Metal Gear Solid: Master Collection Vol. 1
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Metal Gear Solid: Master Collection Vol. 1 Media
Critic Reviews for Metal Gear Solid: Master Collection Vol. 1
Metal Gear Solid: Master Collection Vol. 1 bundles some of the most influential video games of all time in one comprehensive package, providing an extensive history of stealth-action.
The Master Books are bursting with interesting tidbits that helped me to contextualise each game and the storyline as a whole better than ever before, but there’s relatively little within the games themselves to make this a real must-have if you still have access to previous collections and releases.
Metal Gear and Metal Gear Solid remain some of the best stealth action games on the planet, so it’s disappointing they’ve been treated with such disregard. With that said, at the very least the Maser Collection is beautiful time capsule of how the series has evolved, even including translated encyclopedias of the games. Metal Gear Solid: Master Collection Vol. 1 has plenty of technical frustrations, but at least it remains true to the classics.
In terms of drawbacks, there really aren’t many to speak of. For this release, lines of dialogue that directly refer to specific button presses are muted, which is weird, but understandable given the difference between the PS1 and Switch controller layout. And sure, the visuals could have been spruced up considerably to match the efforts fans have achieved with emulations, but for the sake of faithfully recreating the original PS1 release, Konami has done an adequate job here.
If you've never played any of the Metal Gear Solid titles before, or indeed their MSX2 ancestors, then the Master Collection on Switch is a perfectly fine way to experience some of the most iconic games of all time. That said, Switch owners have undoubtedly been stung by Konami's decision to cut MGS 2 and 3's frame rate down to 30, and although moment-to-moment gameplay still feels satisfying, it's a frustrating approach that we're hopeful will be patched at a later date. As for the overall package, there's a lot here that will keep you entertained, but the way it's been presented feels less than ideal. Still, it's a compilation well worth investigating if you're itching to play (or replay) the Metal Gear Solid saga.
Still, there’s no denying the quality on display with Sons of Liberty, and rarely has a sequel demonstrated such a drastic improvement with its visuals and gameplay. For all its indulgent quirks, Sons of Liberty is another seminal video game that fully deserves its reputation as one of the greatest of all time. It’s just a shame that Konami couldn’t max out its potential for its release on Switch, as this is a game that deserves all the love and care in the world.
Are there any downsides? Well yeah, some of the mechanics can feel a touch cumbersome at times. Changing camouflage outfits is a tedious exercise in constantly jumping in and out of the main menu, and we’re almost certain this will be streamlined for the upcoming Delta remake. It’s not a deal breaker, by any means, but it definitely serves as a reminder that this is fundamentally nearly a two-decade-old game. Still a bloomin’ great one, mind.
Metal Gear Solid: Master Collection Vol. 1 is a staggering piece of history that further cements the impact of Snake's legacy in gaming.
Industry Coverage
Metal Gear Solid Remasters Finally Add Mouse And Keyboard Support After A Year
The community has been crying out for additional options since the Master Collection was released a year ago.
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Konami Confirms Metal Gear Solid Master Collection Volume 2, But There's a Catch
Konami confirms that the second volume of Metal Gear Solid Master Collection is in the works, although the company has some concerns about it.
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Konami Is Worried About Metal Gear Collection Volume 2 After Volume 1's Rough Launch
Konami wants to make sure it doesn't repeat the same mistakes with Metal Gear Master Collection Volume 2.
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