PS3 Review – Metal Gear Solid HD Collection
The Metal Gear series has come a long ways since its first introduction by Hideo Kojima. Kojima-san’s efforts have created an entire alternate world where his reality blends in almost perfectly with the reality of the history books. The series spans several generations of console and PC gaming, but, thanks to Konami, we can now play three titles from the storied series on this generation of consoles.
The Metal Gear Solid HD Collection takes three games in the series, previously released on older consoles, and brings them to the PS3 and Xbox 360. Remastered audio and video brings the older titles to life in a way that makes them almost brand new. Two MSX titles are also included, but they haven’t been touched up in any way.
The games in the series weren’t originally released in chronological order so the developers were nice enough to lay out the main menu of the collection by year. MGS 3: Snake Eater takes place in 1964 and comes first in the series. MGS: Peace Walker is next and occurs in the 1970′s. The final game on the disc is MGS 2: Sons of Liberty which follows up the original Metal Gear Solid (not included, but available on the PlayStation Network).
MGS 3 and MGS 2 made the transition from older console graphics to HD very nicely. The graphics come across very smooth, with no jagged edges. Character animations look smooth and the sneaking motions, while a little stiff at times, look decent. The remastered audio sounds great. If you are playing in surround sound, the audio is directional and can be used properly to assist in sneaking. If a guy sounds like he’s on your six, then he probably is. Cutscenes are a little rough and aren’t easy on the eyes, but that is to be expected. Controls stick to the original layout for each game.
MGS: Peace Walker was originally released on the PSP and looks the best out of the three games in this collection. The game itself can give you countless hours of playtime and is arguably one of the best PSP games ever released. The HD graphics are smooth, with no jagged edges to be found. The audio sounds great and can be used for sneaking around as with the other two titles. Cutscenes look better than they did with MGS 3, but that’s not saying too much. The best part about Peace Walker being on the PS3 in via this collection is the fact the game isn’t hindered by the PSP’s controls scheme and tiny screen. This is the true Metal Gear Solid game we’ve always wanted Peace Walker to be.
The one title notably missing in this collection is the original Metal Gear Solid PSone title. Konami reported issues when trying to convert it over, and that’s too bad. If they could have added that in, this collection would have brought all of the games in the series to this generation. The classic game is downloadable from the PSN, so you can still play it on your PS3 and PSP, but including it on the disc would have been a better choice.
The Metal Gear Solid HD Collection brings five MGS games to this generation of consoles, with three of them bringing full trophy support and three Platinum trophies. Remastered audio and video makes the games not only easy on the eyes, but quite a bit of old school fun in a new package. The transition into HD isn’t as good as it could have been, but you’re still getting three of the best games in the series — of all-time even — on one disc for one low price. If that doesn’t make an exclamation point appear above your head, I don’t know what will.
If you are a true fan of the Metal Gear Solid series, owning this collection was never in question. If you’re not a fan, maybe you should be. This is a must have for everyone’s PS3 game collection.
PlayStation LifeStyle’s Final Score
+ Finally, Peace Walker without the PSP controls. - Snake? Snaaaaaaaaaaake! No original PSOne Metal Gear Solid.
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11 Responses to “PS3 Review – Metal Gear Solid HD Collection”
Great review… although the fanboy in me has to point out that the original Metal Gear games weren’t Nintendo games.
Exactly, good you pointed it out. Those are not NES games, and it should be corrected in the article. They were originally MSX games, with the only revision being the graphics being redone for the codec conversations and some dialogue changes. Kojima never made the games for NES, in fact, the first one “ported” to NES was a complete travesty that is not considered part of the series and Kojima, obviously, totally dispises it. The second one never made it to a console until the MGS3 subsistance version ( I can’t recommend this game enough, it’s a masterpiece of its era, basically MGS1 in 8bit graphics, and you’ll be very interested in the story if you are a MG fan)
There was one Metal Gear on NES, but I’m not aware of a second. Which other one are they talking about being in the collection?
MSX games, it was a japanese videogame computer much like the Amiga and Commodore 64 back in the 80s. The first Metal Gear game , and its rightful sequel Metal Gear : Solid Snake, were both developed only for this system and they never made it overseas. The first one was “adapted” for NES and it stands as an almost complete aberration, but the complete aberration is the NES game called “Snake’s revenge” , while by no means a bad game at all, it’s got absolutely nothing to do with the series other than using the names “Snake”, “Big Boss” and “Metal Gear”.
“The classic game is downloadable from the PSN, so you can still play it on your PS3 and PSP, but including it on the disc would have been a better choice.”
there is the technical issue
the MGS1 can still be making money after many get hooked on this collection lol
I’m sure getting the platinum trophy is going to be a serious bitch for each respective game. I can’t wait! =D
I wonder though … why wasn’t portable ops placed in this collection? I believe it preceded the events of Peace Walker.
that’s what I was saying but it’s probably due to the fact that the gameplay style of that game sucking so bad that they tried to forget it.
also just pointing out what everyone else was saying, those MG games aren’t NES those are the MSX versions
lol @ the sucking gameplay part. That was my first thought (quality related). I guess given the time it was released it might not have aged well compared to the other games. But still … the Subsistence engine transitioned quite nicely on the PSP for MGS: PO. To me, if people can play the original MGS game this day and age then I see no reason not to play Portable Ops.
it’s the whole recruiting people and bringing them back to the truck was a complete turn off for the game especially having a team go in with you, felt like I was playing chess than an MGS game. PW had the Fulton recovery balloons which made recruiting much more easier.
I will never forget that ship level on ‘MGS2′
I played the PS2 demo 1 billion times it was that good. But i am only getting this for ‘MGS: Peace Walker’ really because i have played ‘MGS2+3′ loads of times + No ‘MGS1 + 4′? Hmm, poor Xbox players will ‘still’ never get to play(i think)the ’2′ best ‘MGS’ games ever i.e ‘MGS1′ + ‘MGS4′ 
soo top of my list!