Metal Gear is one of the most iconic videogame franchises of all time. Helmed by Hideo Kojima, the series has come across a plethora of beautiful moments, silly moments, and a wonderful set of music created for each game. As consoles evolved, so did the Metal Gear Solid series. Music can be such a powerful emotive tool, and it’s something that Metal Gear takes full advantage of.
Every Metal Gear title has its unique sound, both on the soundtrack or the score created specifically for the title. The series doesn’t lack great music in the slightest, and it’s almost impossible to fully recognize and appreciate every single song in one article about the Metal Gear franchise.
10 The Best Is Yet To Come
Sung by Aoife Ní Fhearraigh, “The Best is Yet to Come” symbolizes a turning point when it plays during the game, as Solid Snake takes the leap to 3D on the PlayStation. The game represents that truly, the best is indeed, yet to come.
It’s a beautiful piece that consists of strong, angelic vocals in Irish. The instrumentals complement the signing but remain in the background for the most part. The song itself is an emotional, powerful, and moving entity that belongs to the Metal Gear franchise.
9 It Has To Be This Way
These metal genre songs fit perfectly into the sharp edge that comes with Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance. Raiden’s journey comes to its climactic conclusion with Senator Steven Armstrong. The fight itself, and the philosophy behind the two men, are bolstered by the song “It Has To Be This Way”, which has become the subject of a few new memes.
The song itself, produced by Jamie Christopherson and Logan Mader, and sung by Jimmy Gnecco, symbolizes Armstrong and Raiden a lot more than first realized. The lyrics sing of an opponent, and the need to fight, but at no fault of their own. This coincides with Raiden and Armstrong’s philosophies, their differences, and the similarities that make them fight to the death.
8 Can’t Say Goodbye To Yesterday
This vocal piece was performed by Carla White, and produced by Rika Muranaka. Combined with the Felix Farrar Orchestra, ears are blessed with a beautiful piece. It has hints of a Bond song, it’s somber and jazzy. It’s everything to expect in a gentile, unspoken victory of espionage and cool.
As the ending theme of Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty, it’s very reminiscent of lounge music. It has strong oldies aesthetic and fits perfectly into the game’s ending, an ending that changed due to the impact of the 9/11 tragedy. The song’s final minute consists of jazzy brass instruments and piano playing, which makes for a quiet ending, to a loud and profound game.
7 Father And Son
This instrumental piece crafted by Harry Gregson-Williams symbolizes the first meeting, and the last, of the game’s central protagonists in Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots. The two characters spurred the conflict and resolution of the entire series. The meeting of Father and Son, the reunion of Big Boss and Solid Snake.
The music highlights the power of this moment, as Big Boss hugs his son, and tells him to “let it go”. The gentle pluck of guitar strings and the power of brass instruments make this emotional moment a superb one. The beautiful dialogue between father and son is the perfect ending to the franchise.
6 Sins Of The Father
Donna Burke’s stunning vocals were key to “Sins of the Father”, a song produced for Metal Gear Solid 5: The Phantom Pain. The song was key to the release journey of the Phantom Pain, as the lyrics were changed per trailer to add new story clues about the game’s mysterious plot and who Venom Snake truly is.
The song also features twice in the game, first when Ocelot and Snake travel to Afghanistan, and secondly when Snake and Skull Face finally meet. The strong vocals can also be heard whenever Snake skips time with the phantom cigar. It’s a powerful piece of music, that fits wonderfully with Phantom Pain’s darker themes against nuclear war.
5 V Has Come To
A song with perhaps a double meaning, or more, “V Has Come To” was created by Ludvig Forssell. It features powerful instrumentals, ones that one could expect from a powerful and triumphant superhero movie by the likes of Hans Zimmer. The sound is perfect for Metal Gear's legacy of iconic sound design.
The music is strong, and blissfully takes dark twists and turns to tell listeners that perhaps the sounds, are not all that they seem. The meaning behind this song comes from the literal sense that “V” has come to Metal Gear, as in the 5th main entry, or perhaps the arrival of “V”enom Snake, the fifth snake.
4 Love Deterrence
Perhaps the song with the least Metal Gear influence, Love Deterrence, or “Koi no Yokushiryoku” in Japanese, is a song performed for Metal Gear Solid: Peace Walker. It prominently features Tara Strong’s Paz Ortega and has a strong J-POP influence.
It’s a strange song, yet a beautifully sung, and a love song at that. With vocals from Nana Mizuki and lyrics from Akihiro Honda, the song is a catchy one, but not something Solid Snake would want to be caught listening to whilst hiding in a cardboard box on Shadow Moses.
3 MGS2 Theme
The introduction of Metal Gear Solid 2, and the theme itself, is full of spy influence and espionage. The modernized theme is still the most iconic theme song of the franchise and makes its return in future games. The song is quick and takes many sharp turns until halfway through when it comes slow and triumphant.
This theme, wonderfully orchestrated by Harry Gregson-Williams is the peak of Metal Gear music, and this theme’s crescendo simply encapsulates what the franchise is about, with power and determination for liberty and freedom.
2 Heaven’s Divide
The vocal theme to Metal Gear Solid: Peace Walker, “Heaven’s Divide” has beautiful lyrics written by Akihiro Honda. It’s a beautiful continuation of Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater, with many of the lyrics alluding to the events of the game that made Big Boss who he is. “petals of white, cover fields flowing in grieving tears”, is a heartbreakingly wonderful allegory for Naked Snake and The Boss’ confrontation.
With vocals from Donna Burke, and an array of instruments, the song fits perfectly into the Metal Gear series and brings a hopeful beauty to the series with its peaceful song. Peace Walker is regarded as a great Metal Gear title, which is due to a return to platforms.
1 Snake Eater
Perhaps regarded as one of the most popular songs of the entire franchise, “Snake Eater” was the opening theme for Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater. It’s distinctly James Bond-like, accompanied by powerful instrumentals, and an angelic voice from Cynthia Harrell. With the song being written by Norihiko Hibino, “Snake Eater” is no short of legendary, and a key piece to the franchise.
The song also plays during the ladder sequence, which makes the climbing segment, although long, at least somewhat entertaining due to the incredible vocal highlights of Cynthia Harrell. It’s truly one of the best songs the franchise has to offer, and could easily be confused as an actual Bond song.