Players have a final opportunity to achieve the notoriously difficult Big Boss rating in Metal Gear Solid 1 during its ongoing free-to-play trial on Steam. This limited-time event, which began as a promotion for the upcoming Metal Gear Solid Master Collection Vol 2, will conclude on Monday, July 27, at 10 am EDT / 1 pm PDT / 6 pm BST.
The Big Boss rank is the game's ultimate challenge, requiring significant skill and perseverance to attain. While the original author of the notes admitted to using a Japanese version of the game and exploiting speedrunning skips to achieve this rating, players undertaking the challenge during the free trial are encouraged to do so without such aids.
The free trial period aims to build hype for the Metal Gear Solid Master Collection Vol 2, scheduled for release on August 27. This collection is notable for including Metal Gear Solid 4, which has been absent from modern platforms since its PlayStation 3 release. The inclusion of MGS4 in the upcoming collection is expected to finally free it from its PS3 exclusivity.
Following a somewhat rocky launch, the Metal Gear Solid Master Collection Vol 1 has seen substantial improvements through post-release patches. The original Metal Gear Solid in particular has benefited from updates that enhance its presentation and controls, offering higher-resolution rendering options and functional analog controls. For those seeking to further refine the experience, the unofficial MGSM2Fix mod is available, which can be installed via Luxtorpeda on Steam Deck and Linux desktops.