Metal Gear Solid is a video game franchise filled with plenty of snakes. While Metal Gear is most often associated with Solid Snake, the main protagonist of arguably the most popular entries in the series, he’s far from the only Snake that appears in the games. Others are Naked, some are Punished, and one is even Liquid. Despite sharing the same codename, though, every Snake in the Metal Gear saga is pretty different from one another and has key attributes that set them apart.
With that in mind, this is our ranking of every Snake in the entirety of Metal Gear Solid from worst to best.
6. Edible Snakes
What, you thought I wouldn’t include the very real snakes that are present in Metal Gear Solid 3? While they obviously pale in comparison to every other Snake in Metal Gear, the actual snakes that you can acquire in MGS3 do play a pretty important role. After all, why do you think the game was named Snake Eater in the first place?
The best thing about the snakes you find in Metal Gear Solid 3 is that they more often than not give Naked Snake, the main character of the game, more stamina recovery than any other animals that you’ll find. MGS3’s stamina system is an important pillar of its gameplay, so capturing or killing snakes to later consume is more vital than you might think. Without these snakes, Big Boss might never have been able to sustain himself and eventually accomplish Operation Snake Eater. Their sacrifice will not be forgotten.
5. Venom Snake
Okay, now onto the first real Snake. Venom Snake, also known as Punished Snake, is the main protagonist of Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain. Without giving much away, his true identity ends up being one of the biggest twists in all of Metal Gear and helps fill one of the last remaining plotholes that remained after the conclusion of Metal Gear Solid 4.
Venom Snake is actually a fantastic character and is one of the more ingenious creations of director Hideo Kojima. That being said, Venom lacks the personality of his Snake counterparts, which was one of the main points of contention that fans had with MGSV. In a game all about language and its impact on the world, Venom Snake is more often than not a silent protagonist. As a result, he ranks near the bottom of this list despite playing a very pivotal part in the Metal Gear mythos.
4. Solidus Snake
Solidus Snake has the distinction of being the only Snake that was also at one point the President of the United States. That alone is enough to launch him into the top four. Outside of this, Solidus features arguably the coolest design of any Snake in Metal Gear, toting both an eyepatch and a mechanized suit that includes some Doctor Octopus-style tentacles.
The only thing preventing Solidus from being any higher on this list is the fact that he really only appears in one game, that of Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty. Still, his role in MGS2 and his eventual final boss fight are among the best moments in the entirety of Metal Gear. While I personally wish he got more screentime, Solidus is still a memorable character with an awesome look.
3. Solid Snake
Yes, believe it or not, Solid Snake barely cracks the top three. The protagonist of the original Metal Gear Solid, who later becomes Old Snake in Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots, is one of the most iconic video game characters ever. With his gray and black stealth suit and gruff voice from none other than David Hayter, Solid Snake is one of the most recognizable characters of any medium over the past 30 years.
Compared to some other characters in Metal Gear, though, Solid Snake just doesn’t get the same love with his own throughline arc. Much of this is as a result of Raiden (who was also at one point dubbed Snake) taking his place in Metal Gear Solid 2 as the main protagonist, forcing Solid Snake into a backseat role. His story as Old Snake in MGS4 is then fantastic, but his personal narrative has to coexist with the game’s many bombastic sequences that are meant to wrap up the entirety of Metal Gear. For as great as Solid Snake is, it feels like there’s still untapped potential with his character.
2. Liquid Snake
For as good as Solid Snake is, Liquid Snake is even better. The main antagonist of Metal Gear Solid, and somewhat of the series as a whole, is one of the best video game villains ever. And if you don’t agree with that, what other baddie do you know of that can “possess” another person through their dismembered arm?
Liquid Snake ends up ranking a bit higher compared to his brother, predominantly because we get to see him develop over a longer period of time. His role as the child, Eli, in Metal Gear Solid V is one of that game’s best aspects. Liquid also perfectly threads the needle between being cartoonishly evil and sympathetic, which makes his motivations even more compelling and enjoyable to watch unfold. Even though Liquid Snake is only truly thrust into the spotlight in Metal Gear Solid 1, his impact is felt throughout the entire series. Plus, for my money, Cam Clarke gives the best voice acting performance of any Metal Gear character, making Liquid stand out that much more.
1. Naked Snake
Naked Snake, later known as Big Boss, is easily the best Snake of the bunch in Metal Gear. Without him, Solid Snake, Liquid Snake, and Solidus Snake wouldn’t even exist, as all three are clones. In short, Big Boss is the true OG Snake, and all of his choices and decisions directly end up impacting the throughline Metal Gear story that unravels across every installment.
Outside of simply being the most pivotal person in all of Metal Gear, Big Boss is also an excellent character in his own right with more depth than anyone else. He’s gone through the turmoil of having to kill his former mentor, The Boss, while also being forced to watch others close to him die time and time again. The result of all of these moments sees Big Boss becoming a borderline villain, although his motivations always remain understood and nuanced. He’s a complex and tragic character, which is why Naked Snake ends up being the best Snake of all in Metal Gear.
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