Yeah sorry for my poorly worded question. I can't really explain this so just uh...bear with me I guess, haha.

 

So my question is, say you're going to pick up a game series. It's been out for a while and there are plenty of games. There's also an established timeline for said games, but of course, it differs from the release of each game in the series itself.

 

Let's use Zelda, for example. Say you've never played Zelda. There are a ****load of Zelda games and there is ALSO an official timeline. But, the game ORDER and the timeline order are very different. How would you play it? Would you start with "The Legend of Zelda", the first game released, or "Skyward Sword", the first game in the timeline?

 

I'm asking this because I want to get into Metal Gear. There are quite a few games but the chronological order of the games' storyline differs from the order of the games. So, how should I play it? Should I start off with the first game released, or look at the timeline/order and play by that?

 

There are a couple reasons I want to play but homegirl Mistral is a big one:

 

I saw her character design and my little kokoro went doki doki.

Fool. I get the first one I see on the shelf and let fate guide my way.

In order of release

Well , when I first "tried playing" the Grand Theft Auto series , I started with Grand Theft Auto Liberty City Stories which was like the 8th release .  But I usually like to play  the series with the chronological order ...

I'd go from the first game that was released and follow that order

 

Kingdom Hearts wouldn't be as fun if I played Birth by Sleep first, as I'd go through the whole series knowing Xehanort was the true villain- that was a plot twist I enjoyed in Kingdom Hearts II regarding him and Ansem the Wise

I'd go from the first game that was released and follow that orderKingdom Hearts wouldn't be as fun if I played Birth by Sleep first, as I'd go through the whole series knowing Xehanort was the true villain- that was a plot twist I enjoyed in Kingdom Hearts II regarding him and Ansem the Wise

Ohhhh wow, you're right. That makes sense with the KH analogy, haha

I won't go into why the timeline in Zelda is no big deal and why it shouldn't be used as an example in this kind of conversation.

 

If you're going into MGS, here is my recommendation to you: Play them in the order they came out in. The chronology is all over (the fourth game is a sequel  to the second game, but the third game is a seperate story from 50 years ago, for instance.) but they still make the most sense when played in the order they were released. Get the Legacy Collection new and see how you like it.

Ohhhh wow, you're right. That makes sense with the KH analogy, haha

It also has to do with the quality of the games, if played MGS3 (the best one) first, and then played MGS1, you wouldnt want to play MGS1, youd want to play the next installment in the series because the quality level is so much higher than that of MGS1.

 

Btw, if you have a PS3, Metal Gear Solid: The Legacy Collection has every installment in the series so far excluding MGR

I won't go into why the timeline in Zelda is no big deal and why it shouldn't be used as an example in this kind of conversation. If you're going into MGS, here is my recommendation to you: Play them in the order they came out in. The chronology is all over (the fourth game is a sequel  to the second game, but the third game is a seperate story from 50 years ago, for instance.) but they still make the most sense when played in the order they were released. Get the Legacy Collection new and see how you like it.

Well your opinions on theZelda timeline are yours, and mine are mine (◡‿◡✿) I stay off of Zelda forums nowadays because I can't handle taking a video game so seriously (psst. Lookin at you ZU)And okay! I understand. Yeah I guess it would be best to play them how every other person played them, which is the order of release. Guess they get released a certain way for a reason x) My friend will be super pleased if I yet into the series.

Well your opinions on theZelda timeline are yours, and mine are mine (◡‿◡✿) I stay off of Zelda forums nowadays because I can't handle taking a video game so seriously (psst. Lookin at you ZU)And okay! I understand. Yeah I guess it would be best to play them how every other person played them, which is the order of release. Guess they get released a certain way for a reason x) My friend will be super pleased if I yet into the series.

 

Well, it's just that The Legend of Zelda has a timeline, but the games are rarely interconnected by that timeline. They're a series of legends, and a big story arc like you'd see across KH or MGS isn't really present there.  A few exceptions can be found like OOT being referenced in Twilight Princess and Wind Waker or A Link to the Past having a sequel all its own, but those games can still be experienced on their own. Basically you can't really use LOZ in this kind of situation because it doesn't matter what order you play those games in, whether it's chronological or release, it doesn't really matter, each entry stands on its own.

Well, just get the first one that was released. That's how I would do it. Unless its like Legend of Zelda I'm not going to visit some classic system for it.

I'd go from the first game that was released and follow that orderKingdom Hearts wouldn't be as fun if I played Birth by Sleep first, as I'd go through the whole series knowing Xehanort was the true villain- that was a plot twist I enjoyed in Kingdom Hearts II regarding him and Ansem the Wise

Took the words right out of my mouth. This is also how I would play my games: the ones that were released first, the rest later.

I usually go in release order, unless it's something where the early installments are impossible to find or aren't really fun or that important.

I would play it in chronological order, not the order of release.

My boyfriend is really into Metal Gear, and I think (he told me the order last weekend at his house) it was MGS 5, 3, PO, PW, 1, 2, 4

I think.  MGS 5 is meant to be new (not out) but another prequel to the series

I would play it in chronological order, not the order of release.My boyfriend is really into Metal Gear, and I think (he told me the order last weekend at his house) it was MGS 5, 3, PO, PW, 1, 2, 4I think.  MGS 5 is meant to be new (not out) but another prequel to the series

Dangit a new one as soon as I'm trying to get into it? Pfff xDThank you, I think I'll ask a few more people and see what they suggest.

Here's my suggestion: play in any order you think and feel is right to you. Are you a "release date" gamer, or a "timeline" gamer? It's up to you.

Here's my suggestion: play in any order you think and feel is right to you. Are you a "release date" gamer, or a "timeline" gamer? It's up to you.

I'll play in the order that gets me to Mistral quickest. Gotta do it for the waifu

Dangit a new one as soon as I'm trying to get into it? Pfff xDThank you, I think I'll ask a few more people and see what they suggest.

 

If there's a prequel that isn't out yet I would just go for it and play it after.  With Zelda I play the ones that are most appealing to me I've realized or more easily available.  

I've watched him play Metal Gear Rising (which I thought was a spin off but googled it and is apparently last after 4), the achievements/trophies on it are a bitch

I would play it in chronological order, not the order of release.My boyfriend is really into Metal Gear, and I think (he told me the order last weekend at his house) it was MGS 5, 3, PO, PW, 1, 2, 4I think. MGS 5 is meant to be new (not out) but another prequel to the series

Playing them in chronological order would be major spoilage. There's a reson why they weren't released in chronological order.A lot of the suspense in 2 would be taken away if you played 3 first.

Edited February 23, 201411 yr by Hardrada

Playing them in chronological order would be major spoilage. There's a reson why they weren't released in chronological order.A lot of the suspence in 2 would be taken away if you played 3 first.

 

Companies a  lot of the time just leave vague plot holes open to be filled later when they think of a story for it, I doubt they had a predetermined entire time scale and storyline for the whole series before releasing any of them that really determined why one was released in front of the other.  I just think for people outside of series it's a lot easier to follow the flow if you do it in chronological order instead of release order where you just go "oh, got that reference now".  But it's to each their own, that's my personal preference, I asked my bf who's as obsessed with MGS as I am with KH and he said he would recommend release order.  

Companies a lot of the time just leave vague plot holes open to be filled later when they think of a story for it, I doubt they had a predetermined entire time scale and storyline for the whole series before releasing any of them that really determined why one was released in front of the other. I just think for people outside of series it's a lot easier to follow the flow if you do it in chronological order instead of release order where you just go "oh, got that reference now". But it's to each their own, that's my personal preference, I asked my bf who's as obsessed with MGS as I am with KH and he said he would recommend release order.

That doesn't change the fact that playing them out of release order lessens the impact of the plot, spoils things, and can be confusing if you start with MGS3 which is chronologically the first.I would disagree with your boyfriend wholeheartedly.

Edited February 23, 201411 yr by Hardrada

That doesn't change the fact that playing them out of release order lessens the impact of the plot, spoils things, and can be confusing if you start with MGS3 which is chronologically the first.I would disagree with your boyfriend wholeheartedly.

 

....I said my boyfriend (who actually plays the series, I don't) said to play them in release order.

The same as what you said.

 

>I< said that >I< personally would play in chronological order.  

....I said my boyfriend (who actually plays the series, I don't) said to play them in release order.The same as what you said. >I< said that >I< personally would play in chronological order.

Ah, I thought he was agreeing with you. I apologize. At least I solidified my point. I get the feeling ducky only wants "mai waifu!" In which case, just play Rising which is pretty stand alone.