Whether or not it’s Snake’s elevator ascent to the wet cliffs of Shadow Moses or the climactic battle between scholar and mentor within the closing moments of Snake Eater, Hideo Kojima and Konami’s epic spy thriller franchise, Steel Gear, is dwelling to a few of gaming’s most iconic moments. Telling a narrative that spanned a number of console generations and pushed the artistic capabilities of video video games to their limits, Strong Snake and Large Boss’ adventures are legendary, a lot in order that many declare they’re among the many most vital releases the medium has ever produced.
Again in 2015, Steel Gear Strong V: The Phantom Ache seemingly ended the franchise for good, with Kojima leaving Konami and the Steel Gear Strong IP behind to type his personal studio. Nonetheless, Konami has began resurrecting the collection by re-releases and remakes, like Steel Gear Strong Delta: Snake Eater popping out later this 12 months. With so many new gamers experiencing this world of undercover espionage, shady authorities conspiracy and gruff-voiced dudes with cool eyepatches for the primary time, we’ve laid out the chronological order of the Steel Gear Strong collection so newcomers and returning followers can catch up.
Not together with remakes, ports or remasters, there are 17 whole Steel Gear video games: 11 mainline video games, 5 on handheld units and one on cellular. Though that’s plenty of video games, an honest chunk of them are thought of non-canon, with their tales overriding occasions from the principle saga and spinning off into their very own distinctive takes on the universe.
2018’s Steel Gear Survive takes place in an apocalyptic actuality the place a zombie virus has overtaken the world, so it falls outdoors the principle canon. As for the PSP’s Steel Gear: Acid and Steel Gear: Acid 2, they veer from the timeline and inform a brand new story, making them alternate-timeline spin-offs. Then there’s the Recreation Boy Shade’s Steel Gear: Ghost Babel, which is an alternate-universe Steel Gear sequel that wipes away the occasions of Steel Gear 2: Strong Snake, thus eradicating it from the timeline. And eventually, Steel Gear Cellular and Snake’s Revenge have since been deemed non-canon by the neighborhood and Kojima himself in interviews.
That leaves 11 video games inside the principle storyline. Every sport is taken into account a part of the true Steel Gear Saga, spanning from a fictional alternate-history Sixties to the late 2010s. So, let’s run you thru all of the video games in that story.
We advocate two potential beginning factors for Steel Gear. For these within the full saga, we advocate 2023’s Steel Gear Strong: Grasp Assortment Vol. 1, which incorporates the perfect out there variations of Steel Gear Strong 1–3. Alternatively, for these all in favour of merely attempting out the franchise (and for these with a decrease tolerance for older video games), we advocate beginning with the collection’ most up to date iteration, Steel Gear Strong V: The Phantom Ache.
Steel Gear Strong: Grasp Assortment Vol.1 (PS5)
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Steel Gear Video games in Chronological Order
These blurbs include delicate spoilers for every sport, together with characters, settings, and story beats.
1. Steel Gear Strong 3: Snake Eater
The primary slot within the saga’s timeline and the subsequent sport to get a contemporary remake, Snake Eater follows a US Particular Forces operative codenamed Bare Snake through the occasions of the Chilly Struggle. Despatched to find and extract a Russian scientist from the Soviet Union to forestall him from constructing a weapon of mass destruction often known as the Shagohod, Snake’s shocked to search out his former mentor, The Boss, has betrayed the US authorities and sided with the Soviets.
After a heated battle, Bare Snake is brutally defeated and left for useless within the jungle. Surviving the encounter, he’s tasked by his commanding officer, Zero, to return to Russia, discover his mentor and kill her, all of the whereas monitoring down the Shagohod to forestall nuclear conflict. By the tip of the story, Bare Snake adopts the moniker of Large Boss, turning into a legend among the many US Particular Forces. Nonetheless, his battle with The Boss and the secrets and techniques he’s uncovered all through his journey go away him disillusioned together with his responsibility and the federal government he serves.
Learn our Steel Gear Strong 3: Snake Eater Assessment or see updates in regards to the Steel Gear Strong 3 remake.
2. Steel Gear Strong: Moveable Ops
Set six years after Large Boss’ climactic battle together with his former mentor, Steel Gear Strong: Moveable Ops picks up the legendary soldier’s story as he goes face to face together with his former squad, FOX Unit. The sport begins with Large Boss studying FOX has gone rogue, betraying the CIA and staging a revolt.
Captured and tortured on a Colombian base by FOX Unit, Boss breaks free however learns he’s been accused of treason. In a bid to clear his title, he decides to seek out his former allies and pursue their ruthless chief, Gene. By the tip of the sport, Large Boss learns of Gene’s need to create a nation of mercenary troopers often known as Military’s Heaven and acquires the mass of funds and gear saved for the venture. Returning to the US, he later types a squadron of particular ops troopers often known as FOXHOUND.
Learn our assessment of Steel Gear Strong: Moveable Ops.
3. Steel Gear Strong: Peace Walker
4 years after the occasions of Moveable Ops, we meet up with Large Boss, who has left FOXHOUND and the Patriots. Since leaving, he’s shaped a brand new band of mercenary troopers often known as Militaires Sans Frontières (or MSF) with Kazuhira Miller. Utilizing their newfound military to guard nations that don’t have the forces or means to defend themselves, Large Boss and Miller wage conflict in opposition to an armed militia often known as the Peace Sentinels after they invade Costa Rica.
Throughout his investigation, Large Boss quickly realizes that his former mentor, The Boss, is someway concerned within the Peace Sentinels’ plans. Worse, they’ve entry to nuclear weapons, wielding a supremely highly effective mech known as the Peace Walker. Rallying on an off-shore oil rig often known as Motherbase, Snake and the Militaires Sans Frontières take the combat to the Peace Sentinels, making an attempt to find their true motive and secrets and techniques. The sport ends with Large Boss battling his former ally Paz, who seems to be a undercover agent of Zero’s shady authorities group, Cipher.
Learn our assessment of Steel Gear Strong: Peace Walker.
4. Steel Gear Strong V: Floor Zeroes
A couple of months following the occasions of Peace Walker, Floor Zeroes acts as a prologue to the fifth entry within the Steel Gear Strong collection: Steel Gear Strong V: The Phantom Ache. The story sees Large Boss embark on a brand new mission after studying that Paz survived their climactic battle through the closing moments of Peace Walker and is being interrogated by Cipher at a mysterious army base often known as Camp Omega. Figuring out that she has essential details about Cipher and will reveal secrets and techniques about MSF to the shadowy group, he rushes to extract her.
Whereas infiltrating the bottom, he discovers a mysterious Cipher cell often known as XOF, which is led by a sadistic, severely burned commander known as Cranium Face. The prologue ends with Snake extracting Paz solely to understand his allies are being attacked by the XOF again at Motherbase. The onslaught destroys the oil rig and eradicates Militaires Sans Frontières, leaving Large Boss on the cusp of loss of life.
Learn our assessment of Steel Gear Strong: Floor Zeroes.
5. Steel Gear Strong V: The Phantom Ache
9 years later, Steel Gear Strong V: The Phantom Ache opens with a severely injured Large Boss waking up in a hospital in Cyprus. Evading an assassination try the place he’s attacked by a person coated in flames, a telekinetic soldier and a grasp sniper, Boss is saved by Revolver Ocelot and returns to motion as he leads a brand new mercenary group often known as the Diamond Canines.
Swearing to cease the XOF after they destroyed Militaires Sans Frontières, he adopts the codename Venom Snake and heads to Africa to select up their path, studying that the former-Cipher-affiliated group went rogue. Their chief, Cranium Face, is as an alternative engaged on a devastating parasitic weapon with the ability to eradicate the Western world. The sport ends with Large Boss setting in movement his plans to create a army nation often known as Outer Heaven, the place troopers are free to dwell with out getting used to additional shady authorities plans.
Learn our assessment of Steel Gear Strong 5: The Phantom Ache.
6. Steel Gear
11 years later, the story catches up with the primary entry within the collection: Steel Gear. The sport follows Strong Snake: a rookie soldier and member of FOXHOUND. FOXHOUND is as soon as once more run by Large Boss, who acts as Snake’s mentor and commanding officer. On his first mission, Strong Snake is shipped to trace down a weapon of mass destruction being constructed in a army nation often known as Outer Heaven.
Throughout his mission, he finds one other agent codenamed Gray Fox, who was additionally despatched to trace the weapon. Gray Fox reveals the mysterious weapon is a mech codenamed Steel Gear, which has the ability to launch nuclear bombs. The sport ends with Strong Snake and Large Boss coming to blows, with the latter revealing he was behind Outer Heaven’s plans.
Learn our assessment of Steel Gear.
7. Steel Gear 2: Strong Snake
4 years later, Strong Snake returns to motion after he learns Large Boss survived the occasions of the earlier sport and is at the moment setting up a brand new Steel Gear for the fictional nation of Zanzibar Land.
Teaming with varied characters, Snake infiltrates Zanzibar Land and makes an attempt to destroy the weapon of mass destruction, battling Large Boss and his military of troopers alongside the best way.
See extra about Steel Gear 2: Strong Snake.
8. Steel Gear Strong
Six years after Steel Gear 2, Strong Snake returns in a brand new mission. This time he’s despatched to battle his former unit, FOXHOUND, which has gone rogue, turned in opposition to the US and brought over a mysterious authorities facility on an island often known as Shadow Moses. Shadow Moses is allegedly a take a look at web site for a secret Steel Gear, with FOXHOUND threatening to make use of its nuclear weapons in the event that they aren’t provided with Large Boss’ corpse and a big sum of cash.
Snake heads to the ability and fights varied members of FOXHOUND, together with Revolver Ocelot, Psycho Mantis and a Cyborg model of his former ally, Greyfox. He additionally meets the eccentric chief of FOXHOUND, Liquid Snake. The sport ends with Snake being declared killed-in-action by Colonel Campbell and presumed useless by the federal government after they supposed to double-cross him. He flees Shadow Moses alive.
Learn our assessment of Steel Gear Strong or see extra of the perfect PS1 video games.
9. Steel Gear Strong 2: Sons of Liberty
Steel Gear Strong 2: Sons of Liberty opens two years later, with a now-rogue Strong Snake infiltrating an oil tanker whereas looking down a brand new Steel Gear being transported to the US. There he discovers a prototype Steel Gear often known as Steel Gear Ray, which is subsequently stolen by Revolver Ocelot. Ocelot sinks the tanker and escapes, whereas Snake is blamed for the tanker’s destruction.
Two years later, we shift to a brand new protagonist: Raiden. An agent of FOXHOUND, Raiden is shipped on a mission to an off-shore decontamination facility often known as Large Shell, which was constructed to clear the crude oil spill triggered when the oil tanker was destroyed throughout Strong Snake’s mission. Large Shell has been hijacked by a militant group often known as the Sons of Liberty, which has taken the US president hostage.
Infiltrating the ability, Raiden quickly discovers issues aren’t fairly what they appear, wanting into Large Shell’s secrets and techniques and assembly a junior lieutenant named Iroquois Pliskin, who’s clearly hiding an enormous secret. By the tip of the sport, Strong Snake joins Raiden’s mission, telling him he’s going after Ocelot (who it’s revealed is possessed by the need of Liquid Snake) and the Patriots.
Learn our assessment of Steel Gear Strong 2: Sons of Liberty or try extra of the perfect PS2 video games.
10. Steel Gear Strong 4: Weapons of the Patriots
Marking the tip of the principle story and Strong Snake’s closing mission, Steel Gear Strong 4: Weapons of the Patriots catches up with Snake three years after the occasions of Sons of Liberty. As a result of cloning course of used to create Snake and the rampant FOXDIE virus nonetheless coursing by his veins, we uncover that his physique is quickly growing old, with the protagonist being instructed he solely has a 12 months left to dwell. Donning a brand new nickname, Previous Snake, he returns for one closing mission.
He’s to assassinate Liquid Ocelot, who’s at the moment working a brand new model of Outer Heaven which is comprised of a few of the largest non-public militaries within the Center East. Equipping his physique with nanomachines, Snake units out to carry Ocelot down, studying that his nemesis intends to as soon as once more find Large Boss’ corpse and execute a mysterious plan. As Snake battles his age and the lingering FOXDIE mutating in his physique, he makes his means in the direction of a closing confrontation together with his most ruthless enemy.
Learn our assessment of Steel Gear Strong 4: Weapons of the Patriots.
11. Steel Gear Rising: Revengeance
The ultimate story within the present Steel Gear timeline, Steel Gear Rising: Revengeance focuses on Raiden who, as we discovered throughout Weapons of the Patriots, has reworked right into a cyborg. The story picks up 4 years after Steel Gear Strong 4, revealing that Raiden now works with a personal army firm known as Maverick Safety Consulting.
Throughout an operation in Africa, Raiden is attacked by a rival non-public army group often known as Desperado Enforcement. Wounded and left for useless by its commander, Jet Stream Sam, Raiden continues his investigation into Desperado and learns some sinister secrets and techniques in regards to the group and its allies. Because the revelations in regards to the non-public army develop darker, Raiden swears to carry them down, setting off on his personal to ship violent justice.
Learn our assessment of Steel Gear Rising: Revengeance.
Methods to Play the Steel Gear Video games by Launch Date
Steel Gear (1987)Snake’s Revenge (1990)Steel Gear 2: Strong Snake (1990)Steel Gear Strong (1998)Steel Gear Strong: Ghost Babel (2000)Steel Gear Strong 2: Sons of Liberty (2001)Steel Gear Strong 3: Snake Eater (2004)Steel Gear Strong: Acid (2004)Steel Gear Strong: Acid 2 (2005) Steel Gear Strong: Moveable Ops (2006) Steel Gear Strong: Cellular (2008) Steel Gear Strong 4: Weapons of the Patriots (2008) Steel Gear Strong: Peace Walker (2010) Steel Gear Rising: Revengeance (2013) Steel Gear Strong V: Floor Zeroes (2014) Steel Gear Strong V: The Phantom Ache (2015) Steel Gear Survive (2018)Steel Gear Strong Δ: Snake Eater (2025)
What’s Subsequent for Steel Gear?
Though for a few years, it appeared Steel Gear was formally completed as a collection, Konami has confirmed an upcoming remake of Steel Gear Strong 3: Snake Eater. Proven with a cinematic trailer throughout PlayStation’s 2023 summer season showcase, Steel Gear Strong Delta: Snake Eater will rebuild the sport from the bottom up, giving followers a contemporary reimagining of Bare Snake’s legendary battle with The Boss. The remake is ready to launch on August 28, 2025, as revealed in Sony’s February 2025 State of Play.
As for potential new entries within the collection, Konami hasn’t confirmed whether or not they plan to make unique Steel Gear video games with out Hideo Kojima. That being mentioned, Steel Gear Strong Delta: Snake Eater developer Virtuous Studios did tease that remakes of different Steel Gear video games aren’t off the desk. Talking with IGN, the workforce mentioned, “Concerning remakes of earlier video games within the collection apart from Steel Gear Strong 3: Snake Eater, we are going to hearken to participant demand and take into account accordingly.”
Steel Gear Video games: Full Playlist
Listed here are all of the standalone Steel Gear video games and spin-offs, so as of launch. Log in to rank them, mark video games owned, accomplished, or create a sport plan for what to play subsequent.
For extra lists like these, additionally see Murderer’s Creed Video games in Order and a listing of Far Cry Video games so as.
Callum Williams is a freelance media author with years of expertise as a sport critic, information reporter, guides author and options author.
