The Metal Gear Saga Explained: MGS4 and More

279w ago - Everybody - almost everybody - has been waiting, eagerly for the chance to start up their PS3s and boot up a round of MGS4. The series has been around for a while now,since 1987 for the original Metal Gear game, and the first PS version, Metal Gear Solid back in 1998 and the series come a long way since then.

So let's begin the basics of the game. I'll assume that most of you already know the central characters in the game, because otherwise why would you even be reading this? But if you don't and are still reading, please help yourself to Google or Wikipedia to understand what the hell I'm talking about.

The crux of the entire game lies in the Successor project introduced in Portable ops by character called "Gene" (who was created to become the perfect field commander). The Boss, Naked Snake (Big Boss), Gray Fox/Ninja/Frank Jaeger, Solid, Liquid and Solidus are all parts of this project initiated by the Philosophers and this legacy continues with the formation of the Patriots whom we get to a little later.

The Boss, along with a couple of others (Gene/the Cobra Unit) make up the origin of the Successor project initiated by the Philosophers. This is the starting point of all the events that ultimately culminate into MGS4 and beyond (Yes there is a beyond).Within Portable Ops, both the "Virtuous Mission" and "Operation Snake Eater" are brought in time and again, and Naked Snake is the supposed to be the assassin that was sent in by the C.I.A. to finish off "The Boss". In reality though he is a part of the Philosophers Successor project just like most of the central characters in the series. The Boss's greatest mission was the successful completion of this very project, Naked Snake merely a pawn in the entire process.

Now hold onto this concept of "The Successor Project" while I try and explain some more elements within this.The part that has never been explained in the series is how the Philosophers changed to the Patriots. The Patriots and The Philosophers are not the same thing - pointed out clearly by Ocelot by the end of Portable Ops. They are always referred to as a branch of the Philosophers, and the Philosophers themselves are presumed to die out when the remaing members form the Patriots. But it seems from the story that post Portable Ops there was a massive power struggle between the established Philosophers and the Patriots.

Ocelot and "Y", who are a part of the newly established Patriots, know that if Big Boss defected he would give a major boost in their plans of establishing a new world order order free from the control of the Philosophers.

Big Boss has a real soft corner for Ocelot (After all he is the son of The Boss), and so he decides to heed "The calling" (With Reference to Gene) and helps in recovering the other half of the Philosophers' Legacy that has been missing since Snake Eater. So his joining the Patriots signalled the end of the era of the Philosophers and the marked the birth of the Patriots.A New world Order is established but the successor project continues. The project, initiated by the Patriots, "Les Enfants Terrible" is also a part of this ongoing saga, where they had to create the perfect replica of The Big Boss, who was perfectly aware of the consequences and knows the truth of this project.

Okay, so that's all for this part, but there's a lot more coming for all MGS fans soon. Hold tight, the next part should be up in a matter of hours, with more insights into the story so far and some guesses at what we can expect next!