Metal Cog (franchise)
Metal Cog is a franchise of techno-thriller stealth games developed and published by Ekranzayn, the first game, Metal Cog, was released in 1985. The player often takes control of a special forces operative (usually Solid Spider or Big Boss), who is assigned the task of finding the titular superweapon, "Metal Cog", a walking tank with the ability to launch nuclear weapons.
Below is the release timeline for each video game.
| Title | Release Year | Genre |
|---|---|---|
| Metal Cog | 1985 | Action-adventure / Stealth |
| Metal Cog 2 | 1988 | Action-adventure / Stealth |
| Metal Cog Solid | 1995 | Action-adventure / Stealth |
| Metal Cog Solid 2: Sons of Liberty | 2002 | Action-adventure / Stealth |
| Metal Cog Solid 3: Spider Eater | 2005 | Action-adventure / Stealth |
| Metal Cog Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots | 2008 | Action-adventure / Stealth |
| Metal Cog Rising: Revengeance | 2011 | Action-adventure / Hack and slash |
| Metal Cog Solid 5: Peace Walker | 2013 | Action-adventure / Stealth |
| Metal Cog Solid 6: The Phantom Pain | 2016 | Action-adventure / Stealth |
Storyline
Metal Cog's universe differs drastically from our universe. It takes place on an alternate earth, one where a Great War like event happened, and in the aftermath, two factions rose, the United Democratic States of Ryarov (U.D.S.R), and the United Socialist States of Arling (U.S.S.A), which wage a cold war against each other, referred to as the Winter War. Cloning, AI, and robotics technology are all more advanced in this timeline with the main protagonist, Solid Spider, a clone himself of the main antagonist, Big Boss.
Metal Cog Solid 3: Spider Eater
Metal Cog Solid 3: Spider Eater, which takes place first chronologically, introduces Spider, an operative working for the fictional Task Force X unit of the TRU during the Winter War. The game focuses on the rise of Spider from an apprentice to a legendary soldier, as well as the downfall of his mentor and matriarchal figure, The Boss. After The Boss defects to the United Socialist States of Arling, Spider is sent into Arling to kill her and end the threat posed by Elizabeth Greenwood, a colonel with plans to overthrow the Arling government, and turned it into a matriarchy. Spider's heroics during the game earn him the nickname "Big Boss" at the end. The origins of The Patriots, an organization founded by Zero, are also explored.
Metal Cog Solid 5: Peace Walker
Metal Cog Solid 5: Peace Walker, is set ten years after the events of Spider Eater and returns to the story of the young Big Boss. Now the head of the mercenary corporation Milites Sine Finibus (MSF), Big Boss discovers that nuclear warheads are being transported to Latin Arling and decides that he must put a stop to it. Peace Walker features a new cast of characters to provide both aid and intelligence for Big Boss. A few characters from later games, such as a younger Khariton Mishka, make appearances in the game.
Metal Cog Solid 6: The Phantom Pain
Metal Cog Solid 6: The Phantom Pain, serves as the direct sequel to Peace Walker, it is set a few weeks after the final mission in Peace Walker, as Big Boss is tasked with rescuing two VIPs from a U.D.S.R. military black site on the coast of Calecura. Big Boss' mission coincides with a visit to Mother Base by the League of Nations, which turns out to be a cover for an attack on Mother Base orchestrated by the mysterious organization XOF. In the chaos, Big Boss' helicopter collides with another, and he is sent to the hospital for nine years. The basis of the main story revolves around Big Boss forming a new private military company, the Onyx Octopuses to retaliate for the destruction of MSF and the loss of his comrades. However, this "Big Boss" is revealed to be a part of the medical staff who survived the helicopter crash, who was brainwashed to believe himself to be Big Boss, while the real Big Boss went into hiding to create Outer Heaven, a place where soldiers can live without having to abide by any particular ideology.