The deep and intense lore that is the Metal Gear Solid series may be primarily known for its flashy mechs and heart-racing elements of its tactical espionage gameplay like Snake's famous CQC techniques, but it's much more than just that. At the end of the day, the Metal Gear series is about the military and obviously has its much darker tones within the story.
Amongst all the signature themes of government corruption, world domination, and private military corporations, the Metal Gear lore definitely has its moments that are hard to watch and even more difficult to play through. Here are some of the most notable disturbing moments in the history of the Metal Gear Solid series.
Disclaimer: Heavy series spoilers ahead!
7 Metal Gear Solid 4: Microwave Hall
As if it weren't difficult enough to see beloved protagonist, Solid Snake, succumb to the struggles that come with old age, there also was the infamous microwave scene in MGS4. Inside the massive warship that is Outer Haven, is a corridor that is lined with retractable microwave emitters on either side as a means to deter any unauthorized personnel from accessing the precious GW A.I. server room.
The corridor is essentially a giant microwave, but for humans. The walls would emit a specific kind of microwave that would then heat up the water molecules within the body in order to essentially burn (or boil) them from the inside.
While Raiden graciously offered to go in Snake's place due to the microwaves having less of an effect on his cyborg body, Snake, being the hero he is, refused and went in himself.
Forcing players to keep pushing Snake to move forward as his slow walk turned into an agonizing crawl was definitely difficult to swallow.
6 Metal Gear Solid 2 & Metal Gear Solid 4: Any Fight With Vamp
Vamp is an iconic Metal Gear character, but for a reason that isn't very flattering. Vamp is notoriously known for bringing an uncomfortably sensual vibe to every fight (or even cutscene) he's involved in.
Due to the nanomachines in his body, Vamp has been "killed" on many occasions; most of which were caused by Raiden in MGS2. The nanomachines in Vamp essentially heal him at an accelerated rate, allowing his wounds to heal faster than his body can succumb to any fatal injuries.
In MGS4, it was only fitting that Vamp made a return as Raiden's rival once again. In one notable fight, Raiden plunges one of Vamp's own blades into his chest. Rather than simply pulling it out, Vamp opts to continue and push it through his chest, and out of his back. Sure, Vamp is immortal, but there was no need for him to show off in such a disturbing way!
5 Metal Gear Solid 5: Venom Snake Kills The Infected Soldiers & Staff
At one point in MGS5, some of the Diamond Dogs were infected with a vocal cord parasite that was triggered when certain languages were spoken (in this case, Kikongo). While the first outbreak was handled relatively well on Mother Base, thanks to the help of Code Talker identifying the strain and Ocelot setting up a quarantine zone, the second outbreak lead to one of the most difficult scenes to watch/play in the entirety of the game.
During the second, more severe outbreak, the soldiers that were left to suffer in the quarantine facility were also left in the dark about what their fate would ultimately be. Boss, with no other options left, is then forced to enter the quarantine zone to euthanize the infected soldiers as leaving them to live would put the rest of the world at risk of a pandemic.
Forcing Boss to make his way throughout the entire facility to kill his own men against his will while hearing their pleas for help, their anger and pain from feeling betrayed, or even their bittersweet "thank-yous" wasn't only disturbing but also heartbreaking as well.
4 Metal Gear Solid 2: A.I. Colonel's Speech
There isn't a single Metal Gear fan that doesn't have a haunting memory of the Colonel telling the Raiden to turn the console off from MGS2. In MGS2, Raiden begins to question his whole role and purpose of his mission as the cracks in the Colonel's identity begin to show. Nearing the end of the game, Raiden is stripped of his gear and consults with the Colonel to figure out his next move. However, it is later revealed that the Colonel is simply an A.I., controlled by the Patriots to manipulate Raiden.
At this point, A.I. Colonel begins to malfunction, leaving Raiden confused and baffled, to a point where Raiden even gives up on trying to respond or make sense of the nonsense ramblings Colonel goes on about.
While Colonel's voice and codec image begin to obscure, he goes on about odd gossip about Rosemary, references previous Metal Gear games, and even makes bizarre complaints about his home and financial situation. Who knew that A.I. Colonel's, "I need scissors! 61!" would end up being one of the most famous one-liners of the entire series?
3 Metal Gear Solid 1: Gray Fox's Death
Mercenary, Frank Jaeger, codename Gray Fox, had an incredibly troubling history altogether. It wasn't enough that the man began his journey as a soldier as a mere child, but he was also forced to be a test subject, having traumatic and dangerous genome experiments done to him without any of his consent.
By the time Fox had finally met his end, the experiments and heavy augmentations of both his psyche and his body had taken a massive toll on him, already feeling as if he had stopped truly living a long time ago. It is in MGS1 that Fox and Solid Snake team up to take down the deadly mech known as Metal Gear REX. It is during this fight that Snake is forced to watch his friend sacrifice himself in order to take Liquid and REX down once and for all.
Although the durable exoskeleton Fox was fitted with (against his will) had held up to the first few attacks, it ultimately gave in, and finally stopped Fox from continuing the life he felt had already ended years ago.
2 Metal Gear Solid 2: Emma's Death
This particular scene wasn't just hard to watch because of Emma's tragic death, but also because of all the messy family history that was revealed along with it.
As poor step-sister, Emma finally confessed to Otacon that she wanted him to see her as a woman just before dying in his arms, Otacon had to admit that he could never see her that way. Poor Emma already had a ton of trauma to deal with on her own after Otacon left home, but hearing that he didn't reciprocate her feelings right before her untimely death was the hardest thing to watch. On one hand, it feels cruel of Otacon to be honest with how he saw Emma, but on the other, it was simply because although not blood-related, Otacon and Emma were still step-siblings that he didn't feel that way. Right?
However, things get even more difficult to stomach as Otacon then reveals that he had an affair with Emma's mother (a.k.a. his own stepmother) that ultimately lead to his biological father's suicide that almost took Emma's life as well.
1 MGS: Ground Zeroes - Explosive Paz
In MGS: Ground Zeroes, Paz (real name Pacifica Ocean) is held as a prisoner at Camp Omega in Cuba and is brutally tortured by the antagonist, Skull Face as detailed in the audiotapes the player can listen to. Not only did Paz already endure endless rounds of torture, but even after all seemed fine and as if things were finally looking up for the poor girl, her rescue mission goes awry.
Upon inspecting her on the helicopter back to base, Boss finds that she had been implanted with a bomb inside her abdomen. Even after an emergency surgery done by the medic on board (with absolutely no anesthetic) and Paz screaming and crying from the incredible pain, Paz's grim fate was still unchanged. After regaining consciousness, Paz warns Boss and the others that there is in fact a second bomb inside of her, and jumps out of the helicopter as an act of self-sacrifice.