Metal Gear Solid: Master Collection Vol 2 is a perfect example of a remaster done right
For several years, I’ve had a PlayStation 3 in my front room for the sole reason of being able to play Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots whenever I want.
You see, before this year’s Metal Gear Solid: Master Collection Vol 2 release, it was nearly impossible to play MGS4 on anything but a PS3.
For years, I’d hear about how difficult it was to make the game work on Sony’s console, due to the demands Kojima and the team had on the title to close out protagonist Solid Snake’s story in a satisfying way.
Reception to the title since its 2008 debut has always been mixed, due to its very long cutscenes and environments that can make it easy for players to get lost or found. However, I’ve always had a soft spot for it, due to the game’s smart narrative on nostalgia.
Now, having played it three times on my Nintendo Switch 2, here’s why the game, remastered for Master Collection Vol 2, along with Peace Walker and Ghost Babel that are also included, is a perfect example of going full-circle for fans, game preservation, and for the series as a whole.
'Free from the System!'
After the prequel Metal Gear Solid 3 explained how certain characters came to be, anticipation for the fourth entry was high ever since it was announced in 2005 at the Tokyo Game Show. Snake was now far older, despite the game being set just eight years after Metal Gear Solid 2.
Fans, myself included, were puzzled as to why – but it turns out that, as Snake is a clone of Big Boss, the aging process has accelerated faster than what many in the Metal Gear world have anticipated. But once the game arrived in June 2008, it turned out to be Snake’s final story, at least at the time of writing. (Like everyone else we're watching Kojima's movements very closely right now!)
As mentioned before, nostalgia abounds in Metal Gear Solid 4. At certain moments, you can press a button that will bring up a memory from games earlier in the series. Or, you’ll hear a ‘whoosh’ sound, similar to a flashback from the TV series Lost, where something will play that will also bring about a memory from the past.
No more is this apparent than when Snake goes back to the setting of Shadow Moses from 1998’s Metal Gear Solid. It made an impact in 2008, but in its newly remastered form in 4K, it shines even more. The sheets of snow that have covered the snowfield and communications tower make the areas feel even more alive, especially when you get to play some classic tracks via the in-game iPod.
Even the last moments of this act, where you get to control Metal Gear Rex, it wraps up this section of revisiting Shadow Moses so perfectly that you almost don’t want it to end.
But how does it run on Switch 2? Incredibly well. This is one of the best remasters I’ve ever played. I’ve experienced no slowdown, and unlike the initial release of 2023’s Master Collection Vol 1, there aren’t any noticeable glitches that hamper your experience of playing the game.
Everything runs at 60 FPS, and being able to play the game in handheld mode feels impossible after so many years of being restricted to the PS3, but it’s real.
'It’s not over yet!'
Another part of why Master Collection Vol 2 works well is the end of Metal Gear Solid 4. On top of antagonist Liquid Ocelot’s ship, Outer Haven, you’re facing him in a fight to the death.
It’s narratively perfect, as the first boss you face in 1998’s Metal Gear Solid is Ocelot, and it begins with the life bar and music from the classic game. It progressively changes to MGS2, then MGS3, with their respective sounds.
Again, having played this moment so many times since 2008, it felt different playing this in 4K. Everything looked sharper; every sound seemed more crystal clear – from every punch to the iconic music. It’s arguably one of the best boss fights of all time. It’s also why I feature it heavily in my second book.
It seems like Konami knew that it had to get Metal Gear Solid 4 right for this remaster, out of the gate, and it succeeded. But what’s next?
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A Vol 3 could be a great way of finishing off this volume of releases that began in 2023.
Perhaps 2015’s Metal Gear Solid V could be remastered, along with the spin-off, 2013’s Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance.
As a bonus, the 2003 GameCube exclusive remake of Metal Gear Solid, called The Twin Snakes, would be great to have.
But, as things stand, it’s a great time to be a Metal Gear Solid fan - even if you’re new to the series. Right now, you can play almost the entire lineup of games on a Switch, a PS5, PC, and others, discovering Solid Snake’s journey from 1987 to 2008.
Just get the popcorn ready for Metal Gear Solid 4’s infamously lengthly cutscenes towards the end.
The Metal Gear Solid: Master Collection Vol 2 is out now, and you can order your copy from Amazon.
Read more from Daryl Baxter:
- The surprising true story of gaming's first ever boss battle: "We'd be really, really rich now"
- "We were sick of Lara Croft and wanted to kill her" - Tomb Raider book reveals dark chapter
- Why Tomb Raider’s worst-received game desperately needs a remake
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