Metal Gear Solid: Snake Eater was the third mainline Metal Gear game by the godfather of the stealth genre, Hideo Kojima. The title originally released more than two decades ago and remains a favourite across the IP’s dedicated fanbase. Being the chronological ‘beginning’ for the lead character, this served as the perfect starting point for the series to be remade with current graphics, controls and gameplay. Set in jungles across the Cold War-era Soviet Union, the game focuses on stealthy manoeuvring through small sections to save a Russian rocket scientist from crazed villains. This may sound straightforward, but anyone with an awareness of Kojima (despite his lack of involvement in this remake) or Metal Gear will know that fantasy, sci-fi, film and exaggeration soon take hold to reach a level of weirdness that spawns Reddit conspiracy theories to this day. I will delve into story, gameplay and performance like any good review should. First? My thoughts as a package.
While Metal Gear Solid games were played during my childhood, the detailed stories were often too complex for my early teenage or pre-teen comprehension (stealth was not my forte). The original games (especially spanning the years of 97-04) are also difficult to play now when accustomed to contemporary controls, therefore Phantom Pain was the first in the series that I truly connected with. Metal Gear Solid Delta: Snake Eater uses Phantom Pain as a basis for much of the tweaks despite the difference between an open world and these smaller, bite-sized sections. Frustrations in movement and combat are therefore reduced outside of some boss battles and water wading (more on that later) making the game a joy to play and watch. But the game works best when invested in story. As this entry introduces Snake well – he’s quite vulnerable, raw, young and learning his craft – the new generations of gamers can grow with the series from this point if the remake process continues into the other titles. Capcom’s focus on remaking the Resident Evil series methodically has paved the ideal path for Konami to follow, as the first entry here showcases all the elements of a brilliant third-person shooter blending stealth and all out warfare.
Starting the game presents the player with a range of options, but the New vs Legacy selection will impact presentation and gameplay the most. Players have the choice to use the fixed camera and style of the original, or the remade ‘third-person camera’ of current games (think Resident Evil 4’s style). I chose the newer format to best assess the updated process. The graphical upgrade is clear immediately. The facial features, locations and attention to detail aligns with any other AAA 2025 release. While all the original voices are used and can be quite extravagant, the sounds deep in the thick of the jungle are immersive and all-consuming. The locales are brimming with wildlife, atmosphere and dust, creating a realistic playground despite the eccentric list of characters crunching the scenery with their powers. I encountered no issues in performance mode and would class this as one of the best-looking games of 2025.
The variation in gameplay/gunplay is where the game truly shines. Much like Death Stranding 2 (demonstrating the origins of gameplay in Kojima’s delivery-focused masterpiece) the array of weapons, tools and contraptions at your disposal is almost intimidating. The game may seem like a stealth thriller, but close-range shoot-outs with rifles, snipers and grenades is just as satisfying as sneaking up behind an enemy with a knife or holding them hostage. I always tried to take a section quietly, holding L1 to remove my sounds and using my silenced weapons to incapacitate pacing soldiers. I even used the environment to advantage – setting traps, shooting down bee hives – but more often than not, the strong AI would be alerted to my presence and the bullets began to fly alongside blaring alarms. Early game, with very few weapons, these standoffs involved ducking and weaving through terrain to find a good vantage point (or to resume stealth when the timer ran down). Mid-game, AK47s and other powerful options allowed for full-scale gunfights without sound as a barrier. Both styles are rewarding and encouraged, despite the tag of ‘espionage’ across the banner. Aiming and shooting, whether in first or third person, felt responsive and weighted. Melee combat was not quite as seamless as angles can play a role in missing a target. There are opportunities to tweak movement in future adaptions, as Snake can feel quite slow at times (dive roll is always handy, though). Wading through water felt like walking in quicksand as I wanted to move faster once the enemies were alerted (or a certain boss peppered me with hornets). This precision-focused requirement extends to climbing and walking across bridges, but the player eventually aligns to the sensitivity of controls. Other aspects of gameplay involve scouring maps for ammo and food, healing yourself through an x-ray cure screen, keeping well fed, and finding all the little ducks and frogs across the map.
Story. Where does one begin with this story? Snake being sent behind enemy lines to rescue a rocket scientist is too basic for the expansive narrative presented here. What starts as a grounded focus soon enters X-Men, science fiction territory. Normal soldiers are soon replaced by a leader with electrical abilities like some thunder god, a man that can make hornets do as he pleases, a predator-style hunter with an elongated tongue and more. Each cut-scene (and there are many!) is full of extensive gun twirls, scantily clad operatives, dramatic action sequences and emotive dialogue. Anyone aware of the series will be right at home, but those new to Metal Gear may raise an eyebrow when Ocelot spins his revolver for twenty seconds without a break for no apparent reason or a sniper’s eyeballs roll out of his head for improved scoping ability. It’s wild, it’s whacky and it’s glorious once the tone is understood. Snake’s mission becomes personal very quickly. There are twists, turns and surprises with characters and their loyalties. The wider, war-focused and political components can be a stretch (especially when desiring to continue the enjoyable gameplay) but the assessment of plot needs to start when the credits roll, rather than when a man called The Fear snaps his own body parts and scales a tree taunting you. It’s almost an anime-style approach to a serious war setting, with countless tropes and easter eggs from film history. The best summary would be to imagine dropping a ‘James Bond x Rambo’ hybrid into the Marvel universe. Wild, huh?
Boss fights require their own analysis. To avoid spoilers, I will not delve too deeply into the scenarios or mechanics a player will find themselves engaging with. Broadly, they do operate with boundaries: an almost circular ‘mini’ sandbox with hiding places and traps, a health gauge on the boss, multiple phases based on that health meter. The player can use any of their guns and items to dispose of the boss, which makes latter bosses more approachable than some of the early bosses. Playing on normal, I did encounter frustration based on moving speed (they move so much faster than me!) and most boss fights require shooting, but their attacks and personalities often made the experience memorable. When scanning the treetops for one boss, I kept falling into a pit on the jungle floor (immediate failure). In water, resurfacing momentarily changed my viewpoint and the boss had a window to blast me. Eventually, with additional tips and learning move patterns, all obstacles become small puzzles of awareness and responsiveness. The range of bosses Snake faces becomes similar to Batman’s rogue’s gallery in their unique and antagonistic methods. Many will see the game’s approach to bosses as a highlight, some may register frustration, but they ultimately serve as a testing zone for your skills and weaponry.
All the Kojima staples can be found in Snake Eater. Names that are basically job titles (Para Medic – call her on your radio to save the game), women unzipping their jackets for no reason, bosses throwing their heads back to guffaw, constant nods to almost every movie ever made – he has become more subtle since his earlier years of creation, yet the charm is evident despite not all choices ageing with grace. Think the Mona Lisa if being cited as the pinnacle of beauty in 2025. The series was a foundation to games becoming more serious yet still needed the ‘video game-y’ craziness to ensure the medium was the right fit as opposed to film or TV for his scripts. Seated in a dark room with a big screen projecting the madness is a delight to the senses as the DualSense rumbles on each passing snake or bullet.
In my 20 or so hours with Metal Gear Solid Delta: Snake Eater, I have rediscovered the pure enjoyment a Metal Gear game can bring through an over-the-top story and ever-expanding gameplay. The assortment of tools found through the jungle make each challenge open to the player’s creativity. This remake does everything expected of the process, bringing the graphics and gameplay into 2025 for new and old players alike. While there are minor frustrations in movement and some of the story themes are outdated, this was a perfect choice in re-launching the series to a contemporary audience. The game also has plenty of replayability through unlockables and challenges, ensuring your play continues well after the first credits. In a year stacked with standout titles bringing fresh takes on old genres, there’s nothing quite like playing a remade masterclass jostling with the best of today.
Oh, and that opening ‘Bond-style’ title song will remain in your head for days!
Pros
- Fantastic performance and graphical enhancements
- Fun, fluid gunplay
- Creative areas full of player choice
- Larger than life characters
Cons
- Movement can provide minor challenges
- Some of the story styles and themes are more 2004 than 2025
