10. Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty
This is what irks me. Metal Gear Solid was a cleverly written game. Sure it had some overblown weirdness and some parts where the story seemed to get a bit sluggish but overall it was a clever stealth based game based around a real life fear of the prevalence of soldiers and weapons in a Post-Cold War World. Such a fear was not only relatable, it was one that still struck a chord in a society pre September 11th. Up trots Metal Gear Solid 2, however, and all the clever thematic ideas are flung out the window as the writers attempt to try and fill the story with as much twists as they possibly can before the ending. With all these agendas, the player doesn't feel involved in what's going on, just used, as he finds out more and more that he is just a puppet for each faction's nefarious plans. The upshot of all this is that while the game itself features much of the interesting gameplay of MGS1, the story doesn't grip you to continue. Then after all this, the game tries to lecture you about making your own mind up. Patronising, bizarre and frankly the game that managed to drop a massive millstone on the back of Metal Gear Solid 4- from which it didn't fully recover.