All Metal Gear Solid Games Ranked From Best to Worst

The Metal Gear Solid series stands out as the definition of the stealth genre in the video game industry. It has always offered the finest stealth mechanics, gameplay, and sometimes even over-the-top story, from its inception in 1987 by the legend Hideo Kojima all the way to its grand finale with The Phantom Pain. 

Fans of the Metal Gear Solid series will find here all the core games ranked from best to worst. This ranking bases itself on the overall stealth gameplay, mechanics, story, characters, content, popularity, and more. Fans should read on for all Metal Gear Solid games ranked below. 

1. The Legacy Collection

It remains a shame this collection only released for the PS3 because it stands out as the best release in the history of Metal Gear Solid games. Players have access to all of the most relevant and essential games in the series with a single purchase. This also remains the best way to play some of the finest games in the series, such as MGS4 and others. 

2. Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater

The most robust individual game in the series remains the third mainline 3D title. Set in 1964, it tells the classic storyline of Naked Snake and his attempt to take down his former boss. Its immersive environments, engaging stealth gameplay, and fabulous storyline top every other game in the series. But its true success comes from some of the best bosses in video game history. 

3. Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots

Solid Snake finds himself now as Old Snake, the white-haired protagonist with one final mission to complete. It has some of the strongest action and stealth gameplay in the series and graphics, which look phenomenal even two generations of consoles later. But its most tremendous success remains the cinematic and incredible storyline. 

4. Peace Walker

This final PSP spin-off game rivals the core titles for its exceptional gameplay and engaging mechanics, which inspired later titles. It has two modes, the first being the already great stealth mechanics and boss fights from the core series. But it sets itself apart from other games with the Mother Base, where players recruit soldiers and manage an ever-evolving and detailed simulation base. 

5. The Phantom Pain

The open-world formula introduced in Ground Zeroes improved quite a lot in this fifth and final core mainline title. It represents the most potent iteration of the stealth mechanics in the series in an expansive location, which feels packed with content and a bonkers but exciting storyline. 

6. The Twin Snakes

The GameCube remake of the first Solid title feels like one of the best places to explore the origins of the 3D era of this series. Other improvements like re-recording voice acting, improved gameplay, and more cutscenes make this a more definitive version. 

7. Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty

This game aged better than some of the other titles in the series and even fairs better than it did at its release. Many fans disliked the protagonist switch-up twist this game has, but it plays and feels much better these days. It also helps that it has a poignant and relevant storyline.

8. Acid 2

This turn-based card-style sequel improves upon everything the original did, especially in the case of its graphics. The new cel-shaded game engine allows for a more appealing style on the PSP and an overall stronger set of gameplay for a spin-off game. 

9. Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance

This strange spin-off title features Raiden back and better than ever. The cyborg protagonist switches out the stealth mechanics of most titles for the exceptional and flashy hack-and-slash combat developer PlatinumGames does best. 

10. Portable Ops

This PSP title eschews the card game mechanics and other weird ideas of the other spin-off games for a more pure approach to its gameplay. This results in a much better spin-off game, which feels like the core console titles in its stealth gameplay. It also helps that its new mechanics, like recruiting squad members to take on missions with, feel immersive and fun.

11. Metal Gear Solid

Kojima took the series to a new level with this 3D iteration of the original PlayStation console. It featured top-down 3D stealth mechanics that felt fun but a bit clunky at times. It also revolutionized in-game cutscenes and wide-spanning plots in video games, kicking off what would become one of the best video game series of all time. 

12. Metal Gear

It all started with Hideo Kojima’s first game in this franchise in 1987. This game featured some of the most unique and detailed stealth mechanics at the time, alongside some colorful 2D graphics and levels. It offered depth unlike other games at the time and even feels better to play than its two sequels. 

13. Acid

This spin-off game represents one of the most unique genre switches for the series to date. It changes up the gameplay to a turn-based card stealth game that works well for the PSP. Some of the rougher mechanics, frustrating challenges, and lack of a cohesive storyline hold it back. 

14. Metal Gear Solid Master Collection Vol. 1

This first part of the new collection for all of the games in the series includes a massive collection of the first three mainline games, plus the older titles in the series. This results in a great way to play the older games for the first time, except for some performance issues and limitations, which hinder it from going further.

15. Ghost Babel

This Gameboy Color title takes some inspiration from the first three games rather than the newfound 3D titles starting on the PS1. This results in some mixed stealth mechanics, which feel a bit too old, but solid, colorful graphics and a plethora of intriguing modes. 

16. Metal Gear Online

This pure online multiplayer experience lets 16 players battle together in various game modes, such as Team Deathmatch, rescue missions, bomb missions, and more. The unique game modes and tons of game-altering skills make it feel quite different than other similar titles. 

17. Ground Zeroes

This bizarre teaser game for the upcoming fifth mainline title opted for the open-world format but felt a bit lifeless compared to what would come after it. The new mechanics and stealth options gave some immersion, but the overall experience felt too much like a demo.

18. Metal Gear 2: Solid Snake

This true sequel from Kojima himself features plenty of iterations of the gameplay found in the original 1987 stealth game. Its graphics and mechanics felt a bit dated, even at the time of its release, but it offered an intriguing stealth experience nonetheless. 

19. Snake’s Revenge

The first game in the series made without Hideo Kojima’s touch shows in the gameplay, which almost does nothing to differentiate itself or improve upon the original game. The okay story offers a decent but copycat older style of stealth game. 

20. Solid Touch

This game translates some of the missions from the fourth core game in the series but for mobile devices. The graphics looked like some of the best for smartphones at the time, and its control worked well enough, given the constraints of the touchscreen. 

21. Social Ops

The graphics in this mobile title don’t look too terrible for a 2012 smartphone game. However, its gameplay feels far too repetitive and clunky at times, especially with the poor performance in some missions. It revolves around touching the screen at the right time to have Snake knock out enemies, which feels shallow. 

22. Survive

This first game since 1990 not to feature Kojima as a lead member of the team, Survive suffers from a general lack of direction. The game feels like a generic zombie online multiplayer game but without the quality depth of other games in the series. It even feels like a DLC expansion for The Phantom Pain rather than its own game.