Metal Gear Solid Master Collection Volume 1 has returned on Steam, but comes with an unwelcome detail.
The Steam listing has separate listings for various games, and a Steam bundle that comprises the collection.
This is how each game listing breaks down:
Metal Gear Solid 2 and Metal Gear Solid 3 are listed as solo games.
Metal Gear and Metal Gear Solid 2: Solid Snake on the MSX2 are sold under one game listing.
Metal Gear Solid on the PlayStation comes with the VR Missions and Integral Missions. It also comes bundled with both Metal Gear and Metal Gear Solid 2: Solid Snake.
Metal Gear Solid Master Collection Volume 1 Bonus Content is a single listing, that comes with the graphic novels and soundtrack, and also has the NES and Famicom Metal Gear games. That would be Metal Gear and Snake’s Revenge.
Finally, there’s a separate listing for Metal Gear Solid Master Collection Volume 1 Pre-Order Bonus content, but it can only be bought if you buy the whole bundle. This one has no games and only comes with three tracks.
Now, curiously enough, each listing comes with a note that each game listing “requires a controller in order to play. Playing with a keyboard and mouse isn’t supported.”
For those who were curious, the original Metal Gear Solid did have a PC version with keyboard and mouse support. Furthermore, the MSX2 game platform was a microcomputer, not a dedicated games console. Subsequently, the MSX2 literally has its keyboard built into the hardware. Many of those original Metal Gear players definitely played it on the MSX2’s keyboard.
So, a few of these games were originally played on a keyboard, or keyboard and mouse. While some fans would definitely prefer to play these type of action games with a controller, many games like this were also brought to PC with mouse and keyboard support.
It’s an arrangement that makes sense on PC, simply because most PC gamers would only have a mouse and keyboard. There’s nothing wrong with adding accommodations for such players, especially when you consider that some gamers need accessibility aids and options in particular.
However, Konami’s choice not to add such options is perplexing. It seems that they made the call not to pay to add that additional support. It’s certainly a disappointing choice, and one we hope Konami turns around on before they get these games out.
Metal Gear Solid Master Collection Volume 1 will be released on October 24, 2023, on PlayStation 5, Nintendo Switch, Xbox Series X|S, and Windows on Steam
