Metal Gear Solid HD Collection
Metal Gear Solid HD Collection is a video game compilation featuring high-definition remasters of three entries in the Metal Gear series: Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty, Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater, and Metal Gear Solid: Peace Walker.[1] Developed by Bluepoint Games (PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 versions) and Armature Studio (PlayStation Vita version) under the supervision of Kojima Productions and published by Konami, the collection upgrades the original PlayStation 2 and portable titles with enhanced graphics supporting 720p resolution and widescreen displays, alongside improved controls and integration of modern features like trophies and achievements.[2][3][4] Initially released for PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 in North America on November 8, 2011, with European launch on February 3, 2012, the collection—which includes all three games on consoles—was later ported to PlayStation Vita on June 12, 2012, featuring only Metal Gear Solid 2 and Metal Gear Solid 3.[5][6][7] Notable additions include online deathmatch modes for Metal Gear Solid 2 and Metal Gear Solid 3, as well as "Transfarring" functionality in Peace Walker allowing character and item transfers between systems via cloud save.[8] The compilation received widespread critical acclaim for preserving the acclaimed stealth-action gameplay, intricate narratives, and cinematic storytelling of Hideo Kojima's originals while making them accessible to new audiences through HD enhancements, earning scores of 9/10 from outlets like IGN and strong sales exceeding one million units shortly after launch.[8][9]Contents
Included games
The Metal Gear Solid HD Collection comprises three remastered titles from the stealth-action series developed by Kojima Productions and published by Konami, originally released on different platforms between 2001 and 2010. These games form a key segment of the Metal Gear timeline, bridging prequel stories with later installments, and were bundled to offer enhanced versions of their core narratives and gameplay mechanics. Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty, first released in 2001 for the PlayStation 2, centers on the espionage exploits of Solid Snake and introduces protagonist Raiden in a story divided into the Tanker and Plant chapters, emphasizing themes of information control and identity in a near-future setting. The game builds on the series' signature stealth mechanics, requiring players to infiltrate high-security facilities while avoiding detection, and was praised for its innovative narrative structure upon launch. Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater, launched in 2004 exclusively for the PlayStation 2, serves as a prequel set during the Cold War era in 1964, following Naked Snake (later known as Big Boss) on a mission involving survival elements such as camouflage, hunting, and close-quarters combat in jungle environments. It incorporates advanced mechanics like a first-person aiming mode and environmental interactions, and includes unlockable ports of the original Metal Gear (1987, MSX2) and Metal Gear 2: Solid Snake (1990, MSX2) as bonus content within the game. Metal Gear Solid: Peace Walker, originally developed for the PlayStation Portable (PSP) and released in 2010, continues the story of Big Boss in 1974 amid political tensions in Costa Rica, introducing base-building management, cooperative multiplayer missions, and date-based recruitment systems to expand the series' strategic depth. The title shifts focus toward squad-based operations and resource gathering, allowing players to recruit and customize soldiers for larger-scale infiltrations. Chronologically within the Metal Gear series, Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater is set in 1964, followed by Metal Gear Solid: Peace Walker in 1974, and Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty in 2007–2009, providing a narrative arc that explores the origins and evolution of key characters across decades.Bonus content
The Metal Gear Solid HD Collection incorporates supplementary materials from the enhanced versions of the included games, including both playable modes and non-playable features that expand on the series' lore and provide additional gameplay options. These extras are integrated into the individual titles, with some original content from expansions like Substance and Subsistence retained, though certain modes such as Secret Theater and Duel Mode for MGS3 are omitted.[10][11] For Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty (Substance version), included extras comprise VR/Alternative Missions, Snake Tales (playable side stories), and Casting Theater (allowing viewing of trailers and development movies after unlocks).[12] For Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater (Subsistence version), features include the Demo Theater for replaying cutscenes, a third-person camera view, and the unlockable MSX2 ports of the original Metal Gear games. Promotional trailers, making-of documentaries, and art galleries from the original Subsistence disc are not included.[12] Metal Gear Solid: Peace Walker lacks dedicated bonus modes beyond its core content, but includes mission debriefs and character bios that tie into the broader series chronology, offering lore through optional explorations.[9] Overall, these bonus elements enrich the experience by providing extra challenges, story extensions, and behind-the-scenes glimpses, accessible from the games' menus.[8]Development
Announcement
The Metal Gear Solid HD Collection was first announced by Hideo Kojima during Konami's pre-E3 press conference on June 2, 2011, highlighting high-definition remasters of Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty, Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater, and Metal Gear Solid: Peace Walker for the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360.[13][14] Kojima emphasized the collection's role in making these classic titles accessible in enhanced visuals on home consoles, particularly noting the port of the portable-exclusive Peace Walker to broader audiences.[15] Initial marketing campaigns centered on uniting the Metal Gear Solid series' narrative in HD format, positioning the collection as a comprehensive package for both longtime fans and newcomers by bridging portable and console experiences.[13] Pre-release trailers debuted at E3 2011, teasing upgraded graphics such as higher-resolution textures and widescreen support, alongside bonus content like digitized graphic novels adapting the stories of Metal Gear Solid and Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty.[16] Subsequent trailers, including one at Gamescom 2011, further showcased these visual improvements in action sequences from Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater.[17] In developer comments following the reveal, Kojima stressed the intent to preserve the original gameplay and storytelling integrity of each title while adapting them for modern hardware, ensuring the core stealth mechanics and cinematic elements remained unaltered amid the technical upgrades.[15] This approach aimed to honor the series' legacy without introducing new content that could disrupt the established experiences.[14]Porting and enhancements
The porting of Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty and Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater for the Metal Gear Solid HD Collection was handled by Bluepoint Games, which upscaled the original PlayStation 2 versions to support high-definition displays while preserving the core gameplay and art direction.[2] Bluepoint focused on technical upgrades without overhauling the visual style, ensuring the games retained their intended aesthetic from the early 2000s.[18] Meanwhile, Kojima Productions supervised the port of Metal Gear Solid: Peace Walker from its original PlayStation Portable version, with Genki handling the technical porting and adapting the handheld-exclusive title for console hardware.[15] This involved significant adjustments to accommodate the DualShock 3 controller, including remapped actions for movement, aiming, and interactions that were constrained by the PSP's limited buttons and single analog stick.[15] Key technical decisions across all titles included rendering at a native 720p resolution with a target of 60 frames per second, alongside full widescreen support (16:9 aspect ratio) that required HUD and UI redesigns to avoid distortion.[18] Anti-aliasing was implemented to smooth jagged edges from the upscaled originals, and improved texture filtering enhanced clarity without introducing new assets or altering the artists' original intent.[18] For Peace Walker, developers faced particular challenges in adapting its co-op missions and Mother Base management mechanics, originally optimized for ad-hoc local play on PSP, to console environments with online-only multiplayer and expanded control schemes.[15] This shift necessitated reworking touch-based elements, such as base customization and recruit training, to function via traditional button inputs while maintaining the game's strategic depth.[19] Additionally, the collection incorporated an option for the original Japanese voice tracks in Metal Gear Solid 2 and Metal Gear Solid 3, selectable alongside the English dubs to cater to international audiences.[20]Features
Graphical and technical upgrades
The Metal Gear Solid HD Collection remasters the included games from their original 480p resolution to a native 720p output, enabling sharper visuals on high-definition displays. This upgrade is accompanied by full 16:9 widescreen support, with an option to switch to the classic 4:3 aspect ratio for players preferring the original framing. These changes apply across Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty, Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater, and Metal Gear Solid: Peace Walker, allowing the titles to better suit modern televisions without significant stretching or cropping of the image.[11] In Metal Gear Solid 2 and Metal Gear Solid 3, the remastering process benefits from the higher resolution, anti-aliasing, and widescreen support, contributing to more detailed environments. Framerates for Metal Gear Solid 2 target 60 FPS with occasional dips, while Metal Gear Solid 3 targets 30 FPS, with drops to 20-15 FPS in cutscenes and tearing in gameplay. This results in noticeably fluid gameplay for Metal Gear Solid 2 compared to the originals, particularly in action sequences where original PS2 versions struggled with variable frame pacing.[21] Metal Gear Solid: Peace Walker receives particular attention in the collection due to its origins as a PSP title, with upgraded character models and animations that overcome the handheld's hardware limitations for more detailed proportions and smoother movements. The overall port leverages the console hardware for these refinements, paired with the standard 720p resolution and 60 FPS target for a more immersive experience on larger screens.[22]Integration and new modes
The Metal Gear Solid HD Collection incorporates a unified menu system that serves as a central hub for accessing the included games and bonus content. Players can navigate from a single interface to launch Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty, Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater, or Metal Gear Solid: Peace Walker, as well as explore additional features like digital manuals, trailers, and art galleries without interrupting the overall experience. This design enhances connectivity by allowing seamless transitions between titles and extras, fostering a cohesive collection feel. The collection introduces the Transfarring system, exclusive to the PlayStation Vita and PS3 versions, enabling players to transfer save files between the handheld and home console for continuous gameplay across devices. Conceptualized by Hideo Kojima, this feature supports on-the-go play by syncing progress in real-time via ad-hoc wireless connections or cloud storage, particularly useful for Peace Walker's extensive mission structure. While primarily designed for intra-collection portability, it allows save transfers within the collection.[23] Trophy and achievement systems for Metal Gear Solid 2 and Metal Gear Solid 3 consist of separate lists of 46 trophies each on PlayStation platforms and 50 combined achievements on Xbox equivalents, encouraging completion of both titles for full unlocks. Peace Walker maintains its own separate list of 50 trophies, but integrating its saves via Transfarring contributes to cross-title recognition in subsequent releases.[24][25] New gameplay modes expand replayability, including the optional "Date with Paz" mode in Peace Walker, an Extra Ops mission (Op 67) where players control Snake in a lighthearted, affection-building sequence with companion Paz Ortega Andrade, emphasizing non-combat interactions and dialogue choices for S-rank completion. Additionally, VR missions from the original Metal Gear Solid are ported and adapted into Metal Gear Solid 3's expanded Subsistence content, offering over 100 training scenarios focused on stealth, combat, and puzzle-solving in virtual environments, now enhanced with HD visuals and widescreen support for modern playstyles. These modes interconnect the games by reusing mechanics from earlier entries, promoting skill carryover across the collection.[26]Release
Platforms and dates
The Metal Gear Solid HD Collection was first released for the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 consoles.[27]| Region | Platform | Release Date |
|---|---|---|
| North America | PlayStation 3, Xbox 360 | November 8, 2011[27] |
| Japan | PlayStation 3, Xbox 360 | November 23, 2011[28] |
| Europe | PlayStation 3, Xbox 360 | February 3, 2012[27] |