12 Best Games Like Metal Gear Solid to Play in 2026

The best games like Metal Gear Solid mix patient stealth, odd gadgets and a story with something to say. The closest match outside the series is Hideo Kojima’s own Death Stranding and its sequel. For pure stealth sandboxes, Hitman: World of Assassination and IO Interactive’s newer 007 First Light come closest to MGS’s “many ways to solve one problem” design. If you have not played the series in a while, start with Metal Gear Solid: Master Collection Vol. 1 and Vol. 2, which now cover most of the saga on modern platforms.

Below you will find a quick guide to the Metal Gear Solid games available today, the full series in release and story order, and 12 games like Metal Gear Solid, each with platforms, genre and the exact reason it fits. Some links on this page are affiliate links, so we may earn a commission if you buy through them, at no extra cost to you.

Quick Picks

• Closest in spirit: Death Stranding Director’s Cut
• Best stealth sandbox: Hitman: World of Assassination
• Best new spy game: 007 First Light
• Best for cyberpunk conspiracies: Deus Ex: Mankind Divided
• Best for “Snake Eater” jungle stealth: Sniper Elite: Resistance
• Best classic stealth rival: Splinter Cell: Chaos Theory
• Best tactical stealth: Shadow Tactics: Blades of the Shogun

Play the Series First: Metal Gear Solid Today

If you are here because you finished one Metal Gear Solid and want more, the good news is that almost the whole series is now easy to buy on current hardware. These four releases cover nearly everything.

Metal Gear Solid: Master Collection Vol. 1

Platforms: PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X|S, Switch, PC | Release: October 2023

Metal Gear Solid: Master Collection Vol.1 (PS5)

Included for '12 Best Games Like Metal Gear Solid to Play in 2026' as a representative home product in this roundup; selection reflects the product set returned for this topic.

View on Amazon →

Vol. 1 bundles Metal Gear Solid, Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty and Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater, plus the original MSX2 games Metal Gear and Metal Gear 2: Solid Snake. It is the best place to start the story from the beginning.

Metal Gear Solid: Master Collection Vol. 2

Platforms: PS5, Xbox Series X|S, Switch 2, Switch, PC | Release: August 2026

METAL GEAR SOLID | MASTER COLLECTION Vol. 2 - PlayStation 5

Included for '12 Best Games Like Metal Gear Solid to Play in 2026' as a representative home product in this roundup; selection reflects the product set returned for this topic.

View on Amazon →

Vol. 2 adds Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots and Metal Gear Solid: Peace Walker. It is the first time MGS4 has left the PS3, which makes this the most important Metal Gear release in years for fans who never owned that console. Metal Gear Online is not included.

Metal Gear Solid Delta: Snake Eater

Platforms: PS5, Xbox Series X|S, PC | Release: August 2025

Metal Gear Solid Delta: Snake Eater - Day One Edition /PS5

Included for '12 Best Games Like Metal Gear Solid to Play in 2026' as a representative home product in this roundup; selection reflects the product set returned for this topic.

View on Amazon →

A full Unreal Engine 5 remake of MGS3 that keeps the original story, dialogue and structure while modernising controls and visuals. Konami reported over two million units sold by March 2026. If you want the most polished way to play the story’s chronological starting point, this is it.

Metal Gear Solid V: The Definitive Experience

Platforms: PS4, Xbox One, PC (playable on PS5 and Xbox Series X|S) | Release: 2016

Metal Gear Solid V: The Definitive Experience PlayStation Hits - PlayStation 4

Included for '12 Best Games Like Metal Gear Solid to Play in 2026' as a representative home product in this roundup; selection reflects the product set returned for this topic.

View on Amazon →

Ground Zeroes and The Phantom Pain together, with all DLC. The Phantom Pain is the series’ open-world peak, with the most freedom in how you approach each base. Its story is unfinished in places, but the stealth sandbox is still unmatched.

Metal Gear Solid Games in Order

The series jumps back and forth in time, so release order and story order are very different. Here are both.

Most fans recommend playing in release order the first time, because later games assume you know earlier twists. Metal Gear Survive (2018) is a spin-off set in an alternate dimension and is not needed for the story.

Games Like Metal Gear Solid Compared

1. Death Stranding Director’s Cut: Closest in Spirit

Platforms: PS5, PC, Xbox Series X|S (original on PS4) | Genre: Action adventure | Release: 2019 (Director’s Cut 2021)

Death Stranding Director's Cut - Playstation 5

Included for '12 Best Games Like Metal Gear Solid to Play in 2026' as a representative home product in this roundup; selection reflects the product set returned for this topic.

View on Amazon →

Kojima’s first game after leaving Konami trades soldiers for a delivery man, Sam Porter Bridges, crossing a broken America to reconnect it. That sounds far from Metal Gear, but the DNA is everywhere: long cutscenes, a cast of strange characters, fourth-wall jokes, and tense stealth sections where invisible creatures called BTs hunt you.

The Director’s Cut adds more combat options, a firing range and new delivery tools, which makes the game a little closer to MGS’s mix of stealth and action.

Why it fits: Kojima’s style without the Metal Gear name. Skip if: you dislike slow traversal; walking and balancing cargo are the core gameplay.

2. Death Stranding 2: On the Beach: Best Kojima Sequel

Platforms: PS5, PC | Genre: Action adventure | Release: June 2025 (PC March 2026)

Death Stranding 2: On The Beach - PS5

Included for '12 Best Games Like Metal Gear Solid to Play in 2026' as a representative home product in this roundup; selection reflects the product set returned for this topic.

View on Amazon →

The sequel expands to Mexico and Australia and leans much more into combat and infiltration. Enemy outposts can be cleared silently, and the toolset feels closer to Metal Gear Solid V than the first game did. Its story keeps Kojima’s love of strange, emotional storytelling.

The PC version, made with Nixxes, adds unlocked frame rates, ultrawide support and full mouse and keyboard controls.

Why it fits: more base infiltration and gadgets than the first game. Skip if: you have not played the first game; the story builds on it.

3. Hitman: World of Assassination: Best Stealth Sandbox

Platforms: PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, PC, Switch 2 | Genre: Stealth sandbox | Release: 2023 (collects 2016 to 2021 trilogy)

HITMAN: World of Assassination - PlayStation 5

Included for '12 Best Games Like Metal Gear Solid to Play in 2026' as a representative home product in this roundup; selection reflects the product set returned for this topic.

View on Amazon →

MGS’s best moments come from improvising: hiding in a box, using a magazine, choking a guard in a locker. Hitman is built entirely around that idea. Each level is a dense sandbox with dozens of ways to reach your target, from disguises and poison to staged accidents.

World of Assassination combines all three games of the modern trilogy into one package with more than 20 main locations, plus the roguelike Freelancer mode.

Why it fits: planning, disguises and creative solutions. Skip if: you want a big story; Hitman is about the sandbox.

4. 007 First Light: Best New Spy Game

Platforms: PS5, Xbox Series X|S, PC (Switch 2 version planned) | Genre: Third-person spy action | Release: May 2026

007 First Light - Standard Edition - PlayStation 5

Included for '12 Best Games Like Metal Gear Solid to Play in 2026' as a representative home product in this roundup; selection reflects the product set returned for this topic.

View on Amazon →

IO Interactive brings its Hitman experience to an original James Bond origin story. A 26-year-old Bond moves from Navy training to MI6 and goes after a rogue agent, 009. Levels mix stealth infiltration, gadgets, gunfights and set pieces, and missions can be replayed with modifiers.

It sits between Hitman’s sandboxes and Metal Gear’s cinematic spy action, and critics praised its gameplay and writing. IO reported 4 million units sold by August 2026.

Why it fits: a modern spy thriller with stealth and gadgets. Skip if: you only want open sandboxes; it is more scripted than Hitman.

5. Sniper Elite: Resistance: Best Open-Level Infiltration

Platforms: PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, PC | Genre: Tactical shooter | Release: January 2025

Sniper Elite: Resistance - PlayStation 5

Included for '12 Best Games Like Metal Gear Solid to Play in 2026' as a representative home product in this roundup; selection reflects the product set returned for this topic.

View on Amazon →

Sniper Elite games feature wide, open maps where you choose how to reach the objective, and the series is often compared to MGS V’s base infiltration. Resistance follows SOE agent Harry Hawker in occupied France. You can snipe from range, sneak through buildings and use distractions, with the famous X-ray kill camera for long shots.

It is a good fit for MGS fans who enjoyed Snake Eater’s jungle and outpost infiltration.

Why it fits: large, open stealth levels. Skip if: you want story depth; plots are simple.

6. Splinter Cell: Chaos Theory: Best Classic Stealth Rival

Platforms: PC, original Xbox (playable on Xbox One and Series X|S via backward compatibility), PS2, GameCube | Genre: Stealth action | Release: 2005

In the 2000s, Splinter Cell was Metal Gear’s direct rival. Sam Fisher works in shadow with night vision and gadgets, and Chaos Theory is widely regarded as the series’ best entry thanks to open levels, a sound meter and multiple routes. Its split-screen co-op campaign is also a highlight.

Ubisoft announced a remake of the first Splinter Cell in 2021; until it arrives, Chaos Theory is still the best way to experience the series.

Why it fits: pure, demanding stealth. Skip if: you need modern visuals.

7. Deus Ex: Mankind Divided: Best Conspiracy Story

Platforms: PS4, Xbox One, PC | Genre: Immersive sim | Release: 2016

Deus Ex: Mankind Divided - PlayStation 4

Included for '12 Best Games Like Metal Gear Solid to Play in 2026' as a representative home product in this roundup; selection reflects the product set returned for this topic.

View on Amazon →

Metal Gear is famous for conspiracies, shadowy organisations and debates about technology and control. Deus Ex shares all of that. Adam Jensen is an augmented agent in a near-future Prague, uncovering plots while dealing with prejudice against people like him.

You can finish the game without killing anyone, using hacking, vents and augmentations. Levels are dense with optional routes, much like the best MGS bases.

Why it fits: stealth plus a cyberpunk conspiracy. Skip if: you want a complete story; it ends on a cliffhanger.

8. Dishonored 2: Best Creative Level Design

Platforms: PS4, Xbox One, PC | Genre: Stealth action | Release: 2016

Arkane’s sequel lets you play as Emily Kaldwin or Corvo Attano, each with different supernatural powers. Every mission is a puzzle box, and levels like the shifting Clockwork Mansion are among the best ever designed for stealth.

Like MGS, it rewards non-lethal play and experimentation, and it reacts to how much chaos you cause.

Why it fits: creative tools and clever levels. Skip if: you dislike first-person view.

9. Shadow Tactics: Blades of the Shogun: Best Tactical Stealth

Platforms: PC, PS4, Xbox One | Genre: Real-time stealth tactics | Release: 2016

Shadow Tactics: Blades of the Shogun - PlayStation 4

Included for '12 Best Games Like Metal Gear Solid to Play in 2026' as a representative home product in this roundup; selection reflects the product set returned for this topic.

View on Amazon →

Mimimi Games’ Edo-period stealth game uses a top-down view, but its core loop of reading enemy vision cones, timing movements and using distractions is pure Metal Gear. You control five specialists, each with unique skills, and combine them in “shadow mode” to act at the same moment.

It is a great pick for MGS fans who love the planning part of stealth more than the action.

Why it fits: vision cones, patrols and perfect plans. Skip if: you want direct control of one character.

10. Mark of the Ninja: Remastered: Best 2D Stealth

Platforms: PC, PS4, Xbox One, Switch | Genre: 2D stealth | Release: 2012 (Remastered 2018)

Klei Entertainment’s side-scroller shows sound as visible circles and makes every rule of stealth clear. You can ghost through levels without being seen or killing anyone, using tools and environmental tricks.

It is short and focused, making it a great palate cleanser between longer Metal Gear games, and it shows how well Metal Gear’s sight-and-sound ideas translate to 2D.

Why it fits: clean, readable stealth rules. Skip if: you only enjoy 3D games.

11. Assassin’s Creed Shadows: Best Open-World Shinobi

Platforms: PS5, Xbox Series X|S, PC, Switch 2 | Genre: Open-world action | Release: March 2025

Assassin's Creed Shadows Standard Edition for Playstation 5

Included for '12 Best Games Like Metal Gear Solid to Play in 2026' as a representative home product in this roundup; selection reflects the product set returned for this topic.

View on Amazon →

Set in 16th-century Japan, Shadows splits its story between two leads: Naoe, a shinobi built for stealth, and Yasuke, a samurai built for combat. Naoe’s sections bring back proper hiding in shadows, going prone and using tools such as a grappling hook, which suits fans of MGS V’s open-world infiltration.

Why it fits: open bases to infiltrate and a dedicated stealth character. Skip if: you dislike long open-world games.

12. Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance: Best Action Spin-Off

Platforms: PC, PS3, Xbox 360 | Genre: Character action | Release: 2013

Developed by PlatinumGames, Rising follows Raiden after MGS4 in a fast action game built around cutting enemies apart with a blade. It is the opposite of stealth, but it keeps the series’ style, boss fights and wild speeches, and its soundtrack has become famous.

Why it fits: it is part of the Metal Gear universe. Skip if: you only want stealth.

Also Worth a Look

• Alpha Protocol: a spy RPG with branching choices, ideal if you like MGS’s espionage drama.
• Ghost of Tsushima: open-world samurai action with strong stealth tools.
• Crysis Remastered: a nanosuit with cloaking and gadget-driven combat.
• Phantom Fury: a retro shooter with a similar 90s action-movie tone.

How We Chose These Games

This list is research-based. We compared the games most often recommended across major “games like Metal Gear Solid” lists and fan discussions, then checked each against four MGS qualities: stealth as a real option, creative tools and gadgets, levels with multiple approaches, and a spy or conspiracy story. Each pick needed at least two. We verified release dates and platforms through publisher announcements and store pages, including the 2025 and 2026 releases that changed how easy it is to play the series itself.

How to Choose Your Next Stealth Game

If you loved the story

Play Death Stranding and Death Stranding 2 for Kojima’s storytelling, or Deus Ex: Mankind Divided for a conspiracy plot.

If you loved the sandbox

Hitman: World of Assassination is the best match for MGS V’s freedom, followed by Sniper Elite: Resistance and Assassin’s Creed Shadows.

If you loved classic stealth

Splinter Cell: Chaos Theory, Dishonored 2 and Mark of the Ninja: Remastered offer strict, satisfying stealth rules.

FAQ

What game is most like Metal Gear Solid?

Death Stranding and Death Stranding 2 are the most similar in tone because Hideo Kojima directed them. For gameplay, Hitman: World of Assassination and 007 First Light come closest to MGS’s stealth and spy action.

What order should I play the Metal Gear Solid games in?

Play in release order: Metal Gear Solid, MGS2, MGS3 (or Delta), MGS4, Peace Walker, Ground Zeroes and The Phantom Pain. Master Collection Vol. 1 and Vol. 2 now cover nearly all of these on modern platforms.

Is Metal Gear Solid 4 on PS5?

Yes. Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots is included in Master Collection Vol. 2, released in August 2026 for PS5, Xbox Series X|S, Switch 2, Switch and PC. It is the first time MGS4 has been released outside the PS3.

Is Metal Gear Solid Delta worth it?

For newcomers, yes. It is a faithful remake of MGS3 with modern controls and visuals, and MGS3 is the story’s chronological starting point. Fans of the original may prefer the version in Master Collection Vol. 1.

Is there a new Splinter Cell game?

Ubisoft announced a remake of the first Splinter Cell in 2021, but there is no release date. Splinter Cell: Chaos Theory remains the best entry to play today, including on Xbox consoles through backward compatibility.

Is Death Stranding a stealth game?

Partly. Its main focus is traversal and delivery, but many sections involve sneaking past BTs and human enemies. Death Stranding 2 adds more stealth infiltration and combat, closer to Metal Gear Solid V.

Which Game Should You Play Next?

Start by filling gaps in the series with Master Collection Vol. 1, Vol. 2 or Metal Gear Solid Delta. Then go to Death Stranding for Kojima’s voice, Hitman: World of Assassination for sandbox stealth, and 007 First Light for a fresh spy story. If you prefer planning to action, Shadow Tactics is excellent, and Deus Ex: Mankind Divided is the pick for anyone who loved MGS2’s ideas about information and control.

Last updated: October 2026