"Metal Gear Solid HD: Worthy re-release, or shameless cash in?"
First off I'll say this covers disc one, which is Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty and Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater. Peace Walker is on it's own disc, and separate on this site, so will have a separate review. I played both 2 and 3 when they came out, so I am a bit of a fan.
Graphics - 8/10
MGS2 - 7/10
When Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty originally came out, it was hailed for it's cutting edge graphics. Back then it was a fantastic looking game. Now, it's age is really showing, but it isn't a bad looking game. The low-res textures are much more apparent, occasional clipping problems and some of the animations don't quite cut it. That said, the game does run smoothy, no frame rate issues, and the many, many cutscenes look good. It's not perfect, but it's good.
Then there is the setting. The Tanker is fairly plain, it's more of a prologue to the Plant. The Big Shell, where the Plant mission takes place, is brilliant. It's well designed from an aesthetic and gameplay point of view. Each Strut is distinctly different from the others, providing new challenges to each. No two areas of Big Shell are the same, which keeps things interesting.
MGS3 - 8/10
Out of the two, Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater always looked better. The textures are better, next to no clipping. I found this one to be far better to look at, and seems to have paid off well with the HD remake in comparison to Sons of Liberty.
Another thing this game has over MGS2, is the setting. The forests are brilliant, they feel alive, and having to rely on choosing camo to match your surroundings just adds to it. But the mountain areas and Volgin's base are brilliantly realised areas in their own right. The characters as well, are a highlight of the game. From each member of the Cobra Unit looking as enigmatic as they should, to the intimidating presence of Volgin, to a young Ocelot and the mostly inappropriately-dressed EVA. Great character design makes you care about the character. I loved The Boss, when she appears on screen, she has a presence few other characters have. EVA feels like a typical Bond girl, but much more interesting (and as a side note, being able to enter first person view during cutscenes with EVA can lead to some rather funny, but not unsurprising, moments).
Sound - 9/10
MGS2 - 8/10
One highlight of the MGS series. David Hayter as Solid Snake is almost iconic in his portrayal of the former FOXHOUND agent, and despite popular opinion, Quinton Flyyn as Raiden is not just a solid performance, it's a great performance that. The rest of the cast all bring their best to the table, and the codec calls and cutscenes are great to listen to. But no mention of the sound is complete without touching upon the music. Wow, one of the highlights of the series really. During the game the music isn't as memorable as the main theme, but it's atmospheric, and works perfectly.
MGS3 - 9/10
Everything I said about MGS2, is more than applicable to MGS3, and more. Lori Allen as The Boss is fantastic, and Lee Meriwether as EVA fulfils the role of damsel in distress, and femme fatale perfectly. And on top of that, David Hayter's back in the limelight for the whole game, and this game has one of the best opening videos going. After the Virtuous Mission, there is an opening sequence which is clearly inspired by James Bond. More than that, that makes the whole game feel more like a Bond game, than any Bond game.
Gameplay - 8/10
MGS2 - 7/10
This is where there are problems. The actual gameplay works absolutely fine. The general premise of the game is to sneak past guards to complete your mission. You have the radar to monitor guard's movements, and have a variety of tools at your disposal, ranging from pistols, to claymores, to empty magazines and pornographic magazines to distract guards. In essence, this is fine. The problems arise due to the controls. They aren't a huge problem, but when compared to current generation games, it's a true learning curve. Sometimes, using first person mode to make important shots is a nightmare for your fingers, as at points I had to hold RB to be in first person, X to ready my gun, and both triggers to 'tip toe' to be able to see over a wall, as well as using the left stick to aim. You will need to be using more digits than current gen games require. Another issue is one more of taste than anything, but fixed camera angles. For the most part, this isn't a problem, but whenever you do get spotted, it's hard to maintain a gunfight when you can't see the guards shooting you half the time.
And on top of that, another problem is the amount of codec calls. This really shows the games age. Almost the entire plot is told through codec calls, the rest through the lengthy cutscenes. But the issue is that codec calls are dreadfully boring, there is nothing to watch, only listen to Raiden and The Colonel talk about rescuing the President. Not only that, but the sheer amount of codec calls gets ridiculous after a while. Cutscenes are fine, they are something to watch and enjoy, watching Vamp take out Seal Team 10 is just plain fun, but for every cutscene you watch, there are three codec calls of equal length. You can tell that there was a want for disc space, as codec calls use far less memory than fully animated cutscenes.
MGS3 - 9/10
A bit high? Maybe, but hear me out. For Snake Eater, every problem I just mention above, doesn't apply here. The controls are tighter and more intuitive, if not perfect. You now get control over the camera as well. There are far less codec calls (just a radio in this one), and more cutscenes, which although not adding much in the way of gameplay, makes the whole game much more cinematic and continues that feel of a Bond game done right. The game drops the radar from MGS2, which I remember thinking it would ruin the game, but after playing it, I was sold on it. Without the radar to hold your hand, you do have to keep an eye out for the guards, it's a much more tense game for it. A new feature is hunger and injuries, which are well done, capturing local wildlife to eat to regain stamina and health adds to the suspense and tension created by sneaking through the forests of Russia.
Longevity - 8/10
MGS2 - 9/10
You get two main story missions, Tanker and Plant, which together will take about 12-15 hours if you watch the cutscenes and listen to codec calls, but a speed run can see both done in about 5 hours, even on the harder difficulties. Add to that the VR and Alternative Missions, there really is a lot to play here. As for achievements, one of them wants you to collect all the Dog Tags, which requires a minimum of four playthroughs on increasing levels of difficulty. The VR Missions get progressively harder, and the Alternative Missions are a rather fun 'what if?' set of missions, such as what if Snake was on the Plant instead of Raiden, or what if there was a giant Godzilla sized guard terrorising the Big Shell.
MGS3 - 8/10
Yes, one category MGS2 beats MGS3! The game is about the same length, but you don't get the added VR and Alternative Missions. Instead, you get Metal Gear and Metal Gear 2: Solid Snake, both originally for the MSX2, and the first time Metal Gear 2 has been officially released outside Japan. Neither is really a replacement for the VR and Alternative Missions, but considering it's a free bonus, it's not bad.
Overall - 9/10
MGS2 - 8/10
If you had this game before, it's the same game as then, but with achievements and added extras. There are problems in it showing it's age, but all things considered, this is a minor issue. It's still one of the best games from the PS2, and this shows why.
MGS3 - 9/10
Every single thing that's good about MGS2 applies to MGS3 and more. It's the same game, but looks better, plays better, and brings you 500G (with MGS2 supplying the other 500). You also get Metal Gear and Metal Gear 2: Solid Snake, which while not amazing, are a neat little distraction.
If the HD Collection got you just this disc, with MGS2 and MGS3, then that alone is worth the money. But when buying this collection, you have to remember is also comes with Peace Walker, another game in it's own right. Factor in MG and MG2, then for less money than a new game, you get two of the best PS2 games ever released, a fantastic port of a PSP game and two old MSX2 games. 5 games for less than the price of 1. And 2000G for the price of 1000G, as Peace Walker has it's own achievements. If you're a fan of the series, this is a must-buy, and if you've never tried them, this isn't a bad place to start.
5.0