In the history of video games, there are games that transcend time and become milestones. Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater is undoubtedly one of these monumental games. This masterpiece, reflecting Hideo Kojima’s genius, masterfully blended a quirky sense of humor with profound storytelling, unforgettable characters, and political messages that remain relevant even today. If its wild plot made it a classic, what made it a masterpiece was the incredible layers of mechanical depth woven around it.
Metal Gear Solid Delta Snake Eater Review
Even after twenty years, Naked Snake’s adventure across the Soviet Union offers an unprecedented intensity of interactivity and gameplay freedom. Snake Eater is one of those rare games that truly deserves the Sandbox label; it delivers a superb espionage thriller while simultaneously offering a unique gaming experience. This freedom that many modern games promise but fail to deliver today.
Shiftdelete.netWatching a snake you hunt decay over time, waiting for them to sabotage their enemy’s food supply and starve to eat your rotting snake… Dozens of different ways to defeat a single enemy: throwing a beehive at them, interrogating them, throwing poisonous spiders… This was mind-boggling creativity from a game from the PS2 era.
So when Metal Gear Solid Delta Snake Eater was announced, the biggest question on everyone’s minds was: How could such a flawless creation be retouched? Konami’s answer, contrary to the trends of the modern gaming industry, was a bold decision: to faithfully rebuild, not reimagine.
In an era of remakes like Resident Evil 4 or Final Fantasy VII Remake, which take original material and reinterpret it with a modern design approach, Delta’s approach is almost surprising. This game feels less like a remake and more like a reissue familiar to collectors.
This may be disappointing for some players. But Delta’s true success lies precisely in this seemingly unimaginative approach. The game conveys a crucial message: Not every masterpiece needs reinterpretation. Some games are so perfect when they’re first created that trying to reinterpret them is nothing more than creative arrogance. Metal Gear Solid Delta Snake Eater doesn’t fall for this arrogance, and its respect for the original is palpable in every frame.
Modern Touches: Two Key Innovations That Shine the Legend
Delta maintains the original experience while introducing two key and highly welcome innovations that elevate it to today’s standards.
A Visual Feast
The most obvious change is that the PS2’s modest graphics have been completely recreated with the power of Unreal Engine 5. Delta is visually breathtaking. The dense forest foliage, the detailed character models, and the environmental effects bring the forests of Tselinoyarsk to life like never before.
While the cutscenes are replicated verbatim, the new facial animations give the characters incredible expressiveness. The internal conflicts in the faces of characters like EVA and The Boss are particularly striking with these new details. While the character designs remain faithful to the original, there’s a general refinement. EVA is now more eye-catching, and Naked Snake is more charismatic. The only exception is Colonel Volgin, whose burns and scars have been made even more gruesome. This visual polish further enhances the story’s dramatic moments.
Unleashed Gameplay: Modernized Controls
As much as we loved Metal Gear Solid 3, we have to admit that the original control scheme would be described as cumbersome today. Even the simple act of aiming and firing felt like a strange ritual. Delta removes this biggest obstacle. Switching to fluid and intuitive controls like a standard third-person shooter makes the wonderful mechanics of MGS3 accessible to everyone.
Aiming, taking cover, and using equipment are now so fluid that sections of the game that I once struggled with now feel like a breeze. This doesn’t diminish the game’s depth; on the contrary, it makes it easier for the player to achieve that depth. Of course, the original control scheme and camera angles are also available for purists seeking nostalgia.
Details That Preserve the Spirit
Besides these major innovations, Delta also makes clever improvements to the user interface. Thanks to the new radial menu, actions like changing camouflage, eating, or using the radio are much faster. When Snake is injured, being able to go to the Survival Viewer menu with a single click and heal yourself is a great convenience that preserves the flow of the game.
But most importantly, none of these modernizations touch the spirit of the game. Those absurd radio conversations between Snake and the FOX team, the hidden secrets in the cutscenes,The camera angles, the escaped monkeys waiting to be captured in the jungle, the strange camouflages… Everything that made Snake Eater special has been preserved down to the smallest detail. Even seeing the return of an “Easter egg” not seen since the original PS2 release demonstrates the seriousness of the development team’s work.
The Result: The Most Unnecessary, Yet Most Perfect Remake
It delivers a Snake Eater experience adorned with modern graphics and fluid controls, a gift far beyond what we can expect from today’s industry.
If Delta were a brand new, modern interpretation of Snake Eater, it would be doomed to be overshadowed by the original. Because in the face of that legendary game, any changes would be bland. To do justice to one of the greatest games of all time, Metal Gear Solid’s Delta needed to emulate it, not remake it. And it succeeds brilliantly.
The awe and triumph I felt at the end of that unforgettable duel with The End remain just as fresh, even twenty years later. This is the ultimate proof that Delta has successfully completed its mission. If you’ve never played Metal Gear Solid 3, there’s no better opportunity to experience the epic. If you’re a veteran, you’ll see your favorite game get the respect and modern polish it deserves.
