Metal Gear Solid Delta: Snake Eater Review – Virtuous Mission Perfected For Modern Times

Stealthing back into the dense jungles of Metal Gear Solid Delta: Snake Eater feels like cracking open a time capsule buried deep in my gamer self. As a longtime fan who spent countless nights glued to my PlayStation 2, sneaking through Cold War-era Russia as Naked Snake, this remake is more than a game, it’s a love letter to my formative years.

Previous entries like Metal Gear Solid 1 and Metal Gear Solid 2 confined players to indoor corridors and highly restricted areas, but Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater changed everything. It was a seismic shift that redefined stealth with its open areas, survival mechanics, and a narrative so cinematic it could rival any blockbuster movie.

Fast forward to 2025, and Konami’s Metal Gear Solid Delta: Snake Eater, built from the ground up in Unreal Engine 5, is out now on PS5, Xbox Series X/S, and PC, delivering a remake that’s as faithful as a loyal comrade and as polished as Ocelot’s revolver.

This is a masterpiece that reignites my passion for the series, modernizes a classic without losing its soul, and hints at a bold new era for Konami. But does it stay faithful to Kojima’s legacy?

A Story That Still Breaks My Heart, Just Like The Boss Did

The narrative of Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater hit me like a CQC combo back in the day, and Delta preserves every pulse-pounding, tear-jerking moment with the reverence of a soldier saluting a fallen hero.

Set in 1964, you step into the muddy boots of Naked Snake on a covert mission in Soviet territory to rescue a scientist, sabotage the Shagohod superweapon, and clear America’s name during the Cold War’s fever pitch. As the chronological starting point of the Metal Gear saga, it’s the perfect entry for newcomers, but for me, it’s a sacred text I’ve memorized line by line.

The storytelling, a brilliant blend of James Bond-style espionage with geopolitical intrigue, philosophical depth, and signature absurdity, still feels revolutionary. The narrative tackles complex themes of loyalty, patriotism, and the true cost of being a soldier. The characters, from the hornet-wielding maniac The Pain to the ghostly meta-nightmare of The Sorrow, are a gallery of unhinged and unforgettable personalities.

The core of the story, Snake’s tragic and complex relationship with his mentor, The Boss, still guts players. Her defection to the Soviets is not as simple as it seems, weaving a tale of sacrifice and betrayal that had many players sobbing into their controllers. The game’s use of real-world historical context, its exploration of the soldier’s role as a pawn in a larger game, and its emotional weight are all perfectly preserved.

The inclusion of the original voice acting, with David Hayter’s gravelly voice delivering iconic lines, feels like a warm hug from the past. Delta’s cutscenes, now rendered in Unreal Engine 5’s jaw-dropping detail, amplify the original cinematic vision; every close-up, every dramatic slow-motion shot, and every shot composition feels like it was meant for this era of high-fidelity graphics.

Even the famous Codec calls, with Snake’s curious “Huh?” echoing Para-Medic’s rants about monster movies and Sigint’s technical explanations, retain their charm and humor. For a Metal Gear fan, this story isn’t just preserved, it’s a time machine that transports them back to the moment they realized games could be art, delivering the same emotional punch with a shinier coat of paint.

Sneaking Like it’s 2004, But with 2025 Swagger

If MGS3 invented open-area stealth, Delta polishes it to a mirror shine, making every crawl through the jungle feel like a love letter to the stealth genre. The core gameplay, blending into foliage, outsmarting patrols with a cardboard box, and surviving on snake meat, was groundbreaking in 2004, setting the stage for games like The Last of Us.

Delta keeps this magic intact, letting players relive the thrill of smearing mud on Snake’s face or tossing a frog to distract a guard. Players will be grinning ear-to-ear, rediscovering the joy of outwitting enemies with nothing but wits and a tranquilizer dart.

The modernized controls, inspired by Metal Gear Solid V, are a game-changer. The new over-the-shoulder camera and smooth movement, crouch-walking, aiming on the fly, and quick camo swaps via the D-pad make stealth feel intuitive without losing the arcadey charm of MGS.

While the segmented level design and occasional loading screens may remind players of the PS2 era, the tension of hearing a guard’s “!” still sends a jolt through the heart. This is stealth perfection, refined for 2025 but true to the soul of 2004.

The Sorrow Hits Harder Than Ever

The genius of Metal Gear Solid 3 was its roster of unforgettable villains, a group of super-powered eccentrics known as the Cobra Unit. Delta brings each member to life with stunning new visuals and audio, elevating their unique designs and abilities to new heights.

From The Pain, who controls hornets with terrifying precision, to The Fear, a poison-dart master who moves like a phantom through the trees, each encounter is a unique puzzle. Players can’t simply rely on firepower to defeat these foes.

Boss fights, like The End’s legendary sniper duel, which can take hours to complete and demands patience and tactical thinking, or the high-speed chase with The Fury, remain creative masterpieces that demand strategy over brute force. The game’s focus on using the environment against these bosses is a core part of the experience.

For instance, players can defeat The End by simply waiting a week (or fast-forwarding the console’s clock), or they can spend hours stalking him, giggling as they snipe his parrot to mess with him, just like they did back in the day. The final showdown with The Boss is as emotionally charged and difficult as ever, serving as a perfect, gut-wrenching climax to the game’s narrative.

Secrets Are Best Kept with a Spy

Delta’s mission structure celebrates the original’s design, where Snake must navigate a series of interconnected, outdoor areas to reach his objectives. This is a stark contrast to the closed-off, linear progression of the first two MGS games.

Players must use every tool at their disposal, from the extensive camo system to CQC, to survive. The game also retains its famous secrets, encouraging players to explore and experiment.

Players can find hidden paths, utilize the environment to gain an advantage, or even create a Time Paradox by killing a character before their scripted introduction in the Metal Gear chronology (which is a twisted tale in itself), which results in a unique and humorous game-over screen.

This nod to the game’s meta-narrative is present in Delta like the original. The interrogation system, a classic feature of the series, is also back and more detailed than ever. By grabbing and interrogating guards, players can force them to drop items, reveal enemy locations, or even offer useful tips and radio stations that play elevator music to calm you down.

The weapon system, which ranges from a tranquilizer pistol to a sniper rifle, feels intuitive and effective, with each tool serving a specific purpose in the grand mission of infiltration. Players can even use a death pill to win boss fights or escape prison and bring Snake back to life. These small details, so integral to the original’s quirky charm, are all present and accounted for.

A Virtuous Mission Never Looked So Good

Delta isn’t just a remake; it’s an audiovisual feast that makes older generations jealous of today’s gamers. Unreal Engine 5 transforms Tselinoyarsk into a photorealistic jungle where every leaf sways, every river glistens, and Snake’s camo pops with vibrant detail.

The lighting, from dawn’s golden glow to stormy downpours, immerses players so deeply they can almost smell the mud. The 3D audio is equally stunning. When a guard’s boots crunch nearby, it’s like players are not just playing, they are there, holding their breath in the tall grass.

The New Style controls ditch the original’s clunky fixed camera for a fluid third-person perspective, making every action feel modern yet authentic. Quality-of-life tweaks, like instant camo swaps and streamlined menus, erase the menu-heavy grind of yesteryear without dumbing down the challenge.

Extras like the Snake vs. Monkey minigame and a robust photo mode let players indulge in nostalgia or capture Snake’s jungle antics in glorious 4K. For those who spent hours mastering MGS3’s quirks, Delta feels like the definitive way to experience Snake’s mission, blending modern polish with the heart of a classic.

Konami’s Salute to Kojima’s Legacy

MGS3 wasn’t just a game; it was a cultural earthquake that proved stealth could thrive in open spaces, survival mechanics could deepen gameplay, and stories could rival literature.

By reusing the original voice acting, iconic Snake Eater song, and intro by Cynthia Harrell, the 2-minute Ladder Climb sequence, and exact cutscene direction, Konami ensures the original vision shines through every frame. The ladder climb, The Sorrow’s river, and The Boss’s final duel hit as hard now as they did then, transporting players back as if it were 2004.

Konami’s choice to credit the original team prominently feels like a heartfelt tribute, especially after their messy 2015 split. This remake doesn’t try to outdo the original; it polishes it, making it accessible for new players while giving veterans a nostalgia overdose. The Guy Savage minigame, remade by PlatinumGames, and the Secret Theater with new unlockable cutscenes are cherries on top, proving Konami knows what makes MGS3 tick.

Speaking of Kojima, His Quirkiness Still Shines Through

As a long-time Metal Gear fan, approaching Delta came with equal parts excitement and dread. Could Konami capture the magic of MGS3 without the original creative lead’s direct touch?

After hours in the jungle, the answer is a resounding yes, mostly. Every Codec quip, every Easter egg, every Ocelot revolver twirl is here, rendered in glorious detail. Players will laugh out loud at Ocelot’s Reload Time and Meows and smirk at Snake’s POV peeks at EVA’s… assets. These quirks, the blend of humor, meta-commentary, and absurdity, are the soul of MGS3, and Delta preserves them like sacred relics.

But there’s a bittersweet note. Without the wild creativity of the series’ creator, Delta lacks new surprises, no fresh characters, and no bold narrative detours. It’s a safe remake, and while its fidelity is adored, it’s impossible not to miss that special spark.

Still, while hiding in a cardboard box or sniping The End, a fan’s heart will sing. This is MGS3, as everyone loves it, just prettier and smoother. For a gamer whose life was shaped by this franchise, Delta is a dream come true, even if it doesn’t rewrite the script.

Snake, You Just Created a Time Paradox!

Even a gem like Delta has its flaws. The segmented level design and loading screens, while true to the original, feel dated in 2025’s open-world era. A more seamless world, like MGSV’s, could’ve elevated the title to new heights.

Enemy AI, while challenging, follows predictable patterns once mastered, missing the organic chaos of modern stealth games. Performance issues, like frame-rate drops on base PS5, are a minor annoyance, though the PC version ran smoothly – at times.

My Setup:

CPU: Intel i7 14700K 3.40 GHz
CPU Cooler: CORSAIR H150 RGB 360mm
Motherboard: Msi Z790 Pro Wifi
GPU: Gigabyte RTX 4060 Ti 16GB
RAM: Crucial (2x16GB) 5200MHz DDR5
SSD: Kingston 3 TB NVMe SSD
Monitor: 1440p @ 160Hz

I played on a Balanced DLSS setting with all graphics settings set to high and consistently got 60 FPS throughout my first playthrough. However, I did face screen tearing and stutter in dark areas indoors, where I was least expecting it. Even though the boss battles and motorcycle chase sequences were smooth as butter, the charm fell apart when UE5 failed to give me the same smoothness during stealth missions in the dark.

The $69.99 price tag stings for a remake, especially without new story content or the promised Fox Hunt multiplayer mode at launch, even though it’s coming in Fall 2025. As a fan, the fidelity is appreciated, but a new mission or Codec call to surprise us would have been a welcome addition. These gripes don’t ruin the experience, but they keep Delta from that perfect remake. Still, for a Metal Gear fan like myself, the core experience is so good it’s hard to stay mad.

Verdict: I’m Still in a Dream, Snake Eater!

Metal Gear Solid Delta: Snake Eater is a triumph that rekindles a love for MGS3 while proving its timeless genius. It’s a faithful remake that amplifies the original’s stealth, story, and quirks with modern flair, making Kojima purists scream with joy.

The Unreal Engine 5 visuals, slick controls, and obsessive fidelity make this the definitive way to experience Snake’s saga, which is a major onset for him to turn into Big Boss – whether you’re a newbie or a veteran who has memorized every Codec call, this is the Metal Gear game to play in 2025. Still, it’s not perfect – the loading screens, missing multiplayer, and a lack of bold new content hold it back, but it’s a powerful reminder of why MGS3 changed gaming forever.

And one more thing – Konami has created a brand new opening movie using shots and animations from the modern remake, with new vocals for the “Snake Eater” song recorded by Cynthia Harrell. So you might want to look out for it each time you launch the game, or even pass the Virtuous Mission, and the opening credits start rolling. This only plays when you choose New Style playthrough.

In case you choose Legacy Style, the game plays the old 2004 classic opening movie with the original song and dated animations to make you feel as if you’re playing the classic title – even the title card after the movie in Legacy mode says “Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater” as opposed to Delta. Smooth touch, Konami (wink-wink).

For Metal Gear fans, Delta is a homecoming to the game that made them a disciple of the series, a stealth junkie, and a believer in Kojima. It’s a must-play that honors the legacy while paving the way for Konami’s future in reviving its classics with modernity. So grab your camo, eat a snake, and dive back into the jungle. You’re pretty good, Delta, pretty damn good.