It sounds unbelievable, but Metal Gear Solid Delta: Snake Eater, a remake of the beloved 2004 stealth action title, is out later this month. Between all the improvements, the graphical flourishes, the cast returning to record new lines, the new control scheme, and much more, our excitement is palpable. Beyond all of that, however, we’re eager to jump in and re-experience everything that made the original game so memorable. And make no mistake – there is a lot to discover. Let’s dive into 15 amazing things we can’t wait to do in Delta: Snake Eater.
Sandbox Shenanigans
The prospect of no radar and a more sandbox-like environment caused some skepticism before Metal Gear Solid 3’s launch, but it opened up numerous opportunities for guerrilla warfare. Wear the crocodile headgear to hide yourself underwater, capture live snakes at enemies, shoot down beehives to assail squads – take your pick. You can even indirectly cause the death of some enemies, which plays a part in…
Fewer Sins in The Sorrow Fight
The Sorrow is unlike other boss fights in Snake Eater because you’re essentially wading through a river where the spirits of your victims will manifest. If you play in a non-lethal fashion, however, it’s mostly empty and thus much easier to navigate. However, if you tranquilize an enemy on the mountains and go on your merry way, they’ll still die to vultures and appear on the river. There are even more terrifying details to discover, but honestly, we’ll leave that as a surprise for the remake.
Fun With Death and Revival Pills
Of course, if you want to get through the Sorrow’s fight quickly, use the fake death pill at the beginning of the fight (drowning in the river also works). Use the revival pill afterwards, and it’s over. The fake death pill can also be used in other circumstances, like evading guards and even fooling bosses, though it’s not guaranteed to work against everyone.
Non-Lethally Defeating Bosses
Despite how uniquely diverse the Cobra Unit is, they – and many other bosses – share a common trait: A stamina meter. Depleting their life is enough to end the fight, but if you deplete their stamina, it counts as a non-lethal kill. Not only is this essential for non-lethal playthrough, but it even produces some special rewards.
Ending The End
Of course, there’s also The End, one of the most unique boss fights in video game history. There are so many ways to defeat him, but perhaps the most effective back in the day was to set your console’s system clock forward, causing him to die of old age. Whether that will work in Delta: Snake Eater or not, there are other strategies to ensure a swift end for The End.
Raikov’s Mask
The Raikov Mask, meant to disguise Snake as he infiltrates Groznyj Grad, is a source of much hilarity. Meant to mirror Raiden from Metal Gear Solid 2, it elicits some funny reactions from characters. It’s probably not the best option when sneaking around, though, since guards can spot Snake more easily. Perhaps most hilarious is when you actually encounter Raikov himself while wearing the mask and a scientist’s outfit.
Destroying the Hind-D Early
The Hind-D is a recurring enemy vehicle throughout the series – who could forget the iconic showdown against it in Metal Gear Solid 1? It returns in Metal Gear Solid 3 and even gives chase to Naked Snake, but there is a way to avoid this by blowing it up at an earlier point in the story. Perhaps even cooler is the fact that destroying the food storage will cause starvation among enemy forces. As such, they’ll rush to pick up any food that you throw at them, regardless of whether it’s rotten or poisoned.
Triggering Time Paradoxes
Given that it’s a prequel with several characters appearing in future titles (both Solid and otherwise), it would be a little awkward if some of them appear in a non-canon fashion. You still have the freedom to do so, but a Game Over is triggered, and the text denoting specific characters’ deaths will change to “Time Paradox.” A familiar face will even chastise Snake for his actions, saying he “can’t go changing the future like that!” Suffice it to say that we’re keen to try this out in the remake.
Finding All The Kerotans
It wouldn’t be a Metal Gear Solid 3 remake without the Kerotans. There are dozens to discover, and you’ll want to do so for some sick unlockables. Fortunately, there’s an easy way to do so – the GA-KO camo. The cartoon duck is a counterpart to Kerotan, and if equipped, the sounds of the frogs ring out, loud and clear. You also receive a rather…interesting response from the Para-Medic if you call her while wearing it.
Unlocking the Infinity Face Paint and Stealth Camo
Capture an extremely rare snake called a Tsuchinoko and take it to the very end to unlock Infinity, face paint that grants unlimited ammo to every weapon. There’s also the Stealth camo, unlocked by shooting all the Kerotans on a single save or completing the game without triggering any Alerts. It turns Snake invisible, and while you’re not completely undetectable, it’s still very reliable (especially during certain boss fights).
Finding the Three Special Snakes
Taking your eye off the ball in the final battle may not seem like the best idea, but it’s well worth it to find three mysterious snakes exclusive to the location. Their names? Solid, Liquid and Solidus. Not-so-subtle foreshadowing, but it’s powerful all the same.
Banter With Para-Medic, Major Zero, and SIGINT
Another staple of the Metal Gear series is the codec conversations. You can get into some really in-depth topics by contacting certain characters out of the blue, like Para-Medic, who will discuss different movies from that era when she’s not giving medical advice. Then there’s the familiar-looking SIGINT who geeks out alongside Snake over different gear and Major Zero with his incredible stories. Whether Konami added some new material or hidden bits or not, we’ll be eagerly going over all these conversations (and irritating the cast) once more.
Starting a New Run With Unlocked Items
Of course, the Infinity face paint and Stealth camo are only a few examples. Similar to other games in the series, Metal Gear Solid 3 awards different items depending on conditions fulfilled during your playthrough. For example, there’s a particular weapon that’s granted simply for clearing the game (and triggers some rather humorous radio dialogue when equipped). These can then be carried over into New Game Plus, providing a significant advantage and maybe even some new tactics.
No Alert, No Kill Playthrough
What better way to showcase the prowess of Naked Snake than by truly ghosting your enemies? No kills, no alerts for an entire playthrough can be challenging, but it’s possible, and a true test of one’s Metal Gear mastery (especially if you’re aiming for FOXHOUND rank on the highest difficulty).
Climbing The Ladder
But above all else – the revamped visuals, the new over-the-shoulder camera, the quality of life features – we’re looking forward to the iconic ladder climb at the end. Will it be as memorable, especially with Cynthia Harrell returning to sing a new version? We’ll find out when Delta: Snake Eater launches on August 28th for Xbox Series X/S, PS5, and PC.
