The Metal Gear Solid series has been on an extended hiatus since 2015’s The Phantom Pain (apart from 2018’s much-maligned spinoff, Metal Gear Survive). With Hideo Kojima showing no signs of returning to Konami, fans of the franchise are looking for alternatives that can provide similar entertainment.
Fortunately, there are more than a few titles that can bring comparable value to players. These range in genre and storytelling, but have elements that Metal Gear Solid devotees will appreciate, such as a focus on stealth, combat diversity, and antihero protagonists.
Batman: Arkham Asylum (2009)
In a rarity for a franchise, every Batman: Arkham game can be considered to be the best, as each entry has a unique atmosphere. However, the first one is most similar to Metal Gear Solid because of the stealth tactics required, where Batman has to discreetly get the drop on his enemies.
Much as Liquid Snake is Solid Snake’s archenemy, The Joker fills the antagonist role for Batman as he traps the Caped Crusader in Arkham Asylum for the latter to escape. While there aren’t any guns to use like there are in Metal Gear Solid, the tense atmosphere is comparable between the two games.
Hitman (2016)
The Hitman games take the stealth aspect of things to greater lengths than Metal Gear Solid, with the rebooted title placing Agent 47 in massive locations for him to take down his target. There are plenty of disguises to make use of in Hitman, along with utilizing locations where 47 won’t get busted.
The blend with action is what Metal Gear Solid fans will connect with, as Hitman does leave out room for players to go in guns blazing as Solid Snake can in Metal Gear Solid. There are two more sequels following the 2016 entry, but this one has the most immersive environments to engage in.
Silent Hill 2 (2001)
The diverse style of the series is why Silent Hill still holds up well today, with the second entry having some similarities with Metal Gear Solid. Rather than gameplay, it’s the atmosphere that remains similar between the two games, as the protagonist has to evade enemies as Solid Snake does.
The Metal Gear Solid franchise is notorious for the jump scares provided when the player is caught, which is how it goes in Silent Hill 2. On its own, the game is fun in the way it captures players within the frightening town that projects the characters’ worst fears in corporeal form.
Sniper Elite 4 (2017)
Sniper Elite 4 might just have the closest likeness to Metal Gear Solid without actually being a game in the latter series. The main thing that sets it apart is that Sniper Elite 4 has an emphasis on ranged combat, where players are encouraged to take down enemies from a distance.
On the whole, the game has similar elements as Metal Gear Solid, including the use of camouflage, melee combat, and booby traps. It’s set during WWII, so the backdrop of war is also along the same lines as Metal Gear Solid, although there isn’t an anti-hero protagonist as Snake present here.
Assassin's Creed II (2009)
The Assassin’s Creed series has moved on toward the action genre pretty much completely in recent times, but the initial entries had quite a bit of focus on the workings of an assassin. The second installment will be a delight to Metal Gear Solid fans because of the balance between stealth and combat.
Like Solid Snake, Ezio Auditore blends in with the environment to eliminate targets and has a wide array of weapons to either use in fights or creatively dispose of his enemies. Considered the best Assassin's Creed game to date, has an overarching narrative that stretches across Ezio’s younger days to him being a master assassin, which is close to Solid Snake’s own progression.
Shadow Of The Tomb Raider (2018)
While the Metal Gear Solid series has never had a platforming element to it, there has been room for hard-hitting fights and gritty areas where stealth takedowns are necessary. Shadow of the Tomb Raider sticks to the franchise’s platforming and exploration but has a central theme of survival.
Lara Croft’s adventure takes her to the hidden city of Paititi, where she has to frequently hide from mercenaries and kill them off just like Solid Snake would in Metal Gear Solid games. This Tomb Raider entry has features such as Lara covering herself in mud to become indistinguishable from the environment to complete assassinations, along with piercing weaponry for no-holds-barred combat sequences.
Death Stranding (2019)
Directed by Metal Gear Solid creator Hideo Kojima, Death Stranding is different in execution from the former series, as it comes under the action genre. However, the storytelling falls very much in line with Metal Gear Solid, featuring a set of morally ambiguous characters in a strange backdrop.
Death Stranding is set in an apocalyptic United States where the main character keeps a “Bridge Baby” safe by evading enemies and supplying cargo through dangerous areas. The unconventional way the plot unfolds and Kojima’s trademark dark humor make Death Stranding something of a spiritual equivalent to Metal Gear Solid.
Dishonored: Death Of The Outsider (2017)
A unique take on the action-adventure genre, Dishonored: Death of the Outsider provides players with weaponry and a skillful protagonist but has environments in such a way that choosing stealth is the better option. This quality of the game is like Metal Gear Solid, with players technically having the option to go all-out in combat.
The game incorporates supernatural elements into the playthrough, with players gaining access to regeneration and teleportation. Playing into the stealth mechanics available, there are additional contracts that fans can complete where the primary objective is to finish off targets as an assassin would.
The Last Of Us (2013)
The zombie horror landscape was changed forever when The Last of Us arrived by using controls generally found in stealth action games. Metal Gear Solid fans will appreciate this title’s willingness to show just how brutal things can get, with fights against zombies and humans being equally violent.
The Last of Us has environments where approaches between combat and stealth vary based on what kind of enemies the protagonists Joel and Ellie are up against. Like Metal Gear Solid’s Snake, Joel is very rough around the edges and his heroic nature only shows up once he starts to bond with Ellie.
Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell: Blacklist (2013)
For the longest time, the Splinter Cell series was considered the next best alternative to Metal Gear Solid. Coincidentally, both franchises have been on hiatus for a while since their last releases, with Blackist serving as the most recent entry, which remains loyal to the stealth-action genre.
Gameplay is very similar to Metal Gear Solid, as protagonist Sam Fisher has to avoid being spotted as he infiltrates various locations. There is an option to be more aggressive by way of a run-and-gun system, but getting the real experience of the game is by uncovering the many ways that stealth combat can be utilized.