It’s been 25 years since Metal Gear Solid was first released on the PlayStation 1. If you’re like me, you’re feeling both old and nostalgic at the same time with the fact that Snake’s original 3-D adventure is now being rereleased in this console generation as part of the Metal Gear Solid Master Collection Vol. 1.
In this Metal Gear Solid trophy guide, I’ll tell you how you can get all the trophies in the remastered version of the genre-defying game. It’s looking like the old info’s still good even with additions like the VR missions which were later released a year after the original made waves in the West.
There are 19 trophies to collect in Metal Gear Solid:
- 9 Gold trophies
- 3 Silver trophies
- 6 Bronze trophies
Metal Gear Solid Trophy List
Platinum trophy
- Solidified: Collect all trophies
Gold trophies
- vs. Sniper Wolf (Rematch): Prevail in the rematch against Sniper Wolf
- vs. Vulcan Raven: Defeat Vulcan Raven
- vs. Metal Gear REX: Defeat Metal Gear REX
- vs. Liquid Snake: Defeat Liquid Snake
- Decked Out: Obtain the bandana
- Dress For the Job: Obtain the stealth camo
- Elite: Obtain the Fox or Big Boss codename
- Practice Makes Perfect: Complete all VR training missions
- Ghostly Encounter: Exorcise a ghost photo
Silver trophies
- vs. Sniper Wolf: Defeat Sniper Wolf
- vs. Hind D: Defeat Hind D
- Cover-to-Cover Solid: Read all the pages in the Screenplay Book
Bronze trophies
- Commencing Mission: Begin a new game
- vs. Revolver Ocelot: Defeat Revolver Ocelot
- vs. M1 Tank: Defeat the M1 Tank
- vs. Ninja: Defeat Ninja
- vs. Psycho Mantis: Defeat Psycho Mantis
- Git Gud: Complete a VR training mission
If everything goes as it once did back in the day, you can expect a typical trophy run to go upwards of 24 hours or so. That includes everything from multiple runs of the main story and hundreds of VR missions.
Even a game that was released 25 years ago still has a couple of surprises up its sleeve. For instance, the VR missions were on a separate disc, and more importantly, not included with the original batch of Metal Gear Solid. So there’s going to be a good number of players who know about the VR missions but have never experienced them before. It’s easy to forget that the Twin Snakes was a GameCube exclusive and PlayStation fans are still a little bitter about that.
For my estimate, you need only a couple or so replays to get the Platinum for Metal Gear Solid. Games back then were a lot shorter compared to games nowadays. With all their bloat and filler content. The hardest part might be adjusting to the controls and having to fight the bosses. Thankfully, you can a trophy for defeating all the bosses.
I’m actually surprised that there are no trophies for locating Otacon and Meryl.
Digital screenplay books are part of the Metal Gear Solid Master Collection Vol. 1. These are a comprehensive collection of cutscene dialogue, briefing files, and scripts for every single one of the series’ characteristic Codec calls. Reading all the pages for Metal Gear Solid will unlock the Cover-to-Cover Solid Silver trophy.
There are over 300 VR missions in Metal Gear Solid. Thankfully, you need only do the VR training missions to get the Practice Makes Perfect Gold trophy. On top of that, the training missions themselves don’t take long to accomplish. But there is still a lot to cover in terms of topics such as stealth moves and weapon use.
To obtain the bandana and unlock the Decked Out Gold trophy, you’ll need to first withstand Ocelot’s torture. If you manage to hold out till the end, Meryl will hand you the unlimited ammo bandana. If you start a new game on the same file, you will start the mission with that bandana equipped.
In this second run, you can then go for the stealth camo suit. To obtain it and unlock the Dress For the Job Gold trophy, all you need to do is tap out while Ocelet tortures you. Doing so will result in Otacon giving you his stealth camo suit.
If you decide to start a third playthrough with both the bandana and the stealth suit, you will find that Solid Snake will start the mission wearing a full tuxedo. Eat your heart out, James Bond.
Ghost photos are a little-known Easter Egg that I have to admit, did not learn about until many years later. Using the in-game camera, you can take photos in specific spots and it will result in a photograph with the developers’ “ghost” appearing in the photo. This “Fatal Frame” exorcism unlocks the Ghostly Encounter Gold trophy.
If my memory serves me right, one of the easiest ghost photos to take is in front of the mirror Meryl used in the woman’s bathroom where Snake initially found her.
And that’s everything I’ve for this Metal Gear Solid trophy guide. I’m actually very excited to play this title again after many years. And I’m ready to re-embrace the jankiness that is early stealth in 3-D games. It may not be the remake many of us were hoping for but it’s probably the next best thing. I still want there to be a “Final Fantasy 7 Remake” like remake later down the line.