Konami's Metal Gear Solid: Master Collection Vol. 1 arrived on the Switch last week and Digital Foundry has now released its technical analysis of the entire collection.
DF gets right into it, claiming it "could, and should have been so much more" - explaining how the collection presents Metal Gear Solid 1,2, and 3 with "limited enhancements" compared to previous iterations of these games.
"The first MGS, for example, runs via an emulator at the same resolution and frame rate as the original PS1 hardware back in 1998. And then MGS2 and 3, in this case, boot up code based on the HD collection versions as first developed by Bluepoint in 2011 for Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3...both games still run at a native 1280 x 720p in the Master Collection... whether it's PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X or Nintendo Switch, 720p is all we get here...all of this is despite suggestions from Konami before release via the spreadsheet that these games might target 1080p. In truth, it's disappointing."
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Here's what else to expect from each game on the Nintendo Switch:
Metal Gear Solid
- M2 developed port
- Base resolution of 240p
- Fine texture warping
- 30fps, with hard drops to 20fps and under in first-person
- European version 25fps paired with 50hz
- Audio hiccups
Metal Gear Solid 2
- Same as HD Collection version released in 2011
- Delay on codec dialogue reduced from 3 seconds to less
- Native 720p resolution
- Anti-aliasing quality differs across platforms / seemingly none on the Switch
- The Switch leaves hard geometric edges, entirely raw 1280 x 720, untreated without anti-aliasing
- Seemingly no texture filtering applied at all
- Both anti-aliasing and texture filtering "urgently need fixing"
- Docked and portable 30fps Switch cap
- Reduced frame rate impacts the motion blur effect, especially in first-person
- Uneven frame pacing 16 and 50 milliseconds, creating jittery movement
- flashes of 60fps, with doors and lockers (unlocks to 60fps) - tied to game logic
- Switch portable, low 20fps in cutscenes
Metal Gear Solid 3
- Same/similar to HD Collection version released in 2011
- Native 720p resolution
- Applies anti-aliasing across all platforms (Switch included), just MGS2 that sticks out
- Texture filtering engaged for Switch
- Docked and portable 30fps Switch cap
- Reduced frame rate impacts the motion blur effect
- The third game does improve on a lot of technical issues in the Switch version
Digital Foundry sums up the collection as a technical "disappointment", but does appreciate the fact all these games have been included in a modern package. It also mentioned how Konami is looking to improve the experience with some patch updates:
How have you found the Master Collection on the Switch so far? Tell us below.
Comments 27
Definitely shouldn't being blaming the hardware for this one. Every platform should be able to do 60fps.
Just emulate and don't waste your money or feel bad.
Bringing the games to modern consoles was a big plus, and the main reason I got the collection. I’m truly hopeful that in the next year we’ll see vol 2 and finally have MGS4 on modern consoles and NOT tied down to Ps3.
So 😄. The PS2 essential collection is easily the most authentic way to own and play these games, and that thing was released in 2008; before some of you were even born!
Well... A 2023 video game (collection) without dual/multi audio option support? Yeah – no buy!
So how do these compare to the HD re-releases on PS3? Is 30 FPS really all that worse than 60? I mean it's not like it's a racing game or something where FPS really make or break the experience. Seems like if you loved then when they originally released warts and all you should still enjoy them just fine now.
Basically it's a garbage port, they should be embarrassed running a PS2 game at half the framerate on the Switch. Nintendo have Metroid Prime with improved visuals running at a flawless 60fps at 1080p and these clowns barely get a PS2 game running at 30fps at 720p with no visual updates over the original
@Truegamer79 they're the same versions just at half the framerate on Switch. MGS2 runs at 60fps on a PS2 and sure it's still playable at 30 but frankly it's unacceptable that they couldn't match the performance of a 23 year old console
It’s worse than that, watch the DF videos.
This one:
https://youtu.be/m4jJbO3nfCk?si=u4xOkzZoWYWQPdpz
And the one linked in the article too.
One thing that makes a game a definite no for me no matter what is audio hickups.
Burn Konami for putting Zero Effort into this, and mainly how you treated the Switch physical release having zero MGS game on Cartridge!!!!!! Why is is so difficult to polish a game before release?! Any company that does this deserves low sales to learn their lessons. This is a flagship franchise for Konami and this shows what people are employed at the top! Those should be fired!!!!!!
I still bought it just to have the handheld option, and been enjoying it - still love MGS1 to death, it's a shame they couldn't have upscaled the resolution or smoothed the graphics a bit but the quality of the game is so good it still shines. Hands down best PS1 game ever made for me, still baffled how they achieved it with 32bits.
Why are you still trying to put this turd over?
Konami may as well not come back to videogames.
I mean, it's not the dumpster fire that the GTA Remastered collection was (and they say that Konami are going to be offering updates), although if I'm going to pick this up it'll definitely be on PS5.
I wish we could unleash Deneuvo on dumpster fires like this. Corporations can obviously be worse than pirates!
Well...I guess Konami never changes, right? At least it's not a Pachinko machine...
We'll see how it sells though. I have seen lots of fans defending it saying that missing AA adds to the atmosphere and what not. So maybe people will buy it anyway.
It's shoddy releases like this that give the Switch a reputation for incapable remasters.
And the sad part? People will defend this online by saying "well, we should be grateful we have these games at all blah blah blah" lol
It's bums me out knowing the Konami I grew up with and what they are now. I will grab these when they hit a sale, but not before. I want these, but I am in no rush.
@carlos82 They aren't running the PS2 code.
That said, If they were going to do a Switch version (which they did), it should have had its own dedicated team so more time could have been put into it, rather than stretching it out so that it would have to be hastily downported from the PS5 version.
As the old saying goes: f**konami!
@Phin68 People will keep saying the Switch is too weak to even run a NES game.
@Jokerwolf yea i can get mgs 3 running on my tablet with 60fps and upscaled to 2k haha
Well that's unfortunate still wanna pick it up on sale eventually
Guess I'll stick to MGS3D
Hard to believe the Konami of old & the Konami of new. With the amazing arcade & console games they have produced in there heyday. We get mediocre ports at best of Metal gear. Good job they gave way forward another crack at Contra. But even that looks suspect. Especially compared to DS contra 4.
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