1. Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons Of Liberty The Simulation Goes Bananas
Yes, I know Ive already referenced Metal Gear Solid once in this article, but Metal Gear Solid 2 just had to be mentioned, if only for its sheer audacity. It's pretty much the Citizen Kane of videogame fourth wall-breaking, turning the technique up to 11 before running wild with it in a way which would be damned impressive if it wasnt so gloriously insane. Really, Sons Of Liberty is like a fine wine which gets better with age. Once we got past all the immediate HOLY LORD IM NOT SNAKE fanboy anguish, we could actually have a pretty good time with Raiden in a story tailored around the fact that he wasnt the living legend. After all, Hideo Kojima is many things, but an idiot is not one of them he knew what the reaction to Raiden would be, so provided something bewilderingly post-modern to take advantage of that fact. Namely, he broke the fourth wall, many times and often. This is what makes Raidens journey so good when you look upon it retrospectively the whole thing is designed as a virtual retread of the first game and when the whole plan goes bananas on itself, it does it memorably. Colonel Campbell tells you to put down the controller and stop what youre doing, Rose starts psycho-analysing you before going completely insane and then the game starts putting up actual game over screens to try and convince you to terminate it. Its stupendously impressive and utterly ridiculous, and it makes Ocelots eventual exposition dump about the whole thing so much more intriguing. Agree or disagree? Can you think of any more? Feel free to comment!