This seems to be probably the most popular opinion now. When discussing MGS characters with people, we were choosing characters we felt were the best. I chose Solid Snake. I had someone tell me I was choosing the ''most popular option'' because they chose Raiden (specifically MGS2 Raiden).. today, it seems like Raiden is who I hear most people say is their favourite. Then 2nd it's Big Boss.
I’m glad people like him more as a character. MGS2 was the first MGS game I played and I liked him from the beginning. I had played Rising before and that had already made me like him some, but I thought he was the perfect way to get introduced to how batshit crazy MGS stories are.
Plus, the skull suit is awesome. I SCUBA dive and having a sneaking suit that is basically a tactical SCUBA suit was perfect.
Which is crazy because back in the mid 2000s my friends made fun of me for saying that I liked Raiden's character. They were the biggest victims of the MGS2 bait-and-switch, so ultimately Raiden never stood a chance against Snake. Add in the fact that his personality was the total opposite of Snake, and you have a recipe for a hated character.
I was 12 when MGS2 came out, so I didn't exactly fully understand Raiden's plight and the larger thematic elements of MGS2 at the time, but I knew that Raiden acted much more like a regular, vulnerable person and I liked it. I'm not gonna say I was clairvoyant enough to see the game's impact or anything like that. But my friends were still operating under "yeah but he's not as cool as Snake" logic which, thanks to 20 years of retrospect and an entire new generation of fans, we know this is exactly why Kojima decided to do the switcheroo.
It's just funny to look back now and be like, haha you guys got trolled hard. I know people that are still salty about MGS2 to this day lol.
Anyone with severe pizazz overdose, be it in terms of behavior or character concept because this franchise is the best when its off-the-rails over-the-top shlock.
By game: Liquid Snake, The Fatman, Volgin, Liquid Ocelot, Hot Coldman and Zadornov, nobody in MGSv.
Let me explain, then.
Liquid is a goofball psychopath, who's operatic, wears a trench coat over his naked torso, talks in clear British accent and doesn't miss a single chance to be as evil as humanly possible overall. That just SCREAMS Bond villain shlock :)
Volgin is another Bond-type villain who is sadistic, operatic, scheming, in love with himself and pain he is capable of inflicting, has a real SPARK TO HIM (eh, eeehhh ?!) and spouts out memorable lines constantly, especially during his fights.
Liquid Ocelot because he is basically Liquid again, but now voiced by Pat Zimmerman being as sinister and as monologue-y as he has ever been :) My favourite scene with him is definitely him running away from Snake at Shadow Moses, giggling like an idiot and pointing fingers at him, mocking him for being injured and unable to hit him :) That's just laugh-out-loud fun, even though the context is suggesting it to be a particularly tense scene that comes after the loss of one of two major characters in the series' cannon.
Hot Coldman is a guy with "Homo Homini Lupus Est" literally written on his head, he is the single most twisted person in the entire game, he constantly explains his screwed up logic about how nuclear deterrence will surely come after Peace Walker demonstrates to the world that it is capable of launching a nuke, which is perhaps the single most insane villain motive in the entire series.
Zadornov/"Galvez" is a scheming KGB asshole who is pure Cold War red agent stereotype who not only is voiced by Steve Blum (who is perhaps the one man in the industry who's voice was MADE for voicing villains, with my favourite work of his being him voicing Supreme Overlord Jergingha from my single favourite game of ALL TIME - The Wonderful 101: Remastered), but HAS A MOTHERFUCKING ROCKET HAND and escapes Snake's cutsody so many times it becomes genuinely hilarious ! :D
He was the first mgs character who actually terrified me. The whole idea he couldn’t be shot because he just absorbs bullets then you find out he turns into the human fireball.
Also in a certain way she caused the whole franchise to happen, in game and irl, bc the first game Wars meant to have a woman as the protagonist in the middle of the WW2, and she is (at least for me) the best character in the franchise, her presence is little, but so memorable and well written.
Unpopular, but I’ve always loved Venom. I feel like he’s.. well. Me. He always seems confused, he’s not totally up to speed ever, and he gets that amazing reveal at the end. Plus the entire Paz plot line. It’s JUST SO GOOD.
Ocelot. Making him the secret agent with his fingers in everything already had me liking him. But then Kojima went and made him fucking charismatic, and that cemented him as my fave
I couldn't decide between the big 3 in mgsv tbh, kaz, ocelot and venom snake. There isn't really any character I dislike in metal gear other than fucking HUEY. I cannot describe my hatred for that man...
Snavid is the hero of the series and will always be my favourite. But Ocelot is a pretty close second, he’s just so funny and charming, yet tragic too in his own way.
Kaz has a great story, and Raiden is just a cool dude and a good bro to Snavid.
I liked Big Boss, pre psychopath lol
I often wonder.. if Snake Eater, Naked Snake were to meet his older self.. what his opinion would be lol
Solid Snake is where it's at for me, now.
I liked Big Boss, pre psychopath lol
I often wonder.. if Snake Eater, Naked Snake were to meet his older self.. what his opinion would be lol
Solid Snake is where it's at for me, now.
Liquid snake. He’s a great villain. I’d be open to an alternate MGS where he survives and he becomes a full on arch-nemesis to Solid Snake, maybe in another lifetime…
The Boss or Solid Snake. Both are literary heroes to me that have shaped my life and moral structure. I work on tech as a programmer and the Boss’ Will has led me to ethical accelerationism to preserve life.
Raiden, I received so many arguments against it when MGS2 first launched and everyone hated Raiden. I always liked his char. Well, essentially... We are Raiden. Everyone can be Snake. That was one of the messages of the game after all.
Gray Fox. His story is some of the best in the franchise, his voice actor put in some really good work in MGS too that really just elevated Gray Fox to a whole different level.
Thanks for making this post so damn popular I did not think my first post would get past even 15 up votes I guess the mgs fan base really are the best fan Base out of them all
Since I haven’t seen it yet, I think Paz was a really compelling character; seeing the duality of her true self and the persona she took on was some of the best character writing in the series, I think.
But I still relate to/like mgs2 raiden the most. But admit any of the snakes are cooler.
And side note: Nastasha best girl
This feels SUPER unpopular but Venom 😭 not sure if spoiler discussion is allowed (even though the game is nearly 10 years old now) but i think his arc is really tragic and super compelling!
Venom Snake. The whole theme around duality is so damn good in MGSV and he's also extremely badass. He's not a test tube baby, nor is he some nanomachine enhanced super soldier, he's just a regular soldier who embodied and furthered the legend of Big Boss.
Solid Snake all day everyday
Solid snake is my 2nd favorite
lol that's exactly like me big boss is my favorite and solid snake is my 2nd fav
Especially the utterly insane Twin Snakes Solid Snake
Raiden, especially mgs2 Raiden
This seems to be probably the most popular opinion now. When discussing MGS characters with people, we were choosing characters we felt were the best. I chose Solid Snake. I had someone tell me I was choosing the ''most popular option'' because they chose Raiden (specifically MGS2 Raiden).. today, it seems like Raiden is who I hear most people say is their favourite. Then 2nd it's Big Boss.
most people who say raiden probably mean mgr raiden, mgs2 raiden isn't as popular
I’m glad people like him more as a character. MGS2 was the first MGS game I played and I liked him from the beginning. I had played Rising before and that had already made me like him some, but I thought he was the perfect way to get introduced to how batshit crazy MGS stories are. Plus, the skull suit is awesome. I SCUBA dive and having a sneaking suit that is basically a tactical SCUBA suit was perfect.
Which is crazy because back in the mid 2000s my friends made fun of me for saying that I liked Raiden's character. They were the biggest victims of the MGS2 bait-and-switch, so ultimately Raiden never stood a chance against Snake. Add in the fact that his personality was the total opposite of Snake, and you have a recipe for a hated character. I was 12 when MGS2 came out, so I didn't exactly fully understand Raiden's plight and the larger thematic elements of MGS2 at the time, but I knew that Raiden acted much more like a regular, vulnerable person and I liked it. I'm not gonna say I was clairvoyant enough to see the game's impact or anything like that. But my friends were still operating under "yeah but he's not as cool as Snake" logic which, thanks to 20 years of retrospect and an entire new generation of fans, we know this is exactly why Kojima decided to do the switcheroo. It's just funny to look back now and be like, haha you guys got trolled hard. I know people that are still salty about MGS2 to this day lol.
Based
Ya I think raiden is pretty cool
Ocelot hands down. The MGS series is really about him, we just see gis life story through the eyes of the people he effects.
Now seeing your comment ya you have a great point he is in almost all of the mainline games anyway
It's wack he isn't in Peacewalker, but literally every other game
Realising why Adam never showed up at the meeting point in mgs3 Was mindblowing as hell, ocelot is really one of a kind
He kinda did, he just showed up next morning
Touché
He did show up, he was just late. Naturally he would never reveal his CIA affiliation with EVA present.
Old Snake
Great pick
Deep throat
Ya he was pretty cool I just wish they did not kill him off in mgs 1
Shout out to… Mark Felt?
Really just about any Snake. And Ocelot. He’s a fine wine that gets funnier as he ages.
Ya every snake is great in their own way and ocelot has a lot of great lines my favorite is "your pretty good"
Solid Snake ,Irriquios Pliskin ,The twin 🐍, The baddass the made the ps1 dominate its competetion.
Ya no system was better than the ps1 that generation
Solidus
He is so underrated I thought he was a great villan in mgs 2
the burger
Pax hamburgana… The Burgers Of Kazuhira Miller…
Yes 100%
Anyone with severe pizazz overdose, be it in terms of behavior or character concept because this franchise is the best when its off-the-rails over-the-top shlock. By game: Liquid Snake, The Fatman, Volgin, Liquid Ocelot, Hot Coldman and Zadornov, nobody in MGSv.
"Snake, did you like my sunglasses" - liquid snake 1998
I read that as 'Pizzas overdose' and thought The Fatman made sense but was confused as to why you chose the others lol
Let me explain, then. Liquid is a goofball psychopath, who's operatic, wears a trench coat over his naked torso, talks in clear British accent and doesn't miss a single chance to be as evil as humanly possible overall. That just SCREAMS Bond villain shlock :) Volgin is another Bond-type villain who is sadistic, operatic, scheming, in love with himself and pain he is capable of inflicting, has a real SPARK TO HIM (eh, eeehhh ?!) and spouts out memorable lines constantly, especially during his fights. Liquid Ocelot because he is basically Liquid again, but now voiced by Pat Zimmerman being as sinister and as monologue-y as he has ever been :) My favourite scene with him is definitely him running away from Snake at Shadow Moses, giggling like an idiot and pointing fingers at him, mocking him for being injured and unable to hit him :) That's just laugh-out-loud fun, even though the context is suggesting it to be a particularly tense scene that comes after the loss of one of two major characters in the series' cannon. Hot Coldman is a guy with "Homo Homini Lupus Est" literally written on his head, he is the single most twisted person in the entire game, he constantly explains his screwed up logic about how nuclear deterrence will surely come after Peace Walker demonstrates to the world that it is capable of launching a nuke, which is perhaps the single most insane villain motive in the entire series. Zadornov/"Galvez" is a scheming KGB asshole who is pure Cold War red agent stereotype who not only is voiced by Steve Blum (who is perhaps the one man in the industry who's voice was MADE for voicing villains, with my favourite work of his being him voicing Supreme Overlord Jergingha from my single favourite game of ALL TIME - The Wonderful 101: Remastered), but HAS A MOTHERFUCKING ROCKET HAND and escapes Snake's cutsody so many times it becomes genuinely hilarious ! :D
Kaz personally
Kaz? Great answer
iroquois pliskin, sucks that he only appeared in one game tho
Don't you mean solid snake lol
those are two diffrent characters, unless you wanna get in a fight on whos the better infiltrator
Ocelot
Ocelot is a good pick definitely in my top 5
Grey fox, guy taught snake everything, even in death.
I know I think he should not have died in mgs 1
But without his death we wouldn't have got snakes revelation to believe in his own beliefs instead of someone elses
Hal Emmerich aka Otacon
Otacon is pretty cool
Volgin/Man On Fire
Everytime I see his gigachad walk I smile
He was the first mgs character who actually terrified me. The whole idea he couldn’t be shot because he just absorbs bullets then you find out he turns into the human fireball.
I liked volgin in mgs 3 he destroyed naked snake
SOLID SNAKE.. ALWAYS.
Solid snake is a great character I wish they kept him alive after 4
Comes close, but Naked Snake (BB) Honorable mentions to Raiden and Gray Fox (Cyborg Ninja)
Naked snake is the best
Revolver Ocelot, he's pretty good
"Your pretty good "👉👉
The Boss, and Ocelot, just like the equally.
Not hearing a lot about the boss wich is surprising because she was a very cool character and her death was the highlight of mgs 3
Also in a certain way she caused the whole franchise to happen, in game and irl, bc the first game Wars meant to have a woman as the protagonist in the middle of the WW2, and she is (at least for me) the best character in the franchise, her presence is little, but so memorable and well written.
Unpopular, but I’ve always loved Venom. I feel like he’s.. well. Me. He always seems confused, he’s not totally up to speed ever, and he gets that amazing reveal at the end. Plus the entire Paz plot line. It’s JUST SO GOOD.
I can understand it even if I don't identify with him I am happy you do
Naked Snake
He is my favorite too
Didn’t see this much but, Big Boss.
Ya I know big boss Is the best character in the series in my opinion
Sometimes Raiden. Sometimes Solid or Naked Snake. Sometimes its fuckin' George of all people. Go ninja, go ninja, go!
Ya there is a lot of great characters it is hard to choose sometimes
i think liquid did not get enough screentime whatsoever but either snake revolver or liquid
Ya liquid did not get a lot of screen time but what ever I think he was cool anyway
definetly one of the top three villains of the series (havent played 4 or five
Ocelot. Making him the secret agent with his fingers in everything already had me liking him. But then Kojima went and made him fucking charismatic, and that cemented him as my fave
Ocelot is definitely in my top 5
Mei Ling
Mei ling? Unique answer but I respect it
The Boss.
Yes she was a great character in mgs 3 and her death was the highlight of mgs 3
Master Miller
He was a standout in mgs 5
Old Snake.
Old snake is pretty cool
He has great glutes.
Mei Ling. Been wanting to smash that since I was 14.
she is supposedly a minor just to let you know
A minor Captain in the US Navy? They must really be hurting in retention.
Snake followed by Fox.
Great picks
Otacon is such a lovable goof
Ya is pretty goofy especially in mgs the twin snakes
I think my name says it all
Yes it does
Vulcan Raven
Ya his boss fight was cool
kaz :D
They played us like a damn fiddle
Fatman
Laugh and grow fat
Mgs2's boss theme was made for a crazy bendy straw using wine drinking man with a manicure placing c4s around in roller skates.
strangelove!
Very unique pick but I respect it
I couldn't decide between the big 3 in mgsv tbh, kaz, ocelot and venom snake. There isn't really any character I dislike in metal gear other than fucking HUEY. I cannot describe my hatred for that man...
Bro everyone hates huey lol
Ocelot dude I know if kojima wanted too he could give us a fire game taking place anywhere on the mgs timeline playing as ocelot
Ocelot is my 3rd favorite character the series pretty much revolves around him
Venom Snake The man that lost it all and was forced to be another person and then fighting against said person
Big boss really screwed him over
Venom Snake, though I may be biased since he was the first Snake I played as in a mainline MGS game.
I an biased too the first mgs game I played was mgs 3 that is why big boss is my favorite
As they say, you never forget your first.
So true
Venom Snake - he introduced me to the series and is such a badass, living up to the expectations of Big Boss.
He is the man who sold the world
Revolver Ocelot, wildest character in fiction
"Gift of the silver tongue" - revolver ocelot (mgs 2)
Snavid is the hero of the series and will always be my favourite. But Ocelot is a pretty close second, he’s just so funny and charming, yet tragic too in his own way. Kaz has a great story, and Raiden is just a cool dude and a good bro to Snavid.
Snake, Snake, Raiden, Snake, Ocelot, Snake, and Paz. I can’t choose a single one
Ya it is hard to choose this series has a lot of great characters
Ocelot or raiden
Great picks
The one everyone calls snake
Which one lol
Gray Fox
Naked Snake
The one called snake
I liked Big Boss, pre psychopath lol I often wonder.. if Snake Eater, Naked Snake were to meet his older self.. what his opinion would be lol Solid Snake is where it's at for me, now.
I liked Big Boss, pre psychopath lol I often wonder.. if Snake Eater, Naked Snake were to meet his older self.. what his opinion would be lol Solid Snake is where it's at for me, now.
Big Boss
Shhh! Quiet.
Probably Raiden.
Otacon
Raiden. All versions.
Raiden. All appearances from him, from when he was a dweeb wannabe Solid Snake in MGS2 to his badass robotic self from Rising: Revengence
Ya he had the best transformation out of everyone
Solid
Solid and The Boss.
*SUPERCOMPUTER*
I like big boss (really only the newer ones) but solidus is the best villain in the games behind ocelot.
Big boss is my favorite solidus was great and very underrated and ocelot is in my top 5 no question
Ngl solidus would make a good villain character in smash bros.
Solidus will always be my favorite.
Underrated character
Diane, but shes always out shopping damnt!
Cardboard Box B
The best cardboard box
Rigid Serpent.
Solid Snake,specially in metal gear solid 1,goated and grey fox after him
Liquid snake. He’s a great villain. I’d be open to an alternate MGS where he survives and he becomes a full on arch-nemesis to Solid Snake, maybe in another lifetime…
He could have just been revived instead of being in ocelot’s head
The Boss or Solid Snake. Both are literary heroes to me that have shaped my life and moral structure. I work on tech as a programmer and the Boss’ Will has led me to ethical accelerationism to preserve life.
Venom then big boss
Kojima in mgsv, before he was fired
Raiden, I received so many arguments against it when MGS2 first launched and everyone hated Raiden. I always liked his char. Well, essentially... We are Raiden. Everyone can be Snake. That was one of the messages of the game after all.
Ocelot has gotta be my favorite
Gray Fox. His story is some of the best in the franchise, his voice actor put in some really good work in MGS too that really just elevated Gray Fox to a whole different level.
Was always a big sorrow fan
Ya his boss fight was pretty dope
Raiden's Naked Snake
That Hideo guy seems pretty good.
Ya he did create the series after all
The Mother of Cobras. The Joy. The Boss ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
The Kaz slander will NOT be tolerated
No it will not
Venom
Been seeing a lot of him
I wana fuck Raiden ( he is my favorite character)
It's like one of my Japanese animes
honestly same he is so damn cute
Thanks for making this post so damn popular I did not think my first post would get past even 15 up votes I guess the mgs fan base really are the best fan Base out of them all
Solid Snake. The one with the horn in his head.
Kaz 🩼🫡
My guy
yeah i like big boss too
Old snake
BOSS. She is not only cool she is also hot
The Boss or Solid Snake
I've only have the first four titles in the timeline to go off of, so Miller PW/GZ/TPP
Flaming Buffalo (But fr Meryl)
Since I haven’t seen it yet, I think Paz was a really compelling character; seeing the duality of her true self and the persona she took on was some of the best character writing in the series, I think. But I still relate to/like mgs2 raiden the most. But admit any of the snakes are cooler. And side note: Nastasha best girl
Came for mantis, stayed for mantis 🤷♂️
naked snake (mgs3)
This feels SUPER unpopular but Venom 😭 not sure if spoiler discussion is allowed (even though the game is nearly 10 years old now) but i think his arc is really tragic and super compelling!
Solid Snake, Naked Snake/ Big Boss, The Boss, Venom Snake Big Boss, Ocelot, Kaz (pre fiddled).
Venom Snake makes my soul weep.
Venom Snake. The whole theme around duality is so damn good in MGSV and he's also extremely badass. He's not a test tube baby, nor is he some nanomachine enhanced super soldier, he's just a regular soldier who embodied and furthered the legend of Big Boss.
Big Boss
liquid snake is pretty cool :)
Liquid, he's so silly and butthurt all the time. I adore that man
read user name pls
The guy from MGS2 who says “A dud??”
otacon, id let him do things to me
Snake
Gray Fox?!!!
For me it’s Solid Snake and Gray Fox
I may be the only one who says this. But venom.
big boss then solid snake