MGS Essential Collection: Release Details

Feb. 7 6:42 PM by Skye Nathaniel

Although it isn't quite as lush or complete, those of us who have been itching to import the Metal Gear Solid 20th Anniversary Collection have a more domestic alternative in the newly confirmed MGS Essential Collection--well, those of us in the United States, at any rate. While Konami is clearly ramping up for the simultaneous worldwide release of MGS4, our favorite publisher appears less sure of itself since this bundle's availability in Europe remains unknown and an Australian release will probably never occur.

So what's in store for the Patriots?

The Essential Collection includes the Playstation release of MGS and the director's cut editions of both MGS2: Substance and MGS3: Subsistence on the PS2--though the extra features of Subsistence's second disk didn't make it. If you look closely at the graphic above, you'll notice the original Playstation logo on the MGS box, so don't lose your old memory card just yet.

Gamestop has the Collection shipping on March 18 for the very reasonable price of $29.99. If you ask me, the clean package and Shinkawa art featured here make this worth the buy, even if you already own all three games.