Whether or not it’s Snake’s elevator ascent to the wet cliffs of Shadow Moses or the climactic battle between scholar and mentor within the closing moments of Snake Eater, Hideo Kojima and Konami’s epic spy thriller franchise, Metallic Gear, is house to a few of gaming’s most iconic moments. Telling a narrative that spanned a number of console generations and pushed the inventive capabilities of video video games to their limits, Stable Snake and Massive Boss’ adventures are legendary, a lot in order that many declare they’re among the many most essential releases the medium has ever produced.
Again in 2015, Metallic Gear Stable V: The Phantom Ache seemingly ended the franchise for good, with Kojima leaving Konami and the Metallic Gear Stable IP behind to type his personal studio. Nonetheless, Konami has began resurrecting the sequence by re-releases and remakes, like Metallic Gear Stable Delta: Snake Eater popping out later this yr. With so many new gamers experiencing this world of undercover espionage, shady authorities conspiracy and gruff-voiced dudes with cool eyepatches for the primary time, we’ve laid out the chronological order of the Metallic Gear Stable sequence so newcomers and returning followers can catch up.
Not together with remakes, ports or remasters, there are 17 whole Metallic Gear video games: 11 mainline video games, 5 on handheld gadgets and one on cellular. Though that’s a number of video games, a good chunk of them are thought of non-canon, with their tales overriding occasions from the primary saga and spinning off into their very own distinctive takes on the universe.
2018’s Metallic Gear Survive takes place in an apocalyptic actuality the place a zombie virus has overtaken the world, so it falls exterior the primary canon. As for the PSP’s Metallic Gear: Acid and Metallic Gear: Acid 2, they veer from the timeline and inform a brand new story, making them alternate-timeline spin-offs. Then there’s the Sport Boy Coloration’s Metallic Gear: Ghost Babel, which is an alternate-universe Metallic Gear sequel that wipes away the occasions of Metallic Gear 2: Stable Snake, thus eradicating it from the timeline. And at last, Metallic Gear Cell and Snake’s Revenge have since been deemed non-canon by the neighborhood and Kojima himself in interviews.
That leaves 11 video games inside the primary storyline. Every recreation is taken into account a part of the true Metallic Gear Saga, spanning from a fictional alternate-history Nineteen Sixties to the late 2010s. So, let’s run you thru all of the video games in that story.
We suggest two potential beginning factors for Metallic Gear. For these within the full saga, we suggest 2023’s Metallic Gear Stable: Grasp Assortment Vol. 1, which incorporates the most effective obtainable variations of Metallic Gear Stable 1–3. Alternatively, for these fascinated with merely making an attempt out the franchise (and for these with a decrease tolerance for older video games), we suggest beginning with the sequence’ most up to date iteration, Metallic Gear Stable V: The Phantom Ache.
Metallic Gear Stable: Grasp Assortment Vol.1 (PS5)
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Metallic Gear Video games in Chronological Order
These blurbs include delicate spoilers for every recreation, together with characters, settings, and story beats.
1. Metallic Gear Stable 3: Snake Eater
The primary slot within the saga’s timeline and the following recreation to get a contemporary remake, Snake Eater follows a US Particular Forces operative codenamed Bare Snake throughout the occasions of the Chilly Battle. Despatched to find and extract a Russian scientist from the Soviet Union to forestall him from constructing a weapon of mass destruction referred to as the Shagohod, Snake’s shocked to search out his former mentor, The Boss, has betrayed the US authorities and sided with the Soviets.
After a heated battle, Bare Snake is brutally defeated and left for lifeless within the jungle. Surviving the encounter, he’s tasked by his commanding officer, Zero, to return to Russia, discover his mentor and kill her, all of the whereas monitoring down the Shagohod to forestall nuclear conflict. By the top of the story, Bare Snake adopts the moniker of Massive Boss, turning into a legend among the many US Particular Forces. Nonetheless, his battle with The Boss and the secrets and techniques he’s uncovered all through his journey depart him disillusioned along with his obligation and the federal government he serves.
Learn our Metallic Gear Stable 3: Snake Eater Assessment or see updates concerning the Metallic Gear Stable 3 remake.
2. Metallic Gear Stable: Moveable Ops
Set six years after Massive Boss’ climactic battle along with his former mentor, Metallic Gear Stable: Moveable Ops picks up the legendary soldier’s story as he goes face to face along with his former squad, FOX Unit. The sport begins with Massive Boss studying FOX has gone rogue, betraying the CIA and staging a revolt.
Captured and tortured on a Colombian base by FOX Unit, Boss breaks free however learns he’s been accused of treason. In a bid to clear his title, he decides to search out his former allies and pursue their ruthless chief, Gene. By the top of the sport, Massive Boss learns of Gene’s want to create a nation of mercenary troopers referred to as Military’s Heaven and acquires the mass of funds and gear saved for the venture. Returning to the US, he later types a squadron of particular ops troopers referred to as FOXHOUND.
Learn our evaluation of Metallic Gear Stable: Moveable Ops.
3. Metallic Gear Stable: Peace Walker
4 years after the occasions of Moveable Ops, we meet up with Massive Boss, who has left FOXHOUND and the Patriots. Since leaving, he’s fashioned a brand new band of mercenary troopers referred to as Militaires Sans Frontières (or MSF) with Kazuhira Miller. Utilizing their newfound military to guard international locations that don’t have the forces or means to defend themselves, Massive Boss and Miller wage conflict in opposition to an armed militia referred to as the Peace Sentinels after they invade Costa Rica.
Throughout his investigation, Massive Boss quickly realizes that his former mentor, The Boss, is one way or the other concerned within the Peace Sentinels’ plans. Worse, they’ve entry to nuclear weapons, wielding a supremely highly effective mech known as the Peace Walker. Rallying on an off-shore oil rig referred to as Motherbase, Snake and the Militaires Sans Frontières take the combat to the Peace Sentinels, trying to find their true motive and secrets and techniques. The sport ends with Massive Boss battling his former ally Paz, who seems to be a undercover agent of Zero’s shady authorities group, Cipher.
Learn our evaluation of Metallic Gear Stable: Peace Walker.
4. Metallic Gear Stable V: Floor Zeroes
A couple of months following the occasions of Peace Walker, Floor Zeroes acts as a prologue to the fifth entry within the Metallic Gear Stable sequence: Metallic Gear Stable V: The Phantom Ache. The story sees Massive Boss embark on a brand new mission after studying that Paz survived their climactic battle throughout the closing moments of Peace Walker and is being interrogated by Cipher at a mysterious army base referred to as Camp Omega. Understanding that she has essential details about Cipher and will reveal secrets and techniques about MSF to the shadowy group, he rushes to extract her.
Whereas infiltrating the bottom, he discovers a mysterious Cipher cell referred to as XOF, which is led by a sadistic, severely burned commander known as Cranium Face. The prologue ends with Snake extracting Paz solely to appreciate his allies are being attacked by the XOF again at Motherbase. The onslaught destroys the oil rig and eradicates Militaires Sans Frontières, leaving Massive Boss on the cusp of loss of life.
Learn our evaluation of Metallic Gear Stable: Floor Zeroes.
5. Metallic Gear Stable V: The Phantom Ache
9 years later, Metallic Gear Stable V: The Phantom Ache opens with a severely injured Massive Boss waking up in a hospital in Cyprus. Evading an assassination try the place he’s attacked by a person coated in flames, a telekinetic soldier and a grasp sniper, Boss is saved by Revolver Ocelot and returns to motion as he leads a brand new mercenary group referred to as the Diamond Canine.
Swearing to cease the XOF after they destroyed Militaires Sans Frontières, he adopts the codename Venom Snake and heads to Africa to select up their path, studying that the former-Cipher-affiliated group went rogue. Their chief, Cranium Face, is as an alternative engaged on a devastating parasitic weapon with the facility to eradicate the Western world. The sport ends with Massive Boss setting in movement his plans to create a army nation referred to as Outer Heaven, the place troopers are free to reside with out getting used to additional shady authorities plans.
Learn our evaluation of Metallic Gear Stable 5: The Phantom Ache.
6. Metallic Gear
11 years later, the story catches up with the primary entry within the sequence: Metallic Gear. The sport follows Stable Snake: a rookie soldier and member of FOXHOUND. FOXHOUND is as soon as once more run by Massive Boss, who acts as Snake’s mentor and commanding officer. On his first mission, Stable Snake is distributed to trace down a weapon of mass destruction being constructed in a army nation referred to as Outer Heaven.
Throughout his mission, he finds one other agent codenamed Gray Fox, who was additionally despatched to trace the weapon. Gray Fox reveals the mysterious weapon is a mech codenamed Metallic Gear, which has the facility to launch nuclear bombs. The sport ends with Stable Snake and Massive Boss coming to blows, with the latter revealing he was behind Outer Heaven’s plans.
Learn our evaluation of Metallic Gear.
7. Metallic Gear 2: Stable Snake
4 years later, Stable Snake returns to motion after he learns Massive Boss survived the occasions of the earlier recreation and is presently establishing a brand new Metallic Gear for the fictional nation of Zanzibar Land.
Teaming with numerous characters, Snake infiltrates Zanzibar Land and makes an attempt to destroy the weapon of mass destruction, battling Massive Boss and his military of troopers alongside the way in which.
See extra about Metallic Gear 2: Stable Snake.
8. Metallic Gear Stable
Six years after Metallic Gear 2, Stable Snake returns in a brand new mission. This time he’s despatched to battle his former unit, FOXHOUND, which has gone rogue, turned in opposition to the US and brought over a mysterious authorities facility on an island referred to as Shadow Moses. Shadow Moses is allegedly a check web site for a secret Metallic Gear, with FOXHOUND threatening to make use of its nuclear weapons in the event that they aren’t provided with Massive Boss’ corpse and a big sum of cash.
Snake heads to the ability and fights numerous members of FOXHOUND, together with Revolver Ocelot, Psycho Mantis and a Cyborg model of his former ally, Greyfox. He additionally meets the eccentric chief of FOXHOUND, Liquid Snake. The sport ends with Snake being declared killed-in-action by Colonel Campbell and presumed lifeless by the federal government after they meant to double-cross him. He flees Shadow Moses alive.
Learn our evaluation of Metallic Gear Stable or see extra of the greatest PS1 video games.
9. Metallic Gear Stable 2: Sons of Liberty
Metallic Gear Stable 2: Sons of Liberty opens two years later, with a now-rogue Stable Snake infiltrating an oil tanker whereas looking down a brand new Metallic Gear being transported to the US. There he discovers a prototype Metallic Gear referred to as Metallic Gear Ray, which is subsequently stolen by Revolver Ocelot. Ocelot sinks the tanker and escapes, whereas Snake is blamed for the tanker’s destruction.
Two years later, we shift to a brand new protagonist: Raiden. An agent of FOXHOUND, Raiden is distributed on a mission to an off-shore decontamination facility referred to as Massive Shell, which was constructed to clear the crude oil spill precipitated when the oil tanker was destroyed throughout Stable Snake’s mission. Massive Shell has been hijacked by a militant group referred to as the Sons of Liberty, which has taken the US president hostage.
Infiltrating the ability, Raiden quickly discovers issues aren’t fairly what they appear, trying into Massive Shell’s secrets and techniques and assembly a junior lieutenant named Iroquois Pliskin, who’s clearly hiding a giant secret. By the top of the sport, Stable Snake joins Raiden’s mission, telling him he’s going after Ocelot (who it’s revealed is possessed by the desire of Liquid Snake) and the Patriots.
Learn our evaluation of Metallic Gear Stable 2: Sons of Liberty or take a look at extra of the greatest PS2 video games.
10. Metallic Gear Stable 4: Weapons of the Patriots
Marking the top of the primary story and Stable Snake’s closing mission, Metallic Gear Stable 4: Weapons of the Patriots catches up with Snake three years after the occasions of Sons of Liberty. Because of the cloning course of used to create Snake and the rampant FOXDIE virus nonetheless coursing by his veins, we uncover that his physique is quickly getting older, with the protagonist being advised he solely has a yr left to reside. Donning a brand new nickname, Previous Snake, he returns for one closing mission.
He’s to assassinate Liquid Ocelot, who’s presently working a brand new model of Outer Heaven which is comprised of among the largest non-public militaries within the Center East. Equipping his physique with nanomachines, Snake units out to deliver Ocelot down, studying that his nemesis intends to as soon as once more find Massive Boss’ corpse and execute a mysterious plan. As Snake battles his age and the lingering FOXDIE mutating in his physique, he makes his means in direction of a closing confrontation along with his most ruthless enemy.
Learn our evaluation of Metallic Gear Stable 4: Weapons of the Patriots.
11. Metallic Gear Rising: Revengeance
The ultimate story within the present Metallic Gear timeline, Metallic Gear Rising: Revengeance focuses on Raiden who, as we realized throughout Weapons of the Patriots, has remodeled right into a cyborg. The story picks up 4 years after Metallic Gear Stable 4, revealing that Raiden now works with a non-public army firm known as Maverick Safety Consulting.
Throughout an operation in Africa, Raiden is attacked by a rival non-public army group referred to as Desperado Enforcement. Wounded and left for lifeless by its commander, Jet Stream Sam, Raiden continues his investigation into Desperado and learns some sinister secrets and techniques concerning the group and its allies. Because the revelations concerning the non-public army develop darker, Raiden swears to deliver them down, setting off on his personal to ship violent justice.
Learn our evaluation of Metallic Gear Rising: Revengeance.
Tips on how to Play the Metallic Gear Video games by Launch Date
- Metallic Gear (1987)
- Snake’s Revenge (1990)
- Metallic Gear 2: Stable Snake (1990)
- Metallic Gear Stable (1998)
- Metallic Gear Stable: Ghost Babel (2000)
- Metallic Gear Stable 2: Sons of Liberty (2001)
- Metallic Gear Stable 3: Snake Eater (2004)
- Metallic Gear Stable: Acid (2004)
- Metallic Gear Stable: Acid 2 (2005)
- Metallic Gear Stable: Moveable Ops (2006)
- Metallic Gear Stable: Cell (2008)
- Metallic Gear Stable 4: Weapons of the Patriots (2008)
- Metallic Gear Stable: Peace Walker (2010)
- Metallic Gear Rising: Revengeance (2013)
- Metallic Gear Stable V: Floor Zeroes (2014)
- Metallic Gear Stable V: The Phantom Ache (2015)
- Metallic Gear Survive (2018)
- Metallic Gear Stable Δ: Snake Eater (2025)
What’s Subsequent for Metallic Gear?
Though for a few years, it appeared Metallic Gear was formally completed as a sequence, Konami has confirmed an upcoming remake of Metallic Gear Stable 3: Snake Eater. Proven with a cinematic trailer throughout PlayStation’s 2023 summer time showcase, Metallic Gear Stable Delta: Snake Eater will rebuild the sport from the bottom up, giving followers a contemporary reimagining of Bare Snake’s legendary battle with The Boss. The remake is set to launch on August 28, 2025, as revealed in Sony’s February 2025 State of Play.
As for potential new entries within the sequence, Konami hasn’t confirmed whether or not they plan to make authentic Metallic Gear video games with out Hideo Kojima. That being mentioned, Metallic Gear Stable Delta: Snake Eater developer Virtuous Studios did tease that remakes of different Metallic Gear video games aren’t off the desk. Talking with IGN, the crew mentioned, “Relating to remakes of earlier video games within the sequence apart from Metallic Gear Stable 3: Snake Eater, we are going to take heed to participant demand and contemplate accordingly.”
For extra lists like these, additionally see Murderer’s Creed Video games in Order and an inventory of Far Cry Video games so as.
Callum Williams is a freelance media author with years of expertise as a recreation critic, information reporter, guides author and options author.
