So the only Metal Gear game I've ever actually played was the 1998 Metal Gear Solid for the PS1 when I was a kid. I've not played a single other game in the series since.
Which ones would you recommend? Would it be better to play them in chronological order to get the full overarching story, or do they work ok independent of one another?
I've not played anything past 4. I've heard the Peace Walker PSP series is really good. My personal recommendation is 3, especially if you're a fan of the cold war setting. That said, 2 has become very, very relevant as of late. Just... Don't bother with 4. It's a mess, imo.
Peace Walker has some very good things but the game is either hit or miss. it's very short missions oriented that are meant to be replayed multiple times. it has a couple of mobile-game-like minigames that are fun and weird to play. it totally feels like a portable game even on the remaster versions. it's recommended to play it with multiple players if possible.
story is enjoyable even if it's a mess. it has some questionable points but overall it's okay. it also replaces the codec calls with tapes that are literally meant to be heard on the go