preview The return of a cult infiltration action game! My impressions of Metal Gear Solid Delta Snake Eater after 1h30 playtime on PS5
The departure of Hideo Kojima could/should have meant the end of Metal Gear Solid, but Konami decided otherwise. The Japanese publisher is eager to return to the top of the video game scene and is dusting off one of its greatest successes of the past. 20 years after its release, the third episode of the saga returns from the dead in the form of a remake. Can Metal Gear Solid Delta: Snake Eater under Unreal Engine 5 surpass its illustrious predecessor? And more importantly, does this modernized version retain its essence? Here are my impressions after 1h30 of playtime on PlayStation.
Preview conditions
During a summer event organized by Konami ahead of gamescom 2024 in London, the JV editorial team was able to explore Metal Gear Solid Delta: Snake Eater during a 1 hour and 30 minute gaming session.
A (too) timid remake
Konami is by no means trying to reinvent Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater with its remake. “The main (and only) goal of the project is to show avant-garde and photorealistic graphics.” And it is a success. The Unreal Engine 5 works wonders, giving Naked Snake realistic environments to move around in. Both the vegetation and the fauna gain in believability, which adds significantly to the immersion. But… because there is a but!
The animations are not yet at the level of graphical added value. Everything is still too rigid, too caught up in outdated gameplay, which means that you are reminded of yesterday’s experience – both its qualities and its faults. Some people will be happy about that, but that’s not the case for me. Metal Gear Solid 3 deserves the best and that requires a complete overhaul, both visually and entertainingly. The Japanese publisher is cautious on this point, but has nevertheless made some concessions to ensure good playing conditions.
Metal Gear Solid Delta: Snake Eater reworks the gameplay of Metal Gear Solid 3: Subsistence Mainly it allows you to aim without switching to first-person perspective and to walk crouched. This makes the infiltration and combat phases much easier, while preserving the original gameplay as much as possible. For purists, it is even possible to return to a classic style closer to that of the PlayStation 2. In addition, switching between different camouflages is much easier than before. Apart from that, it is exactly the same.
The main strength of this remake, highlighted since its official release, lies in its polished graphics, whether in-game or in cutscenes, and its captivating sound design. Konami has not done things by halves on these points, focusing on characters who are still gaining charisma. It is simply incredible to (re)discover scenes that have gone down in history with graphics and voices worthy of today’s standards. Snake Eater is more cinematic than ever, despite a production that might seem “old school” in 2024. Hideo Kojima was unmatched when it came to designing “over-the-top” moments, and MGS3 was and is the epitome of that.
An “untouchable” work
I’m a fan of Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater, but I can’t hide it any longer. As legendary as this video game born from the imagination of Hideo Kojima is, two decades after its initial release it shows the weight of the years. Even his ideas, which were way ahead of their time, cannot compete with contemporary productions. The same goes for the far too small semi-open areas, which limit the potential of the survival and infiltration mechanics. The Japanese creator dreamed of an open world for MGS 3 … we have to wait until Metal Gear Solid V: Phantom Pain to see the realization of this dream.
Even the infiltration that is the cornerstone of the experience struggles to make a good impression today. The artificial intelligence that brings the antagonists to life poses no threat to Snake even on the highest difficulty levels and (sometimes) defies all logic. And this is just one example of many problems that arise in this remake, which suffers in comparison with MGS 4: Guns of the Patriots (2008) and especially Metal Gear Solid V: The Panthom Pain (2015). Konami could have adopted the framework and gameplay of the fifth episode and integrated the story and setting of MGS 3. It’s different. The consequences of such conservatism, born out of deep respect for Hideo Kojima, will become even clearer in 2024.
No impressions
Konami wants to achieve the impossible with this remake of Metal Gear Solid 3: modernize a cult work of the 10th art while changing as little as possible. The result is a delta version that can hardly stand up in 2024. Beyond its visual capabilities, this remake offers nothing (or almost nothing) new and never overdoes Hideo Kojima’s creation for fear of incurring the wrath of fans. The frustration is at its peak for all those who were hoping for a complete remake and not a “simple” graphic overhaul.
Editorial opinion
To have
