Review of Metal Gear Solid: The Board Game

The tale of the Metal Gear Solid Board Game is almost as intricate as the plot of a Metal Gear game itself. It’s a saga filled with delays and licensing hurdles, and at one point, it seemed destined never to see the light of day. Yet, much like Solid Snake swooping in to save the day, CMON Games came to the rescue, finally bringing this card-based adaptation of Hideo Kojima’s classic to fans everywhere. Recreating everything from sneaking around in cardboard boxes to intense boss fights, the game’s tactical stealth mechanics have made a commendable transition from console to tabletop. However, the experience isn’t flawless, leaving me both pleased and somewhat disappointed.

Metal Gear Solid: The Board Game is crafted as a campaign-style adventure that reimagines the narrative of the original Metal Gear Solid game from the PlayStation era of 1998. Suited for one to four players (though there’s more to unpack about that later), participants guide miniatures of beloved characters like Meryl, Otacon, Cyborg Ninja Gray Fox, and, of course, Solid Snake through 14 different scenarios. These scenarios include iconic moments like the showdown with Ocelot and taking down REX.

That said, one glaring exclusion is the final showdowns between Solid and Liquid Snake. It’s frustrating that neither the hand-to-hand brawl atop REX nor the dramatic Jeep chase made it into the game. Perhaps the designers struggled with executing a 4v1 battle on REX or incorporating the escape into the game format. Instead, they chose to end the game with an epic team battle against Metal Gear REX. Thankfully, the fan community has come to the rescue on this front. On BoardGameGeek, user @Geoff907 and their wife have come up with their own unique Stage 15, delivering that much-desired shirtless fistfight for players eager for a complete experience.

Purchasing the pricier “Integral Edition” enriches the narrative experience with a stunning 109-page graphic novel illustrated by comic artist Kenneth Loh. Complementing the gameplay, it evokes memories of Metal Gear Solid: Peace Walker and PSP’s Digital Graphic Novels. And staying true to its roots, the board game incorporates the series’ iconic CODEC calls, now seamlessly adapted through prompts and the included Codec Book. The developers have taken great care to replicate the gameplay’s blend of quirky dialogue and practical tips, like Snake referencing his action limits or offering clever strategies to outsmart Psycho Mantis.

On the gaming front, each character gets up to four actions per turn, as determined by their unique action boards. Progression in the game unlocks new equipment, such as Snake’s trusty Socom or the must-have cardboard box, broadening each character’s abilities and mirroring the video game’s on-the-fly procurement strategy. When the players’ turns conclude, enemies take their actions. From routine guards to formidable bosses, enemy movements and actions are determined by action cards, creating varied and often unpredictable challenges.

Boss battles provide unique and thrilling challenges, pulling players out of their comfort zones. Each encounter feels fresh, whether it’s Revolver Ocelot cleverly maneuvering while ricocheting bullets or the Hind D with its multiple damage points. Thanks to the game’s modular design, these battles take place in diverse environments, each introducing unique elements like the potential death of Kenneth Baker during Ocelot’s fight. These layers not only heighten the drama but also ensure the battles maintain a healthy challenge.

This unpredictability injects a constant sense of tension, with dice rolls determining aspects like action noise or enemy accuracy. I often found myself anxiously drawing guard movement cards, wondering if I’d been spotted. I never felt the game was unjust, but it consistently kept me on my toes, striking the right balance between strategy and luck.

Despite the promise of accommodating up to four players, at least within the campaign mode, I’d advise keeping it to a maximum of two players. In my experience, the game truly shines as a solo adventure. Specific characters are required for each scenario, and early scenarios are limited to Snake alone. Out of the entire campaign, only five scenarios allow for four players, with the first such mission not appearing until much later.

This choice makes sense from a narrative angle; Snake wasn’t meant to have Gray Fox tagging along consistently. But from the perspective of a board game fan, this is a drawback. It can be challenging to engage friends, especially when only one can hop in during most of the earlier game, leaving others to wait for the latter stages. I wish the game offered optional tweaks for introducing more characters into scenarios or alternate scenarios for varied player counts.

On a brighter note, the developers acknowledged this limitation with the inclusion of the “VR Missions” mode, available for all four players. However, this mode has its own shortcoming—a lack of variety. The missions book introduces six types such as Recon and Escape, but there’s only one map layout per type. While elements like tokens and traps may vary, the static map reduces replay value once you learn the layout. I hope CMON or the player community will introduce inventive maps and missions to spice things up.

You can find this board game on Amazon, and if you’re interested, explore our reviews of other video-game-inspired board games like Dead Cells, S.T.A.L.K.E.R., and Elden Ring.