Hideo Kojima and his team conjured up something truly special and unique with Metal Gear Solid. This stealth-espionage series has managed to stand the test of time as one of the most creative and ambitious in the entire industry, but there have been several key traditions players can always expect to appear in each and every one of the games. Having traditions such as these in place not only allows longtime fans to have an idea about the core mechanics and quirks that will most likely appear in a new Metal Gear Solid, but they also simply make it the fun, weird, yet thought-provoking franchise that it is known to be.

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Kojima and the team clearly let their imaginations run wild when developing the first game; filling it with all kinds of intriguing ideas and features that would be replaced in every entry going forward. With fans still holding on hope for a new Metal Gear Solid in the future, let’s see what traditions fans can expect to show up if that game ever does see the light of day.

7

Codec

A Handy Tool That Players Will Use To Communicate With Their Allies

The codec is actually a pretty clever addition to the Metal Gear Solid series. While the games do have plenty of cutscenes, the codec allows players to remain immersed in the experience whenever one of their allies needs to give them some helpful tips, since it will open up automatically in-game. Once activated, players will be able to see images of the two people currently on the line, along with a large text box.

Though this was initially a pretty straightforward tool, during the second game, it would be used in some very experimental and even creepy ways towards the end of the story. Though it was tinkered around with in Metal Gear Solid 5, the iDroid still works more or less identically to the codec; which players have been able to use in each and every entry.

6

Cardboard Box

A Goofy, Albeit Fairly Effective Hiding Spot For Players To Make Use Of

Snake is a highly trained soldier who is always able to remain out of sight during an intense mission, even if he can only do so by jumping into a cardboard box. If players wander around with the box on their head, they’ll easily be spotted by any nearby enemies, so the best tactic is to hunker down whenever a guard is walking by so they don’t suspect anything.

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Then again, if the box is set up out in the open, enemies won’t be afraid to kick it over to reveal who’s hiding underneath. Therefore, it’s not exactly the most reliable item out there for stealth, but it’s become sort of a gag that always shows up, usually near the beginning of every game.

These Terrifying Nuclear-Equipped Mechs Appear in Every Single Game

While the name of this series easily could have been nothing more than an unusually badass mixture of words, it actually references the giant mechs that always play a core role in each of the games. What makes the Metal Gears so terrifying is they are mobile behemoths capable of possessing and firing off nuclear weapons, so it’s understandable why Snake and Otacon are always so adamant to take them down.

In the first game, Metal Gear Rex was the only mech Snake had to deal with, but the second game would then introduce RAY. Later in Metal Gear Solid 3, a prototype Metal Gear-esque tank called Shagohod showed up to act as yet another thorn in the player’s side. Players even get to partake in a one-on-one fight between REX and RAY in the fourth game, which was never on any fans’ bingo card. Needless to say, these machines can show up in all kinds of weird ways, but players will always run into them sooner or later.

4

Lengthy Cutscenes

Kojima Always Enjoys Going Above And Beyond With The Metal Gear Solid Cutscenes

It’s not uncommon to hear fans of the series say Metal Gear Solid can seem more like a movie than a game, and that’s because of how long and prominent the cutscenes are. This does make sense, considering the sheer amount complex ideas and concepts being thrown into the narrative, but this has been somewhat of a divisive trend in the series that people either love, or aren’t too fond of.

To give an idea of how long these scenes can be, Metal Gear Solid 4 currently holds the Guinness World Record for having the longest cutscene of any video game, clocking in at a staggering 71 minutes overall. While this is obviously an exaggerated example, it still goes to show just how much of a movie buff Kojima really is to be packing in such lengthy cutscenes into these games to help explain their stories and characters in-depth.

3

Fourth Wall Breaks

The Metal Gear Solid Games Will Always Include Goofy Fourth-Wall Breaks And References To Break Up The Tension

Even though the Metal Gear Solid games always feature very intense stories where the fate of entire nations hangs in the balance, they will still always feature a few gags and fourth wall breaks to keep players on their toes. The most popular example of this is Psycho Mantis; a boss who appears in the very first Metal Gear Solid who proceeds to read the player’s memory card, making for one of the eeriest moments in the entire series.

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Metal Gear Solid 2 would continue this trend with the colonel, who would begin talking directly to the player once his true identity is revealed. At the halfway point of Metal Gear Solid 4, Otacon even calls in to tell Snake he needs to switch discs, only to learn that, thanks to Blu-ray technology, there’s no longer any need to do so. As a result, it’s always a ton of fun seeking out all the easter eggs and real life references that are featured in every Metal Gear Solid game.

2

Philosophical Themes

A Metal Gear Solid Game Will Always Have A Philosophical Or Geopolitical Message At Its Core

Though Kojima has become well known for having a goofy side to his games, he’s also clearly someone very knowledgeable in philosophy and geopolitics. As a result, each Metal Gear Solid will feature some very in-depth and thought-provoking themes and ideas for players to dwell on during the experience, and long after the credits roll.

In Metal Gear Solid 2, the theme for the game was described by Kojima as “Meme”, referring to anything that is passed down between generations that isn’t genetic. This feeds into the game’s narrative, which focuses heavily on the dangers of digital information, and how it can’t always be trusted. Metal Gear Solid 3, on the other hand, is “Scene”, since the game highlights the idea that political and military alliances can change with the times, rather than always being set in stone. These heavy but intriguing themes appear in every Metal Gear Solid game for players to uncover as they venture through the story.

1

Stealth Espionage Gameplay

Metal Gear Solid Birthed The Modern Stealth Genre, And Has Kept That Same Gameplay Formula Ever Since

The very first Metal Gear Solid is often credited as the game that popularized the modern stealth espionage genre that has been replicated by so many games since then. As a result, the game became renowned for its sneaky gameplay loop where players must hide behind crates, crawl under surfaces, and hold up guards from behind to avoid being spotted and setting off any alarms.

Since the first game’s release, the stealth in Metal Gear games has adapted and evolved to become even more modernized. Metal Gear Solid 4, for example, would introduce the OctoCamo suit which allows Snake to mimic the color and design of any surface, essentially making him a chameleon. Meanwhile, Metal Gear Solid 5 gives players tons of fun tools and items to help them take out a swarm of enemies without them ever suspecting a thing. Time will only tell how on earth this will be expanded in the future, considering the fifth mainline game is seen by many to be the best stealth sandbox in gaming.

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