Metal Gear Solid Delta: Snake Eater

Developer: Konami
Platform: PC, PS5, Xbox Series X/S
Release Date: TBD 2024
Pre-order: Best Buy

It’s been nearly 20 years since the release of the original Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater on the PS2, and it still holds up quite well as one of the best games in Hideo Kojima’s well-loved stealth-action series. With the upcoming remake Metal Gear Solid Delta, developer Konami aims to give a substantial makeover to the original game that gives the classic experience some modern flair. MGS Delta was one of the most talked-about games at TGS 2024, and for good reason—it has the makings for a fantastic return to Metal Gear Solid 3 that keeps it just as weird and exciting as it was in 2004.

Playing MGS Delta’s recreation of the Virtuous Mission prologue felt familiar even as the mission itself felt more fully realized thanks to the improvements in the visuals and gameplay. As much as I adore the original MGS3, I admit that the game’s controls haven’t aged that well, and I was pleased to see that MGS Delta gives the game a more modern control scheme that still retains that functionally stealthy and action-oriented style, but makes it much more practical and user-friendly. A basic compass is always on screen, weapon and item switching is done with the d-pad, the camo swapping can be done without going into the menu, and CQC is performed with the right trigger. Also, the tranquilizer now takes a bit more skill to use, so no more easily shooting enemies from across the map with a pistol. Mechanically, MGS Delta felt like a mix of concepts from classic MGS3 and MGSV: The Phantom Pain, and that made for a smooth way to play the remake.

What I really dug about MGS Delta is that it keeps the vibe of the original, but features some fantastic updates to the game that heighten what made it such a stone-cold classic. And while I like how MGS Delta is coming together, I do hope the technical performance—the framerate throughout the demo was a bit rough—will improve by release. Seeing a revival of the MGS series without Kojima’s involvement is a little weird. Still, I can’t deny that seeing MGS3 back in the spotlight with a new and faithful recreation of arguably the series’ most well-loved entry has me excited for what’s to come with this revisit.