Here's everything you need to know to start the exciting new game!

Metal Gear Solid V is finally here, and for better or worse; you’re here to get a rundown on the game’s rather extensive story. Luckily for you, the details you need to know before playing the newest game aren’t as hefty as you might think. So join us, as we run you down on the most important tidbits needed to understand the story of the Metal Gear Solid universe.

Vital Fact: Metal Gear Solid V is a Part of a Prequel Saga

An essential fact to know about MGS V is that its overarching story splits into two major arcs. The first centres on Big Boss, who stars in the first half of the series timeline, which in chronological order is: MGS 3, Peace Walker, Ground Zeroes, MGS V: The Phantom Pain. The second half centres on Solid Snake, who stars in Metal Gear, Metal Gear 2, MGS, MGS 2, and finally MGS 4. Both characters come face-to-face in several of these games.

Question: So who is…Big Boss or Whatever?

Big Boss is a legendary war hero and genetic father of Solid Snake (more on that later). He becomes a major antagonist later in the series' chronology who wanted to become a global military power with the use of Metal Gears, which are nuclear equipped bipedal tanks. In his early years, he was a patriotic U.S. soldier who constantly saved the world from the threat of Metal Gear-like weapons. However, it was his first big mission that led him down a path towards disillusionment.

Game Summary: Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater

In 1964, Big Boss–known then under the codename of Naked Snake–was sent on a mission in the Soviet Jungle as an operative of FOX, a U.S. Special Forces group. He was to rescue a soviet rocket scientist, but failed when his former mentor, known as The Boss, appeared and wounded him as an act of betrayal. Once recovered from his injuries, Big Boss was sent on a new mission called Operation: Snake Eater. His objective was to kill The Boss as well as disable the Shagohod; an experimental prototype tank capable of launching a nuke. Big Boss was successful, but he discovered that the mission was a ruse. What the U.S. was really seeking was something called the Philosophers' Legacy; a $100 billion cash reserve that had been amassed by a secret group of world leaders called the Philosophers. Big Boss, having killed his mentor against his wishes, for a mission that turned out to be bogus, was left disenfranchised with his country.

Key Character: The Boss

The Boss was a decorated American soldier and former mentor of Big Boss. The two shared a strong spiritual bond and developed the art of CQC (Close Quarters Combat) together. During the events of MGS 3, the U.S. sent her on a mission to pretend to defect to the Soviet Union and recover the Philosophers’ Legacy, which was suspected to be in possession of a rogue soviet colonel named Borisovitch Volgin. But when he fired a handheld nuclear missile at his own country, the U.S. was accused by the Soviet Union of provoking a nuclear war. As a result, the U.S. ordered The Boss to pretend to have acted alone, thus absolving the U.S. from any guilt. The Boss sacrificed her honor, continued to pretend to have been a national traitor, and died at the hands of her apprentice.

Important Motivation: The Boss’ Will

Prior to the events of MGS 3, The Boss unofficially became the first American sent into space. During her time up in Earth’s atmosphere, seeing the planet from up above inspired a dream to unite the world as one, outside of political allegiances and petty competition. This dream became known to characters in the Metal Gear Solid universe as The Boss’ will.

The Philosophers

Composed of the highest powers from different branches of the U.S., Soviet Union, and China, the Philosophers were a secret group formed after World War I to steer history away from needless warfare. But following the death of its last remaining original member by 1930, the group spiraled into corruption. During the Second World War, the group amassed the Philosophers' Legacy as a means of ensuring victory against the Axis powers via advanced weapons development. Once the conflict was over, it was intended for the funds to be split evenly among the nations. However, the money was secretly stolen by Volgin's father and distributed into several bank accounts. The records of these transactions were then stored on a microfilm and passed on to Volgin after his father's death. The scramble to find the microfilm caused tension between each nation's branch of Philosophers as their hunger for power led to a struggle to secure all the money for themselves. The competition for the Philosopher's Legacy is what sparked the events in Snake Eater, and ultimately, Big Boss' detachment from his former alliances.

Key Character: Zero

Zero was Big Boss’ commanding officer during Operation: Snake Eater. In the aftermath of the mission's completion, he grew tired of the Philosophers, whose bickering nature he felt degenerated the organization into squabbling factions. With the help of a U.S. spy codenamed Ocelot, he acquired the Philosopher’s Legacy and a full list of its members. He then eliminated the Philosophers and started his own secret organization called The Patriots.

Key Character: Ocelot

Ocelot first appeared during the events of Operation: Snake Eater as a member of an elite soviet unit known as the GRU, and on various occasions, he would get in the way of Big Boss. While an enemy at first, it turned out that Ocelot was actually an American spy who acquired half of the Philosopher’s Legacy for the CIA portion of the American Philosophers. Growing disenfranchised with the Philosophers as a whole, Ocelot eventually stole back the Legacy from the CIA, acquired the whereabouts of the other half, and aligned himself with Zero to assist in the formation of the Patriots.

The Patriots

With the end of the Philosophers, Zero began his own secret organization known as The Patriots (codenamed Cipher). Alongside him were Big Boss, Ocelot, former members of FOX, and an ex-spy from China named EVA. Together they worked to fulfill The Boss’ will of uniting the world as one.

A Difference in Interpretation

As the Patriots worked together, it became increasingly clear that Big Boss and Zero disagreed in their interpretations of The Boss’ will. Zero was convinced that in order to fulfill it, he needed to turn Big Boss into a messiah-like icon and unify the world as one by controlling information. However, Big Boss strongly resented this, resulting in a falling-out in his relationship to Zero.

Les Enfants Terribles

Fearing the loss of Big Boss as an icon, Zero tasked scientists with creating clones of him. The project–referred to as Les Enfants Terribles–initially gave birth to octuplets, but six of the embryos in the egg were aborted to secure Big Boss' dominant and recessive genes. What resulted were twin clone sons: Liquid Snake and Solid Snake. When Big Boss caught wind of this, he decided to leave the Patriots to secretly form his own private mercenary army in opposition to Zero. Meanwhile, the twin sons remained alive and healthy. Those who have played earlier games in the series will know that these twins would later become major characters in the future of the Metal Gear Solid chronology.

Game Summary: Metal Gear Solid: Peace Walker

In 1974, Big Boss–still calling himself Snake–built up a private mercenary group called MSF (Militaires sans Frontieres). His group was hired by University professor Ramon Galvez and his student Paz Ortega to get rid of an unknown armed force in Costa Rica. Upon investigating, Big Boss discovered a giant bipedal tank controlled by an AI called Peace Walker, which was built by a rogue CIA unit to ensure nuclear deterrence. Big Boss succeeded in destroying it, and decided to finally take on the codename of Big Boss. However, he was soon double-crossed by Paz, who revealed herself as an agent of The Patriots under Zero’s orders to force him to rejoin the group. To ensure this, Paz hijacks Metal Gear ZEKE, a nuclear-equipped bipedal tank built by MSF, but Big Boss stops her. He then assures his army that he’ll build a mercenary haven free of politics and nation: Outer Heaven.

Key Character: Kazuhira Miller

Kazuhira Miller is the second-in-command of MSF and a comrade of Big Boss. Looking to expand MSF and the construction of its Mother Base, Miller conducted dealings with The Patriots, due to his belief in the mercenary business as a potential new driving force for the economy. As a result, Miller's actions helped instigate the events of MGS: Peace Walker as he had been in on Paz’s schemes the entire time, and was the one who orchestrated her meeting with Big Boss. Despite this clear betrayal, Big Boss still forgave Miller for his misdeeds since the progress they made in establishing MSF as a powerful trendsetter for military operations was undeniable.

Game Summary: Metal Gear Solid V: Ground Zeroes

In 1975, Big Boss and Miller prepared MSF for an upcoming UN inspection amid suspicions that they possessed a nuclear weapon. Meanwhile, a report surfaced that Paz was still alive and was being held in a Cuban prison camp. The situation was further complicated when Chico, a child soldier from Mother Base, was caught at the prison camp searching for Paz. While Miller and MSF scientist Huey Emmerich handled the inspection, Big Boss infiltrated the camp, rescued Paz and Chico, and escaped via helicopter. On the way back, they discovered that a bomb was surgically implanted in Paz, which an MSF medic swiftly removed. But when they returned to Mother Base, they found it being attacked by a mysterious unit known as XOF. In a desperate firefight, Big Boss retrieved Miller, but as they fled, Mother Base was completely wiped out. Paz then woke up and warned the group that there was another bomb inside her. Anticipating inevitable death, Paz jumped out before it could explode. The resulting explosive force then caused them to spiral out of control and into a pursuing XOF helicopter.

V Has Come To.

From what we know of Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain's premise, Big Boss entered into a coma after the events of Ground Zeroes. He eventually awakens in the year 1984, but what kind of world has he come back to? What new fights are there to be had? These answers can be found in The Phantom Pain.