Thats a smart decision since you played NG1 and liked it already, and play through mgs4 next, your missing out on the best summer movie experience lol

NG2 might be a better rental, MGS4 has alot to offer (single player and online) so it will take awhile to experience it all

That is like saying before playing FF XIII. You have to play all the previous Final Fantasy games.

OT: NG2 I have not heard much about it. Ninja Gaiden Sigma is apparently a better game than NG2.

I hope to god you do not believe what you just wrote.

You heard WRONG.

Choosing between the two is like choosing between a passive or an active experience. Do you want to PLAY a game or WATCH one?

NG2 is old school to the extreme, forget about acolyte and start on Warrior and watch the game beat you to a bloody pulp with you coming back for more abuse after getting killed a dozen times in as many minutes yet every single time you do manage to get that little bit further, you improve your skills, your techniques, you get to know the game and its system inside out.

go with MGS.

You aren't very bright, are you? Final Fantasy-games have no connection storywise, and therefore you can just pick up whichever and play through. MGS4 wraps up every single event that was left unresolved from MGS, MGS2 and MGS4, and doesn't really introduce many new "threads" of story, but focuses on wrapping up the old ones. Considering how story-heavy MGS4 is, with cutscenes that last up to an hour, playing it without touching the other games is madness. It's like picking up a book and skipping the first three quarters of it.

Just about. I have to say that most people who play MGS4 without having any background knowledge of the MGS Universe will probably be just a bit more than slightly confused.

It's possible to enjoy the game play elements, but the overall game would still feel like going to a party where everyone knows everyone except for you.

You could always download the MGS4 Database, which is one of the coolest companion pieces a developer has ever made for a game, but seeing as how it contains 573 articles, it's best suited for people who are already fans of the series.

MGS3 is actually very important in regards to the plot of MGS4, particularly when it comes to tying everything together. After playing Subsistence (with the 3D camera), I actually think it's a far better game overall than MGS2.

MGS2 was primarily Raiden's story. And nobody likes Raiden. Not even Raiden.

That is your opinion. I enjoyed MGS 4 story was good and great cut scenes and gameplay. Well I never played the previous installments. I care little about the older games. I have a 40GB PS3 that does not play the older MGS games.

Sigma is just a port/remake of a game the OP has already played.

@thekitchensink: NG2 is awesome, but I doubt you can finish it within a few days unless you play a lot!