It's definitely a time-capsule and if you are hungry to experience the brilliant stealth-action saga on modern consoles, you will find much to love
The Metal Gear Solid series is regarded as one of the most influential in gaming history, combining stealth gameplay with cinematic storytelling in a way that had never been seen before. With Metal Gear Solid Master Collection Vol. 1, Konami has compiled the first three classic MGS games along with bonus content to allow new and returning fans to experience these landmark titles on modern hardware. However, some technical shortcomings and a confusing menu structure hold this collection back from being the definitive way to replay the Metal Gear Solid saga.
The collection includes Metal Gear Solid for PlayStation, which was groundbreaking for its time but has not aged as gracefully as the subsequent entries. Playing it again highlights how stiff the 30fps frame rate and tank-like controls feel. Navigating Shadow Moses feels like wading through molasses compared to the fluidity of later MGS games. However, it still holds up thanks to its ingenious level design focused around stealth and the memorable set pieces in its story.
Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty and Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater, on the other hand, feel as fresh as ever. Originally released for the PS2 in 2001 and 2004 respectively, these titles received HD remasters for the PlayStation 3 in 2011 that improved the visuals while retaining the gameplay intact, ported over without any further enhancements. MGS2's daring plot twists and innovations like the ability to distract guards with items are still captivating. MGS3 takes players into the jungle terrain of the 1960s with an even deeper emphasis on survival mechanics like camouflage and tracking wildlife.
Both later games control smoothly at 60 frames per second and look sharp when upscaled to 1080p, especially MGS3 whose environments are beautifully lush and detailed. Thanks to excellent level design that encourages experimentation, they remain incredibly engrossing stealth-action adventures to this day. Porting the Bluepoint remasters directly over was a smart choice that mostly preserves what made the original experiences so amazing.
Apart from the games, there are also some interesting bonus contents included. Things like screenplay books containing in-game text of each main title and master books detailing the story and characters are such a nice addition. There are also some digital graphic novels too with some beautiful dynamic animated panels and fully voiced too.
However, Konami could have taken more care with the presentation and features elsewhere. Each of the three main entries, along with bonus spin-offs Metal Gear and Metal Gear 2: Solid Snake, launch as separate applications from the console home screen rather than a unified front-end. This makes hopping between content less seamless than it could be. Additionally, no new accessibility options are added for modernizing controls.
I still don't know who the target audience for this master collection is though. Sure, the first three original games were phenomenal stealth games and I have fond memories running around naked as Raiden and hiding in closets in MGS2 or trying to knife snakes and eat them to fill up my stamina in MGS3, but that was like 20 years ago. What I want to say is that I grew up playing and loving these games and yet, playing them again in 2024, I just cannot get over the archaic control scheme. Holding R1 to go to first person and then press, hold and release square to fire my gun while trying to aim for a headshot feels like way to much work. If it feels like I am complaining, that's exactly what this is.
Modern intuitive controls have come so far since then and yeah, we've been spoiled. But if I, an old man who again loved playing these games back then, feel like this today, good luck trying to convince the Fortnite generation to give these games a try. It sucks, but it's the truth, these games as fantastic as they are, they are still a product of their own time and unfortunately, times have changed. So if this new repackaging is not for me and is definitely not for the new young generation, who is it for at the end of the day?
This is why I am super excited about the upcoming remake, Metal Gear Solid Delta: Snake Eater. New graphics, modern intuitive controls and a main character who is like the epitome of coolness? Sign me up!
Having said all that, I still like that this Master Collection exists, despite its flaws. It's definitely a time-capsule and if you are hungry to experience the brilliant stealth-action saga on modern consoles, you will find much to love. But you still have to remember that this is just a re-release and what was good back then in terms of controls, might feel rather alien nowadays. Thanks for reading!
The game was reviewed on a PS5 via a promo code provided by the publisher. Metal Gear Solid: Master Collection Vol.1 is available on PlayStation, Xbox, PC and Switch.
