Metal Gear Solid Delta Snake Eater review: A tactical espionage masterpiece remade

With the upcoming release of Metal Gear Solid Delta Snake Eater, Konami aims to bring one of its best video games to a broader audience. Metal Gear's story, as a franchise, concluded in 2015 with the release of The Phantom Pain, which was the final mainline title of the series. After nearly a decade, Konami finally brings back what many consider to be the best in the franchise, in new colors.

Metal Gear Solid Delta Snake Eater is not just a simple remake of MGS3. It improves upon many issues that the original had, and then more. If you are as hyped to jump back into the jungles of the USSR, but are confused about getting the game or not, this review should have your answer.

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Metal Gear Solid Delta Snake Eater: A legendary stealth classic reborn for a new era

Gameplay: Reviving the jungles, reliving the espionage

Similar to the original, Metal Gear Solid Delta Snake Eater features many details in its gameplay sections, most of which, while optional, will allow you to experiment, opening up several avenues to approach a situation. You will not notice most of these things during your first playthrough, but if you test the waters enough, you will be surprised by how detailed the gameplay is.

From using a fake death pill to fool your enemies when you are caught, to throwing snakes at them, there are minute details that made me a fan of the MGS series back in the day - Metal Gear Solid Delta Snake Eater features them all. Much of the gameplay loop remains unchanged, with slight improvements here and there to make the gameplay appealing for a new audience.

Legacy vs New Style

Legacy vs New (Image via Konami)

Snake Eater's Remake features two modes of playing the game. The New Style (which I will personally recommend) will provide you with a default third-person camera, giving you a better view of the field. Like MGSV, you can toggle between TPP and FPP when aiming, making the gameplay feel modern.

While many old fans might think that it will ruin the charm of the original, I must tell you this isn't the case. Delta Snake Eater evolves and modernizes the gameplay while retaining the original's charm and appeal. MGS3's camera made the boss battles somewhat annoying, but the New Style allows you to experience those classic moments by removing the nuisance.

"Who's there?" (Image via Konami)

But if you are someone who enjoyed the original and wants to play the game the same way, the Legacy Mode has you covered. It gives you an overhead camera, and aiming is done in FPP. While I did not play the entirety of the game on this mode, I did notice a few camera improvements made, which enhanced the feel of the gameplay compared to the original.

I will suggest taking your time when starting MGS Delta Snake Eater, and see what works for you. The game offers you multiple approach avenues and will reward you for taking your time and strategizing.

Showdown! (Image via Konami)

I have been a Metal Gear fan for over a decade, having played most of the games (except Peace Walker and Portable Ops), and I can confidently say that it retains the charm that the original Metal Gear Solid 3 had. The boss battles remain satisfying, especially now with the New Style.

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Story: The best parts of a spy classic

Among the many veterans of the gaming industry, Hideo Kojima's approach to storytelling remains unique. Unlike the classic video game method of telling his story, Kojima, being a giant film buff, makes the presentation similar to that of a movie.

This was the case with Metal Gear Solid 3's original release - it featured an intriguing story brimming with tropes that you can find in classic spy movies, especially that of James Bond. The story follows a classic espionage plot, where you play as Jack, a CIA Agent, tasked with infiltrating the Soviet Union and finding out about a new weapon.

A classic spy thriller without romance is impossible (Image via Konami)

Jack's code name for this mission is Naked Snake, and as the story unfolds, you will notice many spy movie tropes full of larger-than-life characters that make the journey memorable. Chronologically, Snake Eater is the first title of the series, as the events of the game set up Naked Snake to become the Big Boss we know and love.

Metal Gear Solid Delta Snake Eater retains the charm, thrill, and iconic moments of the original release, from its cutscenes to the iconic boss fights.

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The Jungle Speaks: Great sound design and voice acting

Metal Gear Solid Delta Snake Eater brings back David Hayter, the legendary voice actor of Solid Snake and Big Boss. Kiefer Sutherland took on the mantle of Big Boss and Venom Snake from him when Kojima recast the role for MGS 5: The Phantom Pain, and after almost a decade, David is back in his shoes.

Kept you waiting, huh! (Image via Konami)

I love Kiefer Sutherland, but for me, the voice of Snake will always be David Hayter. More than a decade later, it feels great hearing him back in the role again, and he certainly has kept us waiting.

Besides David, all of the other voice actors reprise their roles and deliver some great performances. Even Cynthia Harrell, the singer for the original Snake Eater, is back and delivers a memorable track for the game's intro.

Besides voice acting, Metal Gear Solid Delta Snake Eater features brilliant sound design. From the crisp movement of enemies to the hisses of the snakes as you approach reptiles, you can locate danger just with sound cues.

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Graphics and performance

Metal Gear Solid Delta Snake Eater is crafted using the Unreal Engine 5, which replaces Konami's in-house Fox Engine. While the latter provided an excellent visual quality for 2015's The Phantom Pain and Ground Zeroes, the UE5 really brings out Snake Eater's visual to its potential. From the jungles to the Soviet bases, MGS has never looked better.

Characters, while receiving updates to their model, look and feel similar to the original MGS3. Snake, Eva, The Boss, and everyone else look great - especially Volkin. The injuries on his face give him a more menacing and threatening appearance compared to the original.

Snake never looked better (Image via Konami)

A question may arise as to whether Metal Gear Solid Delta runs well, especially since it is an Unreal Engine 5 game. Time and time again, several developers have released products, including the latest Wuchang Fallen Feathers, which will look spectacular, but fail on the technical side of things. Hearing that a game is made on UE5 does not inspire confidence for many, and they can't be blamed.

But I am confident to say that, for the most part, MGS Delta Snake Eater has fantastic optimization. There are slight frame drops here and there, mostly during loading, but otherwise the game ran at a stable 60 FPS (capped) on my rig. I also did not notice any weird visual glitches or artifacting issues that UE5 games are known to suffer from.

Here are the specifications for my PC for those curious:

• Ryzen 5 5600X
• AMD RX 6600 8GB VRAM
• 32 GB RAM DDR4

Metal Gear Solid Delta Snake Eater is the second optimized UE5 game I have played this year, alongside Clair Obscur Expedition 33. Konami and Sandfall showcased that if you take your time in optimizing your product, even if it is made using UE5, performance will not be a big issue for the consumer.

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A few concerns

Metal Gear Solid Delta Snake Eater is one of the best remakes, but it is not without a few issues. I won't say that the game suffers from anything major, especially if you played the original, but I have some concerns.

Some issues remain (Image via Konami)

Performance is fine, and the game ran very well for me. It is optimized, especially for an Unreal Engine 5 game, but keep in mind that this might not be the case for you. If you own an older or last-gen GPU, expect performance issues, especially frame drops.

However, the biggest concern for me, which might be challenging for newcomers, is that some mechanics are not explained properly. While the Tips section in the pause menu provides a basic explanation of the game systems, some areas still lack proper clarification.

This might frustrate some gamers trying to figure out how to utilize certain items and equipment.

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In conclusion

You're Pretty Good! (Image via Konami)

Metal Gear Solid Delta Snake Eater is a phenomenal remake that captures the tactical espionage magic of the original. Konami understood the assignment and was able to alleviate the gameplay without ruining what made MGS3 so beloved and special.

The jungles of the USSR provide a perfect playground for tactically positioning yourself to avoid enemies, and similar to the original, the story and boss fights remain the heart of the game.

If you're worried about any particular changes that might not reflect on the quality of the original Metal Gear Solid 3, you can lay those concerns to rest. The remake stays true to the original, fully bringing Kojima's vision to a new audience. Metal Gear Solid Delta Snake Eater is by far the best one in the series, and as a long-time fan, I do hope more remakes are in the pipeline.

In short, Metal Gear Solid Delta Snake Eater is the definitive way to experience the masterpiece that is Big Boss's story. Being a massive fan of the entire Metal Gear series and the original MGS3, I can confidently say that Konami has delivered with Metal Gear Solid Delta Snake Eater. Fans will feel right at home, and newcomers are guaranteed to enjoy this action-packed masterpiece.

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Metal Gear Solid Delta Snake Eater

Metal Gear Solid Delta Snake Eater score (Image via Sportskeeda)

Reviewed on: PC (Key provided by Konami)

Developer: Konami

Publisher: Konami

Platforms: PC, PS5, Xbox Series X/S

Release Date: August 28, 2025