Konami
Metal Gear Solid Delta: Snake Eater — Return to the Jungle
A balance between nostalgia and modernity that helps us immerse ourselves in the mission.
There are games that become icons for an entire generation. Those that, at the time, broke barriers and improved what was then believed to be unbeatable. For those of us who grew up during the PlayStation 2 era, the name Hideo Kojima was synonymous with attention to detail, extremely well-crafted cinematics, and, of course, Metal Gear. The third installment of the Solid series is back with Metal Gear Solid Delta: Snake Eater, a remake that takes us 21 years back in time, proving that there are games that, no matter how much time has passed, don’t need to change much to offer a great experience.
“After the end of World War II, the world was split into two…”
Metal Gear Solid Delta: Snake Eater is a remake of the title originally released in 2004, which took the Metal Gear story back to the days of the Cold War. At a time when the franchise created by Hideo Kojima needed answers after the whirlwind that was the end of Sons of Liberty, we ended up in the past, learning the story of Naked Snake, the figure who would become Big Boss and would be one of the key pieces in the story of Solid Snake. For those who haven’t played the original title, the game takes the mechanics of infiltration and stealth to the jungle, where hiding and surviving are essential to completing the mission.
For purists, the game remains unchanged, both in terms of its story and much of its gameplay. It is still an action game with stealth elements. Naked Snake can crawl and use weapons, but since it is set in a jungle, he will have to obtain food, either by catching animals or finding meals to recover his stamina, or by using camouflage to remain as inconspicuous as possible while crossing enemy lines. Similarly, healing Naked Snake remains an essential part of the game, and in this version, curing Snake will leave scars that will accompany him until the end of the game.
A new way to venture into the jungle
One of the most obvious changes in Metal Gear Solid Delta: Snake Eater is its visuals, now running on Unreal Engine 5. Yes, it probably “looked” like this in our memory 21 years ago, but the level of detail has increased dramatically. Some scenarios have that extra detail, such as swamps and caves, with the camera lens filling with water from humidity. The weather, water, and other natural elements generally affect the experience. The lighting and shadow effects are also impressive, giving the game a very high level of detail. In addition, we have the now classic fidelity and performance modes, both of which run quite well, and it’s up to you to choose which one best suits your visual experience.
On the other hand, it should be mentioned that this is not the first time we have had an updated or improved version of this title, but it can be said that in addition to the visual quality, it is the improvement in quality of life that helps a lot. The original Metal Gear Solid 3 kept us pressing the pause button a lot, whether it was to access the Codec, take care of Naked Snake’s health, or, most importantly, change our camouflage to be as undetected as possible in different environments. Now this has been improved with options on the directional pad, giving you faster access to the Codec with pre-saved frequencies or with suggested camouflage options to switch between them much more quickly. This also applies when you need to heal Naked Snake, with a prompt appearing to take you to that menu more quickly.
In addition to this, there are two ways to play the game. First, there is Legacy mode, which features a slightly more static camera at certain points that can be moved to see the soldiers’ movements, and then there is the new mode. This new game mode changes part of the layout of some buttons, as well as some movements and the camera, making the action feel closer to Naked Snake. It should be noted that the controls may not feel as modern or as similar to those of Metal Gear Solid 5, but at least moving while crouching is already a big leap forward.
The same... but different
Metal Gear Solid Delta: Snake Eater certainly features much of the original content, but there are also some extras and changes that, although very subtle, are there to make the experience feel fresher. One of these changes is the faces of some characters, which are much more detailed. One of these aspects is that the game has some new lines of dialogue when saving the session, as well as totally new costumes with effects that can help you and that refer to new games.
Even the classic “What is your favorite Metal Gear Solid?” that appears when starting a new game now offers options that include Metal Gear Solid 4 and 5, thus providing new extras. In addition to the Kerotans and small frogs hidden in the levels, there will also be new statues of ducks, increasing the challenge of finding collectibles throughout the game. Even the main theme, “Snake Eater,” has been re-recorded, and although it is not 100% the same as what we heard 21 years ago, it remains an emblematic piece of the saga.
Metal Gear Solid Delta: Snake Eater proves that there are games that, regardless of time, retain the elements necessary to remain iconic. Its remake stays almost true to what made the 2004 title great, while adding visual and quality-of-life improvements that modernize the experience without altering its essence, balancing nostalgia with the present. Not all elements may be 100% tailored for a modern experience, but the reality is that this is one of the best ways to revisit—or discover for the first time—the story of Naked Snake.
Follow MeriStation USA on X (formerly known as Twitter). Your video game and entertainment website for all the news, updates, and breaking news from the world of video games, movies, series, manga, and anime. Previews, reviews, interviews, trailers, gameplay, podcasts and more! Follow us now!