The HD version of Metal Gear Solid 2 has just made a somewhat surprising Android debut for Nvidia Shield devices.
Earlier this week, it was rumoured that an HD version of MGS 2 was going to be released for the Nvidia Shield, but there wasn’t much reliable information supporting that story. However, the sudden – and somewhat quiet -debut of this game on the Google Play store obviously confirms those theories were accurate.
This version of the game is actually just a re-release of the same version of MGS 2 featured in the Metal Gear Solid HD Collection released in 2012. That means that it not only features 720p graphics but includes the full suite of VR missions on top of the base game. Otherwise, this is a somewhat barebones version of the 2001 title, but for those who haven’t been able – or haven’t desired – to pick up any MGS2 re-releases available on consoles, this version’s $9.99 price point is a pretty great deal.
Even better, Konami has stated that they intend to release the HD version of Metal Gear Solid 3 for Nvidia Shield sometime in the near future.
While it initially feels somewhat strange that Konami would revisit the Metal Gear Solid series by releasing an Nvidia Shield version of Metal Gear Solid 2, it does make more sense when you consider that the company is probably very interested in spreading the MGS series to platforms they haven’t previously supported. Without diving back into the whole Konami/Kojima situation, it’s quite possible that we’ll see additional ports of previous versions of the MGS series in the months to come as Konami tests how valuable these re-releases actually are.
As for MGS 2, it remains every bit as weird and polarizing as the game was when it released in 2001. While time has been quite kind to MGS 2 in many ways as fans have learned to recognise it as a piece of gaming storytelling that is still inspiring rather heated – and fascinating – discussions 16 years after its debut.