Olga was seen as a necessary boss fight that couldn’t be avoided since defeating her is how Snake gets his hands on the USP pistol, which is necessary to destroy the sensors that would trigger an explosion in another part of the ship. The tranquilizer pistol itself, while far more effective when it comes to dealing with enemies, can’t destroy these sensors, and as a result, players can’t avoid the fight against Olga.

In a video showcasing the skip, Apel takes us through the early parts of the Tanker chapter, swiftly making their way to the ship’s bridge where the encounter takes place. Along the way, Apel picks up all the extras they might need, like ammo, while also taking out a few troublesome guards with their tranquilizer pistol. When it’s time to actually deal with the sensors, rather than getting their hands on the USP pistol, Apel instead lures a guard to the sensors to trigger an explosion.

How the skip works is a bit more complicated when taking behind-the-scenes details into account. Like many games, Metal Gear Solid 2 also has progression flags that are triggered in its memory state to track player progress. While players will still get a game over screen even if Snake isn’t directly the one to trigger the explosion, the speedrunner can avoid this by rolling into a checkpoint while the bomb is being triggered. This means that the “game saves the value of the flag after the explosions happen”, which means that the encounter with Olga can be completely skipped.

Along with being a major step forward for the speedrunning community for Metal Gear Solid 2 in general, this is also the only boss skip to have been discovered in the game so far. Despite players having discovered many tricks over the years that might allow them to speed through various areas of the title, the boss fights have always been considered mandatory. This new skip will likely lead to plenty of speedrunners figuring out new, quicker routes through the game. As a result, there will also likely be a plethora of new world records set in the coming days.

Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty was originally released on the PS2 back in 2001. The title eventually made its way to more platforms – the PS3 and Xbox 360 – thanks to its HD Edition re-release alongside Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater and Metal Gear Solid: Peace Walker. When it comes to modern gaming hardware, players can get their hands on the title by picking up Metal Gear Solid Master Collection Vol. 1, which was released on PC, PS5, Xbox Series X/S, and Nintendo Switch back in 2023. Check out our review for more details.

“For the first time ever, a The Last of Us-themed background is being added to the PlayStation Welcome Hub. Log in to your PlayStation account and download it to see how our team has brought dynamic elements to this iconic key art.”

PS5 users can find the theme in the Change Background menu in the console’s Welcome Hub, where it is listed as The Last of Us in the Games tab. The theme itself features Ellie as she appeared in The Last of Us Part 1 and its sequel, both standing opposed to each other. While the younger Ellie has Joel on her shoulder, the older Ellie features The Last of Us Part 2 deuteragonist Abby.

Naughty Dog has also confirmed that more details about how it plans to celebrate The Last of Us Day will be revealed through a livestream on its official Twitch channel. The livestream will also be part of the studio’s efforts to contribute to the No Return charity. As for the celebrations, they will seemingly involve “a partnership announcement, a very cool collaboration, digital surprises, and more.”

The Last of Us was originally released for PS3 on June 14th, 2013, with a remastered PS4 version arriving a year later on June 29th, 2014. Almost immediately on its release, it was hailed as one of the greatest games of all time due to its emphasis on the relationship between Joel and Ellie, as well as how it pushed the PS3’s aging hardware to its absolute limits thanks to its beautiful depiction of a post-apocalyptic USA where nature has begun to reclaim civilization.

The main story revolves around bitter and amoral smuggler Joel being tasked with escorting a young girl – Ellie – across the country a few years after a massive outbreak that turns infected humans into mindless monsters. Ellie seems to be immune to this outbreak, however, and the success of this escort mission could prove to be a great boon to humanity as a whole, with the potential discovery of a cure.

It was followed up with a sequel – The Last of Us Part 2 – in 2020, with the story picking up four years after the events of the first game. Joel and Ellie, having settled down in Jackson City, Wyoming, find their relationship strained, with Ellie suffering from trust issues due to Joel’s actions in the previous games. However, an encounter with a group of other survivors disrupts both of their lives, and ultimately sends Ellie on a cross-country mission of revenge.

Both The Last of Us Part 1 and The Last of Us Part 2 Remastered are available on PC and PS5. For more details, check out our reviews of both of their PC releases.

It was once synonymous with horror in gaming, being a pillar of the genre within the medium with innovative ideas, well-written stories, insightful interpretations of complex themes, and of course, gameplay that had you on edge for a significant part of your playtime. But that rise to glory had been balanced out by a fall from grace marked by inconsistent releases, cancelled projects, and a loss of the creative identity that set its games apart in the first place.

But all that’s in the distant past, and a more recent appraisal of the franchise’s fortunes, beginning with that excellent remake of Silent Hill 2, paints the story of a comeback worth examining as we look at a busy, and potentially bright, future for the franchise.

How has it shaped that turnaround? What has Konami done differently this time around to warrant its newfound success? We asked the same questions, and we’re happy to tell you more about what we found along the way. Let’s begin!

Back To The Beginning

Silent Hill’s newfound glory is better understood through the lens of what it has managed to achieve in the past, and the decisions that led it there. It’s important to remember how the first four titles in the franchise created an identity distinct from Resident Evil, another strong presence in the horror space at the time.

Where human greed and its consequences guided the stories in Raccoon City and its surroundings, Silent Hill took a more psychological approach, diving deep into human depravity and how it could manifest in the worlds the franchise’s protagonists found themselves in.

Every title brought an atmosphere so oppressive it became a frightening presence in and of itself, while the excellent use of each soundstage, subtle symbolism, and very insightful storytelling were once hallmarks of the franchise. Silent Hill 2 became a benchmark thanks to how well all of these elements came together to make it a title that didn’t really have anything to compare it against at the time.

But all of these positive traits would have meant nothing in games that didn’t manage to keep their players invested in what was unfolding in front of them. And while the franchise’s early lineup didn’t need to worry about such concerns, the same can’t be said for the ones that followed.

A Frightening Lack of Direction

Silent Hill: Origins is probably a good game to examine what caused the franchise to lose much of the momentum it had built through its earlier successes. The prequel was quite good as a Silent Hill title, but you could already see that it lacked the inspiration and insight that made its predecessors as famous as they were.

It was still a moody, atmospheric return to the titular town, but it lacked the subtlety of the franchise’s other entries, a facet that often made it feel like a lore drop rather than a full-fledged story that took the franchise in an interesting new direction. Homecoming felt largely the same, although it did bring technical improvements like a controllable camera and some excellent visual upgrades to the franchise’s formula.

But Alex’s search for his brother began to feel like the franchise’s ability to innovate was beginning to run out of steam despite a fairly strong offering from Double Helix after it took over from Climax Studios, which handled Origins.

Climax Studios would return with Shattered Memories, a radical reimagining of the original Silent Hill that drew praise for its bold ideas but rather shaky presentation, with the weaponless chase sequences not feeling as potent as they could have been thanks to the game distinguishing between safety and danger too strongly.

Vatra Games’ effort with Downpour was a similarly flawed experience, drawing both praise and criticism alike, and bringing an important aspect of the situation to the forefront. Despite each title’s individual strengths, it was clear that the Silent Hill franchise was lacking direction and focus, and different interpretations of its best features weren’t necessarily making the most of them all.

But does that mean the franchise had already lost its potency and potential? We’d argue that that was hardly the case.

The Comeback That Never Was

There was still P.T. in the mix, and it came out of nowhere to revive hope in a franchise that could have been easy to write off as past its prime. Hideo Kojima, Guillermo del Toro, and what was slated to eventually become Silent Hills.

Not only did it revive interest in the franchise, but the potential from such a collaboration of great minds could also blend very well with a formula that was already proven to work when it was targeted at things beyond the ordinary. A detail that becomes significant as we move a little later down the line.

But for now, we return to the cancellation of Silent Hills, and the loss of a potentially exciting future for the franchise at the time. It would mark the beginning of a long period of dormancy, one that would see the franchise’s reputation survive only through its community and word of the heights that it was once capable of. It also marked an era where the competition continued to delve into psychological horror, a territory that the franchise once had firmly in its grasp, and perhaps even helped define.

The vehicle for the franchise now felt like it had been abandoned along the side of the road it once helped pave, blazing a path that other titles were now speeding along. But Konami didn’t give up on a franchise that was as great as this one, and the next few years might already be familiar to you, but merit a close look to understand why the new bevy of Silent Hill games have succeeded where others have not.

Regaining Its Form And Footing

2022 marked the beginning of a new chapter for the franchise, although there was no way of knowing about all the great memories it was going to give us at the time. We didn’t get news of just one game from Konami, but were told about the remake of Silent Hill 2 from Bloober Team, two new games, and a new movie!

Producer Motoi Okamoto would later explain that Konami never really intended to “test the waters” with one remake before committing to the franchise again, but was rather choosing to bet big on it right from the get-go. However, the intent behind the move doesn’t negate the valid skepticism that surrounded the announcement given the franchise’s history with external studios working on Silent Hill games.

That Silent Hill 2 was the game being remade was a big enough reason, given how much reverence it has garnered from fans over the years. Bloober had its task cut out for it, having to modernize the classic without sacrificing any of its original appeal. But the remake didn’t just manage to impress its critics, but also generated revenues that were impressive.

Five million cumulative players over combined sales metrics isn’t a joke after all, and is perhaps the best example of how the franchise regained its relevance in the current generation of games. Of course, the remake’s success could not dispel apprehensions about the game that followed it.

Silent Hill f was bringing several departures to Hinako’s story that could have, and perhaps even did, put off a few hardcore fans before they actually got to play it. It was based in Japan, in an entirely new location for starters, with combat mechanics that looked like they were putting too much of an emphasis on action instead of the franchise’s horror-focused roots.

And yet, what we got was a game that was quintessentially Silent Hill, packaged in a new world, premise, and story that helped sell everything that was great about the franchise so well, it made 1960s Japan feel like a natural new home for the experience it aimed for.

Hinako’s deeply personal story, her harrowing confrontations with her own inner demons, and the way all of it resolved was nothing short of extraordinary, and perhaps the best reflection of what the franchise was capable of when it fired on all cylinders back in the day. Konami was quick to point out that it was the first new Silent Hill game in a dozen years, and it reaching a million sales in two days is a showcase of the franchise’s unfading allure over the years. Townfall’s our next stop on this examination of the franchise’s current fortunes, and it marks an exciting new chapter for it.

A More Modern Silent Hill

If you think about it, Townfall is the third piece of a revival trilogy that showcases what has worked well for Silent Hill this time around. The first-person perspective was a welcome touch in an experience that used it well to bring a new location, art style, and narrative angle to life.

We didn’t expect examinations of the relationships between individuals, corporations, and societies in small towns to be effective vehicles for the kind of story beats that the franchise is used to telling, but Simon’s time in St. Amelia is definitely among the finer outings it has given us.

Okamoto’s assertion that it was intended to bring yet another axis to the franchise after the remake’s traditional approach and the new Japan-focused title showcases a revival that isn’t relying on a standardized formula, but on creating thoughtful interpretations of what the franchise has always examined, through the lenses of different creative teams.

With SH2 Remake, Bloober Team was able to successfully preserve those examinations while presenting them in a modernized classic. Silent Hill f took things to a new setting, story, and very unique art style to prove that it could be fresh yet familiar. Townfall has now reiterated that, while also proving that new external studios can radically reinterpret its formula while preserving its best elements and psychological horror foundations.

That variety is perhaps the best feature of Silent Hill’s current-gen revival, and it’s great that Konami isn’t asking every developer to deliver another SH2, but is instead asking them what the franchise means to their particular teams and creative perspectives. That’s probably the biggest difference between the franchise’s less successful years and now, as it has found success today despite some common factors.

Various developers working on different titles is an obvious one, as are the varying interpretations of the franchise’s story and gameplay loop. However, one crucial difference is that three successive titles could not give us a sense of deliberate strategy, and the feeling that each new game was building on the ideas before it.

However, diversity and a sense of forward momentum have felt like they’ve been baked into the underlying pillars of the latest titles, and it’s an irony that isn’t lost on us. Silent Hill has rediscovered its identity by accepting that it doesn’t have to be one specific thing, and operate within a limited framework of creative and technical options because of it.

A Long Road Ahead

It’s all well and good that the franchise has found a solid enough purchase in a modern gaming industry where even great games might not get the recognition they deserve from time to time. But how does Konami aim to sustain the momentum it has built for it?

We think the news is good, or at least a reason to be optimistic about the franchise’s chances. The remake of the original Silent Hill from Bloober is on the cards, and we see no reason to doubt that studio’s outing after the excellence it has displayed with its previous effort and with Cronos: The New Dawn. It’s a solid next step, and perhaps indicative of a newfound confidence.

Modernizing Harry Mason’s journey while rebuilding the 1999 game to make for a new experience that doesn’t just feel like SH2 Remake again. We’ve no information on how combat and exploration are changing yet, or about whether Bloober plans to expand the town, but we cannot understate the significance of making the original game that started the franchise’s journey more accessible to a modern audience.

Konami’s ambitions for the franchise might have seemed surprisingly aggressive to us when it first announced its plans for the franchise four years ago, but with Okamoto expressing hope for an “annual release of new games”, and that players should look forward to future experiences that take the franchise’s formula in bold new directions, it’s easy to see that it certainly has high hopes for its continued success.

The company has since stated it aims to go beyond the confirmed remake and Townfall too, which means we’ve got more Silent Hill on the horizon. But what would it entail? Remakes of Silent Hill 3 & 4 are definitely options to look into, considering how those games mark the franchise’s golden years and have been benchmarks against which the ones that followed them were judged.

But there’s the risk of bringing in too much Silent Hill to a franchise whose greatest problem was not having enough of it at one point. Once again, the irony is evident, but that doesn’t mitigate the risk of an ambitious release cadence diluting Konami’s ability to quality-control releases well enough for them to sustain the standards its recent titles have now created.

This is a franchise that relies heavily on its atmospheric storytelling and gameplay to bring distinctive creative voices and narrative insights to life through the eyes of its characters. A yearly release cycle could make things a tad too predictable, a fallacy that has often brought problems to even the finest of stories and innovative series of games.

Silent Hill’s exciting revival could become the very reason it loses steam if it doesn’t manage to meet the standards that its latest titles have now established as its baseline. However, this is a franchise that has already weathered one rise and fall, rising again and managing to stand tall in the process.

Its return isn’t as remarkable to us in hindsight, though. It’s in how it achieved the comeback that fascinates us, and also gives us confidence that whatever’s coming next is going to cement that revival by making clever use of new ideas grounded in the franchise’s familiar penchant for weaving in the unexpected into the very fabric of its games. There’s been no doubt in our minds that Silent Hill is back after our time with Hinako, and Simon has now made us confident that it’s here to stay for a while yet.

And we can’t help but feel a thrill even as we tremble at the thought of what horrors it’s going to bring our way when it does.

“The whole New Vegas thing did create this, at least the perception of this, ‘Who makes a better Fallout game?’ Oh, they should just give it to Obsidian’. There are the Obsidian, New Vegas people that think obviously New Vegas is way better, Obsidian is way better at making those games, and why don’t they just get Fallout altogether.”

Interestingly, franchise lead Todd Howard wanted to avoid comparisons like the ones between Fallout 3 and Fallout: New Vegas with The Elder Scrolls franchise. Kuhlmann confirmed that, aside from The Elder Scrolls Online, Howard has continued to be protective of the fantasy franchise. As for whether the studio felt pressure to make a new entry while it was working on Starfield, Kuhlmann believes that the MMORPG “took the heat off” since it was at least “something with Elder Scrolls”.

“Todd, from my time there, he is very protective of it. I do think ESO took the heat off… There was a new Elder Scrolls product, and it was ongoing. It was creating new content constantly. There are a lot of people, I mean, I know the single-player people, I’m one of those people–but there are a lot of people to whom The Elder Scrolls is now ESO. That’s their experience with it. That’s what they love. That’s where they got their Elder Scrolls gaming experience, and that’s probably what they want more of.”

It is worth noting that the last mainline entry in the franchise was 2011’s The Elder Scrolls 5: Skyrim, which has seen several re-releases across various platforms in the 15 years since its original release. In the meantime, Bethesda has worked on Fallout 4, Fallout 76, The Elder Scrolls Online, and Starfield.

Bethesda is currently working on The Elder Scrolls 6, and while the RPG still isn’t expected to be coming out any time soon, hype around it has already started to build up. Just last month, Xbox CEO Asha Sharma spoke about having played an early build of the title and said that “the scale and grandeur are incredible” and that “the story is even greater”. Along with this, Sharma also teased the official title of the game by calling it “The Elder Scrolls 6: ********”.

Sharma’s post kickstarted quite a bit of speculation among fans of The Elder Scrolls. Many also started looking at potential hints hidden throughout Starfield, such as the fact that the “Employee Number” for the protagonist in that game provides a hint that the word “Sentinel” might be important.

Currently, Bethesda hasn’t announced any release date for The Elder Scrolls 6, and rumors have indicated that it might still be at least two years away.

While he praises how God of War Laufey has looked so far in various marketing materials, he noted that the title is unlikely to be a big risk for Sony or developer Santa Monica Studio, especially when it comes to gameplay.

“God of War Laufey, I look at that game, and every pixel is mind-blowing. The amount of work and skill that’s gone into every single frame… I’ve made those kinds of games, and I’m still blown away. But when I actually look at what you’re doing in the game? I’m not excited. And that’s nothing against the God of War team. Just, across the board in triple-A, it feels like there’s no opportunity to inject fresh, innovative ideas.”

Straley’s sentiment comes almost a decade after his 2017 departure from Naughty Dog after releasing Uncharted 4: A Thief’s End. The studio has gone on to appreciate his influence, and even went as far as to mention him in the Special Thanks section of the credits for The Last of Us Part 2.

Back in December 2025, Straley said that he left Naughty Dog because he needed “new problems to solve” and “new creative outlets”. He also brought up the idea of wanting to build things of his own that could then be turned into an entire franchise.

“It really comes down to: Do you want to continue working for someone else and put in all the effort to build an IP, to build characters, to build things that a franchise could be built out of? I got paid very well there, I got some appreciation there, but it felt like it was time to break out and try it on my own. It felt like it was time to evolve my concepts and build a new team. It might fail miserably, but I thought that it was at least my failure based on my choice.”

After leaving Naughty Dog, Straley founded his own studio – Wildflower Interactive. The studio was founded in 2022, and in announcing it, Straley said that he couldn’t stop thinking about an idea for a game. He is working as studio director alongside other staff members like Wouter Gort on art, Liz Fiacco on design, and Ole Ciliox on programming, among others.

“And I realized I need to make this game. But if I’m going to make this game, it means I have to build a team. And if I build a team, I have to build a company. And, well, if we’re going to do that, then we have to do it the right way.”

The studio’s debut title, Coven of the Chicken Foot, was unveiled last year during the Game Awards. The title is being developed for PC and doesn’t yet have a release date.

As such, these tips and tricks remain relevant, whether you’re revisiting the franchise or diving in for the first time. Let’s get into it, starting with…

The Threat Ring (MGS4)

You’ll lean on the Solid Eye a lot in Metal Gear Solid 4, and not just because the series’ traditional radar is missing. But the Threat Ring can be just as vital when sneaking around. Appearing as a literal ring around Snake when crouching or crawling, it pulses when enemies are nearby, even when they’re behind walls. It points towards their location and even estimates their distance, making them easier to avoid.

Picking Up Duplicate Guns (MGS4)

The battlefield is a messy one in Guns of the Patriots, littered with weapons and whatnot that can be added to your collection. It might seem pointless to acquire multiples of the same gun, but they actually come in handy when Drebin becomes available later in Act 1. He’ll automatically convert any duplicates into Drebin Points for purchasing new weapons, parts and accessing ID-locked weapons. Even if you don’t have access to him for a while, it’s still worth picking up dupes since Snake will still obtain ammo from them.

Managing Stress (MGS4)

Solid Snake hasn’t exactly lived the most stress-free life, and in his old age, it can be his downfall in more ways than one. New to Metal Gear Solid 4 is the Psyche meter, which depletes as he takes on more stress and causes a multitude of effects. Poor aim? Potentially falling unconscious when taking damage? Liquid Ocelot-induced vomiting? All due to stress. The Threat Ring can also become less accurate as a result. While extreme temperatures, carrying too much and enemies detecting you will increase stress, it can be lowered by eating food, smoking, listening to music or being stealthy.

Playing Dead (MGS4)

That part about the messiness of battlefields? It also applies to the sheer number of bodies lying around. And while it can be tough to stomach, you can also use this opportunity to go prone and effectively play dead, thus avoiding detection. Think of it as a unique way to sneak around, even if the smell of corpses isn’t the most pleasant.

Non-Lethal Boss Clears (MGS4)

As challenging as it may seem in certain situations, a non-lethal approach is often the best in either game. For Metal Gear Solid 4, you should at least aim to defeat the FROGS in Act 1 and the Beauty and the Beast Unit in the remaining Acts without killing them, which will net five dolls. After finishing the game, the Solar Gun becomes available in the next playthrough, and it’s extremely useful. Besides being non-lethal, it causes enemies to drop their items, making loot farming much easier, and it can be especially potent against a specific boss later on.

Supporting the Guerrilla Fighters (MGS4)

The local guerrilla fighters in Act 1 and 2 may seem like just another faction like the PMCs, but there are benefits to getting on their good side. Kill enough PMC threats, and they’ll start to warm up to your presence, not attacking and even cheering when navigating through areas. Just don’t accidentally shoot them – they won’t like that.

FaceCamo Benefits (MGS4)

Besides OctoCamo, there’s also FaceCamo, obtained from defeating Laughing Octopus. On the surface, this can seem like a great customization tool, letting you change Snake’s appearance to Young Snake, the various Beauty and the Beast Unit members (assuming you defeated them non-lethally), and even Snake from the PS1 days. But it’s especially useful for raising your Camo Index to 99 percent when used with OctoCamo, resulting in the highest concealment possible. It may even help sneak by some PMCs depending on whose face you’re using.

Careful Solid Eye Usage (MGS4)

Going back to Solid Eye, the various functions can be a lifesaver at times. That includes the Night Vision, which is fantastic for navigating the dark. However, you need to mind the battery drain. Once depleted, you can’t use any of Solid Eye’s functions without it recharging. Night Vision can be particularly draining, so try not to lean on it too much.

Higher Challenges on the Next Playthrough (MGS4)

Aside from taking out the FROGS and Beauty and the Beast Unit in non-lethal fashion, it’s a good idea to save tougher challenges for the second playthrough. That’s because all your camos, weapons and even Drebin Points will carry over. So if you’re aiming for, say, the Big Boss Emblem – which requires completing the game in less than five hours on The Boss Extreme, the highest difficulty, without any continues, rations, or special items, without triggering any Alert phases or killing any enemies – this is the way.

R&D and Mother Base (Peace Walker)

Peace Walker is a different vibe from Guns of the Patriots because much of the gameplay revolves around Mother Base. The question is: What should you prioritize first? Rather than letting Auto Assign do all the heavy lifting, focus on R&D. Increasing its levels will ensure new weapons and items become available faster, providing more options early on.

Prioritizing the Medical Team (Peace Walker)

Another facet that you shouldn’t ignore throughout your time is Medical. Increasing it will provide improved tranquilizer weapons, making it that much easier to go non-lethal. It also improves your soldiers’ healing rate, getting them back into the action that much sooner.

Don’t Kill Enemy Soldiers (Peace Walker)

If going non-lethal is ideal in Guns of the Patriots, then it’s a way of life in Peace Walker. Any enemy that you come across can prove to be a valuable addition to Mother Base, so rather than going on a killing spree, use tranquilizer and other methods to knock them out. Even holding them up is ideal, after which Fulton away and reap the benefits.

Capturing Vehicles (Peace Walker)

In the same vein: Fulton away any tanks, APCs and even helicopters whenever you get the chance. Even if destroying them can seem tempting, it’s often better to take out their escort troops and then take down the commander rather than bombing everything to hell. Mother Base will thank you for the contributions in the long run.

How to Farm ZEKE Parts and AI Boards (Peace Walker)

If you’re interested in upgrading ZEKE, then it helps to prioritize what you want to farm beforehand. For instance, focusing on a boss’s AI pod and avoiding the body will net more components. On the other hand, if you want AI Boards, then target the body. Of course, the parts vary from boss to boss, but this should make it easier to target a specific category.

The True Ending (Peace Walker)

Even if it seems like completing the game is the end in Peace Walker, there’s plenty more to unlock, including the true ending. The conditions can be very stringent, though – besides completing the first four chapters and retrieving Zadornov whenever he tries to escape, you need to assemble ZEKE. It can’t be taken on any Extra Ops missions, though. As for Mother Base, Intel and R&D should be level 40 or higher while Mission Support is rank 2. Construct a second platform, and Kaz will inform you of Zadornov’s escape once more. Partake in Extra Ops 001 and head to the shooting range as Snake to kick off the fireworks.

Guerrilla Games isn’t working on a new Killzone by itself, however. The report notes that an external team is working alongside the studio on the project, which is believed to be a remake or remaster of one of the older Killzone games. While it is unknown which one of the games will be getting revisited, logic would indicate that the original 2004 release – simply titled Killzone – is going to be the subject.

The new Killzone was slated to be worked on after Guerrilla Games had wrapped up development on Horizon Hunters Gathering. However, reports have indicated that negative internal feedback has led to development on the live-service project being rebooted. While some of the team works on retooling it to address feedback, the rest of the studio has seemingly already started working on Killzone.

As for which team is working on the project alongside Guerrilla, People Can Fly is one of the candidates. The Polish studio had announced back in March 2025 that it was working alongside Sony on a new game based on the PlayStation IP, codenamed Project Delta. People Can Fly’s track record with shooters like Bulletstorm and Gears of War: Judgment would make the studio an easy guess for working on Killzone.

Following the remake remaster, Guerrilla Games will reportedly start working on a brand-new mainline entry in the Horizon franchise. However, the fact that the Killzone project is seemingly still quite early in its development cycle, these plans could change.

The original Killzone was released on PS2, and leading up to its release, was considered by many to be Sony’s attempt at a “Halo-killer”. Set in a universe where the Helghast Empire has launched an attack against the Interplanetary Strategic Alliance (ISA) following the former’s defeat during the First Helghan War, players take on the role of one of four characters across various missions. Much of the story revolves around the protagonists – Jan Templar, Shadow Marshall Luger, Rico Velasquez, or Gregor Hakha – trying to stop Helghast’s forces from conquering Vekta.

The title was followed up in 2009 with Killzone 2 on PS3, which picked up the story a couple of years after where it left off. With the Helghast invasion having been thwarted, the ISA launches a counter assault on planet Helghan to cripple the Helghast Empire. The third entry, 2011’s Killzone 3, picks up right after its predecessor and revolves around the survivors of the ISA invasion trying to escape from Helghan.

Killzone: Shadow Fall takes place 30 years after the trilogy. Taking place on planet Vekta, where the Helghast have been given asylum following the destruction of their planet, the title revolves around Shadow Marshall Lucas Kellan, who is trying to keep the peace between the Vektans and Helghast.

“I don’t want to tell tales out of school here, but I was told, and don’t make this a story because this could be nonsense […] The idea would be to do a third [Master Collection] with Revengeance and a cleaned-up version of 5, because that never got a fancy console version. I think it’s still good on PC.”

While Miller noted that it would be great if the “cleaned-up” version of Metal Gear Solid 5: The Phantom Pain also included all of the content that was notoriously cut out of the game before its release, he said that it is likelier to simply be a 60 FPS version of the game running on modern platforms. Interestingly, he also expressed interest in the inclusion of the much-maligned Metal Gear Survive in a potential third collection.

“The third one would be the last one they can do because they’ve done all the games and then they’ll see what they go forward with in terms of like the Delta remakes and stuff, but yeah, I think it’s nice that Metal Gear is in this place again.” He also raises the question of whether Konami would eventually make a Metal Gear Solid 6 at some point.

A third collection that includes Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance would be especially notable since console players can’t really access it aside from backwards compatibility on Xbox One and Xbox Series X/S for its Xbox 360 version. PlayStation gamers, on the other hand, would need to get a PS3 to play it. When it comes to modern hardware, PC is essentially the only way to experience Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance in all of its glory. There are also questions about the rights for Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance, since the title was developed entirely by PlatinumGames.

As for Metal Gear Solid 5: Ground Zeroes and The Phantom Pain, a modern console version would likely be a welcome sight for many PS5 and Xbox Series X/S gamers since the original PS4 and Xbox One release has likely aged quite poorly due to it being more than a decade old at this point.

In the meantime, Metal Gear fans who never owned a PS3 can now finally play Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots thanks to the release of Metal Gear Solid Master Collection Vol. 2. The title was originally released all the way back in 2008, and before last week, it was essentially stuck in limbo due to the difficulties of porting PS3 games to other platforms.

For more details about it, along with the remastered version of Metal Gear Solid: Peace Walker, check out our review of Master Collection Vol. 2.

Delta was also a great way to bring the beginnings of Big Boss’s acclaimed character arc to a modern audience, along with the themes of loyalty, duty, and a soldier’s devotion to a cause that would define his journey. Well, the story now continues with Master Collection Vol. 2, which brings a couple of important chapters for both Solid Snake and Big Boss to players who might not have had the chance to enjoy them when they were originally released all those years ago.

"When viewed as part of Konami’s broader effort to make Metal Gear’s most important stories readily available on modern hardware, MGS4 is arguably the linchpin of Vol. 2."

We’ve got Metal Gear: Ghost Babel, receiving its first-ever re-release as a fascinating non-canon adventure starring Solid Snake, alongside Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots, Metal Gear Solid: Peace Walker, and a collection of digital books and other extras. In terms of overall content, it’s definitely lighter than Vol. 1, but it might be more about quality rather than quantity with this one. It’s the first time anyone’s going to play Guns of the Patriots on anything other than a PS3, marking the end of 18 years of exclusivity with the aged platform.

We’ve already spoken at length about why that’s a big deal before, but this one’s legacy as the concluding chapter for both Solid Snake and Big Boss is something that’s relevant here. When viewed as part of Konami’s broader effort to make Metal Gear’s most important stories readily available on modern hardware, MGS4 is arguably the linchpin of Vol. 2. It was already an excellent game, blending stealth, action, and cinematic storytelling in ways that remain shockingly distinctive even today.

The new 4K/60fps presentation is immediately noticeable if you’re a franchise veteran, finally freeing MGS4’s visuals and performance from the limitations of the PS3. The higher resolution and smoother frame rate provide an immediate boost to image quality and responsiveness, even if the underlying assets naturally still show their age in places. You might find the graphics a tad dated if you’re picky, but it’s definitely a serious upgrade over the PS3 version. Loading times have also been dramatically reduced, which makes a surprisingly large difference to the overall experience. More importantly, the infamous act-by-act installation sequences from the PS3 release are gone entirely, meaning there are no lengthy waits while Snake sits around smoking before the next chapter begins.

The original game was a very polished experience already, and giving it this current-gen boost makes Vol. 2 the best place to play MGS4 today. Veterans certainly won’t miss those installation screens, and moving between major sections of the game now feels dramatically faster and less intrusive (although there is a secret way to actually bring it back!). That faster pacing also complements a campaign that constantly moves between stealth, enemy encounters, and lengthy cinematic sequences.

Solid Snake’s biggest enemy in this one is his own aging body, and he is once again confronted by his arch nemesis: Liquid Ocelot. Fortunately, he’s got a bunch of tools at his disposal to aid him, but with his own body working against him in the field, staying alive isn’t going to be as easy as it once was for the legendary soldier. Tools like OctoCamo and FaceCamo help him stay hidden, while the multifunctional Solid Eye remains one of the game’s most useful pieces of equipment.

"It is worth noting that Metal Gear Online 2 is not included, so this isn’t a complete preservation of every component that shipped with MGS4 on PS3."

MGS4 still packs a punch on the stealth front, and can even stand toe to toe with most of its modern counterparts if it comes to it. The story gels well with the gameplay while also taking the franchise forward towards its conclusion, although it has a plot that was designed with long-term fans in mind. You’re going to want to do a bit of homework if you’re diving into this one blind, and want to get the most out of the story. The included Metal Gear Solid 4 Database can help fill in some of those gaps, with sensitive information remaining hidden until you’ve progressed far enough to avoid spoiling major revelations.

MGS4 also offers a surprisingly decent range of PC settings including but not limited to DirectX 11 and DirectX 12 renderers, 30, 40, and 60fps caps and FXAA. We reviewed the collection on an RTX 3080 Ti paired with a Ryzen 9 5950X, and performance was fine at 4K with the game running at a largely stable frame rate.

Konami has even updated some of MGS4’s platform-specific jokes for the new release, including newly recorded Otacon dialogue surrounding the game’s famous disc-swapping codec call. It’s a small touch, but one that shows Konami’s surprising attention to preserving the spirit of the original. However, it is worth noting that Metal Gear Online 2 is not included, so this isn’t a complete preservation of every component that shipped with MGS4 on PS3. It is a shame that such a beloved online world wasn’t given a new lease on life within this collection.

Guns of the Patriots features phenomenal voice acting and choreography in its famous, exposition-heavy cutscenes. Nostalgia’s certainly a part of this one’s replay value but it also works well as a showcase of great presentation in video games that holds up remarkably well even after all these years.

The same can be said for Peace Walker, which began life as a PSP title before receiving an enhanced HD console release on PS3 and Xbox 360. It has often been described as the true bridge between Metal Gear Solid 3 and Metal Gear Solid V, and there are plenty of reasons for that. Its narrative significance cannot be overstated, as it lays much of the groundwork for Big Boss’s transformation and the events that eventually lead into Metal Gear Solid V.

"It’s quite easy to recommend Master Collection Vol. 2 to both veterans and newcomers alike."

Having Peace Walker alongside MGS4 also makes thematic sense, allowing Vol. 2 to explore two very different stages in the lives of Big Boss and Solid Snake, but that’s certainly not the only good thing about it. It expands on ideas explored in Portable Ops with the Fulton recruitment system and a much deeper base-building loop, systems that would later become fundamental to Metal Gear Solid V.

Its balance between gameplay and storytelling remains among the strongest in the franchise, particularly compared with the far more cutscene-heavy MGS4. When you combine that with an almost overwhelming amount of weapons and items to unlock, and a bevy of side operations outside of the main story to engage with, this one could keep you busy for even a hundred hours of gameplay. Online play also returns, with Co-Ops supporting up to four players and Versus Ops accommodating up to six, although the lack of cross-platform play is disappointing. Peace Walker also benefits substantially from Vol. 2’s presentation upgrades, running at up to 4K/60fps while offering multiple visual modes. The digital screenplay books are a nice touch, but I know I’m not going to revisit them beyond that first look. They’re still nice to have in a collection that’s going to be a trophy item to some of its buyers.

All in all, it’s quite easy to recommend Master Collection Vol. 2 to both veterans and newcomers alike. The main draw is certainly Guns of the Patriots, but Peace Walker and Ghost Babel provide enough additional value to make the collection feel worthwhile rather than like a vehicle for MGS4 alone. Vol. 2 may be lighter on games than its predecessor, but the quality and historical importance of what it preserves make it a must play for action-stealth players.

One can only hope that a subsequent volume featuring Portable Ops, The Twin Snakes, Ground Zeroes, and The Phantom Pain, complete with the elusive Episode 51, is currently being considered by Konami. Such a release would be a genuine dream for the fanbase and the ultimate conclusion to Konami’s fantastic Master Collection initiative.

This game was reviewed on PC.

Note: Varun Karunakar contributed to this review.

As caught by Reddit user LeimBR, the footage, split up across eight videos, was uploaded by the same user who has in the past showcased early builds of Grand Theft Auto 5, and even footage from the canceled Rockstar Games project Agent.

While the videos are of early builds of the Iron Man project, with copyright information on some scenes indicating that it was from 2012, we do get a pretty good idea of what kind of gameplay it would have featured. One video featured gameplay from a demo that was seemingly made for E3 2012, and offered two distinct gameplay demos: “Kinetic Combat” and “Freestyle Flight”.

The title would have seemingly taken many of its cues from the Marvel Cinematic Universe version of the character, which would have been quite popular at the time. The HUD for the game seems to focus on minimalism, with elements showing up to denote the number of hits in a combo, XP earned, and even remaining health showing up as needed. A radar was also placed in the top-right corner that would have warned the player about the number of foes ahead.

A progression system was also seemingly planned through which players could upgrade various aspects of Iron Man’s capabilities, like speed, defense, damage, and extra weapons.

The “Freestyle Flight” demo, as its name implies, focused more on Iron Man’s aerial capabilities. Along with flight itself, the character would also be capable of engaging in combat, having to take on a variety of paramilitary aircrafts.

The uploader for the video has noted that all of this gameplay footage is from a restored early build of the game running on a PS3 development kit. This, along with the 2012 copyright year, indicates that Avalanche was going to bring it to PS3 and Xbox 360. Considering the studio’s work at the time, a PC release may also have been planned. Evidence of the game running on old console generation hardware is quite visible throughout the videos, with things like long loading times, low-resolution textures, and even the hazy brown look of the games of that era being all over the place.

As for what would eventually cause this game to be cancelled, Avalanche Studios co-founder Christofer Sundberg said back in 2022 that “company politics” got in the way, with tight deadlines meaning that the studio would have to massively increase its workforce.

In the meantime, a new Iron Man game is confirmed to be in development at EA Motive. While no details about the project have been revealed, job listings have indicated that it will feature “major singleplayer levels”, and that those applying for the job would also need to have experience with single-player action RPG games.