Downloading & Installing

I tried to keep this page as short as possible.

Please, even if it seems trivial, make sure you read it carefully.

Take it as a personal favor.

~ VFansss

1. Requirements
2. Installing the game
3. How to download V's Fix
4. ❗ Unzipping the fix
5. 🔒 Security concerns
6. How to apply the fix
7. First Startup

Requirements

• A PC Version of MGS2 Substance. You can choose between one of these:

  • A Retail DVD Copy (Fix is tested ONLY on European and American Version. Other versions support is unconfirmed)
  • GOG Game Version. You can buy it from HERE

• .net 4.5 Framework. Windows 8 and Win10 should already include it. If you have Windows 7 and/or you want to re-download them, go here

• Microsoft DirectX Runtimes 9.0c. The game require it to run. It can be maybe obvious, but it isn't because it seems that DX9 isn't shipped with Windows anymore, at least on Windows10. If you install MGS2 as a first game after installing/formatting, probably you might not have installed it. You can download them HERE

• Opposable thumbs and a good IQ not required, but recommanded.

Installing the game

Retail Game version

Quite self explanatory: Install the game from your Game DVD choosing FULL INSTALL (This is VERY important!)

The default install directory is: C:\Program Files (x86)\KONAMI\MetalGearSolid2 Substance

I suggest to avoid installing the game in "Program Files" (that is a kinda "special" directory and could gave some issues) and install the game somewhere else, but is not mandatory and definitively is up to you.

❗ DON'T APPLY ANYTHING AFTER INSTALLATION! No patch, no other fixes!

GOG Game version

Simply register to GOG.com and buy it

Then you can install it using GOG Galaxy Launcher or downloading the offline installer version and manually launching the installer.

How to download V's Fix

Download the latest V's fix from the GitHub Release page here.

From the bottom of the page, check the 'Assets' paragraph and download the .zip file.

Alternatively you can found the direct link on Wiki homepage

❗ Unzipping the fix

❗❗❗ IMPORTANT Because Windows look with suspicion at non-digitally signed programs (such as V's Fix, that can't be digitally signed because 💰) it will automatically apply some restriction to V's fix. Why all of this? Explanation is in the step below.

What you have to do AFTER you have downloaded the fix archive:

• Go to your download folder
• Right mouse click on the archive file -> Go to 'Properties'
• Deleselect this checkbox (Sorry, is in italian), and press 'Apply'

🔒 Security concerns

A little explanation of why these sketchy things are required. You can skip it if you are not interested.

Windows doesn't trust a lot unsigned executables. I can't blame it. Not all unsigned software are dangerous (most of them are not) but for precaution Windows apply some restriction on these. This doesn't always results in issues, but unfortunately V's fix does automatically a lot of 'nasty' things like .exe decompression and execution (for patching the game with official and unsigned Konami patches), main game executable hex editing (to apply right VGA optimization) and .dll injecting (used to Widescreen hack and gamepad libraries) and these operation are often blocked by Windows because V's fix is not signed (and signing cost money 🤑) or even by some antivirus

I don't blame it: its for general security reasons, and I truly understand that (and you should, too) but this could interfere with correct fix execution. My GitHub Issues is full of case like this. I've done A LOT to relieve these situations with various optimizations, but this doesn't seems to be enough.

Obviously, the fix is totally clean, and you can inspect every aspect of it simply reading its source code on GitHub: the source is here for everyone even for that!

Here's a VirusTotal scan of the 1.6 version of the fix, just in case.

❗️❗️❗️ To be totally sure of the cleanliness of the fix, please download the fix only from GitHub, and avoid packaged .exes from other sources!

How to apply the fix

Inside the downloaded archive you will find the fix executable. Is a simple .exe file.

Your job is to extract it and put it into the [GAME INSTALLATION FOLDER]\bin and overwrite the already existing MGS2SSetup.exe.

❗ Mind the 'bin' subfolder.

• i.e: If you installed the Retail game in this directory: C:\Program Files (x86)\KONAMI\MetalGearSolid2 Substance
  • Download the .zip fix, extract its MGS2SSetup.exe content inside C:\Program Files (x86)\KONAMI\MetalGearSolid2 Substance\bin
• i.e: If you installed the GOG game version in this directory: G:\GOG Games\Metal Gear Solid 2 Substance
  • Download the .zip fix, extract its MGS2SSetup.exe content inside G:\GOG Games\Metal Gear Solid 2 Substance\bin

Overwrite the file and start it!

❗ If you are using the GOG Game version and using GOG Galaxy with 'cloud savedata sync', start the game at least once from GOG Galaxy BEFORE running the V's Fix.

• This way, you are sure that your savedata are downloaded from GOG Galaxy cloud!

(Bypass Windows defender, if it prompt)

Just after the double click... (First Startup)

❗ Below apply only on Retail game copy version

The first time you start the fix, before you can even see the main page, the V's Fix will try to apply some preliminary patches necessary for the proper functioning of the game. They are (just for information):

• Applying the original Konami 2.0 patch for MGS2 (really recommended)
• Audio Fix (without that on all OS after Windows XP the game would start in a black screen and freeze there. Kinda sad)
• It will delete some un-needed files used by the original game configurator, and the old game configurator itself

Because that, V's Fix must have the rights to write/read files from the game folder. If Windows UAC show a popup (probably for VOX.exe), answer 'YES' and let do it work. It doesn't do any harmful things (off course even the original Konami 2.0 patcher need the same permissions).

⚠️ If you deny some UAC authorization and/or you don't have full rights and/or some file can't be overwritten inside game folder the fix will show a warning popup and it will close.

⚠️ If this happen try to start the MGS2SSetup.exe in with full privilege (Check Troubleshooting page for more info) or try to restart again the V's Fix.

The end!

If you can see the main page of the fix, all preliminary action have been completed successfully.

But before pressing the PLAY button you need to go to the next page of the Guide!