I have a confession to make. Up until this year, I had only dabbled in the Metal Gear Solid series. To elaborate, I mean, I had played very little of Metal Gear Solid 3 when it came out years ago and I had played approximately 10 hours of Metal Gear Solid V before my PC hard drive betrayed me. It wasn’t until this year that I decided to finally sit down and play through the Metal Gear Solid series. After completing Death Stranding 2 (my personal Game of the Year at the moment), that I decided to go down this Kojima rabbit hole, and I am glad I did. After playing through Metal Gear Solid and Metal Gear Solid 2, I decided I would wait for Metal Gear Solid Delta: Snake Eater instead of revisiting the original version. I tell you this, because this review is coming from a different place than most other reviews. I am reviewing this as a new game, not as a remake. Without wasting any more of your time, here is what I thought of Metal Gear Solid Delta: Snake Eater.
First, it cannot be overstated just how ahead of his time Hideo Kojima has been—and continues to be. The man is doing things with storytelling and video game mechanics that no one else is doing. I honestly have no idea why this is. For years after Grand Theft Auto III, we saw numerous “GTA clones.” Why are we not getting similar “Kojima clones”?
From a gameplay perspective, I played with the new control setting. What I received was a thrilling third-person espionage game that put me deep within the jungle. Being able to sneak around, swap out camouflage to match my surroundings, and evade enemy patrols is an incredible experience and it has you rethinking your approach to almost every scenario. Every encounter feels like a puzzle to solve, and the satisfaction of slipping past guards unseen never gets old.
Snake Eater stands out as one of the most human stories in the Metal Gear saga, and Delta makes it shine even brighter. Playing as Naked Snake (soon to be Big Boss) as he earns his infamous title by taking down his mentor is nothing short of heartbreaking. The emotional weight of that final confrontation still hits hard, even for longtime fans who know what’s coming. The supporting cast is just as compelling. Working closely with Eva and seeing the early story of Ocelot as he showcases his arrogance and quirks give you a taste of what he’ll become.
On PS5 Pro, Delta is a visual showcase. There are some reports of performance issues, specifically on the PlayStation 5 Pro, but this is not something that distracted me from the experience. Character models are stunningly detailed, the jungle environments feel alive, and the lighting effects add a cinematic flair to every mission. That said, the animations can sometimes feel a little stiff or oddly timed, reminding you that this is still a remake of a game with early-2000s DNA. But those moments are minor compared to the overall spectacle.
As expected from Metal Gear, the audio is top-tier. The sound design is packed with attention to detail—every rustle of foliage, every enemy radio call, and every classic Metal Gear sound effect immerses you deeper into the role of a covert operative. The haunting theme of Snake Eater and the orchestral flourishes during boss fights elevate the drama to unforgettable heights.
Clocking in at around 12 hours for the main story, Delta strikes a great balance between length and replayability. The various difficulty settings, stealth approaches, and collectible hunts give players plenty of reasons to dive back in. A second—or even third—playthrough feels not only possible, but genuinely enticing.
Final Verdict
Metal Gear Solid Delta: Snake Eater is everything I hoped it would be: a faithful remake that preserves Kojima’s brilliance while updating the experience for a modern audience. It’s a game that proves espionage thrillers in gaming can be both deeply emotional and mechanically rewarding.
While the occasional animation hiccup and some dated design elements keep it from absolute perfection, the overall package is still stellar. To date, it’s probably my favorite Metal Gear Solid game.
