Metal Gear Solid: Master Collection Vol.1

The first thing to note about this collection is that not even Metal Gear 1 and 2 are playable off the cartridge without updating. Not even MGS1 and VR missions. Not even NES Metal Gear and Snake's Revenge.Slap in the card and you're greeted with a bunch of new menu icons. Not an icon for the entire collection.Metal Gear 1 & 2 (Both versions) are their own icon. MGS1 has its' own icon, along with all additional versions, as does MGS2 and 3, and the extras. All of these require download to access, even though the Switch can have up to 64GB, and MG1-MGS3 collectively fit on less space than that on the previous collection for PS3. In fact, if Konami had been smart, they'd have used all of that space to fit the MGS graphic novels they stuffed into this collection as well, but they decided to cheap out and use a 2GB cartridge.Additionally, the menu interface is riddled with typographical errors and user interface issues that make it somewhat confusing to navigate, and the available menus are a downgrade from the previously-released MGS HD Collection for the PS3 and Xbox 360, and don't include the ability to return to the selection menu from the in-game menus without closing the software, which makes checking version differences a pain.According to IGN, the version of MGS1 on this collection uses over 7GB of data. I'm not sure if that includes just the main US version of the game and language packs, or also the Japanese version, UK version, VR Missions (US and UK) and Integral, but regardless of that, given that MGS1 is a straight emulation of the PS1 original, not an enhanced port in any way, this file size is frankly absurd. The previously-released PSN version of MGS1 was also a straight emulated version, and while it was barer bones, a basic version of the game would've easily fit onto the 2GB cartridge Konami decided to use for the game, although if they'd sprung for even the additional 8GB or 16GB versions, they could've fit basic ports of MGS2 and 3 in HD as well. If the version of MGS1 they included in this collection was in HD and had integrated multi-language support, and featured any enhancements over the original, it could be justified in being the size that it is. As it stands, you have to download the Japanese original and Integral versions on their own, which further bloats the amount of data you have to store on your system memory or SD card. Additionally, the collection allows you to add virtual save data for Psycho Mantis to read from an emulated PS1 memory card, which is great, but rather than having one shared memory card for MGS US, UK, Japan and Integral, the collection makes you add each virtual save data to each virtual memory card individually, even though on the original PlayStation you could've just used a single memory card for every version of the game, and you can't mass-add virtual saves either, nor will the game allow you to add completion data to access a New Game Plus without beating the game, even though that option would be fairly kind to veteran gamers who've already beaten MGS countless times such as myself, but would like to maybe try out the tuxedo mode on the go. To say that this collection is inelegant would be an understatement.MGS2 and 3 are also stuck in 720p and locked to 30fps. Apparently this is the case even on PS4, Xbox One, PS5, Series X, and PC, even though the original MGS2 ran at 60fps on PS2 and 2 and 3 both ran at 60fps on PS3 and Xbox 360. MGS2 and 3 are also still missing the same features they were in the HD Collection, with no Snake Skateboarding to be found, so if you want that, you'll have to track down the PS2 MGS2 Integral version, which is quite good, and I would heartily recommend. Or you could get the PC version and mod it, which will also fix all of the issues with the game that have been present since the PS2 original and have, for some reason, remained entirely unchanged for the last twenty years.MGS3 is also in an interesting position, as it's not only missing features included with the previous three-disc and two-disc versions of Subsistence for the PS2, but also missing features from the 3DS version of the game as well, which doesn't bode well for Snake Eater Delta, but that's beside the point.If you wanted portable versions of MG1-MGS3 and don't have a PS Vita, this might be your best shot, but I wouldn't blame you for either waiting on an updated version that fixes the issues, or just sticking with the original versions, or heading over to Good Old Games and buying the versions of, MG1, MGS1 and 2 that are available there and modding them up to and above the standards of the originals. The PC versions of MGS1 and 2 aren't the best ports out there, but they can be made good with a little bit of effort, and they tend to run smoother than these do. The Switch is more than capable of running a PS2 game in 1080p at 60fps. I remember emulating MGS1-3 (Legally) on a Windows 7 computer that wasn't half as capable as my Switch OLED is at higher resolutions and higher frame-rates.If you wanted the novelty of having a PS1 game that came on two CDs on the Switch, don't bother. The PS1 game isn't even on here.Whatever you do, don't buy it for full price. It ain't worth that. Get it at a Black Friday or Prime Day price cut, or something like that. I only have this version because I forgot to cancel my pre-order after the news came out that this version was going to be so hobbled.