“Just say the lines”: Snake’s voice actor admits he didn’t fully understand Metal Gear’s story while recording
Artis Kenderik
David Hayter — the iconic voice of Snake in the Metal Gear Solid series for nearly two decades — revealed something unexpected in an interview with the Fall Damage podcast: he didn’t always understand what he was saying.
Do I understand the story of Metal Gear Solid? Mostly, yes. Do I understand all of it? Absolutely not. I didn’t even understand it all while recording. I’d ask, “What does this even mean?” and they’d say, “Just say it.” And I’d go, “Okay.”
Hayter holds no grudge against the series — quite the opposite. According to him, that very complexity is what makes Metal Gear special: there’s more information, more detail, and more nuance than you can fully grasp in a single playthrough — or even several.
That’s what makes the world feel real, rich, and loved. And that’s what makes Metal Gear — Metal Gear.
The series is famous for its dense and often convoluted lore — especially starting with Metal Gear Solid 4, where the story dives deep into cloning, nanomachines, and layers of retcons. David Hayter voiced Snake from the original Metal Gear Solid (1998) all the way to Metal Gear Solid: Peace Walker, until Hideo Kojima replaced him with Kiefer Sutherland in Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain. That decision sparked debates among fans that still haven’t fully died down.
Which voice do you prefer? And did you actually understand the story without YouTube explanations? Share your thoughts.
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