Metal Gear Solid 4 Returns: First Reviews for Master Collection Vol. 2 Are Here

Even before its official release on August 27, 2026, the first reviews for “Metal Gear Solid: Master Collection Vol. 2” have been published. PC Gamer's review specifically focuses on the package's centerpiece, the long-awaited remaster of “Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots”, while Video Games Chronicle (VGC) takes a closer look at the entire bundle. Both publications paint a largely positive, yet not uncritically glowing picture.

Which games are included in the Metal Gear Solid Master Collection Vol. 2?

Konami and Kojima Productions bundle three titles in Master Collection Vol. 2: the PS3-exclusive game “Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots”, “Metal Gear Solid: Peace Walker” (already familiar from the HD Collection), and the earlier Game Boy Color spin-off “Metal Gear: Ghost Babel”, which was previously little known in this region. The package will be released on August 27, 2026, for PS5, Xbox Series X/S, Nintendo Switch, Nintendo Switch 2, and PC via Steam, and will regularly cost 49.99 US dollars in the USA. The collection is complemented by extensive archival material such as the MGS4 database, screenplays, and master books for MGS4 and Peace Walker, as well as a digital soundtrack.

• Technical Overhaul: According to reviews, MGS4 runs for the first time at a stable 60 frames per second in 4K – a significant leap compared to the choppy PS3 original.
• First Time Cross-Platform: After almost 20 years, MGS4 leaves its PS3 exclusivity and is playable on consoles and PC for the first time.
• Two Handheld Classics as a Bonus: According to VGC, Peace Walker and especially the rarely played Ghost Babel significantly enhance the bundle.
• Controls and operation have been noticeably adapted for modern controllers and screens.
• Extensive bonus material in text and image form, but with a noticeable lack of making-of videos or documentary footage.
• The actual games themselves have hardly changed in terms of content, pure re-releases without gameplay adjustments.

Is Master Collection Vol. 2 Worth It According to the First Reviews?

PC Gamer describes “Metal Gear Solid 4” as one of the series' strongest stealth-action experiences, which, thanks to the overhaul, is finally playable in a contemporary way again. VGC even rates the overall package as one of the highest-quality collections ever: MGS4 alone justifies the purchase price, with Peace Walker and the underrated Ghost Babel providing noticeable added value on top. Both reviews praise the clean technical foundation but unanimously criticize the text-heavy bonus material lacking significant video documentation.

From our perspective, the timing is particularly noteworthy: reviews are being published intentionally before the release to provide early guidance to pre-order customers. The collection is also significant for collectors because MGS4 has been virtually unplayable since the end of the PS3 era. Furthermore, Ghost Babel gets a second chance, a title that never received the attention outside Japan that its series history actually attributes to it.

Further information about the package is available on the official Master Collection Vol. 2 page, while an overview of the entire series is provided by Konami's Metal Gear portal. Konami has also published details about the sales launch in an official press release.

Source: PC Gamer, VGC

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