Master Collection Vol. 2 gets MGS4 right but misses key handhelds

Thursday's PlayStation State of Play announced Metal Gear Solid: Master Collection Vol. 2, with the biggest headline being the inclusion of Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots. The collection also brings the PSP mainstay Peace Walker and the surprising addition of the Game Boy Color title Metal Gear: Ghost Babel.

Still, a large stretch of Metal Gear history is absent. When Sony launched the PlayStation Portable it led to five handheld entries, most notably Metal Gear Acid — a genre-mashing deckbuilder that pairs turn-based movement and stealth with card-based combat — and its sequel, which overhauled the visuals into a striking cel-shaded style.

The PSP’s Portable Ops is another notable omission. Flawed but influential, it translated full Metal Gear action to handhelds with a squad mechanic that let you field and swap between a team, capture and interrogate soldiers, and build a crew. Its expansion, Portable Ops+, added an Infinity mission mode that functions like a never-ending roguelite.

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