Cobra La-li-lu-le-lo
Anyone who has followed this site for a while likely knows; I am a huge fan of the MGS series. In fact, this website started as a fan site for the game when I was just a young web coder looking to make websites. Fast forward to 2025 and one of the best entries in the series, and what is widely considered one of the best PlayStation 2 games of all-time is getting a remake. Metal Gear Solid Delta: Snake Eater is what Konami is dubbing a faithful recreation of Hideo Kojima’s 2004 classic. It is hard to believe it has been over 20 years since this game was conceived, and playing through it again brought back so many memories. The real question here is, what has changed, what has remained the same, and how well does it hold up 20+ years later?
For anyone new to the franchise Metal Gear Solid 3 was the first game in the Solid series that focused on Big Boss as opposed to Solid Snake. The game takes place in the 60s and follows his mission to stop a nuclear threat and face off against his mentor The Boss. I won’t go into more detail than that, but rest assured this is a Kojima-esque game, so expect a ton of surprises and twists. The Metal Gear series has always excelled in its storytelling and lore. This was a big moment for fans as they finally got to see the origins of Big Boss.
MSRP: $69.99
Platforms: PlayStation (reviewed), Xbox, PC
Price I’d Pay: $69.99
This is a stealth action game, and one of the funny things I am reminded of when playing through it again, is that it is not exactly a monster experience. You could breeze through it in less than ten hours, but of course that means not exploring all the little odds and ends of the world. What I love about Kojima’s games is that he thinks outside the box. Stuff you didn’t think of is possible, and he creates ways for players to complete tasks in ways that you wouldn’t think of but make total sense. This is part of the charm of these games, and the stuff in MGS3 was and is next level. I loved remembering these things.
So the big question about Delta is, what is new? Well Konami has gone on record multiple times saying this is mostly a graphical overhaul. One thing about the MGS games, the fans do not like change. Twin Snakes was a perfect example of blowback when so much of the original was changed. I can safely say Delta keeps the entirety of MGS3 completely intact, sometimes too much. Everything about the original is untouched. Every animation, cut scene, and quirk that the game had is intact. This includes the original voice actors. Literally nothing has been added or removed. There is even a warning at the beginning of the game that this title was made during a different time.
For purists, this should come as a relief. This means every little thing that was in the original is still possible. Konami even kept the original control scheme, dubbed “Legacy” here for those that want it. They did add in a new modern style, which I used for my first playthrough, and it works relatively well. There are also some visual filters to retain that nostalgic look of the original game.
The biggest upgrade is that the game has been skinned with new visuals via Unreal Engine 5. This has mixed results. It is gorgeous, no doubt. Character models are so much more detailed, and the world looks outstanding. The downside comes from the fact that the animations have not been updated. So, seeing these very realistic characters moving awkwardly at times like in the original, can be jarring. They did a decent job of rigging their mouths to move with dialogue, but even that sometimes looks a little goofy. Still this game looks outstanding at times, and it really brings forward a lot of the detail Kojima put into the original game.
Performance has some issues though. Playing on PS5 Pro I went with performance mode, and it still had some stutters at times. It never hindered game play, but it is definitely noticeable. There are sequences that have some jitter, and I hope they can iron it out over time. The audio on the other hand is exceptional. It is basically the same from the original, but these performances still stand out. The music is equally impressive, and those themes still send shivers down my spine. One thing Kojima does better than almost anyone else is presentation.
Some of that is lost in this new version though. The limitations of the PS2 forced Kojima to get creative with some of the scenes. Now with higher fidelity, it looks a little…off at times. Some cut scenes are awkward and don’t have the same impact they did at a lower fidelity. It is weird to say out loud, but it is true. Still for the most part, this game is still the classic it always has been.
For PS5 owners, Snake vs. Monkey makes a return, which is a neat diversion. This is only available on PlayStation consoles, while Xbox owners get a Bomberman version. We have yet to play that mode, but assuming it is similar in nature. There is also an online mode coming down the line, but we did not have access to this during our review period. Much like any MGS game there is plenty to unlock beating the game on various difficulty levels, so replayability is here. The overall package feels like a celebration of the game as opposed to trying to add a bunch of extra stuff.
So, the big question is this worth revisiting with the HD collection with the original already existing. For me it is a mixed bag. I loved revisiting this absolute classic. The new visuals really do look amazing, and the minor quality of life improvements make it easier to just enjoy the game. Still, I would have loved to see so much more included or updated. Just something to make it feel more like a remake and less like a re-skin. Still there is no denying that this game is a classic, and now it looks simply incredible. Now can we please get a remake of the first game and for the love of all that is holy, release MGS4 from PS3 jail. Do it Konami!
Review copy of game provided by publisher.
