Metal Gear Solid Delta: Snake Eater Review: A Near-Perfect Remaster of Hideo Kojima's Best Game

Konami continues to release classics in a modern wrapper. If last year we were offered an improved version Silent Hill 2, now it's time for the third Metal Gear Solid. Many call the original the best part of the series. But can it impress modern players? Our article is dedicated to the answer to this question.

The numbered parts of Metal Gear Solid are noticeably different from each other. In the original game from 1998, we saw high-quality fantasy with deep meaning, and in the sequel, self-irony and breaking the fourth wall were added to the usual elements. Snake Eater is a prequel to the whole story. Its action takes place in the USSR of the 60s, and the plot revolves around the Cold War and the problems associated with weapons of mass destruction.

The main character Naked Snake goes to the territory of the Soviet Union to prevent the escalation of the conflict. He needs to eliminate those who are planning to start a nuclear war and disrupt the production of the Shagohod, a special tank capable of launching missiles with nuclear warheads. The script also features intelligence agents from other countries, Snake's former mentor, nuclear scientists and Revolver Ocelot, one of the main villains of the entire series.

The third MGS is a bizarre interweaving of real history, retrofuturism, reflections on serious topics and personal dramas of specific people. Moreover, all these components are perfectly combined with each other. The ending turned out to be especially striking, which changes our attitude to what is happening and, at the same time, dots all the i's. The ending is amazing in itself and opens the way for the further fall of the hero.

For video games, not only the plot itself is important, but also its presentation. Snake Eater also has everything in order with it. Cut scenes, which are stylized as documentary footage, smoothly transition into videos on the engine. In the ordinary movements of the heroes, there is a slight theatricality and not always appropriate pathos, and action scenes are often complemented by the effect of slowing down time. Thanks to high-quality directing, what is happening is perceived as a full-fledged film.

By genre, Snake Eater is a stealth action game, where you need to remain unnoticed by enemies. Periodically, you have to engage in open clashes using firearms and close combat skills. The features of Metal Gear Solid 3 also include survival elements. For example, the main character needs to eat, otherwise the rumbling in his stomach can attract the attention of opponents and lead to Snake being discovered. And after being wounded, you need to use medicine and bandages on the part of the body where the bullet hit.

The MGS series is directly associated with Hideo Kojima, the author of the idea and the head of development of all the main parts. In 2015, he left Konami. Apart from the disgusting Metal Gear Survive, the Snake Eater reissue was the first full-fledged game in the franchise in many years. But Kojima has nothing to do with this project. Hideo even said that he was not going to play it.

It is worth noting that after 2015, Konami itself moved away from the home console and PC market to focus on mobile games and pachinko machines. As a result, many cult series were put on hold. However, now there is a tendency for the company to return to AAA projects. For example, this year, in addition to the MGS 3 remake, a new part of the Silent Hill series will be released. There are also rumors about the development of a full-fledged Castlevania, but they have not yet been officially confirmed.

Recently, we have seen many variants of re-releases of classics, from full-fledged remakes, like Final Fantasy 7, to simple remasters with slightly improved graphics in the spirit of the new version of Days Gone. Sometimes we are offered the same games as two decades ago. A striking example is Duke Nukem 3D: 20th Anniversary.

The re-release of Metal Gear Solid 3 received the subtitle Delta. In fact, this is a high-quality remaster of Snake Eater on the Unreal Engine 5. Externally, the game really looks beautiful. You can expect modern lighting, detailed character models, dense vegetation and much more. However, when it comes to black and white footage, which is stylized as a newsreeloh, the picture clearly lacks resolution.

And the gameplay has remained almost the same as in 2004. There are changes, but they are spotty. The developers have screwed on the ability to quickly change camouflage without going to a separate menu, as well as normal controls with a camera from behind the back and the ability to aim like in modern action games. If you want, you can leave the classic version, but it is noticeably outdated and seems inconvenient today.

However, some features of the original game were transferred to the new version. For example, the locations here are too small, and transitions between them are accompanied by loading. Over the past few years, we have managed to get out of the habit of this approach.

Unlike the authors of the remake of the first Mafia, Konami did not make serious changes to the plot. The differences are minimal — they consist of literally a few additional lines. Most likely, you will not even notice them.

You have to understand that even 20 years ago, the gameplay of MGS 3 did not seem like something outstanding, especially against the background of the then-relevant Splinter Cell. If you want to act stealthily, you will have to hide in the grass and behind various decorations, select camouflage that matches the terrain, and carefully eliminate opponents one by one. Moreover, even dense vegetation does not guarantee that you will not be detected. Enemies react to movements and check the area at the slightest suspicion. And they can also turn around if you sneak up from behind. If desired, you can distract them with the help of improvised objects or use the features of the environment, for example, set insects on the enemy.

If you are spotted, it's okay, because often no one stops you from knocking out an enemy in hand-to-hand combat or opening fire from a machine gun. The shooting mechanics here are too simple and are unlikely to bring pleasure. As in many representatives of the stealth genre, playing by the rules is much more interesting than killing everyone in a row. True, at some levels you will still have to fight enemies in open combat.

Some clumsiness in the controls can be noted. For example, from a prone position, you cannot immediately go on the attack — you must first stand up, turn to the enemy and only then incapacitate him with a strong blow. This delay can cost the hero his life, especially if other enemy fighters came running after the alarm was raised.

Also worth noting are the boss battles, each of which is a kind of action puzzle. And you will also find surprises from Hideo Kojima, including non-trivial ways to defeat enemies.

And here it is worth recalling that in recent years, stealth action games have been released too rarely. The release of the last Hitman took place 5 years ago, and we have been waiting for the new Splinter Cell for more than a decade. We can only note the mediocre Sniper Elite: Resistance. Against the background of such a lull, the gameplay of Snake Eater is perceived as fresh.

But you must understand that the main value of MGS 3 is not in the gameplay, but in the plot and its presentation. We strongly recommend not to skip the videos and listen to all the dialogues on the codec. If you are imbued with the local history, then the passage will bring a lot of pleasure. The cut scenes give you goosebumps, and the ending makes you cry. The script of the third Metal Gear Solid has not aged a bit and evokes strong emotions even today. This is a truly complex and thoughtful work with a second bottom. Alas, such projects are released too rarely. Even Hideo Kojima himself has not been able to do anything better so far.

However, if for some reason you fail to imbue yourself with what is happening, then all the magic will disappear. In this case, Snake Eater will seem like a strange game with outdated gameplay and a delirious plot. The re-release will definitely not change the attitude of those who tried to get acquainted with MGS 3 back in the days of PlayStation 2 and were disappointed.

Metal Gear Solid Delta: Snake Eater is a neat reissue of the third part of the series. Konami chose a smart strategy. It added modern graphics technologies to the original, reworked the controls and camera to current standards, but at the same time completely preserved the plot and atmosphere of the original game. If you wanted to get acquainted with the best creation of Kojima or replay it again — feel free to buy the Delta version. And those who do not like MGS, it is better to pass by. This fall, a lot of other projects are released that are worth paying attention to.