My favourite thing about Linux gaming will now automagically apply crucial fan patches to your Metal Gear installs, making it even easier than on Windows

There are a lot of things I've enjoyed about switching to Linux, but my second favourite—after the incredible smugness I derive from telling people I've switched to Linux—is Luxtorpeda.

Luxtorpeda is a clever bit of kit that you can set as a compatibility tool for any game you have on Steam. You just install it, head into the Steam settings for whichever game you want to use it with, and switch out Proton for Luxtorpeda. Bish-bash-bosh, done.

What does it do? I was just coming to that, but thanks for asking. Fire up a game Luxtorpeda supports using the tool and, rather than launching into the game, it will pop up a box that lets you easily install an open-source engine reimplementation or popular fan mod(s). It makes it easier to get a fixed-up, modernised version of a lot of old games running than it is on their native Windows.

For instance, launch Morrowind and it will automatically set up OpenMW. Launch FEAR (hell yeah FEAR) and it will install EchoPatch, and now, with the hot-out-the-oven Luxtorpeda v76, it'll work its magic on the Metal Gear Solid Master Collection Vol 1, too.

Specifically, Luxtorpeda will patch up your installs of MG1, MG2, and MGS2 and 3 with MGSHDFix, while MGS1 gets the MGSM2Fix treatment. These are pretty much the gold standard of Metal Gear resolution patches on PC, and even with the Metal Gear series' recent big updates from Konami, they still have a role to play.

MGSHDFix, for one, adds custom resolution and ultrawide support, the ability to skip intro logos and other tweaks, and cleans up bugs that Konami still hasn't fixed itself (and seemingly never will, given that the most recent big update was supposedly the final one).

MGSM2Fix, meanwhile, adds proper widescreen support to MGS1. Yes, you can stretch out the game by default, but it looks terrible and makes Snake look like that one video of Jair Bolsonaro. MGSM2Fix makes it work properly (though the HUD will still appear stretched).

Oh, and it stops your monitor going to sleep during long cutscenes. Kojima!

Luxtorpeda's been an essential part of playing games for me ever since I moved over to Linux. Now it's an essential part of my Metal Gear experience, too.