Stealth Action Game Compilation Review: Metal Gear Solid Master Collection Vol. 1

Metal Gear Solid Master Collection Vol. 1 is the latest in a long line of compilations featuring Metal Gear games. It made its own name, however, by having several things going for it that no other compilation before it had.

The first volume of the Master Collection is headlined by the first three Metal Gear Solid games, but it actually contains seven games and two variants. The games that have appeared in other compilations over the years include the console versions of the mobile remakes of the MSX2 versions of Metal Gear and Metal Gear 2: Solid Snake, Metal Gear Solid, Metal Gear Solid: VR Missions, Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty, and Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater.

Beyond these games, the compilation also saw the first re-release of the Family Computer and Nintendo Entertainment System version of Metal Gear and the NES-exclusive sequel Snake's Revenge. It also was the first international release of Metal Gear Solid: Integral, which was originally released only in Japan. This game combined the international version of Metal Gear Solid, with the English voices and the choice of Japanese or English subtitles with the VR Missions. Integral was actually the original release of the latter before it was released in North America as Metal Gear Solid: VR Missions and in Europe as Metal Gear Solid: Special Missions.

Beyond the included games, the Master Collection also includes the motion comics Metal Gear Solid: Digital Graphic Novel, which digitized IDW Publishing's graphic novel adaptation of Metal Gear Solid  and Metal Gear Solid 2: Bande Dessinée, which digitized IDW Publishing's graphic novel adaptation of Metal Gear Solid: Sons of Liberty.

Metal Gear Solid Master Collection Vol. 1 is a large treasure trove of Metal Gear games that were released throughout three decades. However, its value will largely come down to whether you don't own another Metal Gear Solid compilation and whether the compilation-exclusive games such as the NES version of Metal Gear and Snake's Revenge as well as the first international release of Metal Gear Solid: Integral matter to you. If either of those cases turn out to be yes for you, then this compilation is well worth picking up.

Final Verdict:

4½ out of 5

Action-Adventure Review: Guardians of the Galaxy

The Guardians of the Galaxy, long a niche comic team, gained a large following after being adapted into films. Because of this, it is only fitting that it would get video game adaptations. The Eidos-Montréal version of Guardians of the Galaxy was a high-budget game that is based on the same crew made famous by the James Gunn Marvel Cinematic Universe trilogy. 

It was released after Guardians of the Galaxy: A Telltale Series, but is set before it, in 2014. The Telltale game also followed the characters from the films, with elements mixed in from the surprisingly even weirder Marvel Comics version of the characters. That meant that the game had a tough act to follow, especially following the promotional material that made this take on the Guardians highly anticipated.

This action-adventure adaptation has a lot going for it. Unsurprisingly, it features the characters from the film trilogy, which have become the most loved version of this group of anti-heroes. However, it also pulls from the comics, giving the team's leader, Peter Quill aka Star-Lord, his half-Spartax background and featuring the genetically-engineered Adam Warlock two years before he was featured in the third Guardians of the Galaxy film.

The characters all have abilities that are gained and expanded upon as the game progresses. Star-Lord uses a laser gun and jet boots, Gamora, a stoic green female uses her skills of fighting with a knife and scaling rocky surfaces, Rocket, a sarcastic genetically-engineered racoon, uses his expertise in explosives and demolitions, Groot, a living tree who can only talk using his name with various inflections, uses his roots to lift the team upwards and make wooden bridges for the team to cross, and Drax the Destroyer uses his vast strength to fight and to pick up and throw objects.

The characters are all well portrayed, and it is a treat to watch them go from misfits thrown together to a fully-developed team that truly care for each other. It also features a member of the Guardians of the Galaxy that has yet to appear in the films, Nikki Gold. She has been reimagined as the daughter of Peter's former love interest, a Kree Nova Corps member named Ko-Rel.

However, this game falls into the same traps that befell countless Marvel Comics video game adaptations in the past. The gameplay is decent enough, featuring the shooting mechanics expected by a character such as Star-Lord mixed with a time-limited command system to allow the powers of the rest of the team a chance to shine as artificial intelligence-controlled backup characters. However, the stage layouts aren't varied enough to mitigate the simplistic gameplay, making going through the game feel like a chore after a while.

The story was interesting enough to get me to continue the game, however, and the fact that the voice acting was fantastic helped as well. There are a lot of 20th century hit songs in the game as well, which can be played on the Guardians ship, the Milano, or as a boost to morale while in battle. I enjoyed the use of pop hits in the first two films, so it was a lot of fun to see that atmosphere continue here.

Guardians of the Galaxy isn't a perfect game. It has gameplay that can get repetitive after a while, but the story, voice acting, and music makes up for it. It isn't a must play by any means, but if you are willing to go through stages, especially in the middle of the game, that can feel a bit generic, it could be worth playing through once just to experience the story.

Final Verdict:
3 out of 5

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