Snake Eater – hands-on report – PlayStation.Blog

When Konami announced Metal Gear Solid Delta: Snake Eater on PlayStation 5, you could almost hear the iconic “!” ring out across the collective ears of the gaming world. A remake of the stealth genre classic Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater – originally on PlayStation 2 – is coming? With a wealth of updates and improvements? There’s nowhere for Snake to hide – the whole planet is watching…

I got to play a short demo of MGS Delta and talk to the game’s producer, Noriaki Okamura, about how the game is evolving into much more than just a game. firm.

The right team for the job

It’s no small feat to remake a beloved classic like MGS3, which is exactly why the combined development team of Komani and Virtuos Studios features a mix of talent new and familiar with the original, a combination of fresh eyes and safe hands.

“We had to dig through some old dev docs, but thanks to the expertise of some of the veterans who worked on Snake Eater, we didn’t have to spend too much time preparing,” Okamura said. “We also know that there’s a whole generation that has never played a Metal Gear Solid game.”

Revamped controls with traditional options

In keeping with the essential yet tricky philosophy of ensuring Delta appeals to everyone, there’s a heavy focus on the controls. MGS3 traditionalists will feel right at home, but there’s also an option that feels natural to modern audiences. So if you prefer to play with a third-person camera on the right stick while simultaneously being able to move and shoot via an over-the-shoulder perspective, you’ve got it.

“Initially, our goal was to keep everything as close to the original as possible,” Okamura explains. “But over the course of 20 years, the way people play games has obviously evolved and changed. So we looked at modern action games to make sure that Delta was on par with some of those games, so that it didn’t detract from the experience.”

This definitely had the desired effect on my playthrough of the demo, where the changes to Delta created a satisfying illusion of how I remembered MGS3 controlling, even if it wasn’t. The transition felt natural, smooth, and fun.

Accessibility considerations

The number of quality of life improvements also extends to a modernized menu design and a variety of accessibility options that will make the game invaluably more playable for a wider audience. This includes the ability to customize how you prepare and use your weapons/gear, removing the need to hold down a button when grabbing enemies, and the chance to change visual elements like color grading and center dot display.

Using Unreal Engine 5

Of course, the overall presentation doesn’t lack for upgrades either. Unreal Engine 5 gives Delta an incredible visual punch. “We didn’t want new players coming into the game to feel like it’s old or retro,” says Okamura.

It’s an impressive feat. All of the directorial flourishes are retained, whether it’s taking in the deep detail and dizzying background distance of the Tselinoyarsk jungle, or using the camera during a real-time cutscene to zoom in close enough to see the pores on Snake’s skin.

Visually blending the old with the new

As with any Snake mission, however, such improvements don’t come easily. “Initially, we thought we could just change the basic skeleton on the outside of the models,” Okamura laughs. “But when we saw them moving in-game with the old character movements, we noticed that they didn’t work together as well anymore. So we had to adjust them – it was important to keep the player in the experience, but also to keep it as close to the original way the characters moved and breathed as possible, and still make it seamless.”

Showing the battle damage system

Creating new looks that also feel familiar isn’t just about cosmetics. Konami has already emphasized that all of the wounds Snake sustains during his missions will be visible throughout the game, which made me imagine just how bloody Snake could get after being spotted by some guards. The answer? Well, let’s just say Snake was practically crimson by the time I was done.

While he was coy about how far this will extend into gameplay, Okamura confirmed that it will have a noticeable effect on Snake, and will accentuate the original battle damage system. Want to keep Snake on his toes? Then treat his breaks and fractures…

Playing in the Camo Index dirt

And then there’s the always complicated Camouflage Index System. Various uniforms, face paint and disguises help Snake’s chances of remaining undetected during his mission, but this takes on a new dimension with the enhanced visuals. Roll around in dirt and mud and Snake will convincingly become covered in it, adding to his camouflage.

To test the improved fidelity to the original MGS3, I submerged Snake in the mud of Dremuchij Swampland, completely enveloping him (admittedly, this was after I’d accidentally drowned him in an earlier attempt). His entire face and body turned a dripping wet brown, his hair muddy and slick… and his Camo Index was maxed out, making him virtually invisible to any nearby crocodiles.

Fighting old and new expectations

If there was one thing that was as clear as some of the improvements from Metal Gear Solid Delta, it was how seriously Okamura and the team are taking the task of reviving Snake Eater. “There’s just pressure, all the time, every day,” he says.

“We have a lot of experienced staff, but they are also getting older, so this may be the last chance for some of the critical members to work on these titles while they are still with the company. But it is our obligation to ensure that these games are still playable – not just for current players, but for future generations.”

While the demo ended far too soon at the legendary boss bridge scene, it was enough for me to assure you that Metal Gear Solid Delta: Snake Eater is going to live up to the original and the high expectations placed upon it. You can experience it for yourself on PS5, with a release date to be revealed later this year.