Hideo Kojima's long-running Metal Gear franchise is a an epic tale of secret agents, shadowy governments and giant nuke-launching mechs.

There are also ninjas, vampires and a whole bunch of other stuff that doesn't make much sense if you think about it too hard. The stealth series is known for it's often confusing plotline, and considering the franchise's story has been going since the release of the original Metal Gear for the NES in 1987, it's not hard to see why.

That puts people who are looking to dive into the franchise for the first time with the upcoming Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain at a bit of a disadvantage. Where does one start? With the original Metal Gear? With Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater? With YouTube?

With YouTube, Eurogamer has put together a comprehensive video detailing the entire plot of the Metal Gear series in 11 minutes. Aoife Wilson takes gamers through the series in chronological order at a blistering pace, but she manages to keep things relatively unconfusing. She also points out all the bizarre characters, strange moments and confusing logic that occur throughout the various games.

Seriously, how many times do people appear to be dead, turn out to not really be dead, then return to actually die, while also posing as somebody else? Making sense of the series without an expert to hold your hand is almost impossible.

Of course, that is also part of Metal Gear's charm. With it's tactical stealth action and heavy dosage of cutscenes, Kojima's series is truly like nothing else. Fans wouldn't have it any other way.

If you are still confused, be sure to check out our comprehensive Metal Gear timeline. Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain releases on Sept. 1 for Xbox 360, Xbox One, PlayStation 3, PlayStation 4 and PC.

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