Metal Gear Solid Delta: Snake Eater Review

Metal Gear Solid Delta: Snake Eater delivers a gorgeous, faithful remake of a classic with modern improvements, my full review.

Metal Gear Solid Delta: Snake Eater is here, and as someone who’s been a spy-game enthusiast since the NES days, it feels like a homecoming. From the original Metal Gear on the NES through to my obsession with Metal Gear Solid on the original PlayStation, I've always believed that Hideo Kojima’s work defined what a stealth action could be. Snake Eater was one of the rare titles that achieved cinematic storytelling, survival mechanics, emotional weight, and pure spycraft in equal measure. So, when Konami announced they were remaking Snake Eater after all these years, I was excited and cautious. They were handing off one of the most beloved games to a new developer, Virtuos, to reimagine for modern audiences.

It was a Herculean task: Could they preserve what made the original special? Would a modern remake live up to the legendary status of the original? After playing through Metal Gear Solid: Snake Eater on PS5 Pro, I can confidently say the mission has been accomplished. Virtuos has managed to capture the essence of Snake Eater’s brilliance while updating it with stunning visuals, tighter controls, and subtle refinements that make it feel at home in 2025. It’s not just nostalgia repackaged—it’s a respectfully crafted experience that proves why this entry still stands tall as the pinnacle of stealth-action storytelling. Here’s my breakdown of what makes this remake a mission worth accepting.

Metal Gear Solid Delta: Snake Eater Details

Platform(s): PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, PC

Reviewed on: PlayStation 5 Pro

Developer: Virtuos (in collaboration with Konami)

Publisher: Konami

Genre: Stealth / Action-Adventure / Spy Thriller

Available game modes: Single-player campaign, classic modes (Snake vs. Monkey etc.), upcoming (“Fox Hunt”) multiplayer mode

ESRB Rating: Mature (M)

Metal Gear Solid Delta: Snake Eater Story - Old Shadows, New Light

The storyline in Delta remains faithful to Metal Gear Solid 3’s original narrative: Naked Snake (Big Boss) infiltrates a Soviet jungle during the Cold War to rescue a defected scientist. Along the way, he must deal with betrayal from allies, face off against iconic villains like “The End” and “Volgin,” and wrestle with loyalty, ideology, and destiny. I must admit, even though I knew the main story beats, I got hooked again, as I did two decades ago, by the emotional notes in the story.

The betrayal, loss, and the philosophical questions around loyalty and identity all still resonate. It can go way over the top at times, especially with certain bits of dialogue that still carry outdated undertones that may feel jarring to a modern audience. The setting, a dense jungle and harsh wilderness, continues to be one of the game’s high points, and Delta does a tremendous job preserving it.

"The setting, a dense jungle and harsh wilderness, continues to be one of the game’s high points, and Delta does a tremendous job preserving it."

Even if the surprises are few, their moments land hard, and they bring me back to why Snake Eater was always more than just espionage and camouflage, but it does an incredible job with those aspects, too.

Metal Gear Solid Delta: Snake Eater Offers Improved, Modernized Gameplay

Gameplay in Delta is largely what you'd expect from a carefully modernized version of MGS3: stealth, close-quarters combat, survival elements (hunger, injuries, environmental hazards), camouflage, and iconic boss battles. I liked how Konami and Virtuos smoothed the edges: improved controls for camera and movement, added more responsive aiming, and better transitions between stealth and combat.

It still feels like MGS3 in structure, but the additions, including more camouflage options, restored mini-games, and usability tweaks, make it significantly more enjoyable. On the other hand, some of the mechanics tend to show their age: stealth detection can feel inconsistent, and the healing system and inventory bottlenecks can still be frustrating. 

"It still feels like MGS3 in structure, but the additions, including more camouflage options, restored mini-games, and usability tweaks, make it significantly more enjoyable."

Some of the friction from the original game, such as its clunkier parts, loading screens, and old-school stealth penalties, remains more intact than modern gamers might want. I felt those moments drag, but they didn’t break what is otherwise a deeply rewarding stealth action experience.

Metal Gear Solid Delta: Snake Eater Graphics and Performance

Visually, Delta is a triumph. The jungle feels alive: light filtering through leaves, moss, pests in the undergrowth, the sheen of Snake’s gear, the wear on characters’ faces. Character models are detailed and expressive. Environments have been reimagined for modern hardware with impressive fidelity and detail, including increased volume for flora and fauna.

That said, where facial animation or cutscenes reuse old dialogue rather than re-recording, there are lapses: mismatches between the audio and expression sometimes occur, and uncanny valley effects arise. Colours and lighting are generally excellent, though occasionally over-bright or too clean for my taste, and some of the grit of the original feels softened.

PS5 Pro Performance: A Smooth Stealth Experience

I conducted my review on the PS5 Pro, and I was extremely impressed with the graphics and overall performance. Most of the time, I was in performance mode or hybrid modes, getting smooth framerates, great visual fidelity, and minimal load times. Snake crawling, stealth sequences, and even dense jungle sections felt immersive and responsive.

I encountered one glitch: a hard freeze during a cutscene in the final hour of the game—fortunately, a rare occurrence. Additionally, the game doesn’t always maintain a consistent 60 FPS everywhere. In busy scenes with explosions, fire, or large open jungle spaces, frame drops do occur. Still, I think what we’ve got here is something special, especially for what the remake aims to deliver.

Metal Gear Solid Delta: Snake Eater Audio and Sound Design

The sound design in Delta largely delivered what I wanted as a longtime fan. The original voice cast, including David Hayter as Snake, returns, preserving that gritty performance. Hearing lines I first heard in 2004, now with enhanced audio layering and environmental sound, adds weight to the performance.

"Hearing lines I first heard in 2004, now with enhanced audio layering and environmental sound, adds weight to the performance."

The soundtrack, including the iconic Snake Eater, returns with beloved arrangements. Cynthia Harrell’s vocals remain powerful, in a beautifully mixed version of the song.

When it comes to character dialogue, it’s a different story. Some lines, especially in cutscenes, do show their age. Lip-sync and facial animation sometimes lag behind the voicework. Ambient sound, effects, and musical cues all shine when needed: boss fights, dramatic betrayals, and stalking in the jungle hit the mark. Overall, the audio is a strong point, and I felt many emotional moments more than I expected to.

Final Thoughts on Metal Gear Solid Delta: Snake Eater

All told, Metal Gear Solid Delta: Snake Eater is a deeply satisfying return to an old favourite. Playing it, I felt both nostalgia and renewal: sneaking through the jungle, confronting enemies, wrestling with betrayal, it all hit in a way I remembered. Yes, the remake is safe in many respects; it doesn’t reinvent what made Snake Eater amazing, but it refines, polishes, and elevates in important ways.

"All told, Metal Gear Solid Delta: Snake Eater is a deeply satisfying return to an old favourite."

Some mechanics feel dated, and visual fidelity isn’t perfect in every cutscene, but for fans and even newcomers, there’s an incredible experience here. I believe this version will stand as the definitive way to experience Snake Eater in the modern era. Even if you played the original, there’s more than enough reason to deploy once again.

Metal Gear Solid Delta: Snake Eater PROS

+Stunning visual upgrade

+Faithful emotional storytelling, original voice cast and soundtrack

+Modernized controls and key quality-of-life improvements

Metal Gear Solid Delta: Snake Eater CONS

-Some gameplay mechanics feel archaic, like detection and inventory inconsistencies

-Audio/animation mismatches: some cutscenes/facial animations feel less polished

-Inconsistent performance, framerate dips here and there

Overall Assessment of Metal Gear Solid Delta: Snake Eater

Gameplay: 9/10

Graphics: 9/10

Sound: 8/10

Lasting appeal / Replayability: 8/10

Overall Rating for Metal Gear Solid Delta: Snake Eater: 34/40 (85%)

Konami provided a copy of this game to conduct the review.

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 About the Author - Matthew "Dapper Tux" Rondina

Matthew has been involved in all things gaming since the 8-bit era. He is a video game and tech industry veteran who has been passionate about technology and gaming for over 20 years. In addition to being the Managing Editor of dappertux.com, he has bylines with Best Buy, Cineplex Entertainment, Mobile Syrup and Walmart. Follow Matthew’s gaming + tech adventures on multiple social platforms with the handle @dapper_tux via X, Instagram, Threads, TikTok, and join in on the fun!

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