Title screen

The title screen refers to the initial screen that is found in various games of the Metal Gear series, after the credits and logos of the game developer and publisher are displayed. Sometimes they are preceded by a title sequence featuring the opening credits of important members of the production.

Depending on the game, the title screen is either merged with the main menu or separate from it. In the latter case, the player is prompted to press a button or key to proceed to the main menu, often accompanied by a gunshot sound effect.

Depictions

Metal Gear

MSX2/Mobile/Subsistence/Virtual Console

Title screen (MSX2).

Title screen (re-release).

The title screen for the original Metal Gear is preceded by the game logo rapidly scrolling upwards, leaving behind afterimages, before stopping in the top-center with a chime. In the MSX2 version, the resulting title screen simply displays the prompt "Push Space Key" to start the game. The re-released version included with Metal Gear Solid 3: Subsistence gives the player the options "Game Start," "Load Game," check the "Instructions," and "End Game."

NES

NES title screen (Japan).

The title screen in the NES version simply displays the game logo without any initial animation, with the developer logo displayed above it (Konami in Japan and Europe, Ultra Games in the U.S.). The player is provided the option to either "Start" a new game or "Continue" by inputting a password. A handgun cursor is used to select an option.

PC DOS

DOS title screen.

The title screen in the PC DOS version displays an image of Solid Snake derived from the game's box art, along with a different version of the game logo. Pressing a key will exit the title screen, then present the player with the query "Joystick Attached" and the option to select "y or n," before displaying the main menu options "Start New Game" and "Load Saved Game." The title screen and menu are accompanied by a rendition of the base infiltration music from the NES version of the game.

Snake's Revenge

Title screen.

The title screen in Snake's Revenge displays the game logo and prompts the player to start the game.

Metal Gear 2: Solid Snake

The title screen animation depicts the title first having "Metal Gear 2" being formed by the two halves emerging from the center before spelling it out, then "Solid Snake" being formed in a similar manner, with the titles being in a black font with blue borders. When the title is formed, an ominous sound is heard.

It also has two different intros.

Staff Credits intro

The first intro gives the staff credits to the tune of "Theme of Solid Snake", while being accompanied by a montage that depicts the following:

• A graph depicting two hoops intersecting each other, one colored red, and one yellow, with a number generator running through various numbers;
• Schematics for Metal Gear D focusing on the feet of the mech, complete with text, reticles, and arrows;
• A fluctuating horizontal bar graph with the title TN-077 on top.
• Schematics for Metal Gear D focusing on the upper right side, in particular its missile launcher, with similar text, reticles, and arrows on it, with the launcher swaying back and forth;
• Schematics for Metal Gear D similar to the one above, only focusing on the top left portion of Metal Gear, and in particular the camera function before zooming in on it;
• A graphic is shown with the text "V.R." and "Mov" on various parts of the camera before zooming in further to show more text and a fluctuating red mechanical lens before further zooming in;
• A graphic showing a compilation of Solid Snake and Holly White's portraits in a red tone, various text around the image, as well as a targeting reticle skimming through the images;
• Schematics for Metal Gear D similar to the one regarding the camera, only this time focusing on the missile launcher before zooming in on it;
• A graphic showing the missile launcher being loaded with two missiles three times until filling all of the slots, with text appearing;
• Schematics for Metal Gear D similar to the one depicting on the feet, only this time focusing on its Vulcan cannon before zooming in;
• A graphic showing the Vulcan cannon firing bullets before slowing down with text appearing on the screen;
• Nine pieces of the Metal Gear Schematics put out of order before eventually being put together, showing various reticles, text, and arrows on the schematics before they form Metal Gear D itself.

Narration intro

The second intro depicts narration giving the backstory of the game, as well as images of a gun and ammunition clip, a watch, fatigues, and a pack of cigarettes, a knife and dog tags, and Solid Snake's face.

Metal Gear Solid

Bars of "The Best is Yet to Come" are heard as a submarine is shown passing by with the text mentioning it is at the Bering Sea near Alaska. It then cuts to the bridge of the sub with the words Ohio-Class Nuclear Submarine Discovery appearing at the bottom as well as a map being focused on regarding Shadow Moses Island. It then cuts to the Swimmer Delivery Vehicle with Solid Snake preparing for launch. Red lights then come on as the SDV prepares for launch, and then is launched. It then cuts between Snake and the SDV's camera as the SDV is going around before it releases water into the SDV. Snake then bursts out and swims to the surface. As this is all going on, excerpts from the briefing files relating to the mission are playing in the background.

The title screen shows a red toned Solid Snake removing his night vision goggles fading in with various graphs in the background. When selecting start game, a gunshot sound can be heard.

Metal Gear: Ghost Babel

The game starts with an aircraft as Snake is smoking, and flashes back to Roy Campbell recruiting him into stopping a terrorist occupation at Galuade. It then cuts back to the present and has Snake about to jump.

The main menu shows Snake holding his gun against a red background. Pressing start will have an approximation of a gunshot being heard.

Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty/Metal Gear Solid 2: Substance

The opening depicts some Japanese parchment and roman numerals underwater, before focusing on the Declaration of Independence as well as various texts, chemistry equations, and DNA strands, as well as hexagons and a 3D representation of a serpent while various clips from the game appear (such as Snake falling into water, his fight against Olga Gurlukovich, Ocelot and the Gurlukovich Mercenaries' raid of the tanker, Marines, and Snake entering an elevator, as well as Raiden and Snake on Arsenal Gear).

Standard/Substance

During a first playthrough, Snake will appear in red with various hexagons and graphs in the background. During a replay, his image will be replaced with that of Raiden's.

Metal Gear Solid: The Twin Snakes

The opening is largely similar to that of the original game, although a Submarine crew member hands Campbell the disc over another officer (presumably the CO of the sub) while Naomi Hunter watches, and then inserts the disc and does a biometric scan to get the data of the FOXHOUND members and Shadow Moses Island. In addition, the interior of the SDV does not turn red when preparing for launch, unlike the original.

The title screen also features two coiled snakes twirling around, one on each set, and selecting to start a game simply has a silenced gunshot being heard.

Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater

Although not actually playing during the start up of the game, the intro, playing after the player completes the Virtuous Mission, has a James Bond-esque opening sequence featuring various newspapers dating back to the time of the Cold War (such as a headline of the creation of the Berlin Wall by the New York Times, an article from Le Courrier [presumably a French newspaper] dated May 31, 1963 regarding Cuban Missiles, a Times article covering the controversial reception of the Vietnam War, and the Washington Herald covering the landing on the Moon), as well as a skeletal snake. It also shows gameplay clips such as Naked Snake wading through a riverbed, a KGB agent on patrol, a GRU soldier being ambushed by Solid Snake [despite the latter never actually appearing in the game], Snake using a ZU-23 against a Mil Mi-24, Solid Snake standing prominently in the Jungle and looking up while smoke is emitted, as well as various bomber jet sihlouettes flying against the background, camo images being formed from the continents, Snake eating an Arowana, and Snake firing an RPG at a chopper, as well as Volgin forming a fist while sparkling electricity. It eventually shows multiple skeletal snakes looping around as the title forms.

Standard/Subsistence/HD Edition

The title screen has a colored background while Snake is subduing a GRU soldier via various CQC moves, with different camo colors and patterns.

Snake Eater 3D

A First Person View crawl is shown of either Dremuchij (first playthrough) or Rokovoj Bereg (second playthrough). Unlike in the original game, selecting to start the game will result in a gunshot being heard.

Metal Gear Solid: Portable Ops

Portable Ops title screen.

The screen shows the FOX logo becoming the FOXHOUND logo as well as the year 1971, and then it shows various pan outs to the map of San Hieronymo on a landscape before settling on Metal Gear RAXA in silhouette. It then shows the title with a red background and RAXA's silhouette in the backdrop. Selecting to start the game features a gunshot.

Metal Gear Solid: Portable Ops Plus

Similar to the Portable Ops intro, although it also shows various soldiers. In addition, the title screen shows Big Boss posing against a gray background. Starting the game results in a gunshot.

Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots

The title screen features an aged Solid Snake visiting Arlington National Cemetery and looking at a grave marker while cherry blossoms breeze by and smoking, eventually taking out a gun and loading it, and then kneeling down as the screen pans up, heavily implying that he's about to shoot himself. This scene foreshadows Snake's attempted suicide in Naked Sin. Although clicking on the start prompt itself doesn't have the trademark gunshot be heard, selecting a new game difficulty and/or loading a new game does have a gunshot effect being heard.

Metal Gear Solid: Peace Walker

The title screen has a colored nuclear emergency warning system screen appearing in a static manner with the title in front, as well as a gunshot being heard if the player presses start when prompted.

The intro, which occurs if the player does not actually do anything for a few minutes, has a casting call featuring various characters (save for Coldman) pushing a button to launch missiles (Coldman instead looks as though he's about to launch missiles, but instead retracts and holds up a peace sign). This intro was initially released as the standalone trailer "Title Sequence" before the game's launch.

Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance

The title screen has Raiden with his eye closed, only to open it and have his optic implant shine red as the title comes up, with him readying his blade, with the camera shifting to various angles as he sparkles with electricity.

E3 Demo

The title screen for the E3 demo was largely similar to the final version, although a different soundtrack is heard in the background. A sneak peek of this trailer was posted on the Make It Right ARG site as the final unlockable trailer prior to the debut of the trailer, and was unlocked by implementing the Konami Code.

Metal Gear Solid V: Ground Zeroes

The title screen simply has Big Boss and a soldier sitting in the seating area of a transport chopper, with Snake occasionally getting up and moving about.

Although not an actual title screen, the title screen from Metal Gear Solid is referenced with the opening for the Extra Ops mission Déjà Vu.

Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain

First time

The intro, which only occurs once, has a SOS signal being sent by a commercial plane as well as screams before ambulance sirens are heard, with ominous breathing being heard in the background as well as it showing a quote from Emil Cioran. It then cuts to Outer Heaven as gunfire is heard and a man enters a lavatory, and inserts a tape as The Man Who Sold the World plays in the background. It then cuts to a first person view in a hospital bed looking around and then his groaning, catching the attention of an orderly and then, after confirming that he was stirring, ran off to notify the doctor in Greek to inform him of what occurred. It then shows the title fading in as people are repeating the phrase "V has come to." The title screen, shown in this instance only, shows Venom Snake simply lying in bed at a hospital room.

Post-ACC unlock

After the player has unlocked the ACC, the title screen, similar to in Ground Zeroes, depicts Snake sitting in the ACC, with the exact time of day depending on when the player last got on.

Metal Gear Online 3

Similar to Metal Gear Solid V above, the player is seen sitting when logging on, although in this case, it's at a base camp, and selecting start has the player character standing up.

Metal Gear Survive

A slight roar is heard before it shows the title of the game, accompanied with metallic strains slithering across the screen and brief light beam flashes.