It’s been nearly six years since the last mainlineMetal Geargame. In accordance with the series' stealthy gameplay, the franchise has stayed hidden from the public eye since 2015’sMetal Gear Solid 5: The Phantom Pain, aside from a brief spinoff in the infamousMetal Gear Survive,and aPachinko adaptation ofMGS3.Even without series creator Hideo Kojima at the helm following his split from Konami, fans are still hopeful that the franchise will make a return one day, ideally with a remake of the 1998 classic,Metal Gear Solid.
While a remake ofMetal Gear Solidwould certainly be a welcome sight, there are two games in the series that stand to benefit much more from a do-over.Metal Gear 1andMetal Gear 2: Solid Snakeare the games that kicked off the epic, multi-generational saga, but they don’t quite hold up by modern standards. Proper remakes would surely remedy the duology’s antiquated gameplay elements, but would also present an opportunity for the games' stories to be better aligned with the rest of the series.
RELATED:Demon’s Souls Remake Really Proves What Bluepoint Games Could Do with MGS and Legend of Dragoon
Metal Gear 1 + 2: Outdated Lore
As a fresh-faced game developer in the late 1980s, there’s no wayHideo Kojimacould have known his subversive take on a military action game would go on to spawn a story that would take nearly three decades to conclude. As the series' narrative has grown exponentially more complex, many elements from the original two games have been challenged or changed altogether.
One of the more notable additions to the series wasMetal Gear Solid 1’sreveal thatSolid Snake was Big Boss' son. During a conversation with Naomi Hunter, Snake reflects on his final fight against Big Boss depicted inMetal Gear 2; the elite soldier states that he learned of his true parentage prior to said conflict, and knowingly killed his father. The mental trauma from this incident drove Snake to isolate himself in Alaska, where he resided prior toMGS1.
However,MGS1’s retelling ofMetal Gear 2’s climactic final battle is significantly more dramatic than what’s actually shown in-game. Despite Snake’s emotional recollection of the event, nowhere inMetal Gear 2doesBig Bosstell Snake he is Snake’s father, nor is such a relationship implied throughout the game. Within the context of solely the MSX games, Big Boss is little more than Solid Snake’s corrupt ex-commanding officer.
And that’s just one example of how laterMetal Geartitleshave gone against the stories of the original games. Another notable instance involves the background history of fan-favorite Gray Fox, whose origin story fromMetal Gear 2is contradicted by the canonically dubiousPortable Ops, as well as the series finaleThe Phantom Pain.Remakes of the MSX titles could be the perfect way to go about makingMetal Gear’smessylore just a little more cohesive.
Metal Gear Remakes: A Fitting Conclusion to MGS5
Remakes ofMetal Gear 1and2could also fill a role that the original games simply couldn’t: Being proper follow-ups toMetal Gear Solid 5.The last mainlineMetal Gearended with the revelation that there are two Big Bosses, and that one Big Boss,Venom Snake, is actually both the lead ofMGS5and the antagonist ofMetal Gear 1, instead of the real Big Boss featured throughout the rest of the series, who went into hiding as ofMGS5.
This news enrages Big Boss' former right-hand man, Kaz Miller, who feels as if he’s been duped by his close friend. As a result, Kaz promises to put an end to Big Boss one day, and states his intent to utilize Venom Snake and Solid Snake to achieve his goal. Solid Snake eventually kills Big Boss inMetal Gear 2, but likeVenom Snake’s retroactive presence inMetal Gear 1,Kaz’s revenge quest isn’t a prominent part ofMetal Gear 2’sstory given such a narrative strand simply did not exist back then.
Should remakes of the earlyMetal Geartitles arise, exploring these storylines seems like an excellent way to both deliver a new story to series veterans, while also providing closure regardingMGS5’soft-maligned conclusionto the series. If done right, these remakes really could be the missing link to bring theMetal Geargames full circle.
AMetal Gear Solid Remakeis rumored to be in development.
MORE:There Are Two Different Routes the Metal Gear Solid Remake Could Take
