We all saw it coming, but Konami has now finally confirmed that Metal Gear Solid: Master Collection Vol. 2 is heading to Switch 1 and 2, bundling Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots, Metal Gear Solid: Peace Walker, and Metal Gear Solid: Ghost Babel in one package.
I'm especially pleased to see MGS4 finally freed from its PS3 shackles. As the concluding chapter in the chronology (Snake's chapter, specifically – yes, I see you waving there, Raiden), Guns of the Patriots is an indulgent mess of a game; one that attempts to tie up an overwhelming amount of loose threads. It's gotten a pretty bad rap as a result, largely thanks to its lengthy cutscenes and numerous scripted gameplay segments.
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I absolutely love it, though, warts 'n all. It's pure fan service from start to finish, bringing back characters we hadn't seen since the first MGS while chucking in a load of easter eggs right, left, and centre. Chances are most fans know how MGS4 plays out at this point, but if you've only just begun your journey with Snake on Switch with Master Collection Vol. 1, I urge you to go into the fourth entry as unspoiled as possible.
Which brings me nicely onto today's topic of conversation, so if you're worried about spoilers, now's the time to leave!...
When MGS4 launched on the PS3 back in 2008, it really went out of its way to stress that it was a console exclusive – sorry, Xbox 360 owners! As such, it contains a few distinct references to PlayStation that I'm fairly confident won't be present in the upcoming release on Nintendo's consoles.
The most obvious reference occurs when (SPOILER!) Snake returns to Shadow Moses Island to stop Liquid Ocelot from stealing Metal Gear Rex's Rail Gun. As you head through the familiar environments, you eventually come to the point where, in the original PS1 MGS, the game would prompt you to swap discs. Otacon even calls Snake to inform him of this, only for the conversation to specifically reference the PS3, noting that the Blu-Ray technology utilised means that swapping discs is no longer required.
It's a fun little conversation that, for old-school PS1 owners, brings back some fond memories – something MGS4 strives to do at almost every turn.
So what the heck happens with this conversation on Switch? Is it just deleted entirely? My gut says that this is probably the case, but for the sake of authenticity, I really hope it remains in some capacity.
In an ideal world, Konami would get Christopher Randolph back in to record new Switch-specific lines. Honestly, I'd crease myself laughing if he said, "Oh wait! We're on a Game-Key Card now! All the data is downloaded!"
Come on, you know it's funny.
That's not the only thing. If you look around closely enough while in the game's Nomad sections, you can spot Sunny playing on the PSP. There's also a reference to Zone of the Enders: 2nd Runner, a title produced by MGS creator Hideo Kojima and, at the time of writing, one that has yet to grace Nintendo platforms. Finally, a Policenauts poster is displayed in the environment at a couple of points in the game. With both titles, however, neither is locked to PlayStation, so I suspect both with remain.
Vol. 1 retained a lot of the quirks from the original releases, albeit with minor alterations. For example, MGS1 still prompts you to change the disc, even though this is merely done through a menu option. Similarly, PlayStation button prompts instructed via the Codec are still very much intact, though the game mutes any accompanying dialogue from the voice actors in this case.
It's a fascinating conundrum, and I'm curious to see how Konami handles it all. Funnily enough, there's also a real, branded iPod in the original release for MSG4, and you can use it to play all sorts of music while working your way through the game. Will this be replaced, too?
Nintendo itself probably won't be too keen on having explicit references to a rival company mentioned in the collection. The recent release of Console Archives Cool Boarders, for instance, very carefully notes that the game originally launched on "a 32-bit home console" in the official blurb. Nintendo putting its foot down, or Hamster not wanting to take any risks?
There's also the curious case of Hyperdimension Neptunia being barred for the Switch in the West. I'm merely speculating here, but the series' focus on parodying the real-life 'console wars' may have rubbed Nintendo the wrong way.
Granted, there are plenty of direct nods to all sorts of consoles in the likes of Worms Armageddon: Anniversary Edition and Atari 50, but I'd argue that showcasing these in a museum-like context is a little different, and so they can probably get away with it.
Many questions linger, then, but I'm excited to finally play MGS4 on a not-PS3. It's been a long time coming, man.
Are there any other easter eggs in MGS4 that you think might need to be addressed for this new release? How about Peace Walker? Let us know your thoughts with a comment down below.