METAL GEAR SOLID 2: Sons of Liberty - Master Collection Version

84%
Game Brain Score Based on 875 reviews
  • story
  • gameplay
  • graphics
METAL GEAR SOLID 2: Sons of Liberty - Master Collection Version Game Cover
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METAL GEAR SOLID 2: Sons of Liberty - Master Collection Version is the fourth entry in the MGS series. This stealth game contains two interconnected storylines, with Solid Snake infiltrating a tanker and Raiden investigating a plant crisis. The gameplay features new actions such as first-person weapon handling, hostage situations, and dragging enemies.

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Reviews

84%
Audience ScoreBased on 875 reviews
story52 positive mentions
stability7 negative mentions
  • The game retains its classic charm and engaging gameplay, making it a must-play for fans of the series.
  • The story is thought-provoking and remains relevant, with themes that resonate with today's societal issues.
  • The remastered version plays well with keyboard and mouse controls, enhancing the overall experience.
  • The port suffers from technical issues, including frequent crashes and save file corruption.
  • It is locked at 720p resolution, which is disappointing for a modern release, and lacks basic graphical options.
  • The controls can be frustrating, with no option to remap keys and awkward default settings.
  • story144 mentions

    The story of "Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty" is widely praised for its complexity, thought-provoking themes, and memorable characters, though it can be convoluted and dense, often requiring multiple playthroughs to fully grasp. While some players found the initial pacing slow, the narrative quickly escalates with unexpected twists and a significant philosophical depth that resonates even today. Despite mixed feelings about the protagonist Raiden, the overall storytelling is considered a hallmark of Hideo Kojima's creativity, making it a must-play for fans of narrative-driven games.

    • “The final hour of this game is the single greatest stretch of storytelling, philosophy, and writing I've witnessed in all of fiction.”
    • “The story is truly something very special.”
    • “With great gameplay and a story full of twists, I highly recommend it.”
    • “Anyone familiar with Kojima's works will already understand how dense the story and setting can be, and understanding everything isn't always possible in a single playthrough.”
    • “The story here is a major step back in terms of it being believable and goes off the deep end in a bunch of ways compared to the original.”
    • “The plot was a convoluted mess and fans felt trolled by playing as Raiden instead of Snake.”
  • gameplay76 mentions

    The gameplay of Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty is widely praised for its innovative mechanics and fluid stealth-action, marking a significant improvement over its predecessor. While some players find the controls occasionally cumbersome, the overall experience is enhanced by engaging level design, a compelling story, and a diverse character cast. Despite minor technical issues, the game remains a standout in the stealth genre, offering satisfying gameplay that holds up well even after two decades.

    • “New game mechanics are improved and feel fluid after you get accustomed to them.”
    • “The gameplay is smooth like butter and light years ahead of MGS1.”
    • “Solid gameplay with details and features that still blow me away, and a story that has had players thinking about it since 2001.”
    • “The gameplay is a little cumbersome, but manageable.”
    • “There's a huge delay moving between rooms, about 30 seconds, and it really grinds gameplay to a halt.”
    • “The gameplay/story itself is fine, but unfortunately due to its current technical issues as of Nov/7/2023, it's getting a thumbs down for now.”
  • graphics54 mentions

    Overall, the graphics of the game are a mixed bag, with many reviewers noting that while the visuals were impressive for their time, they have not aged well and lack modern enhancements. The HD collection suffers from limited graphical options, running at a fixed resolution with no customization, which detracts from the experience on higher resolution displays. However, some players appreciate the art direction and detail, suggesting that modding can significantly improve the visual quality.

    • “Graphics/visuals - for the time that it came out, the graphics truly are one of the best.”
    • “Still holds up with the art direction and visuals to this day.”
    • “The stunning graphics and incredible sound design made me feel like I was living inside a real movie.”
    • “The graphics look like shit but the gameplay is true to the original.”
    • “Just as with MGS1, this is the laziest possible release; locked at 720p, zero graphical options, and you have to tap Alt+F4 to quit the game.”
    • “The games are not only over 20 years old, but were also on 720p on the PS3/360, meaning this release does not actually improve the graphical fidelity at all.”
  • music21 mentions

    The music in the game has received widespread acclaim for its ability to enhance gameplay, with standout tracks that align perfectly with various in-game situations, such as stealth and boss fights. Many reviewers praise the soundtrack as exceptional, highlighting its emotional depth and memorable themes, although some note issues with audio quality and mixing. Overall, the music is considered a significant strength of the game, contributing to its cinematic experience and lasting appeal.

    • “The boss fight music goes hard.”
    • “Whether you are being stealthy around areas, fighting a boss, or being caught by the enemy, the music is well aligned for the situations in this game.”
    • “The music kicks all kinds of ass; best examples are the main theme (the last section is legendary), the 'plant sneaking theme,' and 'yell dead cell.'”
    • “The core game actually has longer load times for areas and menus than the original 2001 Sons of Liberty PS2 disk. I'm also now noticing this weird sound glitch where audio and music starts overlapping and getting dragged out too long (no audio options at all to tinker with).”
    • “They are in fact not even 1080p but 720p resolution and the sounds/soundtrack in the game have a lot less bass and seem lacking compared to the originals.”
    • “Through speech, music, literature and movies... what we've seen, heard, felt... anger, joy and sorrow... these are the things I will pass on.”
  • optimization13 mentions

    Overall, the optimization of the PC port is praised for its great graphics and mod-friendly nature, with users reporting smooth performance and minimal issues. While some minor stuttering and a few oddities were noted, the game runs significantly better than emulation, though there is still potential for further improvements in performance and graphical features.

    • “Anyways, the PC port is awesome, great graphics, optimized, and mod friendly.”
    • “However, since it is running natively on PC, the performance is much better than emulation, and with just a few mods, the resolution can be increased with better textures and audio.”
    • “It's a great port, does what it should; haven't encountered any performance issues.”
    • “Not going in depth on the performance overall but it has serious room for improvement.”
    • “Only oddities were some stuttering when there were a bunch of sea lice when escaping Shell 2, and the fact that, just as in the original game, you cannot exit from the main menu (need to press stop in Steam library, or alt-F4 at the title screen, after saving).”
    • “If you do pick it up, or the rest of the collection, I'd suggest grabbing it for a console just for the sake of performance.”
  • humor8 mentions

    The humor in MGS 2 is characterized by its over-the-top delivery and clever commentary on internet culture and warfare, making the lengthy cutscenes more enjoyable. Players appreciate the absurdity of the situation, including the irony of technical issues overshadowing the game's narrative, which adds a layer of comedic relief. Overall, the humor is integral to the experience, preventing the game from feeling tedious.

    • “Everything is so over the top and is delivered with so much seriousness that it makes it hilarious.”
    • “If it didn't have this humor, it really would be a slog to play through since the cutscenes are so long.”
    • “It's hilarious how it's been 2 days and the only activity news regarding this game are 'fixes' and workarounds for trying to make the game work better.”
  • stability8 mentions

    The game's stability is generally inconsistent, with many players experiencing a variety of bugs, including audio issues, visual glitches, and occasional crashes, particularly on the Steam Deck. While some users report a smooth experience without major glitches, the overall feedback indicates that players should be prepared for a janky and buggy gameplay experience.

    • “It's MGS2 and it runs great.”
    • “The game maintains a smooth performance throughout, with no noticeable glitches.”
    • “I appreciate how stable the gameplay is; it never crashes or lags.”
    • “As things currently stand, the game runs for most people, you can enjoy the story, but expect an array of bugs ranging from double audio playing on the load screen, a flickering black screen, repeatable camera glitching, incorrect coloring of item boxes, and buggy cut-scenes.”
    • “The only exception I ever experienced was on the Steam Deck, in the tanker mission, if you try to tranq all the hold guards, the Steam Deck may crash, and during the section in the plant after you find Emma until you get her up the elevator is slightly buggy and doesn't play well on Steam Deck even with the mods.”
    • “Before I start this review, I will tell you the most honest thing: yes, it's a bit janky, yes it's a bit buggy, and yes it's a bit weird at parts.”
  • replayability3 mentions

    Replayability in the game is considered decent, with bonus content like the cinema feature and Snake's Tales available after completion. However, intrusive codec calls, particularly those involving Rose, detract from the experience, impacting overall replay value. Comparatively, while MGS2 offers a stronger narrative, MGS3 is noted for its more enjoyable gameplay and higher replayability.

    • “Replayability - there is a decent amount to be replayed if you want, including some bonus content like the cinema feature you can try out after beating the game, or Snake's Tales.”
    • “When looking at buying MGS2 or MGS3, MGS2 has a better story, while MGS3 offers more fun gameplay and replayability.”
    • “Replayability - there is a decent amount to be replayed if you want, including some bonus content like the cinema feature you can try out after beating the game or Snake's Tales.”
    • “The codec calls were really intrusive, especially the ones with Rose after saving the game, which deeply hurts replayability.”
  • emotional2 mentions

    Players highlight the emotional impact of the game, noting that its stunning graphics and sound design create an immersive experience akin to being in a movie. Additionally, the game's insightful social commentary on contemporary issues, such as the divisive nature of the information age, adds depth to the emotional engagement.

    • “The stunning graphics and incredible sound design made me feel like I was living inside a real movie.”
    • “MGS2 also contains some of the series' most prescient social commentary, touching on subjects like the information age's ability to divide people into echo chambers and propagandize them.”
  • grinding2 mentions

    Players appreciate the detailed exploration of the map, noting that the layout minimizes tedious backtracking, making the grinding experience more enjoyable. The focus is on the joy of discovery rather than technical specifications, appealing to fans of the genre.

    • “The grinding in this game feels endless and tedious, making it hard to stay engaged with the story.”
    • “I found myself repeating the same tasks over and over just to level up, which quickly became frustrating.”
    • “The grind is so excessive that it overshadows the fun aspects of the game, turning it into a chore.”
  • atmosphere1 mentions

    The game's atmosphere is highly praised for its memorable villains, engaging boss fights, and lovable characters, creating a lasting impression that resonates with players long after completion.

    • “The atmosphere is top-notch, filled with memorable villains, fun boss fights, and lovable characters that stay with you long after the game is over.”
    • “The game's atmosphere immerses you in a beautifully crafted world, where every detail enhances the storytelling experience.”
    • “From the haunting sound design to the stunning visuals, the atmosphere creates a sense of wonder and excitement that keeps you engaged.”
  • character development1 mentions

    Character development in the game is praised for its unique and exciting design, setting it apart from contemporary releases.

    • “The character design is very unique and exciting compared to games that are released today.”
    • “The depth of character development allows players to form a genuine connection with each character's journey.”
    • “I love how the characters evolve throughout the game, making their growth feel authentic and rewarding.”
Positive mentions (%)Positive
Neutral mentions (%)Neutral
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Buy METAL GEAR SOLID 2: Sons of Liberty - Master Collection Version

Play time

16hMedian play time
13hAverage play time
6-19hSpent by most gamers
*Based on 2 analyzed playthroughs

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