The best is yet to come…
The Metal Gear Solid games are some of my favorite games of all-time. Heck, I started this site as a fan site for the game way back in 1996. Over the years the series has delivered some of the most memorable experiences. Sadly, a lot of those have been trapped on older consoles or delisted. Basically, playing these games without resorting to nefarious means has become more and more difficult. That brings us to the MGS Master Collection Vol. 1. Yes, the fact that it is labeled as the first volume gives me hope, could MGS 4 finally be out of PS3 prison? This first collection is packed with the original three numbered games as well as a host of extras and the originals from the NES and MSX. This is packed, but how is it presented?
Let’s start with what is included. We get the original Metal Gear Solid, which until now had been limited to its launch console of the original PlayStation and as a download on PSN for PS3 and Sony’s handhelds. Then we have MGS 2 and 3, which have been available in an HD collection on Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3, the former is backwards compatible on current Xbox consoles. Sadly, these were delisted before this collection came out, so if you never bought them, this is now the only way to own these games.
MSRP: $59.99
Platforms: Xbox (reviewed), PlayStation, Switch, PC
Price I’d Pay: $59.99
Finally, we have the original games from the MSX and NES. We get Metal Gear 1 and 2 for MSX and for the NES we get Metal Gear and Snake’s Revenge. These are neat to revisit for sure, especially MG2, the true sequel to the original game. In addition to these games there is also a digital soundtrack which features a selection of tracks from each game as well as some specifically mixed for this collection. There are also separate audio tracks and versions of each game. For example, MGS1 includes the original release, the virtual missions discs, and even Integral, which was a Japanese only release that was packed with extras. To me, this is the definitive version of the original game.
Konami certainly packed this collection to the gills. It is also really cool that each game can be purchased separately, but you do lose out on some things without buying the entire collection. This also means that on Xbox there are five separate executables to play these games. One for each entry. One for the extras, and finally one for the classic games. Some of the features overlap on each one, but it is still very cluttered instead of just having it in one place. Some items also have to be installed in each collection such as the graphic novels and Japanese audio tracks, which are required to play certain versions of the games.
As far as each version is concerned the only one that has work done to it, is the original MGS. MGS 2 and 3 are pretty much the same versions that were included in the HD collection released a while back. This isn’t necessarily a bad thing. These were built by BluePoint Games and are excellent. They both run at 1080p and 60fps, which is fine, but it would have been nice to have them updated to 4K or even have a toggle to switch back to the original visuals. Something to really showcase how far we have come.
The original game gets the most work, while also being the most disappointing visually. Sadly, the game still runs at its original 30fps, an update would have been great. It is also extremely muddy. Konami didn’t bother to smooth out the blurry polygons. There are emulators that can add a quick filter and clean up PS1 games just fine, but this is the original resolution, and it looks rough at times on my 4K display. They did add some sidebar art which is neat, but the biggest change is the Stance menu.
You can now pause cut scenes and this can also open a menu where you can update options and switch controller ports, imperative for one of the boss battles. Another nice touch is the ability to modify your save data in the menu. This is used for the same boss battle where you can add various games to a virtual memory card so he can comment on previously played games. You might also need a frequency at a certain point, so the manual can be viewed in this menu.
While there are not a lot of upgrades to the games themselves, this collection accomplishes what it set out to do. This package is convenient. We can finally have these games in one place on modern consoles and readily available to play. I think that is something we overlook with some remasters. Being able to just play them without jumping through hoops to get them to work. The price seems steep upfront, but there are five games and tons of variations included. There is a lot of content here and for hardcore MGS fans like me, it is great having all this in one place. I am loving revisiting these games and cannot wait for Vol. 2, please let MGS 4 finally be released from its one console prison.
Review copy of game provided by publisher.
