It's safe to say that Hideo Kojima's Metal Gear Solid franchise is one of the most recognized and loved in the video game world. The series started off in the 1980s before attaching "Solid" to the title as it moved into wild 3D adventure platforming with a non-stop smorgasbord of wild moments. Since that time, it has become the de facto standard for stealth gaming.
Due to the series' popularity and fan base, it's hard to swallow any criticism, no matter how well deserved. There are plenty of unpopular opinions regarding Metal Gear Solid on Reddit, some of which have merit, while others will remain controversial for years to come.
Metal Gear Solid V Was The Best In The Series
This is a particularly unpopular opinion, though not for the reasons many gamers think. A few Reddit users share this sentiment, but some are quick to point out that the reasons are not as straightforward as they may seem. Metal Gear Solid V scored very high marks with critics and gamers alike, but that doesn't mean it was perfect.
The game was very light on story and focused much more on the open-ended mission-based gameplay and base management. The former was absolutely spectacular; a true testament to stealth-action games, and perhaps the best in the Metal Gear Solid series. However, to see the game as the pinnacle of the franchise is quite a stretch in the eyes of many.
Hideo Kojima Shouldn't Come Back To Metal Gear
The much-maligned fallout between Hideo Kojima and Konami is well documented at this point, and it seems to have cost the company dearly in the long run. Since that time, there's been a push for Hideo Kojima to reclaim the rights to the franchise he helped create, so he can make more games based on the Metal Gear Solid universe.
Some Reddit users disagree, specifically because they believe Kojima should pursue other projects, such as the recently released Death Stranding. Others believe that the games have become too convoluted in terms of continuity and story, and should rest in peace as the classics that they are.
Metal Gear Solid 4 Is Terrible
Metal Gear Solid 4 is a technical masterpiece, by every standard. It continued the cliffhanger set up in Metal Gear Solid 2, and brought Solid Snake back to the forefront of the series for one last go. That was enough to score a win with fans and critics, especially since it debuted on the PlayStation 3, with superior graphics and gameplay.
Marathon-length cutscenes notwithstanding, some Reddit users simply don't think MGS4 is a great game. Much of the flack is directed at the story, which seemed intent on tying up loose ends while offering answers to questions that should have remained a mystery for the sake of the fans.
Metal Gear Solid 3 Is Overrated
Metal Gear Solid 3 was a bit of a shock for longtime fans of the franchise. First, it swapped timelines by taking gamers out of the established modern setting and depositing them decades in the past. Then, it substituted Solid Snake for what was essentially a carbon copy in the form of Naked Snake, who would later be known as Big Boss.
The game did shake up the formula by giving a semi-open world to explore, along with a bunch of stealth mechanics to enhance gameplay, but many Reddit users still found it overrated. They point specifically to the camouflage system and several other elements that detracted from the action, in favor of a more realistic take.
The Psycho Mantis Fight Is Terrible
The fight against Psycho Mantis in the original Metal Gear Solid is considered one of the great hallmarks of ingenious game design, and its status is legendary at this point. Anyone who fought this boss for the first time was subjected to some of the coolest mind games from a major villain.
Though a bit gimmicky by today's standards, it was incredibly unique ground to break way back in the PS1 days. However, some Reddit users today aren't particularly jazzed about having to swap controllers in order to defeat Mantis in combat and thought the entire fight was a letdown. It certainly ranks beyond some of the more underrated boss fights in the series.
Hitman Is Better Than Metal Gear Solid
Both the Hitman and Metal Gear Solid franchises value stealth-based gameplay but in different ways. The latter is more action-oriented in tone and requires the player to stay hidden from enemy sight, lest they be set upon by the bad guys. The former is a much more challenging infiltration-based kind of stealth involving disguises while remaining subtle.
Some Reddit users seem to think Hitman is the better of the two franchises, and there might be merit to that claim if it's being judged on how it differs from Metal Gear Solid. Other than that, it's hard to call a winner when both games approach tactical stealth gameplay from a totally different viewpoint.
Metal Gear Survive Is A Good Game
The follow-up action title Metal Gear Survive bears little connection to the source material, and it was critically panned upon release, but some gamers don't buy it. There are many on Reddit who seem to think that for what faults it has, Metal Gear Survive is still a great game.
Some of this could be attributed to the use of the FOX engine, while others seem to believe that the sense of dread was a big motivating factor. User scores for the game on Metacritic are in the sewer, so it seems these gamers are in the relative minority on this topic.
The Plot Is Too Complicated
Metal Gear Solid does have quite a deeply woven plot, and it spans the length of entire decades. The series began with a relatively simple and straightforward premise way back with the first Metal Gear game, but when the series went Solid, Hideo Kojima greatly expanded on philosophical themes, plot arcs, and conspiracy theories.
Some Reddit users think this made the game too complicated to follow, but that's missing the bigger picture. The games weave relatively well together, and the stories are still fairly straightforward, but the manner in which they're told can sometimes be hard to follow. It's a lot like watching a very deep film multiple times in order to absorb what was missed the first time around.
Metal Gear Solid 1 Has Aged Poorly
At first glance, this argument might seem to have some merit, especially given the fact that this popular story-based game came out over 20 years ago on the original PlayStation. Everything from the camera system to the shooting mechanics have significantly changed over the years, evolving into the perfect mix presented in Metal Gear Solid V.
However, many of the arguments some Reddit users make in support of this claim are arguable. These include gameplay elements, the length of the game, and certain story references. There's a counter-argument to every point, which leaves it to each player to decide whether there's merit to the claim, or not.
Fisher Beats Snake
One of the most relatable stealth action games to Metal Gear Solid is undoubtedly the Splinter Cell franchise, featuring lead protagonist Sam Fisher. That particular series is grounded in far more real-world plausibility and stories, while Metal Gear Solid dabbles in everything from the occult, to cybernetic ninjas.
Nevertheless, both have a lot to offer in terms of stealth gameplay, but some Reddit users think Splinter Cell is the hands-down winner. While it is an excellent series, this is still an unpopular opinion based heavily on the fact that Metal Gear Solid is such a cultural titan in the video game world, with more accolades to its credit.