Metal Gear Solid: Master Collection Volume 1
Metal Gear Solid: Master Collection Volume 1 includes a warning about “outdated” content in the retro games included in the package, and it’s definitely worth reading if you plan on playing the Metal Gear Solid games for the first time or revisiting them after a long time. The wording is specific to this collection, but it’s still an interesting reflection on how the Metal Gear Solid series continues to age – and endure – more than two decades after its first release.
Metal Gear Solid: Master Collection Volume 1 includes Metal Gear Solid, Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty, Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater, Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots, Metal Gear Solid: VR Mission, and Metal Gear Solid: Snake Eater 3D. It also comes with a warning about the “outdated” content, which you can see below.
“This collection contains the original versions of the software to preserve the creators’ vision,” the instructions read. “The games may contain outdated content that does not reflect today’s social norms and may not meet the discerning tastes of everyone. Please use your discretion when playing.”
It’s not entirely clear what elements of the games are considered to be “outdated” or potentially problematic, but the wording suggests that the original games aren’t being modified to address those issues – and instead, players should be aware of them and make their own decisions when encountering them.
It’s also worth noting that this warning is specific to this collection of retro games, and it’s likely that future Metal Gear Solid games – and other games from Kojima Productions – will continue to evolve and change as time goes on.
The Metal Gear Solid series, of course, is bigger than ever right now, with the latest entry, Metal Gear Solid 5: The Devil’s Spear, on its way to PC and likely to be a smash hit. The original director, Hideo Kojima, has since moved on to other projects, with Death Stranding highly anticipated and set to release later this year.
Even so, I’m sure that Kojima would be proud of how his writing has evolved over time and I certainly take pride in my work on MGS, so if you want to experience the original versions for yourself, you can get Metal Gear Solid: Master Collection Volume 1 here.
In the meantime, check out some of the other great games coming in 2023.
