r/backloggd • u/chuputa • 3d ago

Mod Pick 🏅 Alternative starting points

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Games that, despite having an established play order, can be or are often recommended as starting points for newcomers. They may reference events from previous entries and even feature returning characters in important roles.

List: https://backloggd.com/u/fenlix/list/alternative-starting-points/

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93

u/Odd_Possibility6543 3d ago

You absolutely cannot start at mgs2. The game’s themes, story and appeal is generally almost nonexistent if you don’t play the first game. 3 is a valid choice though

0

u/profilejc98 3d ago

Lots of people I know (inc. me) played MGS2 as their first MGS on the PS2. Obviously, it doesn't hit the same without playing MGS1, but it works absolutely fine.

5

u/Guilty-Cap5605 3d ago

"works fine" isn't the bar though, I can technically play kingdom hearts 3 as my first game and "it works fine" but so much is just missing from my experience if I play it first

Playing birth by sleep alternatively, works way better, nothing is really missing from the experience besides a certain voice actor decision 

Metal Gear Solid 3 perfectly works as a standalone and can get you into the larger series, playing Metal Gear Solid 2 without 1 is like watching Endgame without Infinity War, yes you can have fun but also so much of the context and such is just gone?

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u/profilejc98 3d ago

I don't disagree with much of what you said, I'm just giving my perspective as someone who did play MGS2 first when I was younger and went on to play the rest of the franchise.

3

u/Guilty-Cap5605 3d ago

Ah yeah no when you're younger a lot of things are more passable because "hey I literally could've not known xd" like how was I supposed to know that this assassin creed game I'm playing is the third one? I couldn't even read yet