Metal Gear Solid: Delta review – Often uglier than the original

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A star rating of 3 out of 5.

Snake Eater, titled Metal Gear Solid: Delta, seems more like an intriguing oddity compared to the original. It’s sometimes less appealing visually and not as enjoyable to play. The impressive Silent Hill 2 Remake overshadows it entirely.

I’d like to make it clear that the developers have put in an enormous amount of work on this project, with intricate details in the environment, meticulous care given to every tiny aspect, and a strong commitment to maintaining fan satisfaction. However, adherence to certain principles or beliefs seems to have hampered Delta’s success.

I give you two options: experience the groundbreaking original smoothly running at high frame rate for swift, responsive gameplay, while still maintaining its distinctive visual style; or the same game, but with potential issues related to Unreal Engine 5 and graphics that may clash with its classic aesthetics.

The background details about when and how a game was created plays a significant role. For instance, while playing Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater, I’m reminded that it dates back over two decades. All aspects of the game are aligned with the technology available during its time. The over-the-top animations give life to the relatively low-quality character models, making them resemble animated characters in cartoons more so.

Imagining that, by 2025, the reference to Snake Eater becomes obscure in Delta, leading to a peculiar disjointedness between the high-quality graphics of the remake and the original game’s animation style and (charmingly) outdated gameplay mechanics. It always seems slightly off.

As graphics approach an almost lifelike quality, human characters should be made more relatable to real life, avoiding the ‘uncanny valley’. However, using these same animations often results in discomfort rather than charm or nostalgia, which gives Metal Gear Solid: Delta a stiff and awkward vibe.

It’s somewhat comparable to settling in to watch a reenactment of a Thunderbirds episode, featuring live actors mimicking the movements of the puppets precisely.

The portrayal of character designs can be quite varied. For me, Big Boss and Ocelot often appear odd or out-of-place, even seeming strange at times. However, other characters like those from the Cobra Unit maintain a more consistent and acceptable appearance.

Some modifications have been implemented even in basic aspects, like the Codec’s operation using a peculiar dial, which seems more complicated than simply pressing the Select button and choosing who to contact. The original method is still available, but it involves an additional step and tinkering with various settings.

But the thing that bothered me the most about Delta is more philosophical than anything.

Reflecting on the 11th anniversary of PT, a game that significantly impacted and was revered within the gaming community, I can’t help but mourn the games we never got to experience due to Konami shifting their focus from creating innovative titles that advanced the medium, to producing Pachinko machines primarily for profit over the last decade.

Today, the impacts of PT (short for P.T.) are still evident. However, contrary to that game, Metal Gear Solid 3 has been around, while Silent Hills unfortunately doesn’t exist yet.

Experiencing these new spins on classic horror games like the Silent Hill 2 remake by Bloober Team and the Resident Evil remakes from Capcom, I’ve realized that the key to a successful remake is taking creative risks instead of simply clinging to the past.

After parting ways unexpectedly with Konami, the creator of Metal Gear Solid, Hideo Kojima, has experienced great triumph with Death Stranding. This game proudly displays its peculiarity for all to see.

Regrettably, Metal Gear Solid: Delta unfortunately stands as an unfortunate testament to Konami’s decline, and it’s challenging not to recall this disappointing episode in their history.

In simpler terms, I’ve given Metal Gear Solid Delta a rating of 3 out of 5 stars because, when considered independently, it doesn’t offend anyone. However, it’s important to note that any issues with the project’s management are not the fault of the team working on it.

As a dedicated fan, I wouldn’t want to assume that the success of Delta is at the cost of series like Silent Hill. It’s been over a decade since their releases, and in that time, it seems that Konami has taken a new direction internally, suggesting a course correction rather than a direct comparison between the two.

In essence, Delta suffers from Konami’s reluctance to take risks, compared to the boldness shown by Bloober Team.

The main issue with Delta is that Konami didn’t show enough courage, a trait that Bloober Team possesses.

Or even more informally:
Delta’s downfall comes from Konami being too timid, unlike the boldness displayed by Bloober Team.

By adopting a revamped edition of Metal Gear Solid 3 and utilizing similar resources, Konami had the potential to create an exceptional game. However, due to their rigid approach, they failed to capitalize on this opportunity.

Although I did have fun, it’s important to note that I often found myself questioning whether my enjoyment stemmed from playing Metal Gear Solid 3 or the remake itself.

The answer lies in a murky, uncomfortable place in the middle.

Comparing the cutscenes from Snake Eater and Delta, I grew fonder of Delta, though it felt like watching a film. Upon resuming play, my affection for it waned again because the gameplay seemed slow and unresponsive to me.

In the realm of gaming today, I’m making do with my trusty RTX 5080 (for now at least). But let’s fast-forward a few years when we might all be running next-gen GPUs like the elusive RTX 5090. Until then, I find myself drawn to the classic charm of Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater on PC, enhanced by mods that polish up its PC version and iron out some of those pesky issues.

Delta truly shines when utilized as an exquisite photography setting. It’s delightful to pause and appreciate the finer details, which can certainly be enjoyable.

Metal Gear Solid: Delta isn’t a substitute for Metal Gear Solid 3, but I find that it doesn’t offer enough compelling features to make me prefer it over Snake Eater in any situation.

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2025-08-22 12:37