The Metal Gear Solid Master Collection Vol 1 recently concluded its long post-launch support cycle with a final major patch earlier this year. This update added 61 GB of high-resolution textures to Metal Gear Solid 3 and introduced the long-requested ability to customize controller buttons in the original MGS1. After three years of intensive development since its flawed 2023 launch, Konami has finally polished the collection into a respectable state.
However, for dedicated fans, "good enough" is rarely the goal. Community-driven projects like MGSHDFix continue to push the boundaries of what’s possible, smoothing out bugs and enhancing visuals. In a remarkable discovery, the current maintainer of MGSHDFix has uncovered a dormant feature buried deep within the code of Metal Gear Solid 2: a fully functional true third-person camera mode that has been sitting unused for 15 years.
A Dormant Feature Unearthed
The discovery was made by fan developer Afevis Solmunko, who stumbled upon the hidden camera system while analyzing the game’s code. In a recent post on X, Solmunko shared footage of Raiden exploring the Big Shell with a fully manipulable third-person perspective, noting the surprising longevity of the feature.
"Accidentally found third-person view in [Metal Gear Solid 2, Master Collection version], guess that'll go into MGSHDFix too," Solmunko wrote. "It locks the camera to the overhead view when in super-tight corridors so you don't clip through walls, but otherwise... yeah, it's been there for 15 years. Will do some small fixes to it lol."
The feature is activated by changing a single variable within the game’s code. This simplicity suggests that enabling third-person camera could have been easily implemented as a simple patch for emulators or potentially even on jailbroken consoles years ago. However, it remained hidden from the public eye until now.
The Bluepoint Connection
This discovery sheds new light on the history of Metal Gear Solid 2’s camera systems. Across its various releases, the game traditionally relied on a fixed-perspective camera, often providing a top-down view of the tactical espionage action. It was only with the re-release of Metal Gear Solid 3: Subsistence that players became accustomed to a more traditional, over-the-shoulder perspective.
For years, it was believed that the third-person code was either lost or never existed in the HD Collection. However, Solmunko’s investigation revealed that Bluepoint Games, the studio responsible for the HD Collection remasters, had indeed experimented with this feature back in 2011.
- Bluepoint’s Experiment: In 2011, Bluepoint tested a true third-person camera for the Metal Gear Solid 2 HD Collection release.
- Shelved for Release: The feature was ultimately cut from the final product, but the code was left intact within the build.
- Legacy Code: The relevant code segments are still labeled with "BP/Bluepoint," confirming their origin.
For context, a previous attempt to patch a third-person camera into the original 2003 PC version of MGS2 was not entirely redundant, as that version lacked the specific code structures present in the modern Master Collection.
Coming to MGSHDFix
While the hidden camera is functional, it is not without its quirks. Since the code was shelved by Bluepoint over a decade ago, players may experience some glitchiness in the new mode. However, Solmunko indicates that these issues are minor and will be addressed in the next update.
The feature is scheduled to be integrated into MGSHDFix once the remaining glitches are mitigated. Solmunko aims to release the fix by the weekend, provided no unforeseen complications arise.
Future Functionality
A key question for players is how this camera will behave in practice. Will it mimic the seamless switching found in MGS3, allowing players to toggle between the classic overhead view and the new third-person perspective at will?
Solmunko has confirmed that the implementation will likely be highly customizable:
- Real-Time Toggling: Since the feature is driven by a variable, it can potentially be changed in real-time.
- Custom Controls: The camera switch could be bound to the R3 button or a user-defined keyboard shortcut.
- Consistency: This approach mirrors the control schemes of other settings in MGSHDFix, ensuring a consistent user experience.
This discovery not only enhances the Metal Gear Solid 2 experience but also serves as a testament to the depth of the codebases behind these classic titles. For fans who have always wondered what MGS2 might have looked like with a modern perspective, this hidden gem is finally being brought to light.
