Metal Gear Solid Delta: Snake Eater Review

There’s no denying that Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater is one of the most celebrated videogames ever on any platform. Its legacy spans multiple platforms and re-releases, each iteration offering something new for fans who simply can’t get enough. Now, the legendary title returns once more, this time as Metal Gear Solid Delta: Snake Eater.

Following its inclusion in the 2023 Metal Gear Master Collection, one might wonder: is there any reason for Delta to even exist? Given how polished and timeless the original Snake Eater remains, the need for a remake may seem questionable. Yet Metal Gear Solid Delta: Snake Eater proves that even a faithful recreation can offer compelling reasons to revisit Operation Snake Eater.

Commence Virtuous Mission

For newcomers to the franchise, Metal Gear Solid Delta: Snake Eater is the unforgettable introduction to one of gaming’s most iconic narratives. Originally released as Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater in 2004, this entry is the third mainline title in the series, but chronologically the first, marking the origin story of Big Boss, an important figure in the Metal Gear universe.

In Metal Gear Solid Delta, players step into the boots of Naked Snake, a rookie operative tasked with a stealth mission where failure could trigger global conflict. Beyond the political effects, the story carries deep emotional weight, as Snake must confront his former mentor, The Boss, and her elite Cobra Unit.

Hideo Kojima’s signature storytelling shines in Metal Gear Solid Delta, with long, visually stunning cutscenes that elevate the narrative to near-cinematic levels. Even in its original PlayStation 2 form, Snake Eater was visually impressive, and now, with Delta’s graphical overhaul, the game looks better than ever while preserving its roots.

Set primarily in dense jungle environments, Metal Gear Solid Delta emphasizes stealth and survival. Players must use terrain-specific camouflage to remain undetected, while mastering Snake’s unique CQC (Close Quarters Combat) techniques and firearm proficiency for when combat becomes unavoidable.

Delta retains the original’s immersive injury system, where wounds like cuts, fractures, and gunshots must be treated manually using medical supplies. Stamina management also plays a crucial role, as Snake must hunt for edible plants and animals to maintain his strength, while avoiding poisonous ones that can hinder performance. A weakened Snake may struggle to aim or move effectively, adding a layer of strategy to every encounter.

One of the most noticeable upgrades in Metal Gear Solid Delta is the streamlined interface. Previously, accessing the codec or switching camouflage required navigating through menus, which is a functional but tedious process. Delta simplifies this with intuitive button prompts, such as holding the D-pad to open the radio or quickly swapping camo on the fly. These small changes significantly improve pacing and immersion, especially during stealth-heavy segments.

Save management has also been refined in this latest release. In earlier versions, reloading a previous save to maintain a clean record, free of alerts, kills, or continues, meant exiting to the main menu and manually selecting your file. Metal Gear Solid Delta eliminates this friction by allowing faster access to save data directly from the pause screen, making it easier for completionists to chase high-rank titles without unnecessary downtime.

The Old, the Not-so-New, and the Actual New

Metal Gear Solid Delta: Snake Eater offers a compelling blend of nostalgia and modernization, making it an ideal entry point for newcomers while giving longtime fans fresh ways to experience a beloved classic. One of the standout features in Metal Gear Solid Delta is the inclusion of two distinct playstyles: Legacy and New Playstyle, each catering to different preferences.

The Legacy Playstyle faithfully recreates the original Snake Eater experience, complete with a top-down camera angle, manual first-person aiming, and the classic UI setup. It’s a love letter to fans who want to relive the game as it was originally designed.

Meanwhile, the New Playstyle introduces modern enhancements, including a fully controllable camera, over-the-shoulder aiming, and button prompts that improve stealth and combat flow. Features like automatic cover sticking, corner peeking, and crouch walking make navigation and enemy encounters smoother and more intuitive.

Speaking of cover sticking, it’s noticeably not as snappy as compared to earlier Metal Gear games but still somehow gets the job done at least.

While these mechanics aren’t entirely new, having appeared in the 3DS port and Subsistence, Metal Gear Solid Delta unifies them into one definitive package.

For a break from the main campaign, Metal Gear Solid Delta revives the fan-favorite Snake vs. Monkey minigame, a lighthearted collaboration with Ape Escape that challenges players to catch monkeys under time pressure, adding a fun and silly diversion to the otherwise intense stealth gameplay. Additional unlockables are also tucked away, though we’ll leave those surprises unspoiled.

Not limited to improvements, Metal Gear Solid Delta introduces several brand-new additions. One of which is a persistent, battery-free compass that guides players toward objectives, along with a new hidden duck mascot scattered throughout the game in addition to the Kero-tan dolls.

Metal Gear Solid Delta also now features a Photo Mode, giving players a chance to capture their favorite moments and edit it using various effects and filters.

Longtime fans will also remember Snake Eater’s special theater, which features humorous short movies based on cutscenes from the game. You’ll need to collect these again as you play, and you do so by taking them from certain soldiers on the field.

While not everything in Metal Gear Solid Delta is recycled, it does feel a little bit lacking, especially when you consider that most of the improvements have already appeared in past installments. This does not take away from how good the game is, but it simply dampens the impact due to not being totally new.

Looking Good, Snake

We can’t discuss Metal Gear Solid Delta without giving props to its impressive graphical overhaul. While the original Snake Eater and its various re-releases have aged remarkably well, Metal Gear Solid Delta elevates the visual fidelity to modern standards. Character models are now highly detailed and expressive, with visible textures on clothing, lifelike facial animations, and environmental effects.

The attention to detail in Metal Gear Solid Delta goes beyond visual fidelity, as injuries sustained by Snake, such as burns, cuts, or scars, remain visible even after treatment, adding a layer of realism to the survival mechanics. Environmental interaction has also been refined, like when walking through mud improves camouflage effectiveness.

For fans of the original Snake Eater, Metal Gear Solid Delta offers visual filter options that pay homage to its legacy. Players can toggle classic green-tinted filters or switch to black-and-white mode, allowing for a tailored visual experience that matches their preferred playstyle.

Despite this, Metal Gear Solid Delta does face occasional performance dips, with frame rates sometimes falling short of 60fps. While these issues don’t significantly detract from the overall experience, they are noticeable and may benefit from future optimization patches.

Verdict: Buy it!

Metal Gear Solid Delta may be the latest in a long line of re-releases, but it earns its place as the definitive edition of Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater. More than just a graphical upgrade, Metal Gear Solid Delta preserves the core experience fans love, its iconic dialogue, cinematic storytelling, and even the clever tricks players can pull off in key boss encounters, all while introducing meaningful quality-of-life improvements that modernize the gameplay without compromising Kojima’s original vision.

That said, it is a very safe release, and it felt like Konami was stuck between a rock and a hard place with respecting Kojima’s work while wanting to add new features. After all, it is still extremely well done, and is a game that action-adventure fans should definitely look into.

*Metal Gear Solid Delta: Snake Eater was reviewed on a PS5 with a review code provided by the publisher.