Review: Metal Gear Solid: HD Collection (Xbox 360)

Metal Gear Solid has become a household name for being one of the most intriguing video game series out there. Solid games are just that: solid — they contain deep stories, evolving character plots, intense action somehow mixed in amongst what is in essence a game of stealth.

So it would be pleasing to learn that three of the better games in the series have been given a new splash of High Definition paint and released on the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 in a gorgeous compilation package. But games aren’t all about the graphics, so we go into this review with two burning questions: are there compelling additions to the game for hardcore fans of the series?, and just how modern do these games feel?

The Review

Metal Gear Solid: HD Collection bring together three games in the iconic Metal Gear series: Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty, Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater and Metal Gear Solid: Peace Walker. The games follow protagonist Snake through missions that revolve around gathering intel of the “Metal Gears”, advanced war machines with nuclear capabilities.

The story in all three games are played out cinematically with great voice acting and incredibly professional cinematography, considering MGS2 was first released in 2001 on PlayStation 2. Expect high drama and lots of plot twists. At times, the cut scenes can last longer than the actual gameplay level, but it’s all part of the overall Metal Gear experience you will come to love.

Unfortunately, the HD pack fails to shake the feeling that you’re playing games from a different decade. This is mostly due to the controls more than anything which lack refinement, especially in the earlier titles. Thankfully, Peace Walker is a lot easier on newcomers in the control department with the other two feeling their age.

Graphically is where the games shine though — these titles have never looked better. Still, they aren’t without imperfections — some cut scenes look blurry, some textures take a while to load up and lip syncing isn’t synced in most of the game. Animation is smooth, though and effects have that high definition ‘pop’ about them. Still, it’s an interesting look at just how far games have come since the PlayStation 2 days.

The pack shines in the sound department. The games support Dolby Digital 5.1 which sounds fantastic on all titles. Metal Gear Solid 2 was one of the first titles ever to adopt real 5.1 surround sound and the cinematic nature of the games’ soundtracks hold up vividly to today’s standards.

For fans of the series, Konami have you covered with a whole raft of new achievements (or trophies) to unlock by finding hidden conditions or progressing through the games and their various modes. Fans will also appreciate the inclusion of a game select screen on the disc which is a godsend. Peace Walker supports online multiplayer for up to 6 players, with voice. This is the limit of additions; but that isn’t a bad thing in itself, as hardcore fans are given a beautiful but faithful recreation of their favorite games.

Metal Gear Solid: HD Collection is a must get for hardcore fans of the series, however newcomers — particularly those who haven’t played games for very long — will likely be perplexed at the lack of modern features they enjoy in recent games in the same series. For others, though, it’s a brilliant opportunity to see the roots of this innovative series and, as such, is a collection that no gamer worth their salt will want to miss.

Launch Trailer