With Metal Gear Solid Delta: Snake Eater, Konami has given fans a remastered version of the classic 2004 PS2 entry that stays true in many ways to the original's spirit and design. Metal Gear Solid Delta: Snake Eater presents a modern interpretation of the groundbreaking and influential Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater, but one that still firmly sticks to its established and sometimes quirky gameplay mechanics that are the hallmarks of the series and original creator/director Hideo Kojima's unique sensibilities.
However, while Metal Gear Solid Delta: Snake Eater does adhere closely to the eventful tale and keeps nearly all of its core mechanics intact (even including a legacy mode that painstakingly recreates the original's look and design), one element that it makes a notable change to concerns one of Naked Snake's more useful tools in his kit.
Metal Gear Solid Delta: Snake Eater's Updated Camouflage System Makes Switching Snake's Disguises Better Than Ever
Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater's Camouflage Mechanic Was One of its Most Original and Best Ideas
As the fifth mainline entry in the franchise, Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater built upon what the IP had done before. Hideo Kojima and his team continued to experiment with and evolve the Metal Gear Solid formula since its inception, striving to one-up the previous titles with the goal of realizing its "tactical espionage action" tagline tangibly in terms of practical gameplay. This resulted in a number of innovative mechanics in Snake Eater, not the least of which was the extensive camouflage system it introduced.
Dropping players into a Cold War-era spy thriller, MGS 3: Snake Eater also gave fans a suite of appropriate gear to assist. Snake could discover and make use of a variety of camos throughout the adventure. While some of these costumes are more humorous than effective, they could at times be both, such as with the famous Crocodile Cap. But others, like the Woodland or Raindrop outfits, were more suitable for concealing Snake from foes and went a long way towards creating the sensation of being the best solider/spy in the world.
The biggest issue with the mechanic, though, was that fans had to pause the game completely and enter a submenu whenever they wanted to change camos. This could easily break the flow, removing a layer of immersion and making it more of a chore to switch suits. Metal Gear Solid Delta: Snake Eater deftly solves this with a modern update that eliminates the problem completely.
Metal Gear Solid Delta: Snake Eater's Modern Tweak to the Camo System Makes a World of Difference
Just like in the original, as Naked Snake infiltrates his way through the tangled jungles and secret facilities of the 1960s Soviet Union, he can find and employ a range of camo suits that assist in retaining a tactical edge over patrolling guards and other obstacles, allowing Snake to better slip past unnoticed. Players are still provided a meter rating their current stealth level, only now, the method for equipping camos is much more intuitive and convenient. Instead of a separate menu, a simple button press brings up an interface listing all currently acquired camos and face paints, displaying each set's values at a glance, and letting players quickly toggle to the optimal or desired set.
Fans should note that some of MGS Delta's camo suits are only available through paid DLC or the costlier deluxe editions.
Metal Gear Solid Delta: Snake Eater's camouflage and face paint system doesn't veer far from the original's intent, but it does smartly overhaul its now-dated and clunky design. It updates this central feature to make the disguise transitions seamless and nearly instantaneous, making camos more useful and appealing while encouraging players to search diligently for more suits. By removing the previous barrier and greatly improving the system via letting fans adjust and swap camos on the fly depending on the situation, MGS Delta: Snake Eater proves that an old Snake can learn some new tricks, and is all the better for it.
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OpenCritic Reviews
- Top Critic Avg: 85 /100 Critics Rec: 89%
WHERE TO PLAY
The core experience of the original, evolved and more immersive than ever.
A remake of the 2004 game METAL GEAR SOLID 3: SNAKE EATER, with the same gripping story and engrossing world, now with all new graphics and 3D audio that enhance the jungle atmosphere. Get ready for the ultimate survival stealth action experience.
The Cold War Crisis that started it all
In the middle of the Cold War, Naked Snake, the man who would later be known as Big Boss, infiltrates the Soviet Union to escort a defecting scientist, Sokolov. However, the mission ends in failure when Snake's mentor—The Boss, a soldier known as the mother of special forces—betrays him, and Sokolov is captured by Colonel Volgin of the GRU.
One week later, Snake returns to Soviet territory to rescue Sokolov and eliminate The Boss—a mission that will mark the start of a new legend, a mission that will mark the start of a new legend, against the backdrop of the ever-changing march of history.
- Engine
- Unreal Engine 5
- Genre(s)
- Shooter, Adventure, Stealth
