Metal Gear Solid Delta: Snake Eater review - a celebration of MGS3

The last 10 years have been a weird time for Metal Gear Solid fans, from the controversial release of Metal Gear Solid 5, the bizarre multiplayer zombie follow-up, and Hideo Kojima leaving Konami and the MGS IP behind, to movie rumours and an eventual re-release of classics after years of silence.

It's only now that we're getting what feels like a meaningful step forward into fresh new territory with Metal Gear Solid Delta: Snake Eater, a remake of one of the most beloved entries in the franchise.

Unlike recent successful remakes like Resident Evil 4, Delta has avoided overhauling the game in favour of retaining the gameplay and story of the original, which made me question whether it would have benefited from being reinvented or if it still holds up today as is.

Calls for remakes have been consistent over recent years, mostly for MGS1 - after all, it's probably the game most of us long-time fans remember playing first and what launched the franchise into popularity.

But it's MGS3 that gets the remake treatment first, albeit with its numerical moniker dropped and replaced by Δ, a symbol meaning 'delta' and signifying "change without difference in structure".

And it makes sense. Snake Eater is the first game in the chronological timeline of the series, so starting fresh with a game that gives birth to the rabbit hole of Metal Gear lore is a logical step, and it doesn't hurt that MGS3 is widely regarded as one of the best games in the series.

Fans familiar with the game will be hoping Delta retains what made the original special. The crafted areas tailored to perfecting stealth, the in-depth systems related to camouflage, hunting, hunger, treating injuries sustained in the jungle and the cinematic story.

The good news is it all remains largely untouched and preserves Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater's identity.

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I don't really want to dumb it down as Metal Gear Solid 3 with a new coat of paint, but that's essentially what Delta is. Every cutscene is the same. Every voice line is from the original. All of the game's systems, gameplay and map are identical. So what is new in Delta?

The game gives you two options when starting a new game, New Style and Legacy. New Style is the modernised option that gives you the new camera and controller layout, while Legacy is based on the very first iteration of MGS3 that utilises the top-down camera and has classic controls.

It's nice that both options are available and those who want a really nostalgic experience can play Legacy mode. It even makes use of a green filter that can be toggled on and off. Since this is based on the original version of MGS3, it doesn't include the 3D camera that came in later releases, so most players will likely go with the New Style.

As soon as I picked up the controller, my muscle memory wasn't adjusting to the new control layout. Luckily the game lets you map individual buttons however you like, so I instantly changed them to something more similar to how I remember the original and it definitely made the experience better.

The game is now made in Unreal Engine 5 and the gorgeous graphics are immediately noticeable. Delta also feels very good to control and almost feels like a more weighty MGS5, with fluid animations and movement controls that allow you to seamlessly sneak around and do things like aim on your side and back while prone.

While the game and its features are mostly unchanged, there are other quality-of-life features that make a difference outside of the graphics and control scheme. One welcome update is the ability to quick-swap recently worn camouflage sets by holding up on the D-pad, which means you have the right camo instantly on hand for any given situation.

There's also a comprehensive tip system that can be customised to suit a player's needs, so if you're new to the game or want in-game nudges on game mechanics, you can set them up in a bunch of different ways or just disable them entirely.

The game also has a number of accessibility settings, with the option to either hold down the button to perform an action or set it to toggle on and off at a button press among other helpful additions.

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Overall, I'm really impressed with Metal Gear Solid Delta as a package. It's clear a lot of care and attention has been put into respecting Snake Eater's history, including all of its quirks, secrets and game modes that are all represented here.

Just like the original, the game's scavenger hunt-like Kerotan frogs are back hidden among each area. This time, however, there's an additional hidden item doubling the amount of collectibles to find: a GA-KO duck that works the same as the frogs but can be harder to find due to sometimes being camouflaged. These make for fun little side objectives and I found myself going back to find them all in subsequent playthroughs.

Other inclusions are the Snake vs Monkey mode which has you running around catching monkeys like Ape Escape, with some modern twists added.

The lost blooper reel Secret Theater from very early MGS3 versions is also back, with clips being obtained in-game by holding up guards like you would in MGS2 for dog tags, plus other unlockable bonuses that will keep you playing.

Delta feels like a celebration of Snake Eater, accumulating all of the game's extras from previous versions and bundling them in this catch-all package. There's even a planned online multiplayer mode called Fox Hunt that has been announced for a future update.

I have to be honest and say that I never really connected to MGS3 like I did other MGS games when I was younger. While the swampy jungle setting sounded good on paper, it was the desolate, steely enemy bases in MGS1 and MGS2 featuring Solid Snake that appealed to me most. A prequel focusing on clone dad Big Boss set in 1964 didn't resonate the same at the time.

I was curious going into Delta if a remake could change my mind and leave a more favourable impression, and honestly, it has. Snake Eater is such a tightly made game and the updated controls and visuals make it a joy to play.

The snappy 12-hour campaign time breezed by, and I've found myself going back for collectibles and doing more runs on various difficulties as the plethora of weapons, items and camos means every playthrough feels different.

After seeing how Delta turned out, I'm actually excited about the possibility of future projects from Konami, whether it's MGS1 or MGS2 remade like this or something entirely new.

Those wanting a complete overhaul won't find it here. Instead, Metal Gear Solid Delta is a one-for-one faithful remake with shiny new graphics and updated controls. To some, it will be the definitive way to play, but others may question why it needed to be made when an original version is readily available on the Master Collection that was released a couple of years ago.

Regardless of where people land, seeing Metal Gear Solid getting a new release with a focus on picking up potential new fans interested in the franchise is a good thing and hopefully means there's more to come from Konami.

Metal Gear Solid Delta celebrates the legacy of MGS3 and is the perfect entry point for new players, while it'll also be hard for long-time fans to dismiss a remake that's line-for-line and frame-for-frame identical to the source material. If you adore Snake Eater, Delta is a chance to fall in love with it all over again, and if you've never experienced it, this is a modernised classic that is a must-play.

Platform reviewed on: PlayStation 5

Metal Gear Solid Delta: Snake Eater is out on 26 August if you pre-order the Deluxe Edition, or 28 August for the Standard Edition on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S and PC.