Metal Gear Solid Master Collection Vol. 2 brings MGS4 out of PS3 prison, review says

The collection also includes Peace Walker, originally on PSP, and the Game Boy Color spinoff Ghost Babel. According to TechRadar, MGS4 runs at 4K with a solid 60 frames per second and vastly improved loading times. The review notes that the technical problems that plagued Vol. 1 at launch are nowhere to be seen. The only minor omission spotted is the redundant installation menu from the original, which featured Snake smoking between chapters.

While MGS4 is the headline, TechRadar’s reviewer argues it remains the weakest of the six main Metal Gear Solid games, despite being a great time. The game’s opening chapters in the Middle East and South America feature a unique battlefield stealth mechanic that is later abandoned. The plot, lengthy cutscenes, and a tailing mission in Act 3 draw criticism, though Act 4 and the final boss fight rank among the series’ best moments. The reviewer also points out a retcon involving a Metal Gear Solid 3 character that still bothers them years later.

Peace Walker is described as an “unsung masterpiece” and effectively Metal Gear Solid 5 in all but name. Ghost Babel is praised as a better spinoff than the NES games. The review notes that Vol. 2 includes only one bonus title compared to Vol. 1’s four, but the quality of the ports, especially MGS4, makes the trade fair.

TechRadar concludes that the collection is a phenomenal way to experience two of the series’ most legendary games, with Vol. 1’s technical issues absent.