Metal Gear Solid Master Collection Vol. 1: MGS 2 and 3 Limited to 720p, 30 FPS on Switch
- All platforms (PS5, Xbox Series X|S, PC) except Nintendo Switch – 1080p / 60 Frames Per Second target
- Nintendo Switch (docked mode) – 1080p / 30 Frames Per Second target
- Nintendo Switch (handheld mode) – 720p / 30 Frames Per Second target
While the release date of the recently announced Metal Gear Solid Master Collection Vol. 1 for Xbox Series X|S, PlayStation 5, Nintendo Switch, and PC is still a month away (24th October 2023), numerous media publications have already shared hands-on previews of the upcoming collection.
The detail that caught the attention of the community from all these previews is that Konami has not put any extra effort into re-releasing this collection of iconic Metal Gear Solid games on modern platforms.
Interestingly, Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty and Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater in the ‘supposedly new’ Master Collection are the exact same versions from over a decade ago in the Metal Gear Solid HD Collection developed by Bluepoint Games for PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360. This means that there is no visual or fidelity overhaul in these two games in the new Metal Gear Solid Master Collection Vol. 1.
Old Games, New Packaging!
Both Metal Gear Solid 2 and 3 runs at the lower resolution of 720p, which is nowhere near the current industry standard. On top of lower resolution, 60 FPS is only achievable on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC. The Nintendo Switch version of the games is capped at 30 FPS, ultimately giving players a subpar experience on Switch.
Ironically, the Nintendo Switch is more capable than the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 for which the original HD Collection was developed. So, capping the frame rates to 30 on the Switch does not sit well with players who were hoping for a better experience. Metal Gear Solid Master Collection Vol. 1 was intended to revive the iconic Metal Gear Solid franchise, but it seems like Konami missed this opportunity and is shipping an older version of the game.
The most humorous thing about this situation is that Konami is not even hiding the fact that Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty and Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater in Master Collection Vol. 1 are from the 2011‘s MGS HD Collection, as revealed by NintendoLife in their preview of the collection:
The menus for both games just flat out have ‘HD Edition’ plastered on them, with ‘© 2012 Konami’ still there as well.”
Fans are definitely criticizing Konami for this decision, as they were eagerly looking forward to reliving these great games with enhanced visuals or at least some kind of upgrade in either visuals or mechanics to enhance their experience.
That’s all the information we have for now about Metal Gear Solid Master Collection Vol. 1. We will surely update you upon receiving any further details about this news. Until then, please let us know your thoughts about this news in the comments section below.
