Metal Gear Solid Delta: Snake Eater is an incredibly faithful adaptation of the original Metal Gear Solid 3. It’s so faithful, in fact, that it changes almost nothing about its core gameplay, story, or setting, leaving the Hideo Kojima original almost entirely untouched.
But that’s not to say that it’s completely unchanged. MGS Delta has made just a few alterations: a little bit of updated dialogue here, a revamped control scheme there, to help the remake appeal to modern audiences. In case you’re wondering which version you should play, or are just curious what’s new in the remake, here are ten of the biggest differences between Metal Gear Solid Delta and the original game it’s based on.
MGS Delta Includes New Codec Conversations
Minor Dialogue Changes
Although nothing about MGS3‘s story has changed in Delta, a few new lines of dialogue have been added here and there. These are all voiced by their original actors, many of whom returned to record new lines of dialogue – including David Hayter as Naked Snake/Big Boss.
These lines are largely inconsequential, and don’t do much for the overall story. However, they add new details from time to time, or are adapted to fit the remake in subtle ways.
One such example comes about when you call up Para-Medic to save, and she recommends that Snake watch Godzilla if he ever gets the chance. Instead of surmising that they’ll still be making movies about the giant monster in 2004, the script bumps it up a few years to 2024, referencing the recent Godzilla: Minus One.
Delta Uses A New Version Of “Snake Eater”
I’m Still In A Dream
In a similar vein, MGS Delta features a new recording of “Snake Eater,” the James Bond-inspired main theme song for the game of the same name. It’s still sung by original vocalist Cynthia Harrell, but the Delta version is slightly different – Harrell riffs a little more on certain lines.
The updated version of “Snake Eater” also features a new audio mix, where Harrell’s vocals are much louder and more prominent. Otherwise, though, the instrumentation remains exactly the same, with the iconic triplet trumpet fills and sultry string section.
And yes, I know what you’re thinking – the isolated vocals from the new version of “Snake Eater” still play during the iconic ladder scene, which is recreated faithfully in the remake.
MGS Delta Features A New Quick-Switch Camo System
Hiding In Plain Sight
Although gameplay changes to MGS Delta are largely miniscule, one major new UI feature makes it much easier to stay hidden during sneaking sections. Delta implements a new quick-switch camouflage menu that recommends the best face paint and outfit combinations for your current locale.
All you have to do is hold down on the D-Pad, and a small menu will appear on the side of the screen. Using the analog sticks, you can scroll through a variety of automatically selected camo combinations. Next to them, you’ll see numbers and arrows that represent just how much they alter your camouflage factor, so it’s easy to find exactly what you need.
Snake will immediately change his getup, with a cool transition that shows the FOX logo with a pattern inspired by the camo you chose. Gone are the days of pausing the game to change your camouflage; you still have to use the Survival Viewer to treat your injuries, though.
MGS Delta Features Updated Graphics
Tselinoyarsk In HD
It should go without saying for any remake, but MGS Delta features totally upgraded graphics that look amazing on the small screen. Foliage is dense and dynamic, rocks are craggy and pockmarked, animals trot and slither with realistic animations.
Character models are especially expressive, for the most part – the motion capture team really shows their work here. Characters roll their eyes or curl up the corners of their mouths in moments of drama.
The updated lighting system is also pretty incredible; the sun reflects off liquid surfaces, filters through the trees. The greenish-yellow filter is also gone in Delta, which does make the whole thing look a little more realistic – although it does detract a bit from the atmosphere.
Press The Action Button
Metal Gear Solid Delta updates the control scheme of the original Snake Eater, making it more in line with industry standards for modern action games. You’ll now use X to confirm/perform context-specific actions, while Circle makes you crouch – hold it to go prone.
The aim and attack buttons have been moved to L2 and R2, using the triggers for both firing guns and performing CQC combos. Instead of being used for slower movement, the D-Pad is used for quick access to the radio and the camo quick-switch menu; instead, you can stalk enemies by holding L1 as you walk.
In addition, the camera has been revamped for much more sensitive and fluid movement, especially when aiming. (More on that below.)
MGS Delta Has An Autosave Feature
Snake, Did You Want To Save?
In the original MGS3, much like all the other games in the series before it, the only way to save your game was through a codec call. Dial the right frequency, and you’d be treated to a brief conversation with one of your allies before being given the option to save – in Snake Eater, these usually took the form of movie recommendations from Para-Medic.
Now, though, MGS Delta has a simple autosave feature that saves your game for you whenever you enter a new map. It definitely comes in handy. You can even use it to get out of an Alert phase by simply leaving the area, then loading your autosave slot.
Don’t worry, though – if you’re looking for a movie to watch, you can still call Para-Medic to make a manual save.
MGS Delta Has Two Camera/Control Scheme Options
Legacy Style Vs. New Style
MGS Delta features two different camera modes and control schemes that pay homage to previous releases of Metal Gear Solid 3. The first, Legacy Style, uses a top-down camera based on the original version of the game, with a control scheme much closer to the PS5 version to match.
New Style features a third-person, over-the-shoulder camera, akin to the one used in the Subsistence re-release. It also employs the modern control scheme we discussed above.
Personally, I preferred the New Style camera – I’ve always liked the Subsistence perspective better, as I find it aligns more closely with the game’s paradigm of stealth-action gameplay. But the choice is up to you. Legacy Style did make me nostalgic for old-school Metal Gear, and you’re free to switch between them as you like.
MGS Delta Has A New Bomberman-Inspired Mini-Game On Xbox
A Worthy Diversion
On consoles, MGS Delta comes bundled with a platform-specific mini-game. PS5 players can enjoy Snake vs. Monkey, a recurring game mode from the original release. Here, you’ll search a variety of different maps for hidden monkeys, based on the title characters of the classic PlayStation platformer Ape Escape.
Snake vs. Monkey isn’t new – although the PS5 version does include a couple of extra levels that weren’t featured in the original. What is new, though, is the Xbox-exclusive mini-game, Snake vs. Bomberman, which has Snake facing off against the titular character of that game series.
Although I haven’t personally gotten to play Snake vs. Bomberman (I played on PS5), it looks pretty cool – I’ve always loved the Bomberman series, so I’m curious to see how it’s adapted into the MGS Delta engine.
MGS Delta Includes A New Version Of Guy Savage
MGS3’s Weirdest Mini-Game
And speaking of mini-games, the original MGS3 included a curious dream sequence in which Snake would transform into a dark fantasy hero, fighting his way out of a prison cell equipped with two giant swords. This mini-game, originally called Guy Savage, was initially intended to include the Konami classic shoot-em-up Gradius, but Kojima instead decided to create a game demo of his own invention.
Guy Savage was once intended to be developed into a full-length game, but it was eventually scrapped, and mostly faded into obscurity. Now, though, there’s a new version of Guy Savage, appropriately called Guy Savage Delta, included in the remake, which can be played from the main menu after beating the game.
This version of Guy Savage is a little different: it’s set in a dark forest, and there are a couple of new enemy types to be found. No word yet on whether Konami has greater intentions for this character.
MGS Delta Includes Secret Theater Cutscenes
Metal Gear’s Wildest Easter Eggs
Finally, Metal Gear Solid Delta also includes the Secret Theater cutscenes as part of the game, for the first time ever. These wacky alternate endings to various iconic scenarios from MGS3 were originally intended to serve as a fun Easter egg for the game’s developers, but it was eventually decided to make them available to the public.
However, you could only watch them on the game’s official website; now, they’re all available in-game. In order to unlock Secret Theater cutscenes, you’ll need to beat the main story at least once, collecting hidden film reels all over the map. Each time you reach a certain film reel milestone, you’ll unlock a new cutscene, which you can subsequently view from the main menu of Metal Gear Solid Delta: Snake Eater.
