a couple metal gear solid questions

i have a couple mgs questions for you folks.

i am brand new to the series and just bought all the games.

just started playing mgs1 a couple days ago

1) i am currently at the part in mgs 1 where your fighting liquid snake on top of the controll tower, he is in the helicopter, how close am i to finishing the game?

2) without spoiling the rest of the games, are the other games much better, story wise? the story is ok in mgs 1 but i feel like i am not connecting with it

thanks guys.

1. I think you have around 4 hours to go, but I'm probably way off with that estimate.
2. It varies by title. MGS2 started off good, but at the end you'll just be confused as all hell. MGS3 had probably the strongest story out of the main series, and one that doesn't take much effort to understand. MGS4...well, good story, but had the same excuse for explaining pretty much everything in the series.

1. On the original PS1 release you wouldn't even be on disc 2 yet

2. If you are still interested in the MGS series when you finish I'd recomend the third next.