There are faithful remakes, and then there's Metal Gear Solid Delta: Snake Eater. A full one-to-one re-release of the PS2 stealth masterpiece from 2004, Konami and co-developer Virtuos are going so far as to re-use the original voice lines in their visual refresh 20 years later. It's an example of how the two companies are remaining intensely loyal to the source text; a move that could be considered bucking the trend as a lot of modern remakes allow new creative input. For better or worse, then, the final result is exactly what you expect: this is Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater with PS5-level visuals.
It feels like a strangely anti-climactic statement to open the Preview with, given that Snake Eater is considered by many to be the best entry in what is widely touted as one of the greatest gaming franchises of all time. However, it's a thought we could not quite shake as we spent 90 minutes playing the opening Virtuous Mission at a recent Konami press event.
The game — and now in turn the PS5 remake — is still outstanding, but you more than likely already knew that. In its first act at least, the surprises are kept to an absolute minimum. It's all about letting the graphics shine in the Soviet Union.
And, well, they absolutely do on PS5. Snake Eater has already received one facelift within the PS3's Metal Gear Solid HD Collection, handled by the now first-party Sony developer Bluepoint Games. It was a fairly basic remaster for today's standards, meaning the PS5's completely new Delta version is far and away the most amount of work that has been put into the third mainline entry since its original development. The effort is most obvious in the visuals, which breathe new life into Big Boss as well as the jungle around him.
Having played the opening Virtuous Mission, we were able to see the leading stealth specialist alongside his supporting crew in Major Zero and Para-Medic, but also enemies like Colonel Volgin and those stuck in the middle of it all (Sokolov and The Boss). While Konami and Virtuos have taken the art in a slightly different direction compared to the PS2 game, all the returning character models look utterly outstanding in 4K. They're all remade in Unreal Engine 5 and are designed just how you'd hope they would be two decades on. Compared to other titles in the series, Big Boss displays a lot more charisma and emotion, and that hasn't been lost in the conversion from SD to 4K. The same goes for Colonel Volgin: he is still just as menacing, with lightning coursing through his veins. Their lines and actions remain exactly the same, but the extra visual fidelity on display transports the classic faces of old into the modern age.
That is maybe except for Ocelot. His face and overall character model certainly look the part of a PS5 heavyweight, yet — at least in his introductory cutscene — he doesn't quite look how we envisioned him with top-of-the-line graphics. It's not that there's necessarily something wrong with his appearance in the upcoming Delta version; it's just a bit different.
Back to Big Boss, though, and the ways he navigates the vast jungle will leave their mark on his clothing and skin. Quite literally: your sneaking suit will pick up stains and tears as you sneak and crawl through the jungle. Adding to the effect, the smears even carry over into cutscenes. A very minor addition on its own, the remake actually presents quite a few of these little updates to give it a much more updated feel on top of the visual overhaul.
Far and away the biggest is an entirely new control scheme. For our preview session, these inputs were the only ones to hand, but you are able to select the original controls before starting a playthrough if you wish in the full version. A series famed for mapping item and weapon selection to the L2 and R2 buttons, the updated controller settings instead placed the menu scrollers on the left and right buttons on the D-Pad. You then scroll through items via the right thumbstick and let go of the directional input when you've found the correct piece of equipment. The Codec screen can now be instantly accessed by pressing up on the D-Pad, while an entirely new feature lets you select from a list of pre-set camouflage loadouts by pressing down.
At least in the Virtuous Mission scenario, this new option to instantly switch between a few different camo options feels like the biggest upgrade over the original. Previously, you'd always need to button through the pause menu and then individually select camo pieces for your body and head. In the Delta version, this process is sped up significantly. In the preview build we played, there was not an option to customise these camo pre-sets, or place your own in the queue. We asked Konami PR representatives at the event if this is a feature the player can customise themselves, but an answer was not available at the time. We strongly believe this will be an option you'll be able to play about with yourself; it's just that official confirmation from Konami isn't on offer yet.
To cut down on busy work in the menus even more, whenever you get a brand new item or weapon, a prompt appears on-screen that lets you instantly add it to the relevant quick-access scroller. In the original version and PS3 remaster, you'd need to button in and out of menus multiple times to get the correct gear together for an upcoming fight. This tedious process is now dramatically shorter; you'd only need to go into the Backpack menu to remove something now.
Speaking of which, an entirely new item, the Compass, marks the direction of your next objective in the HUD. This makes navigating the thick jungle a lot easier, and negates the need to check the map in the pause menu so often. Mapped to the items tab, this means you must choose between equipping it or one of the sensor radars, for example.
For today's audience, the new control scheme is pretty much objectively better than the original setup. With how other games have effectively dictated what some buttons do when you're part of a certain genre, the Delta version subscribes to those assumptions to make things easier to understand. It plays better. It controls better. It responds better. However, if the classic control settings of old are like muscle memory to you, then the new inputs will take some getting used to. They make more sense upon first exposure, though having to let go of a 20-year instinct to hold L2 and R2 for your equipment takes time to forget.
It sounds like you'll have a decent amount of time to wrap your head around the new control scheme, though, because it seems Metal Gear Solid Delta: Snake Eater isn't quite as close to release as we hoped. Konami made sure to mention the preview build was an early one and not representative of the final product. From what we could tell, this was only proven in some missing tutorial images/videos, with the game itself playing and running excellently in a Quality Mode. If the overall remake really is still that early in production — we only saw the Virtuous Mission, after all — then the wait for its PS5 release may be a while longer than early 2025.
At least the wait can be done in confidence that Konami and Virtuos have remained intensely faithful to the original game. This essentially is that original game with a complete current-gen makeover, updated controls, and a few new quality-of-life additions and improvements. While the base inputs remain an option, this Delta version is designed to make Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater a world-beater all over again. Without the need for gameplay or story changes, what Konami and Virtuos are doing is tweaking near-perfection. On the basis of the Virtuous Mission, they are going about the endeavour in the correct manner.
Metal Gear Solid Delta: Snake Eater lacks a confirmed release date, but will launch for PS5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC. Are you happy to hear the remake is coming along nicely? Share your thoughts in the comments below.
Comments 54
Without Kojima I'd personally prefer they stick aggressively to the original, so this sounds good to me.
Sounds great. Here´s hoping they´ll remake Peace Walker as well, although that is probably pretty unlikely, considering them remaking 3 before 2. (1 is excusable, since that GC remake exists)
That's what I wanted for Final Fantasy 7R
Sounds great, personally love how it looks like you can change camo’s without having to use the menu for it.
I expect Konami to show more of it at TGS next month
So are you saying the visuals are better than the small snippets of gameplay we have seen? And the animations have changed?
Because the last trailer I saw, the environments looked good but snake looked like he was taken straight out of the original game with a glossy paint put on him with his blocky animation?
Serious question.
Konami, for the love of Dog, start working on Master League when you're done with this.
@Yagami Didn't PW exclude sidling, crawling, and going prone? It was a long time ago.
So it's not coming out this year
There’s only one thing I need to know: did they bring back David Hayter?!
The first metal gear game I will be getting on my computer. Game is looking like a good remake. Personally I am more of a fan Of MGS 2 and 4. But that is ok. I am a sucker for 4 because of the beautiful women lol.
Sounds promising. I still want to replay this in the collection before release, so take your time and GET IT RIGHT!
"A series famed for mapping item and weapon selection to the L2 and R2 buttons, the updated controller settings instead placed the menu scrollers on the left and right buttons on the D-Pad. You then scroll through items via the right thumbstick and let go of the directional input when you've found the correct piece of equipment."
I'll be honest, this concerns me. Because running is louder than sneaking and it's very easy to tilt an analog stick slightly too far the original game mapped walking to the d-pad. So you would use the d-pad when sneaking up behind guards (something I did a lot in MGS3 with it's greater emphasis on melee takedowns compared to the earlier games in the series). It sounds like the makers of this remake, by not understanding the reason why the original made this way have introduced a problem- sometimes Snake will alert guards by breaking out into a sprint right next to them because the player tilted the analog stick slightly too far. That sounds potentially very frustrating.
Unless there is some other control you can use to make sure he doesn't start running when you don't want him to?
@Yagami They're remaking MGS 1, 2 and 3 but are doing in them in timeline order
Well, it worked for Shadow of the Colossus, so I'm sure it will work for this, too.
Sounds exactly like how I hoped it would turn out so I'm happy. I especially like the update to equipping different camo options now having a quick select feature. That was my primary reason that 3 is one of my least favorites in the series (Although I still love the game) and it sounds like this remake is fixing that along with the rough control scheme.
So far, sounding like they are on the right track with this one!
I don't get why MGS3 is getting the remake treatment when all fans have been wanting to see for decades is the beginning of Solid Snake's legendary career in the original MSX Metal Gear and Metal Gear 2 remade in today's graphics and gameplay...
I agree with most in that without Kojima its good that they're keeping very close to the original in terms of story and what have you. I hope this does well so that we get a remake of 1 and 2. 2 is my personal favourite (maybe my favourite game of all time) but 1 definitely could do with being brought in line with modern sensibilities gameplay and visuals wise
Yes! Sounds great to me. Original Voice Actor seals the deal for me. Can't wait
@RadioHedgeFund the article says the original voice line recordings are used in the remake
Looking forward to this. I think keeping as close to the original was definitely the right choice.
Big Boss? His codename is naked snake, unless you're talking a spoiler that happens in the last scene of the game.
@Foxhound maybe remaking them timeline wise? Probably not but it would be nice if the 2 nes games got the remakes next
@Foxhound absolutely agree, remaking the msx games should be top priority.
@Zemo55 is this confirmed?
@Ludacritz That was never a spoiler. While Kojima never confirmed it during the early marketing around the game, we all knew we were going to play as Big Boss.
I'm pissed how devs are discouraged. reprimanded or even harassed by so called fans for remaking a game. Snake eater is still a great game, but there are several gameplay aspects that weren't great, even back when it released (first aid, camo, sneaking with dpad, etc). I also dare say saint Kojima also isn't a perfect storyteller, even him recognizing in interviews that there are elements about mgs that he would have retconned and I think it's also fine if others pick up where he left off and tweak it.
I'm tired of all the crap that gets thrown around to team bloober for silent hill and also mgs3 for not being "Kojima enough". Also all the asinine bs that SquareEnix gets for not just making a lazy ff7 remake. I don't know where people get off from, complaining about stuff like "too many mini games" or "this rock in the background has low res textures".
We should rather critique publishers when they're running greedy schemes rather than nitpicking and harassing dev studios.
Thanks for the preview Liam. I've never played any MGS before so this one will be my first experience with the series.
@tameshiyaku Bloober get criticism because they have yet to make a good game and show a complete lack of understanding for horror and mental health. Giving them SH2 certainly was a choice by Konami.
@LiamCroft How was the performance? was it 60fps?
Removed - trolling/baiting
@Sequel Seeing how Kojima treated David Hayter, I couldn't care less what the weirdos like you that worship Kojima think about this game.
Like having him on this project makes a difference since the developers are basically copying every aspect of the original game over to this remake and some people still aren't happy.
I'm honestly excited for this remake. MGS3 but with a modern coat of paint and some QoL upgrades are more then welcome.
Removed - disrespecting others
Cautiously optimistic for the moment since it's allegedly staying 100% loyal to the content from the original... But I'm also expecting to hear at the very last minute about specific details that ended up being censored for "modern" audiences. Happens every time now.
Removed - off-topic
Would love to know what the frame rate is!
"your sneaking suit will pick up stains and tears as you sneak and crawl through the jungle. Adding to the effect, the smears even carry over into cutscenes"
That's a cool fx, looking forward to playing this game, i'm hoping for a 2024 release but a demo to play around with would tide me over
Wow, I was just trying to make a humourous jab at the overall gaming community... how was that trolling? 😂
Anyways, I wished remakes go bold, even if they piss off a few jaded diehards.
A remake of MGS1 in this caliber while retaining voice acting from the OG game would be a godsend.
@Sequel Yeah agreed
@tameshiyaku We saw happened when Konami went “bold” with this IP and ended up with that woeful zombie survival game. Without Kojima, they need to stick to the source material as much as possible and if any changes need to be made, only in the QoL category and nothing else.
@Legacy2K yeah, that was a publisher driven mess to get a few bucks back from the fox engines development costs and reusing existing assets. Worst case example and absolutely shameful.
Just thinking if Konami could get a good inspired dev team together they could perhaps make something meaningful that could revitalise the series. It won't help the series in the long run to get all purist about it. Remaking the msx games would be a great way to truly get metal gear off the ground again and while at it fix some canon problems along the way.
@tameshiyaku While I would agree, MG3 is hallowed ground and does not need to be changed. That would be like remaking The Godfather, The Matrix, etc. I think if they can start an MGS6 or at least get something going then that would be the best bet.
@Legacy2K Mgs 3 great, but I felt like mgs1 had more fleshed out bosses. Fleshing out the fury, the pain, the fear would be a cool addition if done right. The rest of the bosses are perfect as they are.
I'm nerding out a bit here but I find if they'd redo the matrix (which I hope they don't) I'd change the humans as battery plot, because from a biological standpoint humans passively (brain activity alone) consume more energy than what they'd ever produce. That's been the single thing bugging me about the movie. Have humans be a cluster computer processing things AI could never fathom or something like that.
@Wiceheid perhaps you can hold down a button to force walking no matter how far you press the stick. Or maybe you can click the analog stick to lock it to walking only or click it again to unlock and let it be 100% pressure sensitive… just throwing out ideas. You make a good point.
3 was my least favorite because of the arduous camo management; constantly swapping and blah blah …
Also me: I’m getting this even if I feel like I’m betraying Kojima.
@Zemo55 that´s cool. hopefully they´ll remake 4 as well with some extended Rex gameplay
@LikelySatan I´m not sure either. as you say, it´s been a while. I just remember a lot of cool action and fighting Paz while jpop plays (amazing)
I want a 1:1 remake. I wouldn't trust them to improve on the original.
From everything I've seen, this is a remaster, not a remake.
@elvisfan1
Yeah I wonder what the difference is between a remaster and a remake? If you take a look on their official site konami say it's a remake of the 2004 game with the same gripping story and engrossing world, but with all new graphics and 3D audio.
https://www.konami.com/mg/mgs3r/eu/en/
@torquex I'd class a remake as remaking the game from the ground up which, judging from the gameplay I've seen that mimics the original MGS3 rather than the fluid movement of MGSV, they haven't done. A remaster would just be a fresh coat of paint - improved visuals and audio. Maybe a few quality of life improvements but nothing major.
Zero interest in a remake that doesn't even attempt to do more than the bare minimum. It's sad that the media is framing reusing the same 20 year old animations, assets, voice, etc as a "faithful remake."
when let's be honest here, that's a lazy remake at best and in all reality just a remaster.
Still, MGS1 is my favorite in the franchise.
Dont forget that every boss you defeat they show you their human side before they die, MGS 3 the all of them explodes.
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