating Science Fiction Stories in Any Medium |url=https://io9.gizmodo.com/metal-gear-solid-is-one-of-the-most-fascinating-science-1727709431 |website=Gizmodo |date=August 31, 2015 |access-date=November 27, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181127064841/https://io9.gizmodo.com/metal-gear-solid-is-one-of-the-most-fascinating-science-1727709431 |archive-date=November 27, 2018 |url-status=live }} The series' cutscenes have often been praised for their graphics and the characters' stunt performances.{{cite magazine|title=Feature: Metal Gear Solid Rising: 6 Things to Expect from the Game |magazine=GamePro|date=June 11, 2009 |author=Shaw, Pattrick|url=http://www.gamepro.com/article/features/210813/metal-gear-solid-rising-6-things-to-expect-from-the-game/|access-date=June 30, 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101111032846/http://www.gamepro.com/article/features/210813/metal-gear-solid-rising-6-things-to-expect-from-the-game/|archive-date=November 11, 2010}}"The Top Ten Video Game Openings," Game Informer 187 (November 2008): 38. Nevertheless, a common criticism has been the scenes' lengthiness, as well as some parts of the storyline.{{cite web|title=5 reasons to hate Metal Gear Solid |date=November 10, 2009|author=Reparaz, Mikel|publisher=GamesRadar|url=https://www.gamesradar.com/ps3/f/5-reasons-to-hate-metal-gear-solid/a-201104251739927009/g-20100610112655981027|access-date=June 29, 2011}}{{cite web |author=Jensen, K. Thor |url=http://www.ugo.com/games/the-11-weirdest-game-endings?page=4 |title=The 11 Weirdest Game Endings |publisher=UGO.com |date=December 3, 2010 |access-date=June 7, 2011 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131005090945/http://www.ugo.com/games/the-11-weirdest-game-endings?page=4 |archive-date=October 5, 2013 }} Raiden's unexpected introduction as the main protagonist in Metal Gear Solid 2, due to his lack of appearances in the games' trailers and how he replaces fan-favorite character Solid Snake, has been deemed as one of the most controversial parts of the entire series.{{cite web|title=Trolled: The Biggest Disappointments in Video Games |publisher=UGO.com |date=June 3, 2011 |author=Meli, Marissa |url=http://www.ugo.com/games/metal-gear-solid-2-2 |access-date=June 30, 2011 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110611072134/http://www.ugo.com/games/metal-gear-solid-2-2 |archive-date=June 11, 2011 }}{{cite book |title=Playing with Videogames |pages=39–40 |last=Newman |first=James |publisher=Taylor & Francis |year=2008 |isbn=978-0-415-38523-7}} The series' audio has been acclaimed to the point of receiving awards for its use of sound and music.{{cite web|url=http://bestof.ign.com/2004/ps2/13.html|title=IGN.com's Overall Best of 2004 Awards – Best Use of Sound|access-date=March 5, 2012|website=IGN|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120609235928/http://bestof.ign.com/2004/ps2/13.html|archive-date=June 9, 2012|url-status=dead}}{{cite web|url=http://www.gamespot.com/gamespot/features/video/bestof_2001/p2_01.html|title=Special Achievement Awards|access-date=March 31, 2012|website=GameSpot|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090520053115/http://www.gamespot.com/gamespot/features/video/bestof_2001/p2_01.html|archive-date=May 20, 2009|url-status=live}}

The Metal Gear series inspired numerous video game developers. Splinter Cell and Far Cry 2 designer Clint Hocking stated that every stealth-action game "owes its existence to the success of Metal Gear" and that, "Without Metal Gear, there would be no stealth games."[https://gamecritics.com/thom-moyles/3651/ Interview with Clint Hocking] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181126221653/https://gamecritics.com/thom-moyles/3651/ |date=November 26, 2018 }}, GameCritics, May 24, 2005 Splinter Cell producer Mathieu Ferland said "Metal Gear Solid was a huge inspiration for Splinter Cell" and it "was a pioneer for both the genre and the quality of directing".{{cite web |title=EGM's Final Milestone: The Legendary 200th Issue (Part 2) |url=https://venturebeat.com/2009/09/20/egms-final-milestone-the-legendary-200th-issue-part-2/ |website=VentureBeat |date=September 21, 2009 |access-date=November 27, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181127064758/https://venturebeat.com/2009/09/20/egms-final-milestone-the-legendary-200th-issue-part-2/ |archive-date=November 27, 2018 |url-status=live }} Silicon Knights founder Denis Dyack said Metal Gear Solid{{'}}s "story, script, characters, voice acting, and cinemas" were "a landmark" and "guiding light to the future of videogames." Unreal and Gears of War creator Cliff Bleszinski cited the military themes and action gameplay of Metal Gear as a major influence on his work, and he named Gears of War in homage to Metal Gear.{{cite web |url=http://www.dualshocknexus.com/2012/09/hideo-kojimas-huge-influence-on-cliffy-b.html |title=DualShock Nexus: Hideo Kojima's Huge Influence on Cliffy B |access-date=July 12, 2016 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160815013520/http://www.dualshocknexus.com/2012/09/hideo-kojimas-huge-influence-on-cliffy-b.html |archive-date=August 15, 2016 }}{{cite web |title=Cliffy B toast Hideo Kojima Hard Rock Cafe Seattle MGS25th Anniversary party |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8e6JnM65TJ8 | archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211030/8e6JnM65TJ8| archive-date=2021-10-30|website=YouTube |publisher=San Diego Comic-Con |date=March 4, 2013 |access-date=December 4, 2018}}{{cbignore}} Tenchu creator Takuma Endo cited the early 2D Metal Gear games as an influence.{{cite web |last=Mielke |first=James |title=Exclusive Tenchu: Shadow Assassins Interview |url=http://www.1up.com/do/previewPage?pager.offset=1&cId=3172069 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160126092836/http://www.1up.com/do/previewPage?pager.offset=1&cId=3172069 |website=1UP.com |date=2008-12-29 |page=2 |url-status=dead |accessdate=June 12, 2020 |archive-date=January 26, 2016}} Thief creator Tom Leonard said Metal Gear Solid{{'}}s success convinced them that experimental stealth gameplay could be marketable and "revitalized the team" in "the closing months of the project."{{Cite journal |url=http://www.gamasutra.com/view/feature/131762/postmortem_thief_the_dark_project.php |title=Postmortem: Thief: The Dark Project |last=Leonard |first=Tom |journal=Game Developer |publisher=Gamasutra |date=July 9, 1999 |access-date=April 13, 2012 |pages=1–4 |issn=1073-922X |oclc=29558874 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120330000324/http://www.gamasutra.com/view/feature/131762/postmortem_thief_the_dark_project.php |archive-date=March 30, 2012 |url-status=dead }} Sumo Digital designer Emily Knox cited Metal Gear Solid as an early formative influence on their work.{{cite web |title=Metal Gear Solid was ahead of its time |url=https://www.gamesindustry.biz/articles/2018-09-25-why-i-love-metal-gear-solid |website=GamesIndustry.biz |date=September 25, 2018 |access-date=November 27, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181127110209/https://www.gamesindustry.biz/articles/2018-09-25-why-i-love-metal-gear-solid |archive-date=November 27, 2018 |url-status=live }} Crysis 2 animator Luke Kelly said the game's animations were inspired by Metal Gear Solid 4.{{cite web | url=http://meodia.com/news/976/metal-gear-solid-4-is-inspiration-to-crysis-2-animator/ | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100701115716/http://meodia.com/news/976/metal-gear-solid-4-is-inspiration-to-crysis-2-animator/ | archive-date=July 1, 2010 | title=Metal Gear Solid 4 is an Inspiration to Crysis 2 Animator - Meodia }}{{cite web | url=http://www.mycrysis.com/articledetails.php?article=43498 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100427004920/http://www.mycrysis.com/articledetails.php?article=43498 | archive-date=April 27, 2010 | title=MyCrysis | the Official Community Portal | Dev Corner Articles | Inside Crytek - Luke Kelly - Community Answers! }} Neil Druckmann cited the revelation of Raiden in Metal Gear Solid 2 as an influence on The Last of Us Part II (2020).{{cite news |title=The Last of Us 2 director explains its strict review embargo and sneaky trailers |url=https://www.gamerevolution.com/news/651153-the-last-of-us-2-director-explains-strict-review-embargo-trailers |access-date=July 3, 2020 |work=GameRevolution |date=June 25, 2020 |archive-date=July 3, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200703051642/http://www.gamerevolution.com/news/651153-the-last-of-us-2-director-explains-strict-review-embargo-trailers |url-status=live }}

Beyond video games, filmmaker Jordan Peele cited the series as an inspiration, particularly Metal Gear Solid 2.{{cite news |last1=Wilde |first1=Tyler |title=Hideo Kojima announces OD with Jordan Peele: 'It is a game... but it's at the same time a movie, but at the same time a new form of media' |url=https://www.pcgamer.com/hideo-kojima-announces-od-with-jordan-peele-it-is-a-gamebut-at-the-same-time-its-a-movie-but-at-the-same-time-a-new-form-of-media/ |access-date=11 July 2024 |work=PC Gamer |date=8 December 2023}} Several critics have also drawn comparisons between the Metal Gear Solid series, especially Metal Gear Solid 2, and the Marvel Cinematic Universe film Captain America: The Winter Soldier (2014).{{cite news |last=Parkinson |first=Matthew |title=Top 10 Movies for Fans of Metal Gear Solid |url=https://gameranx.com/features/id/143091/article/top-10-movies-for-fans-of-metal-gear-solid/ |access-date=May 31, 2019 |work=Gameranx |publisher=Complex Media |date=March 19, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180320001454/http://gameranx.com/features/id/143091/article/top-10-movies-for-fans-of-metal-gear-solid/ |archive-date=March 20, 2018 |url-status=live}}{{cite magazine |last=Franich |first=Darren |title=The real, subversive politics of 'Captain America: The Winter Soldier' |url=https://ew.com/article/2014/04/06/captain-america-the-winter-soldier-hydra-shield-paranoia/ |magazine=Entertainment Weekly |date=April 6, 2014 |access-date=October 15, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150327025347/http://www.ew.com/article/2014/04/06/captain-america-the-winter-soldier-hydra-shield-paranoia |archive-date=March 27, 2015 |url-status=live}}{{cite web |last=Crawford |first=Max |title=Captain America: The Winter Soldier (2014) Movie Review |url=https://www.eyeforfilm.co.uk/review/captain-america-the-winter-soldier-2014-film-review-by-stuart-crawford |website=Eye for Film |date=March 21, 2014 |access-date=May 31, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140328012617/http://www.eyeforfilm.co.uk/review/captain-america-the-winter-soldier-2014-film-review-by-stuart-crawford |archive-date=March 28, 2014 |url-status=live}}

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