Metal Gear Solid 25th Anniversary – The evolution of the iconic stealth-action series

blog.playstation.com:

The release of the Metal Gear Solid Master Collection Vol. 1 is just around the corner, out October 24. It’s the perfect opportunity for both longtime Metal Gear-heads and new fans alike to dive deep into Metal Gear’s history. Beginning with the early 8-bit foundations of Metal Gear and Metal Gear 2: Solid Snake up through the PlayStation and PS2 masterpieces Metal Gear Solid, Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty, and Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater, players will experience the evolution of tactical stealth gameplay, in-game political intrigue, and complex social themes over time, all in one action-packed package.

Let’s take a look at some key main games in the series—including those included in the Master Collection Vol. 1

Metal Gear
Release Year: 1987
(Included in Metal Gear Solid Master Collection Vol. 1)

The original Metal Gear made a huge splash upon its 8-bit Japanese debut in 1987, releasing internationally a few years later. Metal Gear introduced many of the elements that would come to define the series throughout: Foxhound agent Solid Snake, the eponymous Metal Gear, and stealth-focused gameplay. Snake infiltrates several highly-armed complexes in a high-stakes rescue mission, navigating carefully to avoid detection by foes in a top-down view.

Metal Gear 2: Solid Snake
Release Year: 1990
(Included in Metal Gear Solid Master Collection Vol. 1)

Solid Snake embarked on his second mission in 1990, taking him to Zanzibar Land in a rescue-and destroy mission to take down the Metal Gear D super weapon. More advanced enemy behavior was added, such as reacting to noises the player made and a wider field of view to spot Snake, while players were given more movement skills like kneeling and crawling. While Japan was