Parent's Guide: Metal Gear Solid HD Collection - Age rating, mature content and difficulty

The Metal Gear Solid HD Collection is a compilation of games that starts with Metal Gear on the MSX2, which was released way back in 1987, and also features Metal Gear 2 (MSX2), Metal Gear Solid 2 (PS2), Metal Gear Solid 3 (PS2), and Metal Gear Solid: Peace Walker (PSP). A series of James Bond inspired stealth thrillers, the Metal Gear Solid games see you sneaking past enemy soldiers, and lurking in the shadows, waiting for the right time to move on, as you seek to stop various terrorist organisations taking control.

Unlike other games though, where the terrorists would likely be stereotypes, embroiled in a war over oil, Metal Gear Solid takes itself a lot less seriously, with terrorist factions made out of baddies that have various super-powers - such as the ability to turn into a group of bees at will.

Much of the actual gameplay revolves around lurking in the shadows and keeping yourself out of sight. You're intended to keep as quiet as you possibly can, and that involves not killing any enemies if you can help it. Should you get into combat with an enemy, it'll be up to you to disable them before they can sound the alarm and deploy a search party, making your job a heck of a lot harder.

Sadly, the collection isn't all that easy to control, with three or four buttons often required to do what you can usually accomplish with a single button press on modern games. It's also worth noting that there are no noticeable changes to any of the games, bar in terms of graphics, so if you already own these games, we wouldn't advise buying the collection expecting something fresh and exciting.

With an emphasis on stealth, the Metal Gear Solid HD Collection has several parts parents will want to be aware of when buying the game.

Firstly, there's a strong emphasis on hand to hand combat. While you're encouraged to not kill anyone as you make your way in and out, the options are certainly there, letting you choke, or break the neck of enemies should you so desire. Meanwhile, several cutscenes are overly gory, with blood flowing everywhere, including one scene in which an unfortunate soldier gets his throat cut, and while it's not as gory as it could be (his throat stays intact, without a cut line across it) blood spurts everywhere towards the screen.

There's also several references to sex, with posters of scantily clad women found on the inside of lockers, which you can look at and kiss, should be that way inclined, and a few encounters with underwear clad agents. Some of the achievements/trophies are a bit crude, too, including one called "Snake beater", which you get for calling your boss whilst looking at a poster of a woman.

Pleasingly, though, the Metal Gear Solid HD Collection is incredibly light in terms of swearing - there's the odd damn and hell (which are only borderline cursing anyway), with "b*tch" and "son of a b*tch" making reasonably sparing appearances.

Sadly, although one of the games in the collection, Metal Gear Solid: Peace Walker has a multiplayer mode, it's online only, meaning any opportunities for families to play together are limited.

Age Ratings

Format Reviewed: Xbox 360