Metal Gear Solid: The Essential Collection

by Konami

• Great Value with 3 Games at one value price.
• Final chance to get fully immersed in the Metal Gear Solid Universe before the release of MGS 4.
• Includes Directors Cut of Metal Gear Solid 2 Substance.
• Includes Directors Cut of Metal Gear Solid 3 Subsistence.
• Special re-designed packaging artwork from renowned artist Shinkawa.

Product Details

• Shipping: This item is also available for shipping to select countries outside the U.S.
• ASIN: B001383L36
• Product Dimensions: 7.5 x 5.5 x 2 inches ; 1 pounds
• Media: Video Game
• Release Date: March 18, 2008
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (165 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #3,406 in Video Games (See Top 100 in Video Games)
• Discontinued by manufacturer: Yes

Product Description

Amazon.com

Since its inception, the Metal Gear franchise has been one of the most successful game series on any console receiving worldwide recognition and praise. The franchise that pioneered the stealth action genre is back with Metal Gear Solid: The Essential Collection for the PlayStation 2 computer entertainment system. Metal Gear Solid: The Essential Collection includes three classic Metal Gear games:

Metal Gear Solid

• Lightly armed and facing an army of foes, Snake must avoid firefights in order to survive.
• If Snake is discovered, he can utilize advanced weaponry, ranging from silenced pistols to ground-to-air missiles.
• Enemies react to sight and sound.
• State-of-the-art graphics: Textures, transparencies, models and explosions.
• Suspenseful, gripping story with multiple endings for a truly cinematic experience.

Metal Gear Solid 2: Substance

• 350+ VR missions and 150+ alternative missions.
• Play through 5 "Snake Tales" levels involving Solid Snake.
• Skateboarding mode lets you explore the Big Shell as Raiden or Snake.
• Utilize stealth and infiltration methods, such as diving somersaults, hanging from ledges and using disguises.
• Fully interactive environments- bullets pierce steam pipes, smoke reveals laser beams and wet shoes leave footprints.
• Powerful musical score composed by Harry Gregson-Williams (Shrek, Armageddon, The Rock)

Metal Gear Solid 3: Subsistence

• Relive history as the cold war and geo-political landscape change.
• Outsmart enemies with camouflage, close-quarters combat, stalking, interrogating, climbing, hunting and treating injuries.
• Pit yourself against an environment where traps catch enemies and prey, threats lurk in the shadows, and noise alert predators.
• Epic musical score composed by Harry Gregson-Williams (Shrek, Armageddon, The Rock) and immersive Dolby Prologic II surround sound.

Product Description

Since its inception, the Metal Gear franchise has been one of the most successful game series on any console receiving worldwide recognition and praise. The franchise that pioneered the stealth action genre is back with Metal Gear Solid: The Essential Collection for the PlayStation 2 computer entertainment system. Metal Gear Solid: The Essential Collection includes Metal Gear Solid, Metal Gear Solid 2 and Metal Gear Solid 3 for the very first time in one collectible package.

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

88 of 90 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars as a collectors item, just about there March 21, 2008

By W. Herrmann

Fun: 5.0 out of 5 stars   

As far as value goes, this is superb. These games are really worth so much more than other games on the market as far as production value and depth go. They are absolutely timeless. Content-wise, this is certainly five stars.

You may be interested to know about this set however...

The games are not individually shrink wrapped. In fact, the shrink wrap didn't even cover the whole box set and there's an opening on the side which the games "bindings" are. I could almost slip out the games without messing with the shrink wrap at all.

Also, the first game is on a ps1 disc and you need a ps1 memory card or ps3 to save like A. Pintor said. "Metal Gear Solid" is still on 2 discs so the set is 4 discs total.

All the discs are black with white font. So they match as a set but look different than the original released version discs.

Each game has a pretty meaty manual as well that match the front and back of their respective game case.

yup, if you're missing just one game in this series, its worth picking up the set.

60 of 66 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Essentially Awesome May 16, 2008

By Steve Garrigus

Fun: 5.0 out of 5 stars   

The Metal Gear Solid Essential Collection is a great way to play all that has come before the highly anticipated Metal Gear Solid 4 is released.

I have heard alot of griping because the second disc from Metal Gear Solid 3 Subsistence is NOT included. Though I was a bit peeved about this at first, I do own an original copy of Subsistence which included the original versions of Metal Gear 1 and 2 from the Japanese MSX and I can understand Konami's decision in this regard.

The main draw of the 2nd disc of Persistence was Metal Gear Online. The serves have long been shut down and it would be pointless to release a game you can't even play any longer.

I've also heard much griping about Metal Gear Solid (1) being on two CD-ROM discs instead of a DVD-ROM. Use some logic here folks: Konami is giving you Three games for under $30. The original Metal Gear Solid is quite expensive and/or hard to find anymore. Metal Gear Solid 2 Substance is rather pricey for the PS2 version (the inferior Xbox version is fairly easy to find cheap). And even though the Persistence disc (disc 2) of Metal Gear Solid 3 Subsistence is not included, all the changes made to the game (camera angles, etc.) ARE included on the disc.

For those new to the series or wanting to pick up the games again since they no longer have them, $10 a piece is pretty damn cheap! For those collector's out there like me, you are getting all three games with beautiful new artwork, Metal Gear Solid in a very nice DVD amaray-style case (yes!) and a cool slipcase to house it all.

If you are playing Metal Gear Solid (one) on a PS2, you will need a PSOne memory card as per usual with all PSOne games. It works just fine on a PS3 (any model) and you can set up a virtual memory card....

If you are playing Metal Gear Solid 2 on a PS2, you are good to go. If you are planning on playing it on a PS3, make sure you have either the 20, 60 or 80-gig models as the 40-gig model isn't backwards compatible.

If you are playing Metal Gear Solid 3 on a PS2, you are good to go as well. Again, you have to have a 20, 60 or 80-gig PS3 model (backwards compatible with PS2 software) to play it on the PS3.

I highly recommend this series to anyone. At $30, it's a bargain price. I would also recommend the Devil May Cry collection for $30 and the Grand Theft Auto Trilogy for $30. Tremendous deals, you are getting NINE games that originally cost over $450 for less than $90 now. That's an 80% discount folks! Read more ›

12 of 13 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Deal of the Century! March 24, 2008

By JR

Fun: 5.0 out of 5 stars   

I have been a fan of the MGS series since I bought a Playstation 2 seven years ago. I applaud Konami for releasing this box set. This presents newbies the chance to catch up with the story just in time for the PS3 release of Metal Gear Solid 4. For $30 this is a steal. All 3 games are well worth the price of admission. You simply can't go wrong with this deal.

10 of 11 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars Perfect if you don't already have these... July 7, 2008

By GarionOrb

Fun: 5.0 out of 5 stars   

What can I say? This is a collection of three of the finest video games ever created. If you've never played them, this is a great and inexpensive way to start. I guarantee, by the time you're halfway done with Metal Gear Solid 2, you'll be hooked like nothing you've ever experienced!

My only qualm with this box set is the decision to leave out disc 2 of the Metal Gear Solid 3: Subsistence set. This second disc contains the original Metal Gear and Metal Gear 2: Solid Snake for the MSX system. You'd think that by "Essential Collection", that would include the two games that started it all!

However, the other games are presented in their original state and they are incredible. Well worth it!

10 of 11 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars An essential collection at an unbeatable price. March 20, 2008

By Andrew B.

Fun: 5.0 out of 5 stars   

I recently acquired this collection a few hours ago at Gamestop, and as a long time MGS fan I've played and beaten all the games in the Metal Gear Solid franchise, including "Twin Snakes" on the GC. With that said, after beating the games I sold them. But never bought the later releases such as "MGS2:Substance" and "MGS3:Subsistence", so just finding out that this collection was coming out by Konami has made me ecstatic to play these great games again and I was guaranteed that I'd get my money's worth.

I haven't played MGS3 in 3 years, since the day it was released in '04, and same with MGS1 and 2 which was a long time ago. They're still the great games I've remembered them to be. If you've kept up in the gaming world, you've heard critical acclaim of these 3 stellar games, and if this is your first time playing MGS and want to backtrack from MGS1 to keep up with the story to follow the upcoming MGS4 installment, then this is a no-brainer to BUY THIS!

There are a few things I dislike about this package and didn't know why in the heck Konami couldn't include. Like another reviewer has said, the MGS3: Subsistence is an incomplete package without the second disc and why couldn't they fix the memory card issue on MGS1? Not only can't we save games if we don't have a original PS1 memory card, but you literally can't find these in stores anymore! Unless you go on eBay. But if you own a PS3 or have a PS1 Memory Card already this just proves you're lucky. With that said, this makes this Essential Collection a bit flawed.

Pros:
- All three MGS's in one package at a great price.
- Two of them being the "Director's Cut"
- The original MGS on original 'black disc' PSone discs. A rarity to see since they haven't made these in a while....

Cons:
- MGS1 not save compatible with a PS2 Memory Card.
- The second disc for MGS3:Subsistence is missing.

All in all though, this collection is a must have if you don't own any of the MGS games in your library. Read more ›