10 Awesome Video Game Characters REPLACED In Sequels
7. Big Boss (Metal Gear Solid V)
Replacing the expected lead with an entirely new hero is a trick so nice, Hideo Kojima pulled it twice.
The first time round was in Metal Gear Solid 2, where beloved series icon Solid Snake was replaced with the initially irritating Raiden. The second time Kojima pulled a switcheroo was in MGS V, where the final twist revealed that players had not been controlling the legendary Big Boss but his body double. Unfortunately, only one of these twists gets proper justification.
It's all about the timing, really. MGS 2 replaced Snake with Raiden right after the first act, meaning the game gave itself plenty of time to explain the decision to swap protagonists. It may take a while to get there, but by the time the credits roll you can perfectly understand why Kojima placed Raiden in Snake's shoes.
MGS V's body swap, however, happens right at the end of the game. This means that there is no time to process what's happened, and the final explanation (that Big Boss wanted to shake off his enemies) feels rushed at best, half-assed at worst.
Metal Gear Solid V's story would have worked just fine if it really had been Big Boss in the starring role, and the final twist felt like something Kojima had written after an M. Night Shyamalan binge.