Metal Gear Solid Master Collection Vol. 2 Finally Brings an 18-Year-Old Curse To an End

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As a huge Metal Gear fan, I think Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots doesn’t get nearly enough attention. A big part of that, I believe, is that it’s still only available on the PlayStation 3. So many great games from the PS3 and Xbox 360 days have been updated for modern consoles, but Metal Gear Solid 4 is one of the few that’s completely stuck on the PS3. If you want to play it now, you pretty much have to use emulation, and honestly, that can be a really frustrating experience.

Adding to the frustration, Metal Gear Solid 4 isn’t included in the PS Plus streaming library, even though many other PlayStation 3 games that don’t work on PS4 or PS5 are.

Konami has just announced Metal Gear Solid Master Collection Vol. 2, a new collection of remastered Metal Gear games. This follows the successful release of Master Collection Vol. 1 in 2023, which included the first five Metal Gear titles, starting with the original game from 1987 and going up to Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater. While fans enjoyed the first collection, some were hoping for a more complete set of games. However, as the name suggested, Konami had more games planned, and they officially confirmed Vol. 2 at this month’s State of Play event.

Why Metal Gear Solid 4’s Re-Release Is So Significant

Most of the Metal Gear games, including Metal Gear Solid 5 and even Metal Gear Solid Survive, are readily playable on today’s computers and consoles. Before the recent Master Collection came out, the Metal Gear Solid HD Collection for PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 already made it easy to play MGS1, MGS2, MGS3, and Metal Gear Solid: Peace Walker. MGS1, MGS2, and MGSV also have versions for PC, but many players consider the Master Collection versions to be better.

Generally, all of the games in the Metal Gear series have been readily available, allowing players to experience the whole story from beginning to end on one system—but Metal Gear Solid 4 is the exception. This is a significant problem because MGS4 isn’t a side story or something you can skip. In fact, it’s crucial to understanding the complex narrative and really ties everything together.

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Metal Gear Solid 4 Is the Series’ Most Narratively Dense and Ambitious Game to Date

Most people, even if they haven’t played the Metal Gear series, know that the games weren’t released in the order the story happens. Here’s a list of the main Metal Gear games, arranged by when they take place in the timeline:

  • Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater
  • Metal Gear Solid: Peace Walker
  • Metal Gear Solid 5: Ground Zeroes
  • Metal Gear Solid 5: The Phantom Pain
  • Metal Gear
  • Metal Gear 2: Solid Snake
  • Metal Gear Solid
  • Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty
  • Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots

The Metal Gear story is famously complex, so I won’t try to explain it all here. However, Metal Gear Solid 4 definitely brings everything that came before it to a satisfying conclusion. The game, set in the mid-2010s, follows Solid Snake as he deals with rapidly aging while also resolving his past with important characters like Liquid Snake, Revolver Ocelot, and Meryl Silverburgh (originally from MGS1). It’s a farewell to the Metal Gear series in many ways, working hard to clarify the intricate story and give meaningful endings to beloved characters.

Even as of February 2026, the cutscene in Metal Gear Solid 4 remains the longest in video game history, clocking in at 71 minutes. This highlights the game’s strong emphasis on storytelling.

Honestly, if you’re trying to piece together the Metal Gear story and really get what’s going on, Metal Gear Solid 4 is huge. It’s the last game in the timeline, but a lot of stuff from MGS5 and Ground Zeroes just doesn’t click until you’ve played it. That’s why it’s been so annoying it hasn’t been available on newer consoles, and why I’m so hyped it’s finally coming in Metal Gear Solid Master Collection Vol. 2 – it’s about time!

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2026-02-13 21:13