Metal Gear Solid HD Collection made its first appearance on both Xbox 360 and Playstation 3 last year. Nintendo 3DS gamers also received a version of MGS in the form of Metal Gear Solid Snake Eater 3D, but it wasn’t a collection since it only contained one game.
The PS Vita version of Metal Gear Solid HD Collection contains both Snake Eater and Sons of Liberty, but the PSP game Peace Walker (which was available in the console versions) is nowhere to be found. Memory card restraints may have prevented Konami from including it.
For a bit of nostalgia, Konami has included the original MSX versions of Metal Gear and Metal Gear 2 Solid Snake. Both games can be accessed through Snake Eater’s main menu. Playing these 8-bit classics is a reminder of how far the series has come. Controlling Snake from an overhead perspective and hiding behind crates brings back so many fond memories. The controls are simple and gameplay is pretty straight-forward compared to later Metal Gear games, but that is the beauty of these classics — they’re a trip down memory lane.
Snake Eater and Sons of Liberty both do a fair job of utilizing the PS Vita’s touch capabilities. While more of a novelty than a gameplay feature, gamers can zoom in on cinemas by pressing their finger against the PS Vita’s display. Dragging your finger across the screen will move the cinema around so you can view background objects and characters. The graphics look surprisingly good when you are zoomed in; the jagged edges from the 3D models have been cleaned and smoothed.
Another feature native to the PS Vita system is a new touchscreen menu system that allows you to select items and weapons. Regardless of which game you play, your inventory displays in two separate menus that are placed adjacently at the bottom corners of the screen. Standard items like rations and senors are selected using your left thumb, while weapons are selected using the right. This configuration is very convenient; it enhances the gameplay by making items easily accessible.
In Snake Eater, the PS Vita’s rear touch panel is used for melee attacks. Tapping the rear touch panel will make Snake fight. This feature is not only convenient, but it helps to keep your hands positioned where they belong. The rear touch panel works differently in Sons of Liberty. For example: while playing the Big Shell scenario, you can use the rear touch panel to peer through locker vents while hiding from the enemy. Sliding your fingers across the panel or even up and down will mimic head movement.
Gameplay has remained the same across both titles. The stealth mechanics are still some of the best in any game of its type. And crawling through underbrush, sneaking past guards, and hiding bodies still creates the same adrenaline rush that we have all come to associate with the series. But as far as functionality is concerned, both titles remain identical to their Playstation 2 counterparts.
Sons of Liberty is broken down into two segments – the Manhattan Tanker Incident and the Big Shell. There are options to play both segments or each one individually. Plus, you can choose the in-game difficulty before starting. If you are new to the Metal Gear Solid series, it’s best to select either Very Easy or Easy as your difficulty level. Gamers more familiar with the series should play the game on Normal or Hard.
In Snake Eater’s case, the features that made it stand out from previous installments – like the camouflage system that helps to decrease Snake’s visibility while crawling through the underbrush and the Cure system that patches up cuts and disinfects wounds – – are all present and accounted for.
Snake Eater and Sons of Liberty are still remarkable titles despite their age. Thanks to the remastered HD graphics, Snake and his surroundings haven’t looked better as he searches the Soviet jungle for weapons designer Sokolov and attempts to sabotage the Shagohod in Snake Eater. Raiden and company also look the part as they try to rescue the President of the United States from the Sons of Liberty inside the Big Shell.
While Metal Gear Solid HD Collection may seem incomplete without Peace Walker, the inclusion of Metal Gear and Metal Gear 2 Solid Snake more than make up for this. Gamers looking to relive some of Metal Gear’s greatest moments will not be disappointed by this release; it offers enough content to justify a purchase.
Mike Pittaro
Platform: PS Vita
Developer: Konmai
Publisher: Konami
ESRB: M (Mature)
Price: $39.99 ($34.99 on PSN)
| Review Score | |
|---|---|
| Graphics |   |
| The HD graphics look fantastic on the PS Vita's OLED display. | |
| Sound | |
| Classic MGS music sets the mood as you sneak through installations and knock out guards. | |
| Gameplay | |
| The PS Vita's touch controls offer more flexibility during gameplay | |
| Overall | |
|---|---|
| Metal Gear Solid HD Collection for PS Vita offers enough features to set it apart from the Xbox 360 version. | |
