Current Events > Best game of the original Metal Gear Solid trilogy?

(+) Yeah! (+)

I think we can all agree that these three are at bare minimum very good games.
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mgs3.
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I'm a huge MGS3 fan, should have mentioned that in the OP. MGS2 is still a fantastic game, though.
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Anyone who says 3 is just a shallow, casual fan.

I think they're all great, but 1 was a huge deal to me when it first came out so I'm going with that.

GunmaN1905 posted...

Anyone who says 3 appreciates the greatest game ever made.

Agreed mate

3 is my favorite, but they're all great. 1 will always have a special place being the first one I played though.

Subsistence version of 3. Literally the finest the series has ever been and will ever be.
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pres_madagascar posted...

Subsistence version of 3. Literally the finest the series has ever been and will ever be.

I can't argue with that, although the 3DS version of MGS3 might be a contender if it didn't run at 20 FPS.
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I kind of like 2 the most for how utterly fucking stupid and ridiculous it is.

But I vote 3 because of its mechanics and overall theme.
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Garioshi posted...

I think we can all agree that these three are at bare minimum very good games.

This is CE. We can't even agree on whether water is wet.

Ving_Rhames posted...

I kind of like 2 the most for how utterly fucking stupid and ridiculous it is.

But I vote 3 because of its mechanics and overall theme.

Of all the reasons to pick 3, you choose mechanics? This is the game where crawling into a wall makes Snake oscillate between crouch and prone, where pushing lock on makes Snake point his gun off into la la land and the game literally expects you to hold circle lightly while also holding R1 and pushing square normal strength to do certain CQC moves. It's a mechanical nightmare.
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I remember being obsessed with the first game, enjoying the second, and then being completely unable to get into the third. It's actually the point at which I completely lost interest in the series
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MGS has a mood that's unmatched by the other games in the franchise. Even having not played the 2D games, you can tell that Snake has been through a lot and you can feel his reluctance going back into the field even as he excels at what he does. The game does a great job of building Snake's character, and even if the plot is a bit dated, the twists and turns are all pretty great. You see Snake as this legendary badass to begin with, but over time you realise how broken of a person he really is, living in isolation with only dogs for company - none of the games really capture that same mood of done-ness in their protagonists, except when MGS4 layers it on too dam thick. 3-Snake is a bit green, PW Snake is a merc doing wetwork for profit, 4-Snake is ready to just fucking eat a bullet and 5-Snake is just a fucking jerk-off who doesn't do anything on his own accord.

And the way they did the whole Liquid Snake/Metal Gear REX thing was really spectacular - it's all very campy and grimy and exciting. I think REX's boss fight is one of my favorite ones in the series, I loved the pattern memorisation and I think beating REX was one of my favorite Metal Gear series moments ever. The Boss is a good symbolic boss battle, but I see it as a pain in the ass, wandering around a field taking pot shots at an enemy for ages. I get that this is the point, and that it's a test between mentor and student, but I can't help but just prefer fighting against Metal Gear REX and its dick laser. It's a fun romp, it's serious in the universe it's in and I like how the game establishes stakes. While the whole "Boss's ideals, following in her footsteps" angle has been done to death by every game post-3, with the moment being echoed in future games and the Boss driving every other game in the series. Metal Gear Solid 3, and what it established, has been ground into the dirt by thematic repetition and the attempt to recapture what it was.

Metal Gear Solid 3 raised the bar, and it's a fantastic game that expands upon what Metal Gear Solid built. It's a better game technically, and it's got a good balance between serious and fucked up (Volgin with the steel drum), and stupid, goofy humor (Snake's shit eating grin at the start of the game, the fucking Raikov sneaking segment in its entirety). But I'm desensitised to MGS3, because it feels like every game that came after it tried to top it or at least followed in its footsteps. Peace Walker rehashes the Boss, and the game is this big action romp about nuclear disarmament and stopping Peace Walker from nuking the US. Metal Gear Solid 4 was cinematic to the point of detriment, using the processing power of the PS3 to render a full blown miniseries-worth of cutscenes in a way that MGS' brief but memorable plot could never do, and it failed by trying to capture the fatalism of Solid Snake in MGS1 in a larger quantity than it ever existed in that game. MGS5 was a breath of fresh air in places, really nice camera angles, until Skull Face turns out to be nothing worth caring about and the plot falls apart like a wet paper bag.

Like all the MGS games are very cinematic and goofy and serious and convoluted, sure. But MGS1 evokes a different vibe from the rest of the series that just makes it so hard to beat. MGS3 is a great game, and it's a spectacular James Bond pastiche. But I think that the later MGS games tried to capture the same genie in a bottle, sans MGS4, and in a sense I feel like I've played through MGS3 and been exposed to its themes over and over and over again, when I have 2 playthroughs to my name maximum. There's a good two or three other games that tried to be the MGS3 of the series, but nothing really feels like MGS1 does. And I think that's a shame, because I enjoyed MGS's claustrophobic atmosphere and unabashed videogame-ness. Metal Gear Solid 3 is put together a lot better and really moved video games forward a notch, but Metal Gear Solid was a flash in the pan that's never really been replicated. Whereas MGS3 has been emulated too many times.
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personally id say MGS2. i think in terms of gameplay, graphics, narrative, overall story, etc it is by far the most ambitious and interesting of the franchise. 3 is great but i dont think it aims as high as MGS2 did if that makes any sense
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Kinda surprising how few votes 2 has.
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Garioshi posted...

Kinda surprising how few votes 2 has.

Two is a little challenging and needs an awareness of the fandom's reaction to 1 leading into 2, and the initial fan reaction to MGS2 to really be appreciated. It's probably the ballsiest thing the franchise ever did and you have to respect that, but MGS3 is just universally more loved, and is still an amazing thoughtfully executed title in it's own right that doesn't need to draw upon the meta of its own fandom to make its point.
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Garioshi posted...

Kinda surprising how few votes 2 has.

Not surprised. A lot of people are still salty about Raiden.
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MGS3 all day, especially the Subsistence version.
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MGS1 is the tightest package'n still has the strongest cast, voice acting'n soundtrack in the whole series. I've replayed it a bunch'n could totally go through it again

2'n 3're good but I never feel the urge ta go back ta them

As long as 2 isnt winning then Im happy
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1 and 2 were decent, 2 definitely moreso. I could never be assed to play more than maybe an hour of 3.
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3 had the best standalone plot, but 1 was good too
2 had the best gameplay, but 1 was good too

I guess overall, 1 would be the best; its gameplay is comparable to 3 and its plot is better than 2.
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DoomSwell posted...

I guess overall, 1 would be the best; its gameplay is comparable to 3 and its plot is better than 2.

Of all the opinions that are wrong, this one is the most wrong.
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I'm stillll in a dreeeeam
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MGS4
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2 is the thinking mans game.
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YUHH posted...

2 is the thinking mans game.

And the masochist's game.
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Garioshi posted...

YUHH posted...

2 is the thinking mans game.

And the masochist's game.

Nope. Mechanically 2 and 3 are still playable. 1 is p outdated
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YUHH posted...

Garioshi posted...

YUHH posted...

2 is the thinking mans game.

And the masochist's game.

Nope. Mechanically 2 and 3 are still playable. 1 is p outdated

MGS2's RAY fight on Extreme is the only boss fight I've ever spent 7 hours on. I didn't think it was possible for a game to push a man so far.
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YUHH posted...

Garioshi posted...

YUHH posted...

2 is the thinking mans game.

And the masochist's game.

Nope. Mechanically 2 and 3 are still playable. 1 is p outdated

I mean, I love 2 and all but it's a pain in the ass to play, and it's supposed to be. That's the joke--so to speak.

I mean Strut F is basically the only place in the game with a decent hiding place to retreat into if you get an alert. Lockers can work but you can't have low HP or they'll follow your blood.
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MGS3 is overrated.

2 is best.
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2>1>3 for me
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3 is the best and to this day, remains one of the best games ever made. 1 and 2 are both great though.

3>1>2
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MGS<<MGS2<<MGSTW<<<MGS3
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MGS3 > MGS2 >= MGS4 > MGS1 > Peace Walker

Havent finished mgs5 so cant put in a tier list yet

Even so, Peace Walker is still an excellent game, not bad by any means

MGS3 is the #1 game of all time, above even Nier Automata
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Metal Gear Solid 3. Followed by 1.
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3 by far. it has the best gameplay elements, the story is quite iconic, and everything meshed so well. the gameplay is fun, fluid, understandable, immersive. it has its flaws, but they're minuscule in comparison to how much was successfully executed.
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So I am gonna get slammed for this but

S1 > PWHD > R > S2 > S4 > S3 > 2 > 1

Now if I were to rank them in how far they were ahead of their time/how innovative/whatever,

S2 > 2 > S1 > 1 > R > S4 > S3 > PWHD
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I don't know

I like MGS 1 the most, mostly because I enjoyed the story the most.

But I think MGS2 is legit Kojimas masterpiece. I think people really overrate the story, but the gameplay was pretty flawless. My only real gripe would be that the level design was kinda of uninspired, but I don't think the rest of the series was *that* much better to make it a true bad point.
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KillerSlaw posted...

But I think MGS2 is legit Kojimas masterpiece. I think people really overrate the story, but the gameplay was pretty flawless. My only real gripe would be that the level design was kinda of uninspired, but I don't think the rest of the series was *that* much better to make it a true bad point.

Yeah the best complaint about MGS2's gameplay is that the enemies are actually too smart.

They literally split up to flank you, they know if you kill somebody (if it's the wrong somebody), they search every nook and cranny in the clearings (except lockers), I mean, what are you even supposed to do?

Impressive as it is, I definitely don't think it's a coincidence or laziness or anything like that that later games would actually have dumber AI.
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Metal Gear 2: Solid Snake is the true best one

MGS1 is basically a remake
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DevsBro posted...

KillerSlaw posted...

But I think MGS2 is legit Kojimas masterpiece. I think people really overrate the story, but the gameplay was pretty flawless. My only real gripe would be that the level design was kinda of uninspired, but I don't think the rest of the series was *that* much better to make it a true bad point.

Yeah the best complaint about MGS2's gameplay is that the enemies are actually too smart.

They literally split up to flank you, they know if you kill somebody (if it's the wrong somebody), they search every nook and cranny in the clearings (except lockers), I mean, what are you even supposed to do?

Impressive as it is, I definitely don't think it's a coincidence or laziness or anything like that that later games would actually have dumber AI.

I agree, you're pretty much fucked if you get hit by an alert, and even a caution might end up with you getting discovered and killed. Game Over on alert really isn't that much more of a step up (aside of on Strut E) as a result.
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Subsitence because it has mgs3, og mg and mg2 ss. Some of the best 8-bit games there.
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Metal Gear Solid 3: Subsistence is a contender for the greatest game of all time.
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3
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Garioshi posted...

DevsBro posted...

KillerSlaw posted...

But I think MGS2 is legit Kojimas masterpiece. I think people really overrate the story, but the gameplay was pretty flawless. My only real gripe would be that the level design was kinda of uninspired, but I don't think the rest of the series was *that* much better to make it a true bad point.

Yeah the best complaint about MGS2's gameplay is that the enemies are actually too smart.

They literally split up to flank you, they know if you kill somebody (if it's the wrong somebody), they search every nook and cranny in the clearings (except lockers), I mean, what are you even supposed to do?

Impressive as it is, I definitely don't think it's a coincidence or laziness or anything like that that later games would actually have dumber AI.

I agree, you're pretty much fucked if you get hit by an alert, and even a caution might end up with you getting discovered and killed. Game Over on alert really isn't that much more of a step up (aside of on Strut E) as a result.

There was a pretty good hiding spot in Strut F, if you go into the little room on the bottom right, go into the duct, crawl around the corner and just wait there. That's about it though. I feel like there were a handful of other places that were pretty safe but I can't remember what they were.
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GucciGang posted...

GunmaN1905 posted...

Anyone who says 3 appreciates the greatest game ever made.

Agreed mate

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Ok imma be real

I've played all 3 going backwards(3, 2, 1) and here's my take

MGS3 is a solid standalone game and near flawless save some MINOR technical issues like walkimg into a wall

The world is immersive, realisticish, and has real challenge and is able to be plaued in many ways

Story is reasonably simple with memorable characters abd moments

I'll say its the best

MGS2 is very similar bit I noted slightly inferior gameplay to 3

Story is super complex and DOES require some IRL historical context with MGS1 and the fanbase to fully appreciate but its still a great game

For a 2nd playthrough and learning more about it you appreciate it more

However playinf it after 3 felt weird bit I still liked it

MGS1 was the toughest to adjust to and it felt extremely outdated

However the intro cinematic along with the briefing files creates hype that still goes strong to this day and is unrivaled in my experience

The story is badass and I can see why people were blown away in 1998 as even as recently as last year i was hooked on it

The gameplay is what holds it back

It feels archaic and i prefer 1st person over the radar any day

If it played exactly like MGS2 it would probably be better than MGS3 or at least equal

So ots 3, 1 ,2 for me

I have yet to finish MGSV and PW and I haven't played MG1 and MG2
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shokan_warrior posted...

If it played exactly like MGS2 it would probably be better than MGS3 or at least equal

I've got news for you...
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shokan_warrior posted...

If it played exactly like MGS2 it would probably be better than MGS3 or at least equal

The remake TTS is exactly this. MGS1 with MGS2 gameplay. So you might like it.
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