User Reviews (11 - 21 of 64)

Show these reviews first:

Highest Rated
Lowest Rated Newest
Oldest Most Helpful
Least Helpful

Missing a couple of pieces...

3 Rating: 3, Useful: 5 / 7
Date: May 09, 2008
Author: Amazon User

I bought this because I had never played Metal Gear Solid 3, and while I enjoyed that game immensely, I was disappointed that none of the extra features (minigames, etc.) that were present with the original game are included. The game disc included in the collection (for MGS 3 at least) is actually the first disc of the special edition version, while the bonus stuff was all on the second disc. This product is only for people who want the games only and don't want any bonus content.

One more thing...

4 Rating: 4, Useful: 8 / 15
Date: March 27, 2008
Author: Amazon User

Pretty much everything has been said already, but I just wanted to add, for those who are interested, that this collection does NOT include the original NES Metal Gear and MSX Metal Gear 2. It was one of the reasons why I purchased the set, and was very disappointed when I discovered the games had been removed. It's still a great collection, however, and worth the purchase.

A Solid Collection for the MGS Fan

4 Rating: 4, Useful: 3 / 3
Date: April 19, 2008
Author: Amazon User

Like the description says, this is a collection of three Metal Gear Solid games. It contains the original Playstation version of Metal Gear Solid, as well as the two director's cut versions of the Playstation 2 installments of the series - Metal Gear Solid 2: Substance and Metal Gear Solid 3: Subsistence.

When I say the collection contains the original Playstation version of Metal Gear Solid, I really mean the original Playstation. This is surprising considering the age of that system and the fact it's on two discs. A PS2 port would have allowed players to rely on a PS2 memory card and allowed the game to fit on one disc. If you don't have a PS1 memory card, you're out of luck. Fortunately, the game is playable on the PS3 using the system's built-in memory card feature.

All three games are, as the boxes say, "tactical espionage action" games. You can try to blast your way through the enemies, but that really isn't very bright. If you're seen by an enemy, they'll call for help, and from that point on, an endless stream of enemies will come to find you. If you're able to successfully hide long enough, however, the enemies will return to their posts.

MGS is the simplest of the games, relying primarily on an overhead view to essentially make the gameplay 2D. You can't shoot in first-person, but Snake does automatically track his targets. In addition to the main game, MGS also has a VR Training mode, where you not only learn a few basics, but can also challenge yourself to obtain better times in each of the ten courses.

MGS2: Substance, greatly improves on the gameplay by adding the abilities to shoot in first-person, climb small boxes, dive, shoot from cover, and hang from ledges. Soldiers can also be shot in different parts of the body for different effects. A head shot will kill an enemy in one hit, but aiming for the body will require you to use more ammo. Substance also has a great deal of bonuses. There's a VR training mode, greatly improved from MGS. Initially, you can play as either Snake or Raiden, and as you complete more courses, new characters are unlocked. While the course layouts remain the same for each character, enemy placement changes to provide varying levels of difficulty. In addition to a Stealth and Eliminate All Enemies mode, the VR training also provides weapon training courses where you use the games many weapons to destroy targets. Another of Substance's game play modes is Snake Tales, where you play through the Big Shell, one of the game's areas, as Snake instead of Raiden. Finally, an amusing skateboarding mode turns the Big Shell into a sort of Tony Hawk Pro Skater course allowing you to skate through with Snake or Raiden in an attempt to complete various tasks and earn points for performing various skating tricks.

Finally, MGS3: Subsistence takes you back in time to the 1960's where you play as Snake's father, Naked Snake. In the Soviet jungles, Naked Snake has to use camouflage and his survival techniques to infiltrate enemy bases. The game requires that you treat your injuries and keep your stamina up by eating food. This means you have to hunt for food and raid enemy storage houses for medical supplies. Naked Snake also knows a fighting style known as close-quarter combat (CQC). This allows Snake to grab enemies and perform a variety of moves from there, including interrogation, using the enemy as a shield while you fire on his comrades, or just plain slamming him into the ground and knocking him unconscious. The abilities granted by CQC add a new dimension to the game that makes fighting your way through enemy bases much more feasible.

The games are fun to play once you're accustomed to the controls. Substance and Subsistence have so many controls, that they are overwhelming to new MGS players. If you take the time to learn them, though, you'll find deep games with an endless amount of possibilities.

you cant go wrong!

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 5 / 8
Date: March 19, 2008
Author: Amazon User

I know this isnt complete- it does say the essential collection- but for $30 you CAN NOT pass this up I randomly stumbled upon this set today when at GS I was like today is the day I finally get to play some metal gear! Really though it may be incomplete BUT it has the original metal gear solid for Playstation!! I'm sure that this reprint worth the 30 itself! I told my buddy and he went out and bought this just for the first game, this is a steal, go get it! NOTE: I did not realize this until now but the MGS for PS1 still requires a old PS1 memory card, I dont see why they could have tweaked this to work with the ps2 memory cards but if you have a PS3 you can just create a PS1 memory card. Also I heard that konami might actually be considering throwing in the second disc for MGS3 but who knows this collection is really for collectors or people who have not played the series. I am not reviewing the games just the set, I dont know why this got marked as a bad review obviously if you wanted to know more about the games themselves you should look at them individually- just to inform all pessimistic people the original MGS sells for about $15 and up on ebay so yes this is a good deal even if it didnt include the original MSG it would still be worth the $30.

Great!

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 2 / 2
Date: April 09, 2008
Author: Amazon User

Metal Gear Solid: The Essential Collection is great. I'm giving it five stars because a) it's Metal Gear Solid, and b) it's exactly what it says it is. The three Metal Gear Solid games in one. Nowhere does it say, "bonus content." I admit, it would be nice to have a PS2 copy of MGS1, but one was never made. All in all, buy this game if you have one or none of the MGS series--it's a fantastic value for some of the best examples of videogames in the medium's short history. If you've got two or all of the games in the series, don't waste your time. I only got this because my 360 red-ringed, so I decided to get a PS2. I'd beaten all the MGS games previously, but I wanted to do it again! But I digress. MGS: The Essential Collection is a fantastic deal, and I recommend it to anyone who has never played the series before or doesn't own all the games in it.

Just what you need!!

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 2 / 2
Date: July 01, 2008
Author: Amazon User

About the product:
I played MGS, MGS2 a couple of years ago but never got the chance to play MGS3. And when I saw its reviews recently I decided I'll give it a go. But unfortunately all the copies I found offline of (MGS3: Subsistence) were somewhat expensive for a PS2 game! So finally I found this product and it was just what I needed. The improved MGS2 & MGS3 Plus I didnt have a copy of my own of MGS and now I have all three in my collection. Excellent and for an Excellent price.

About the Game:
The games are so much fun (if your into stealth-action). Especially MGS3. That game totally RULED!! Story is just amazing! And game play is also great.

I totally recommend this product.

This is the Essential Collection

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 2 / 3
Date: March 26, 2008
Author: Amazon User

I mainly wanted to write this review in response to "W. Herrmann's" review.

His problem with the shrink wrap was just his set. He is right in that only the outter box is wrapped, but there were no defects in the wrapping on mine, The entire thing is shrink wrapped just fine with mine.

This collection is AMAZING if you don't own any of the other games. If you have every other MGS game you can skip over this unless you're a hardcore collctor like I am. This is a great introduction to the series. I have no complaints about anything being missing as this isn't The Complete Collection.

Once again, North American gamers are short changed!

2 Rating: 2, Useful: 3 / 9
Date: July 05, 2008
Author: Amazon User

When I purchased the Metal Gear Solid Essential Collection, I was expecting the whole deal! All the extras, the VR missions, PSP ACID games and then the Persistence disc for Metal Gear Solid 3. I am not like other gamers on this site in the sense that I will come down hard on Konami North America for once again showing its disrespect for us true die hard traditional gamers in the United States! It is galling that even after seeing how many people are willing to pay the extra dollars here in the U.S.A. for all the new technologies and bell whistles that come with them that these U.S. companies STILL labor under the impression that anything new here should come half completed, whereas in Japan they get the whole kit and kaboodle.

To anybody that buys this product, please read the box and item summary before you purchase it. If you are a Metal Gear fanatic like myself, you will be totally disappointed in the utter lack of extras. An essential collection this is not!

Literally the bare essentials

4 Rating: 4, Useful: 1 / 1
Date: March 31, 2008
Author: Amazon User

This is literally what it says it is - the essentials, nothing more, nothing less. It comes with all 3 games, no changes or alterations. Metal Gear Solid 1 is still the identical PS1 release(so you need a PS1 memory card) and MGS3:Subsistence comes with only disc 1 of 2. They did not include the equally exquisite MG1 or 2 for the MSX, nor did they include the PSP game, extra VR missions for 1, or any other bonus material.

In comparison to the Japanese 20th anniversary edition(which included all that and more), this seems like a lame attempt to further cash in on the series. That being said though, all 3 are absolutely stellar games(MGS1 is easily one of the most ground breaking games of all time). If you are missing one or all of the games, not getting the set at $30 is foolish. On the other hand, if you already have them all, there is absolutely nothing new here to warrant picking it up outside of collection purposes.

Metal Gear Fans Alike!!!

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 1 / 1
Date: March 27, 2008
Author: Amazon User

I have been a Metal Gear Solid fan/junkie since the series was intruduced to me by a good friend on the PS2. He was playing MGS2 and I was hooked, later to find out I had already played MGS and hadn't known it. But as the Series has grown I have grown as a MGS fan and, this Collecter's set is just the thing for any Metal Gear Head!!! This product is not only amazing because of its low price tag but the disc lay out and original content of the previous games untainted keeps the games feel authentic and very real, a great buy for any MGS fan and definitely a great buy just for a fun play.

Review Page: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Next 

Actions