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Metal Gear Solid: The Legacy Collection

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Features

  • The Legacy Collection includes Metal Gear, Metal Gear 2, Metal Gear Solid 2: HD Edition, Metal Gear Solid 3: HD Edition, Metal Gear Solid 4 Trophy Edition and Metal Gear Solid: Peace Walker HD Edition
  • Also includes Metal Gear Solid 1 and Metal Gear Solid: VR Missions via included voucher codes
  • 92+ Average Metacritic Rating for all games

Description

From critically acclaimed director Hideo Kojima, Metal Gear Solid: The Legacy Collection offers the most complete Metal Gear Solid experience ever. Featuring eight complete games (Metal Gear, Metal Gear 2, Metal Gear Solid 1, Metal Gear Solid 2: HD Edition, Metal Gear Solid 3: HD Edition, Metal Gear Solid 4: Trophy Edition, Metal Gear Solid: Peace Walker HD Edition, and Metal Gear Solid: VR missions), The Legacy Collection offers Metal Gear and stealth/action fans a chance to experience all of the heroic game play, compelling design and immersive story telling of the Metal Gear Solid franchise in one complete package.

Computer Platform: PlayStation 3


UPC: 083717202721 087108572738 083717202738 707003240296


Release date: July 9, 2013


Product Dimensions: 6.7 x 5.4 x 0.9 inches; 7.84 ounces


Type of item: Video Game


Rated: Mature


Item model number: 20272


Is Discontinued By Manufacturer: No


Item Weight: 7.8 ounces


Manufacturer: Konami


Date First Available: May 16, 2013


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Top Amazon Reviews

    • A great set to jump into MGS (A spoiler-free review with a brief history of the series)
The MGS franchise is probably one of the most well-known video game franchises to date, and it's all here in one complete, definitive package. Not long after the HD collection, this gets released with a small, yet interesting 100 page art booklet that features marketing, promotional, and artwork materials that have been released throughout the history of the franchise. This set also includes 2 Digital Graphic Novels, Metal Gear Solid: Bande Dessinee and Metal Gear Solid 2: Bande Dessinee, which were once a Japan only release. If you are a hardcore fan and a collector and already have the HD collection, you might find some value in this. If you are just a casual fan and already have the HD collection, there may be no need for you to purchase this. Some rightfully see it as a cashgrab, and others see it as a set for hardcore fans and longtime collectors. This set does include MGS4, which the HD set did not include, so depending if you already have or played that, may factor in your decision to own a comprehensive series set. Now for a review of the games and the set broken down into sections (If you're familiar with the games and in a hurry, there's a rundown of what's included at the bottom of the page): It's diverse, unique, innovative, and ground breaking gameplay withstand the test of time as each game evolves the series in different directions. Some like this, others don't. I personally like it. MG1 and MG2 brought Kojimas vision to life on the MSX2 and then later brought over on subsequent consoles and various other platforms. Metal Gear and Metal Gear 2- 1987/1990 The games that started it all. These are available on this set under Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater. These are the original versions that were on the MSX2. Konami and Kojima later brought the series to what was a ground breaking game during the Playstation era. The now famous "Tactical Espionage Action" tagline lived up to it's name as it went on to become a massive success during this generation of consoles and brought the Metal Gear series to a new generation of gamers. Metal Gear Solid- 1998: Featuring Solid Snake, It blended unique elements of stealth game play with action/adventure elements set to the backdrop of an interesting cast of characters and intriguing story lines. Solid Snake investigates a remote Alaskan base taken over by the terrorist group known as Foxhound unit, his former unit. Mysteries unfold as the game progresses as you meet new allies to help you on your mission. This game is available in this set via digital download code so you can relive this amazing title or experience it for the first time in all it's glory. There is one code on one slip of paper in this set that redeems both MGS and MGS: VR missions. Metal Gear Solid VR missions- 1999: This game is it's own spinoff and expands the VR missions gameplay that were featured in Metal Gear Solid. This stand alone is unique from the original Japan release, which was Metal Gear Solid: Integral. Integral was basically just an expanded version of Metal Gear Solid. There are different modes and levels to engage in from murder mysteries to time attack modes, sneaking modes, and weapons training modes. There is one code on one slip of paper in this set that redeems both MGS and MGS: VR missions. The highly anticipated follow up to Metal Gear Solid, and one of the most divisive games in the series among critics and fans, made it's way to Playstation 2 (later ported to other platforms and remastered in HD). Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty- 2001: Not spoiling anything for players new to the franchise, but this game is arguably the most controversial of the series so far. It's divided into two parts, the first part being a sort of short "Prologue" with a familiar character and the second part being the main game (to current fans, sound familiar?). The controversy and character twist is revealed at the start of the second part (the main game). This new character takes on a terrorist unit known as Dead Cell who have taken over an offshore facility as the President and Vice President, along with other political figures, were touring the facility. Your objective is to infiltrate, locate and rescue the President and eliminate any threats along the way as stealthy as possible, but all is not what it seems. The graphics were quite a jump for it's time and the controls were revamped to utilize the new capabilities of a more complete and beautifully rendered world. The version on this set is the Substance version remastered in HD with all the original bonus content that came on the original Substance release. 3 years later a new entry into the series was released on PS2 (later to other platforms). However, this time, it featured a familiar and critical character in the series, but not one that was rendered in full 3D until this game. This isn't a direct sequel to MGS2 and is instead a backstory into the patriarch that started it all. This is basically an origin story for Big Boss in the franchise. Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater- 2004 This game threw all previous MGS controls and conventions out the window and focused on the theme of survival. It is set mainly in a Soviet Union rainforest, but you encounter various terrain, environments, weather conditions, and scattered buildings and bases, all critical to the story. Stealth is also a brand new mechanic. You are given a "Camo Index" percentage based on the outfit you're wearing and background/pattern you are set against. The higher your index, the harder you are to spot. You can find camo suits throughout the game and change into whichever gives you the highest index for the situation you are in. You can also capture and/or kill animals for food to bring up health and/or stamina. It's the same with insects and fruits. Healing is also different as you use bandages, cigars, knives, splints, ointments, sutures, and other tools to heal specific ailments to prevent bleeding out and loss of life/stamina. This was a refreshing change for many and is hailed by some as the best MGS game to date. The survival mechanics were perfectly implemented with a very easy learning curve explaining how it works. It does not become intrusive but rather adds an element of strategy, tension, and brings a sense of strategic planning. This brings a level of gameplay that forces you to utilize the environment to your advantage to conquer foes and complete objectives. The story and characters are just as unique, quirky, and interesting as they were in previous entries. The cold war serves as a backdrop to the story as you are an agent of the government known as Naked Snake sent to rescue a Russian scientist who is defecting to the U.S. Plans go awry as certain unfortunate circumstances occur and your objectives change. You are then sent on a new mission to ease USSR and U.S. tensions by eliminating a main common threat to both nations, fighting various enemies, encountering a deadly group known as the Cobra Unit, all while sneaking through multiple terrains, conditions, and gathering valuable resources along the way. Survival, betrayal, Cold War espionage, politics and CIA/KGB/GRU tensions all make a well rounded Metal Gear Solid experience. MGS3 is the Subsistence version that was originally released on Xbox and PS2 remastered in HD. However, it does not feature some of the extras like Snake Vs. Monkey, Metal Gear Online, Secret Theater, and Duel Mode. The MSX2 versions of MG1 and MG2 are included. The long wait for a new entry began. 4 years later a next-gen version of a new entry was released on Playstation 3. This, once again, changed MGS conventions for controls, gameplay, story, and graphics. Critically and commercially successful, but known for it's long cinematic cutscenes and "point A to B" gameplay. Regardless, the interesting and constantly changing stories combined with new and different set pieces, help distinguish this game from the rest. Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots- 2008 This is chronologically connected to Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty and continues strands of storyarchs revealed in that game, along with others introduced in MGS1, and by some extent MG1 and MG2. The graphics are still, on a technical level, some of the best to date that other modern games can't even compare. They not only aged extremely well, but still remain, for the lack of a better word, flawless, as in hardly any glitches and screen tearing. From the wonderfully rendered environments to a new tightened control scheme, you can't help but get sucked in once again into the universe of Metal Gear Solid. You play as an aging Solid Snake, aptly codenamed Old Snake due to the age progression. Set in a not-too-distant future, the War Economy has become the lifeblood of the world and a booming business for PMCs, freelance mercenary groups, and weapons manufacturers. As the game states during the intro, war has changed. The opening monologue sets the tone for the game and is a sign of things to come. You are then thrown into the heart of a fast-paced skirmish with the control tutorial promptly shown to help you survive it. You continue to learn all the new control schemes as you progress through the game and the opening level. This game also takes elements from MGS3 as you can use a specially designed "Octocamo" suit that takes on the pattern you are crouching on, laying down on, or sitting on to help you blend in and avoid detection. This is a modern version of the "camo index" except you do not have to rely on percentages. You just have to use common sense and strategic placement away from enemy patrols. This game features a new take on the gameplay as you can choose to stealth your way through levels or run and gun it if you so choose. You are also finally placed on a battlefield where you can make those kinds of choices, along with helping the local militias fight off the PMCs, or ignoring both of them and simply sneaking past, avoiding detection from both sides. Those types of choices are a recurring feature throughout the game. MGS4 is also divided into separate Acts that features intermissions that take place on a flying base of operations known as the Nomad. This aircraft is full of familiar characters throughout the franchise and introduces some you've only either heard about or communicated strictly through the Codec. During your time on the Nomad, you can interact with characters and objects through the use of the MKII, a small operational tactical robot that can be used throughout the game. You can also find small goodies like health/rations, music, and other easter eggs. Each act also begins in a new location, terrain, and all have different objectives connected to the overall story. This is different from the previous titles as each title typically continues to have one overall objective, with plot twists along the way. This one constantly changes the objectives with each Act as the story evolves with an overall enemy group known as the Beauty and Beast Corp who you encounter throughout the game, all with their own abilities and fight mechanics. All of them bring their own emotional baggage to the fight and you discover more about them the more you play. The type of gameplay also changes with the objectives. You may need to tail a subject without being detected or losing the subject for one duration of a mission and then shortly fight off a horde of enemies the next part as the story unfolds accordingly. Your objectives also take you all over the world, which brings back other familiar characters you know and love throughout the franchise. You go from the Middle East to South America, to Europe, etc bringing along and encountering new and old characters. You are also graded on your performance at the end of each act, like amount of kills, rations used, number of alerts, time, etc. There are also plenty of unlockables based on performance. This diversity in these levels, dynamic, ever-changing gameplay, and incredible (heavy/emotional) story that closes a lot of loops make this a memorable and fresh experience in gaming and franchise history. This blends fine, grand, cinematic storytelling with engaging controls, characters, and ingenious, beautifully crafted level designs. It also brings a sense of bittersweet nostalgia to the longtime fan who plays this game. The version that comes with this set is the original PS3 version without the Metal Gear Online functionality. It now has trophy support and the option to install the game all at once instead of at the beginning of each chapter like it was on the original release. This is Disc 1 on the set. 2 years after this release, a new Metal Gear Solid title was released exclusively for the PSP. The overall system sales of the PSP was going into a decline, and like most PSP exclusive properties, they found their ways to home consoles and digital download networks. Metal Gear Solid: Peacewalker- 2010 Chronologically, this game takes places after the events of MGS3. Through the events of Snake Eater and left with an overwhelming sense of disappoint from the government he serves, Snake decides to break away and form his own militia, a Military without Borders (Militaires Sans Frontières), in Costa Rica. He intends on creating a military for the people, to help keep the world in a check and balance, to give a home to soldiers who have nowhere else to use their skills and who are not appreciated anywhere else. He forms his own army through an in-game recruitment mechanic that the player can assign them to different uses within the Motherbase. All recruited soldiers have their own strengths and weaknesses, like some may have a high "Mess" or cooking skill and others may have high R&D skills. This effects gameplay in the sense that you can use R&D to create new weapons, items, and you can even recover parts from bosses to build your own Metal Gear with the help of your Science and R&D staff. It's a small micromanagement mechanic that you add to as the game progresses. The peaceful balance that Snake and his military seek to obtain is threatened when a mysterious group, known as the Peace Sentinels, set up a base in-country with the latest weaponry and firepower. The Costa Rican government cannot do anything about it as they are not permitted to form any armed forces based on their constitution. This group threatens the peaceful balance of power between the East and West, and with no options left, the Costa Rican government then proceeds to unofficially ask Snake and his group to eliminate this threat in an attempt to retain the balance they intend to maintain. As it progresses, this fragile balance becomes disrupted and they realize that peace is harder to control compared to conflict. They continue to operate outside of any particular nations and ideologies and intend to build their own "military" nation known as "Outer Heaven". The game includes plenty of new characters and a few that are present throughout the series. This game features graphic novel-like interactive cutscenes and mission gameplay similar to MGS4 mechanics. The gameplay modes are divided between actual story Missions and Mother Base, which is the recruitment management simulation. The controls are very much like a stripped down version of MGS4 since it was designed for the PSP system. The version in this set is the HD remastered version with trophy support. The items included in this set: - Disc 2- Basically the HD collection disc with the following included games: Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty (Substance version) Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater (Subsistence version minus some bonus content that was on the original PS2 release.) w/Metal Gear 1 and Metal Gear 2 Metal Gear Solid: Peacewalker. - Digital Graphic Novels: Metal Gear Solid: Bande Dessinee, Metal Gear Solid 2: Bande Dessinee. These are accessible under Video on the XMB and were originally only released in Japan. - Disc 1- Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots. - 1 Download code for 2 games- MGS1 and MGS: VR Missions. - 100 Page Art Booklet = 11 items total Here's a comprehensive timeline for the in-game MGS chronology (*=Included in this set): 1964- Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater* 1970- Portable Ops 1974- Metal Gear Solid: Peacewalker* 1975- Ground Zeroes (New, upcoming title, prologue to MGSV- March 2014, Pre-orderable on current and next-gen consoles) 1984- Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain (Upcoming title, a ways out) 1995- Metal Gear* 1999- Metal Gear 2: Solid Snake* 2005- Metal Gear Solid/VR Missions* (VR Missions is not canon, but included) 2007/09- Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty* 2014- Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots* 2018- Metal Gear Rising All in all, the combined scores of all the games plus the bonus content for the going price is a [Metal Gear] Solid 5 stars (sorry, couldn't resist). This is a great set for new players of the MGS franchise and a great value for long time fans/collectors of the series that want a definitive collection. This set is all you need to just jump head first into the Metal Gear universe. ... show more
Reviewed in the United States on December 29, 2013 by GReg
    • The gaming equivalent to Star Wars: The Complete Saga on Blu-Ray
Like Star Wars, Metal Gear is an epic saga about a father and a son. Spanning 8 chapters and 50 years of history, the Metal Gear Saga is the story of the rise and fall of Big Boss, and the legend of Solid Snake, and how their influence effected the lives of others. MGS: The Legacy Collection contains all 7 main chapters* released up to 2012. From the 8-bit MSX era to the power of the PS3, Metal Gear has evolved for over 25 years, changing and adapting to new hardware and levels of realism, while maintaining the same core gameplay principles that defined the series; "Infiltrate behind enemy lines and stay out of sight! Fighting is a last resort!" *MPO and Rising don't really count as "main chapters." In an interview on Twitch, series creator Hideo Kojima said he divides games between "A Hideo Kojima Games" and games he wasn't deeply involved with. Think of them as Star Wars Expanded Universe material, except worse. youtube(DOT)com/watch?v=ufKS1gdnIGU#t=45m12s konami(DOT)jp/mgs5/ ^This timeline shows all of the games that are considered part of the main Saga. METAL GEAR (1987 - MSX): The game that started it all. Inspired by "The Great Escape", young game designer Hideo Kojima wanted to make a different kind of game from the Rambo-like shoot-em-ups that were common in the era. While somewhat frustrating to play (it's probably best to play with a guide for some parts), it's still interesting to see where the series began. The story is very paper thin, but it does show the Outer Heaven Uprising, a very significant event in the Saga, and the roots of Solid Snake and Big Boss' complicated relationship. METAL GEAR 2: SOLID SNAKE (1990 - MSX): To me, this is where Metal Gear started to become the Metal Gear the series is today. The story is much more fleshed out, dealing with Cold War politics, nuclear disarmament, and even war orphans. Big Boss is given proper motivations (and the roots of those motivations are explored in MGS3, PW, and soon, GZ/TPP), and Solid Snake is fleshed out as someone suffering from PTSD after his heroics in Outer Heaven are challenged by old friends turned foes. Many improvements to the core stealth gameplay were made, such as enemy cone vision, a radar displaying guard positions, and the ability to knock on walls. While these chapters are very important to the overall Saga, and MG2 especially is worth playing, people who don't have the patience to play these games can read detailed "Previous Operations" summaries in MGS1's "Special" menu. METAL GEAR SOLID (1998 - PS1): The series jumps to 3D! Even though Big Boss is dead, his legacy still lingers, in the form of a new villain; Liquid Snake, a man who looks identical to protagonist Solid Snake. The complex relationship between Snake and Big Boss is fleshed out even more in this game, and Snake, while tough on the outside and more reserved with his feelings, shows his softer side as the game progresses. Taking advantage of the new 3D engine, items like the Scope and Sniper Rifle are introduced, as well as a huge boost in visual presentation. The game now has real-time, in-engine cutscenes. While the graphics are very dated by today's near-photorealistic standards, the charm of the well designed polygonal models still holds up for those willing to adjust their standards. It's actually quite fascinating how Kojima is able to portray personality with his characters with body movement, hand gestures, and voice-acting, all while everyone's face is static and low-res. Even though I didn't play it until 12 years after release, long after its gameplay and graphics have been surpassed by other games, MGS1 remains my favorite game of all time. Although I've replayed each game many, many times, I have the most fun replaying MGS1, and re-experiencing this amazing game. Sadly, The Legacy Collection only contains this game as a download voucher, so some of the fun nuances are lost in this version (like looking on the back of the CD case for a Codec frequency. It's still in the digital manual, but it's not the same. Still not a deal breaker, though.) Remember to 1.) not give into the torture (otherwise you'll get the non-canon ending. Use a spoon or similar object to rub the O button really fast), and 2.) stay after the credits (not just for this game, but every game)! You'll be given a mindblowing plot-twist that made me fall in love with Snake even more. METAL GEAR SOLID 2: SONS OF LIBERTY (2001 - PS2): Kojima takes his cinema-quality ambitions to new heights! Sons of Liberty was a major step forward in delivering a more movie-like experience, with improved lighting and weather effects, more life-like character models and motion capture, and refined gameplay that builds on the foundations of the previous games. MGS2 also takes several big risks, the most famous of which was replacing Solid Snake with a more effemine protagonist, named Raiden, who aspires to be like the legendary Solid Snake of the Shadow Moses Incident. Many of the themes in the game (about the impact of the digital age, information control, "context creating" social engineering etc.) were ahead of its time. in fact, many of the things people praised about Spec Ops: The Line and BioShock Infinite (deconstructing action game narratives and their relationship with the sadistic nature of the gameplay) were done in this MGS2 first, a decade before those games were released (except the pretentious messages of those games are counter-balanced with yet another inspiring speech from Solid Snake, about the true nature of "reality.") This game is often misunderstood and ridiculed by fans, but I hope this great video ( youtube(DOT)com/watch?v=Zx2dgVKYWWU ) helps people gain a new appreciation for the game. While it's not my favorite game in the series, MGS2 is still a fantastic game, and one of the best examples of games being used as a relevant artistic medium. METAL GEAR SOLID 3: SNAKE EATER (2004 - PS2): After the mind-**** that was Sons of Liberty, Kojima took a deep breath, relaxed, and went back to basics with the story. After the backlash of playing as Raiden, Kojima made "Snake" the playable protagonist again, but not the Snake from MG1, 2, and MGS1. This Snake would later become Big Boss, the father (and antagonist) of Solid Snake. Taking place during the Cold War, in a Russian tropical jungle, Snake Eater shows us a time when Big Boss was a young, naive, patriotic soldier who believed in his country and its government. However, as the game progresses, his perception of the world is challenged, as he is duty-bound to kill his master and mother-figure, The Boss, who defected to the USSR. Like how MGS2 is often misunderstood as "pretentious", MGS3 is often misunderstood as "simplistic." It's true that the game isn't as in-your-face with its message, but that's what makes it great; you get to *feel* the game's message. Your own perception of the world is changed along with Big Boss. It tricks you into thinking this is just a fun, James Bond-esque spy thriller game, only to turn that perception on its head by the end. This is also the first game in the series that doesn't have too many set-pieces for the second half of the game; there are still a few, but for the most part the game sticks to its core sneaking gameplay for the entire game. Which is good, because MGS3 overhauls the core mechanics to fit the more natural, down-and-dirty, "survivalist" nature of the game. Areas are much more open and more beautiful, guards can now see farther and hear footsteps, and your visibility is determined by the Camo Index (you can change camos at any point in the game, but I found this to be a cheap way to complete the game. These days, I just use the default camo and only change either when the mission required it, or when I'm sneaking in the mountain area.) MGS3 was my first game in the series, and I feel it's a great start for everyone. In fact, since the game's theme is about SCENE (the times), and how the past can influence the future, playing MGS3 and MGS1 back-to-back creates an interesting perception of the latter game; MGS3 takes place in a natural jungle, filled with all sorts of life. MGS1 takes place in a facility of concrete and advanced technology. MGS3 takes place during the height of the Cold War between the US and USSR. MGS1 takes place after the Cold War, as the world deals with its after-effects (like surplus nuclear weapons and scientists.) And yet, despite these differences, you can see that there are still many similarities between what both Snake's experienced (the convo with Snake and Naomi, after the second round of torture, best illustrates this point.) The times may have changed, but war remains the same. METAL GEAR SOLID 4: GUNS OF THE PATRIOTS (2008 - PS3): War has changed, and so has Metal Gear. Fearing that fans still didn't understand the message he tried to convey in MGS2, Kojima came out of retirement to direct what he intended to be the final chapter in the Saga. Solid Snake returns, now as an old man who feels out of place in the world of the dehumanizing War Economy (where war is a business, backed by Private-Military Contractors), which can be analogous to Kojima himself. With MGS4, Kojima tried to balance answering fan questions while trying to get fans to "get" his message. ( konami(DOT)jp/mgs4/uk/interview/03.html ) This results in a game that tries to do way too much and struggles to make it all coherent. The gameplay builds on MGS3's new gameplay system with more refined sneaking and shooting mechanics (like crouch-waling/TPV aiming), but sadly the level design for parts of the game aren't as open or free as MGS3, and like MGS1 and 2, the second half of the game has too many set-pieces and areas with no enemies at all. But there are still plenty of good sneaking sections; the Crying Wolf battle is one of my favorite bosses in the series. MGS3 finally struck the right balance between gameplay and cutscenes, but MGS4 goes way overboard with over nine hours worth of cutscenes, making the gameplay sections far too chopped up and interrupted. This is probably my least favorite game in the series (besides MG1), but ultimately, MGS4 manages to do more right than wrong, and I feel that it did its job of concluding this massive Saga very well. If the series ended here, I would have been happy. Side-Note: I highly recommend that people read Project Itoh's MGS4 novel. It's both an adaptation of MGS4 (told from the perspective of Otacon, Solid Snake's geeky best bro) and a character/story analysis of the Saga as a whole. I especially love how Itoh portrays and analyzes Solid Snake. Too many fans seem to write off Snake as "emotionless." Many of the thoughts and feelings I had of the character for years were eloquently put into text by Itoh-san. Recommended for both new fans and long time fans, to give better perspective of the saga. Even Kojima recommends the book. ( twitter(DOT)com/HIDEO_KOJIMA_EN/status/350077034615144449 ) METAL GEAR SOLID: PEACE WALKER (2010 - PSP): Kojima was determined to make MGS4 his last game in the series. But when he tried to hand over the next chapter of Big Boss' story to his younger team, he felt that his younger team would have a difficult time understanding the nature of the Cold War, due to generational differences. gamercenteronline(DOT)net/2009/06/12/kojima-wants-to-teach-youth-about-the-cold-war-and-the-love-box/ So, once again, Kojima takes the lead in charge of another Metal Gear game. While theoretically taking place after Portable Ops (not included in this collection), PW is more of a sequel to MGS3*, dealing with Big Boss' memories of killing his mentor, while starting up a private-mercenary company to give soldiers a place to live (the roots of Outer Heaven, seen in the very first Metal Gear.) Despite his villainous future, the Big Boss in PW is still very much a hero. He's grown so much since MGS3, just as Solid Snake grew as a character after MGS1. He's no longer a "Cold War tool." He's disillusioned from the idea of nations or ideologies. He is his own man, fighting for himself. Sadly, the roots of his future are planted in the game's *first* ending (to unlock the second ending, follow these instructions; justpushstart(DOT)com/2010/06/real-ending-of-metal-gear-solid-peace-walker/ ) *In fact, in the Afterward of the MGS4 novel, Kojima said that "on the timeline, PW takes place after MGS3." The only reference to MPO in PW is a single, derogatory line from Master Miller; "finally, we can leave all that crap in San Heironymo behind." Remember that Twitch interview I mentioned earlier. The gameplay adapts MGS4's control scheme to the PSP, using the face buttons to move the camera and the D-Pad to select weapons/items or go prone. The HD version uses the right-analogue stick and makes the game control even more like MGS4 (although you still can't crawl.) New to the main series is the ability to recruit soldiers from your missions and use them to build up Mother Base, where you can develop weapons and items. This creates a meta-game within the game, where you use the Analyzer on enemies to see their various skills, knock out the ones you want to recruit, and then use the Fulton Recovery balloon to bring them back to Mother Base, where they will eventually pledge their loyalty to you. Over time, you see Mother Base grow from a small plant to this huge off-shore structure, which parallels Big Boss' growth into a military leader. To accommodate the limited PSP hardware, PW use comic book style cutscenes drawn by Yoji Shinkawa and Ashley Wood, bringing back some of the charm of the polygonal models of MGS1. The length of the cutscenes have also been greatly reduced, although many of the plot details and real-world inspired history can be found in the game's Briefing Files, which flesh out the story and various characters. Sadly, replaying the game without starting over using a new save dilutes the experience somewhat, because you have these advanced weapons that can easily take down enemy mechs in a few shots. And without difficulty options, the game becomes way too easy. There's also confusion as to the proper order of Briefing Tapes the player should listen to, along with things that only happen in New Game saves (like the meta-narrative of Mother Base growing and expanding, that runs parallel to Big Boss' personal adventure.) And starting the game with a new save can be frustrating toward the end, as you try to unlock all of Chapter 5 and get the true ending. Personally, I feel Peace Walker is best played on a portable device, either on the PSP or the Vita (via PSN.) The game was designed to be enjoyed without the borders of home consoles. Listening to Briefing Tapes while on a bus or while driving is a much better experience than sitting on your couch listening to them. And while the second analog stick in the HD version is nice, the AI wasn't re-optimized with that in mind, making an already easy game even easier. But for people without a PSP or Vita, it's still nice to have the game playable on the same system as the other main games, especially since "MGSV:Ground Zeroes/The Phantom Pain" is a direct sequel to the events of PW. Ultimately, PW remains one of my favorite games in the series. While MPO used the PSP's limitations as a crutch, PW used those limitations as a challenge. Kojima made the impossible possible yet again, by making a game worthy of being a full console Metal Gear game for a portable system. Edit: I would also like to mention that Peace Walker is David Hayter's last game as Snake. While Hayter did have his ups and downs, like any actor, he was always very passionate about his work and the character he portrays. I felt Hayter's performance in this game was especially great, perfectly conveying Big Boss' emotions as he faces his past. Although I really do like Kiefer Sutherland's take on Big Boss, Hayter will always be Snake (both of them) to me. Also included with The Legacy Collection is The Legacy Book, which briefly explains the history of the Saga, displays a variety of promotional material, and explains the theme of each game (GENE, MEME, SCENE, SENSE, and PEACE.) There's also the Digital Graphic Novel adaptations of MGS1 and 2, for players who can't get used to the older gameplay style, but I implore people to play those games at least once. Nothing can ever replace playing those games for yourself. Sadly, The Legacy Collection is missing one important piece to make this a complete collection; Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain (and the recently released Ground Zeroes), which represents the "Revenge of the Sith" chapter in the Saga (where the father becomes a "demon"), is still a year away, if not more. But for anyone who is interested in that game, this is the best place to start (wait for the price of GZ to drop, unless you really love these games and want an appetizer for TPP, like me.) I'm glad that The Legacy Collection seems to be back in stock. When TPP is released, I hope Kojima Productions makes a version of this collection for PS4 and XBox One (and PC.) Everyone should be able to play this series! ... show more
Reviewed in the United States on April 24, 2014 by JM

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