If you understand and appreciate story and storytelling in video games, then you have heard of Hideo Kojima. A Japanese Video game producer and designer, he’s a gaming legend known for creating some of the most unique and ambitious games. Like me, many know him for his Metal Gear Series, which has defined our love of the stealth genre.
As hard as it is to pick between his masterpieces, they all stand tall individually. In this article, I will attempt to rank every Hideo Kojima game.
Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance (2013)
Let’s start with one of the more action-packed titles in Kojima’s lineup. Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance took a slightly different tone and genre shift for the Metal Gear franchise. While Kojima wasn’t the main director of this one, his fingerprints are still all over the game’s world-building and narrative design.
The story lacked depth like previous entries in the Metal Gear series, but it was still praised for its gameplay, boss battles, and, most importantly, its soundtrack. Apart from this, there were some complaints of camera issues, yet it gained a loyal fanbase, which helped it establish itself as a classic entry in the series.
Metal Gear Solid: Peace Walker (2010)
This game is often overlooked since it was released on the PSP, a handheld console not everyone owned. However, Peace Walker is actually very important to the overall Metal Gear story. In this title, you take control of Big Boss, who runs a private military company during the Cold War's tense times while laying the foundation for the future Outer Heaven.
Even though it was on a handheld device, the game delivered a full experience that rivals many console titles. It included robust gameplay mechanics such as co-op missions where players could team up, and a base management system called Mother Base. This management sim lets you grow your army, research new weapons, and expand your base’s capabilities. This feature would later become a core part of Metal Gear Solid V.
Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots (2008)
![Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots (2008)
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This game was supposed to wrap up the saga of Solid Snake, and it felt like a goodbye. The game combined top-tier production values with Kojima’s most cinematic approach yet, including lengthy cutscenes. You play as an older, battle-weary Snake in a world ruled by private military companies and controlled economies.
Some people found the cutscenes too long, but I didn’t mind as we were more interested in seeing how it all ended. The final battle between Snake and Liquid Ocelot remains one of this franchise's most memorable boss fights.
Death Stranding (2019)
Kojima’s first major project after parting ways with Konami. Players take on the role of Sam Porter Bridges, trying to reconnect a fractured America by carrying cargo across a post-apocalyptic landscape. That might sound boring at first, but it’s surprisingly enjoyable to play as you invest reasonable time.
The performances by big-name actors like Norman Reedus and Mads Mikkelsen made the experience even more cinematic. The game received several awards, including several Game of the Year Awards, and received high praise for direction and art design, which was obvious.
Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater (2004)
Snake Eater brought the series back to the Cold War setting, where it explored the origins of Big Boss. Set in a lush jungle environment, the game emphasized survival mechanics like camouflage, hunting, and injury treatment. It elevated close-quarter combat to new heights and deepened stealth encounters.
The story is heartbreaking, especially Snake's relationship with The Boss. Boss battles, particularly the sniper duel with The End and the final showdown with The Boss, are often included on lists of the best in gaming. Kojima balanced raw gameplay and emotional narrative in a fashion that few games even attempt to match.
Snatcher (1988)
Long before Metal Gear became a household name, Kojima released Snatcher. Now, this one’s a real hidden gem. Snatcher is a game I discovered much later, but when I did, I couldn’t believe how ahead of its time it was. The game is a text-based adventure with visual novel elements.
Yes, the game might sound old-fashioned to you in the present day, but trust me. Despite its age, the story is incredibly gripping. Even when it was released in Japan back then, it was praised, but it witnessed limited success in other countries. We won't be wrong if we say that Snatcher set a precursor to Kojima’s narrative-driven style, something for which we know him today.
Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain (2015)
From a gameplay perspective, according to audience critics, Metal Gear Solid V is the most complete game. It’s an open-world stealth game where you play as Venom Snake. Snake, haunted by the destruction of his former base and the loss of his comrades, set out to rebuild his army and seek revenge on the mysterious organization while taking on missions across Afghanistan and Africa.
It is true that compared to the traditional Metal Gear series, you will find it less story-oriented and has fewer cutscenes and long dialogue dumps. Without spoiling, let me tell you there is a big twist in the game that will blow your mind.
Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty (2001)
This is one of those games that people either didn’t fully get when it first came out or at least didn’t realize how smart it was until years later. On first glance, Metal Gear Solid 2 is a typical sequel. However, this time, you stop playing as Snake early on, and suddenly, you’re controlling Raiden, a new character no one had heard of before. And yeah, a lot of fans were not able to digest it. But as the time passed, people started to see what he was doing, and honestly, it was pretty clever.
Gameplay-wise, it’s solid. The stealth is tight, the enemy AI has been designed smart, and often overlooked small details are here too. You can knock on walls, shoot out lights, hide in lockers, all that classic Metal Gear stuff, but refined.
That's a wrap from me. No doubt, Kojima has numerous other works, and it’s only natural that we may have missed a title you feel should have made the list.
Did we miss your favorite Kojima title? Let us know what you think. We'd love to hear your thoughts at Gfinityesports.com: the best site for Metal Gear Solid coverage.