Metal Gear Solid: Master Collection Vol. 2 (NS2) - Review

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Love it or hate it, Metal Gear is one of the most iconic, celebrated franchises in gaming. I would never argue it's the best or most consistent, but I could absolutely make the case it's the most prestigious. That's why a new release under the Metal Gear banner, whether a brand new title, remake, or compilation, is a big deal. In this instance, it's a compilation: Metal Gear Solid: Master Collection Vol. 2. There are several reasons to invest in this package, but the most obvious one is the re-release of Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots, which is now, at long last, untethered from the PlayStation 3 ecosystem.

Metal Gear Solid 4 (MGS4) is only part of the equation, though. The new Master Collection also arrives with two titles that debuted on portable platforms — Metal Gear Solid: Peace Walker and Metal Gear: Ghost Babel — plus a slew of extras for those who want to dive more deeply in the franchise's mythology.

Let's talk about MGS4, since, for most players, it will be the star of the show. After replaying the game, I can say with confidence it's an ambitious, daring, one-of-a-kind experience with stellar art direction and a bold vision of the future. I can also say, with equal confidence, that it's far from the best Metal Gear game. Don't misunderstand: it is a good game, just not a great one. It starts off great, to be fair. The first two acts are among the best individual episodes in the franchise. Even when the game falters, as it does gradually in acts 3 and 4, and fully by act 5, it retains exceptional production design, voice acting, and music. In many ways, it's a work of art. Of course, that focus on art does diminish the player's role in the equation. There's simply no way around it: you will spend a lot of time watching the game instead of playing it.

MGS4 is undoubtedly the biggest catch of the Master Collection Vol. 2, but it's not the best game. That honor goes to Peace Walker. In many ways, Peace Walker is the inversion of Guns of the Patriots. The graphics are relatively humble, owing to its origins on PSP. The story is told primarily through interactive comic book-style panels, as opposed to lengthy, elaborately-staged cut-scenes worthy of Hollywood. You'll guide Snake through dozens of bite-sized missions instead of five operatic acts. Finally, in terms of gameplay, well, you get to play more of the game — not only in the field, but back at Mother Base. While its moment-to-moment stealth action isn't as refined or deep as that in the console games, Peace Walker partially makes up for that with an addictive base simulation aspect, in which Snake must assign captured/rescued soldiers to different posts, allowing him to expand his army and manufacture new weapons and items.

Now, the game's not perfect. The Fulton recovery system sometimes feels like a cheat code, and the single-player offering isn't as exciting and dynamic as the cooperative offering (which has a new lease on life, thanks to this compilation), but it's definitely worth your time.

Also worth your time: Metal Gear: Ghost Babel. Unlike MGS4 and Peace Walker, I had never played this one before. Released in 2000 on Game Boy Color, it has more in common with the old MSX2 Metal Gear games than the mainline Metal Gear Solid series. Players will guide Snake through 13 stages across many different top-down 2D environments. However, the gameplay isn't as rigid as it appears in screenshots. Snake can flatten himself against walls, scout the area ahead, and move in eight directions. Ghost Babel is also overflowing with content, including dozens of VR training missions and, once you finish the main campaign, "special" versions of each stage with new victory conditions. For those who never warmed to Snake's 3D exploits, this is the game for you.

Unfortunately, the game, like MGS4, starts exceptionally strong and then hits a wall. In Ghost Babel, it happens in stage 5. You have to navigate a conveyor belt maze by swapping among different colored boxes. It's a chore. Worse, the game continues its gimmicky approach after that. Even so, you should give it a chance. The story and script are surprisingly good and the visuals, considering the limitations of Game Boy Color, are phenomenal. Indeed, in terms of technical achievement and pure ambition, Ghost Babel is one of the most impressive titles on the system.

In addition to the three games named above, Master Collection Vol. 2 arrives with several bonuses: screenplay books showcasing in-game text from MGS4 and Peace Walker; a "master book" detailing the full Metal Gear story (read this spoiler-rich document at your own risk); a digital soundtrack; and a database covering the series' expansive, mind-boggling lore from Metal Gear all the way up to MGS4. These are excellent bonuses for the most faithful fans, although I suspect less fervent players will skip them and go straight for the games.

Note: each game arrives in its own launcher on your main menu. This is great for some, particularly trophy/achievement chasers, but I would prefer everything under one unified application, if only to provide a sense of continuity. Regardless, all three games will be at your fingertips.

Speaking of those games, there's certainly an imbalance between the first Master Collection and this second volume. Vol. 1 boasts five mainline games and two bonus titles; its sequel includes only two mainline games and one bonus title. This wouldn't be a big deal if the games in Vol. 2 were superior, but the opposite is true.

The good news is that the games — at least MGS4 and Peace Walker — have each received a performance and/or resolution bump relative to their original incarnations. Guns of the Patriots, which hovered around 30 fps back in 2008 on PlayStation 3, now maintains a stable 60 fps on modern platforms, albeit with a dip here and there on Switch 2. Worth noting: the internal resolution on Switch 2 is 1440p, where it's 4K on PS5 and Series X. As for Peace Walker, it also maintains 60 fps, although it did so previously in its 2011 HD version. On Switch 2, the game hits 1080p; on PS5 and Series X, it soars to 4K.

Metal Gear Solid: Master Collection Vol. 2 is a valuable compilation, particularly for loyal fans of the series. While MGS4 isn't nearly as great as 2008 reviews suggest, it remains a solid (forgive the pun) stealth action title that deserves credit for tying together two decades of lore and bringing a sense of closure to a beloved, prestigious saga. Peace Walker is the best handheld installment of the series, and one of the better installments in general, thanks to its co-op functionality and focus on tactics & resource management. Ghost Babel is also a commendable game, even if it loses focus about halfway in. Overall, Vol. 2 isn't as essential as Vol. 1, but it's a worthy companion piece.

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