| Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater | |
|---|---|
 North American cover art | |
| Developer | Konami Computer Entertainment Japan[a] |
| Publisher | Konami |
| Director | Hideo Kojima |
| Producer | Hideo Kojima |
| Designer | Hideo Kojima |
| Programmer | Kazunobu Uehara |
| Artist | Yoji Shinkawa |
| Writers |
|
| Composers | |
| Series | Metal Gear |
| Platforms | |
| Release | |
| Genres | Action-adventure,stealth |
| Mode | Single-player |
Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater[b] is a 2004action-adventurestealth game developed and published byKonami for thePlayStation 2. It was released in late 2004 in North America and Japan, and in early 2005 in Europe and Australia. It was the fifthMetal Gear game written, produced and directed byHideo Kojima and serves as a prequel to the entireMetal Gear series. An expanded edition, titledMetal Gear Solid 3: Subsistence,[c] was released in Japan in late 2005, then in North America, Europe and Australia in 2006. Aremastered version of the game,Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater - HD Edition, was later included in theMetal Gear Solid HD Collection for thePlayStation 3,Xbox 360, andPlayStation Vita, while a reworked version, titledMetal Gear Solid: Snake Eater 3D, was released for theNintendo 3DS in 2012. TheHD Edition of the game was included on theMetal Gear Solid: Master Collection Vol. 1 compilation forNintendo Switch,PlayStation 4,PlayStation 5,Windows, andXbox Series X/S on October 24, 2023.[1] The same year, Konami announced aremake, entitledMetal Gear Solid Delta: Snake Eater, which released for thePlayStation 5,Xbox Series X/S andWindows in August 2025.
Set in 1964, 31 years before the events of the originalMetal Gear, the story centers on the FOX operative codenamedNaked Snake as he attempts to rescue Russian rocket scientist Nikolai Stepanovich Sokolov, sabotage an experimental superweapon, and assassinate his defected former boss. While previous games were set in a primarilyurban environment,Snake Eater adopts a 1960sSoviet jungle setting, with thehigh-tech, near-future trappings of previousMetal Gear Solid games replaced with wilderness. While the environment has changed, the game's focus remains on stealth andinfiltration, while retaining the series' self-referential,fourth-wall-breaking sense of humor. The story ofSnake Eater is told through numerouscutscenes and radio conversations.
Considered one of thegreatest video games of all time,Metal Gear Solid 3 was met with critical acclaim and was a commercial success, having sold more than four million copies worldwide as of March 2010[update].
Thegameplay ofSnake Eater is similar to that of previous games in theMetal Gear Solid series. Snake, controlled by the player, must move undetected through a hostile, enemy-filled environment. Although Snake acquires various weapons (ranging fromhandguns torocket-propelled grenades), the emphasis is on using stealth to avoid confrontations. Many objects and gadgets can be found along the way to aid in this, including motion detectors[2] to track hostile soldiers, and theMetal Gear series' trademark cardboard box, which Snake can hide under to avoid visual detection.[3]
Despite the fundamental similarities,Snake Eater introduces many new aspects of gameplay not present in previousMetal Gear games, includingcamouflage, a new hand-to-hand combat system called "close quarters combat" or "CQC", a stamina gauge, and an injury-and-treatment system.[3][4]
Two-thirds of the game is set outdoors in aSoviettropical forest,[3] and using the environment to its fullest potential is often the key to success. Of the new features, particular emphasis is placed on camouflage and using the jungle environment itself (for example, climbing trees or hiding in tall grass) to avoid being seen by the enemy.[3] The advanced radar from previous games has been removed in favor of a simple motion detector and sonar system more suitable for the game's setting.
Apercentage value called the "camouflage index" gauges Snake's exposure, on a scale from negative values (highly visible and attracting attention) up to 100% (completely invisible to the enemy).[5] To minimize visibility, the player must switch between different camouflage uniforms andface paints to blend in with the environment; for example, wearing a bark-patterned uniform while leaning against a tree, or wearing striped face paint while hiding in tall grass.[4] Other devices for camouflage, such as a fakegavial head to decrease chances of being detected in water, or a monkey mask, are also available.
The basic close combat from previous installments has been heavily refined and expanded into the CQC system. When unarmed or using a one-handed weapon, Snake can grab opponents and put them in achokehold,[4] at which point a variety of actions can be performed, such as choking the enemy unconscious, throwing the guard to the ground, slitting the enemy's throat, or interrogating them at knifepoint to obtain information.[2][4] The context, the pressure applied to the button, and movement of the analog stick determine the action performed.
While previous games used only a simplelife bar,Snake Eater keeps track of injuries over the entire body.[4] For example, a long fall could fracture Snake's leg, lowering his maximum life until the injury either heals by itself over time, or is healed instantly through treatment with asplint andbandage.[4]
Besides the aforementioned features, there is also the need to rely upon nativeflora andfauna to survive.[4] This is manifested in a stamina gauge which constantly depletes during gameplay.[6] Failure to restore the gauge by eating has detrimental effects on gameplay, such as decreasing Snake's ability to aim his weapon and being heard by the enemy due to Snake's loud stomach grumbles.[4] Food can be stored in the backpack until it is needed. However, some types of food rot over time, and consuming rotten foods may result in Snake developing a stomachache, causing the stamina gauge to deplete faster.[3]
ThePlayStation 2 version ofSnake Eater include aminigame titled "Snake vs. Monkey", a crossover withSony Computer Entertainment'sApe Escape series in which Snake has to catch monkeys.[3][2] In addition to containing tongue-in-cheek humor associated with both series,[7] bonus items usable in the main game can be unlocked by progressing through various stages.[2]
Snake Eater takes place in an alternate history of events, set within theCold War during the 1960s. The game's story acts as a prequel to the entireMetal Gear series, exploring the origins of several events covered by previous games, as well as being the first chronological chapter in an overarching story following Big Boss.
The protagonist ofSnake Eater,Naked Snake (David Hayter/Akio Ōtsuka), known as Big Boss in subsequent games, is a young formerGreen Beret assigned to theCIA unitFOX. During his mission, Snake is assisted by fellow FOX members over his radio:Major Zero (Jim Piddock/Banjō Ginga), commander of FOX and a former member of the BritishSpecial Air Service (SAS), who provides Snake with mission advice and battle tactics;Para-Medic (Heather Halley/Houko Kuwashima), who provides medical information, as well as advice on flora and fauna; andSigint (James C. Mathis III/Keiji Fujiwara), who provides weapon and equipment information.
The two primary antagonists of the game areColonel Volgin (Neil Ross/Kenji Utsumi), an electricity-controllingGRU colonel and member of the extreme Brezhnev faction, who are attempting to overthrowNikita Khrushchev to seize power forLeonid Brezhnev andAlexei Kosygin,[8] andThe Boss (Lori Alan/Kikuko Inoue), former mentor to Naked Snake and co-founder of the FOX unit.[4] The Cobra Unit, a Special Forces unit led by The Boss, is composed ofThe End (J. Grant Albrecht/Osamu Saka), a venerable expert sniper credited as the "father of modern sniping";[9]The Fear (Michael Bell/Kazumi Tanaka), who has supernatural flexibility and agility;The Fury (Richard Doyle/Masato Hirano), a disfigured formercosmonaut armed with a flamethrower and a jetpack;[4]The Pain (Gregg Berger/Hisao Egawa), who can controlhornets to both defend himself and attack his enemies;[4] andThe Sorrow (David Thomas/Yukitoshi Hori), the spirit of a deceasedmedium.[10]
Other characters includeDr. Sokolov (Brian Cummings/Naoki Tatsuta), arocket scientist whom Snake must rescue; rival scientistAleksandr Granin (Jim Ward/Takeshi Aono);EVA (Jodi Benson/Misa Watanabe),[11] Snake's love interest, American defector, andKGB agent sent to assist him, and a youngOcelot (Josh Keaton/Takumi Yamazaki), commander of the elite Ocelot Unit within Volgin's GRU.[12]
| Fictional chronology inMetal Gear |
|---|
|
In 1964,CIA agent Naked Snake is sent to Tselinoyarsk,USSR in an operation known as the "Virtuous Mission."[4] Aided by his superior Major Zero, medical advisor Para-Medic, and his former mentor The Boss,[13] Snake is tasked with rescuing Soviet scientist Dr. Nikolai Sokolov, a prominent weapons developer who defected two years earlier until the Russians forced the United States government to return him in order to end theCuban Missile Crisis. Zero informs Snake that following his return, the CIA received intel that Sokolov is placed in charge of a secret military project to create a nuclear-equipped tank called theShagohod, which could end theCold War.[4][13] Although Snake locates the scientist, the mission falls apart when The Boss appears before him and announces her intention to defect to the USSR. While her special forces unit, the Cobras, recapture Sokolov for their new benefactor, Russian officerColonel Volgin, the Boss defeats Snake in close combat, injuring him and leaving him for dead. Volgin swiftly captures the Shagohod, which was being tested in the region, and uses aDavy Crockett nuclear shell supplied by The Boss to destroy its research facility and cover up the theft.[14][15] The injured Snake is recovered viafulton extraction, moments after the nuclear blast.
In the aftermath of the destruction, the Soviet Union accuses the United States of the attack,[16] after detecting their aircraft over Tselinoyarsk. To avoid a nuclear war,Soviet PremierNikita Khrushchev, who suspects Volgin's involvement, agrees to letU.S. PresidentLyndon B. Johnson prove the U.S.'s innocence.[17] Snake, finding himself assigned by Zero to assist in this manner, is ordered to complete "Operation Snake Eater," which comprises three objectives: stop Volgin's faction; destroy the Shagohod; and eliminate The Boss.[18] Redeployed into Tselinoyarsk to fulfil these demands, Snake is first sent to meet with NSA agent ADAM, who defected to the Soviet Union to infiltrate Volgin's ranks with fellow agent EVA; Snake is instead met and assisted by EVA, who directs him to a lab where Sokolov was taken.[19] Snake survives encounters with Ocelot and eliminates The Pain, one of the Cobras. He reaches the lab and meets Soviet scientist Granin, whose conceptualization of abipedal tank has been shunned in favour of the Shagohod. Dejected, Granin reveals that Sokolov and the Shagohod are located in Volgin's military fortress Groznyj Grad. Snake eliminates the remaining Cobra members: The Fear, The End, and The Fury. At Groznyj Grad, Snake finds Sokolov but is captured. Having killed Granin, a suspicious Volgin beats Sokolov to death and tortures Snake, who loses an eye while protecting a disguised EVA from Ocelot after suspecting her of being a spy. Snake is imprisoned but escapes.
Snake returns to Groznyj Grad to destroy the Shagohod, but is confronted by Volgin, The Boss, and Ocelot, having uncovered EVA as the spy. Volgin informs Snake of the Philosophers, a secret organization of the most powerful figures in the United States, theSoviet Union, and China, who formed a pact to winWorld War II and create a new world order.[20] The group jointly amassed $100 billion, the Philosopher's Legacy, to finance their research and operations. However, after the war, the organization began to infight and disintegrated, with the Legacy divided and hidden in banks across the world.[21] Volgin had illegally inherited this money,[22] and Snake learns the U.S. is attempting to retrieve it.
Snake defeats Volgin and destroys the hangar, but Volgin pursues in the Shagohod. Snake disables the Shagohod and Volgin is seemingly killed by a bolt of lightning. Snake and EVA flee to a lake, where aWIG is hidden. Before they escape, Snake confronts The Boss[18] and defeats her in battle. The Boss gives him a microfilm of the Legacy before Snake reluctantly kills her. Snake and EVA escape toAlaska and spend the night together. EVA disappears before morning with the microfilm and leaves a tape revealing herself to be a Chinese spy sent to steal the Legacy for China.[23] She also reveals that The Boss did not defect, but was ordered to infiltrate Volgin's ranks and find the Legacy to bring back to America.[24] However, because of Volgin's nuclear attack, The Boss had to be seen as a traitor and die at the hands of Snake to prove the U.S.'s innocence.[25]
A demoralized Snake is awarded the title ofBig Boss and given theDistinguished Service Cross by President Johnson.[26] InArlington National Cemetery, Snake adorns The Boss' unmarked gravestone and tearfully salutes her.
Ocelot telephones the KGB Chief Director to suggest that the KGB use the knowledge of the Virtuous and Operation Snake Eater missions to blackmail the United States during future negotiations.[27] Ocelot then informs the director of theCIA that the microfilm stolen by EVA was a fake and that half of the Philosopher's Legacy is now in America's hands, with the other half held by the KGB, revealing himself as ADAM.[28]
The overarching theme ofMetal Gear Solid 3 is "Scene", which has to do with how politics changes with time and location. The narrative techniquehyperreality is used, which involves blending fiction and history. The game does this by intermingling historical events and people, like theCuban Missile Crisis, President Lyndon B. Johnson, and Nikita Khrushchev, with its own fictional elements.[29][30]
Initially, the game was supposed to be developed for the then-upcomingPlayStation 3, but due to the long wait for the console, the development was moved back for thePlayStation 2 instead.[31] From the outset, the game's directorHideo Kojima wished to drastically change the setting from previous games.[32] He stated that the jungle setting is what both his development team, and theMetal Gear fans, wanted.[32] However, he acknowledged that the elements of a jungle environment, such as the weather, landscape, and wildlife, were features that would present problems during the game's development.[32] Whereas in previous installments the player started close to, or even within, the enemy base, Kojima wished forSnake Eater to be more realistic, with Snake starting miles from civilization and having to work his way to the enemy encampment.[32]
Kojima asked Yoji Shinkawa to make Naked Snake similar to Solid Snake. However, unlike Solid Snake, Naked Snake was a rookie and thus acted more naïvely. Shinkawa stated he had no difficulties in designing Naked Snake as essentially a revised version of Solid Snake. As a result, Naked Snake is virtually identical to Solid Snake from the previousMetal Gear Solid games in terms of appearance.[33] The love scene between Naked Snake and EVA was inspired by the filmThe Pink Panther (1963). Kojima and Shinkawa watched the movie but the former stated it might have come out differently from the original version.[34] Since the game's trailers did not state that Naked Snake was Big Boss, Kojima often gave vague answers regarding the character's true identity.[35] Originally, Naked Snake was planned to have been voiced byKurt Russell by Kojima's request, but the actor declined.[36] Russell corroborated further in January 2024 saying that while he understood that Naked Snake was inspired bySnake Plissken, a character he portrayed in the 1981 filmEscape from New York, he was not interested in reprising roles nor working on a project that did not involve movie directorJohn Carpenter.[37]
Kojima commented that the outside environment was challenging to create.[38] He explained that the reason previous games were primarily set indoors is that the current consoles were not powerful enough to portray a true jungle environment.[39] In contrast with urban environments, the jungle does not have a flat surface. The protagonist inSnake Eater has to cross uneven terrain, including rocks, dirt mounds, and tree stumps. As a result, the collision engine used in previous installments could not be used, and a new one had to be built from scratch.[39] Setting up the motion capture technology so players could walk over these mounds was a problem during development.[38] Many fans wantedSnake Eater to use a 3D camera, but this was ultimately not implemented in the game. Kojima viewsMetal Gear Solid,Sons of Liberty andSnake Eater as a trilogy, and wished to keep the camera the same as the previous two, to keep the feel of the three games the same, despite the shifting trend towards full 3D camera movement.[40]
Kojima designed theboss battles ofSnake Eater to be totally different from those in previousMetal Gear games, or any other games. He said that the boss battle with sniperThe End best represented free, open gameplay in the game.[41] The battle takes place over a large area of dense jungle, and the player must search extensively for The End, who attacks over a long-range from an unknown position. This battle of attrition can last for hours[41] and contrasts with other boss fights in which the enemy is right in front of the player and in view the whole time. In addition, the player can avoid this boss battle altogether by killing The End earlier in the game, or saving and quitting during the fight, waiting a week (or simply advancing the internal console clock), and reloading the game to find The End has died of old age. Kojima commented that features like this do not appear in other games.[41]
The musical score ofSnake Eater was composed byHarry Gregson-Williams andNorihiko Hibino, who provided material for both cutscenes and the game itself. Hibino wrote the game's opening theme, "Snake Eater", a distinctlyBond-like vocal track which also appears in the game proper, as performed by Cynthia Harrell.[3] Composer and lyricistRika Muranaka provided a song called "Don't Be Afraid" which is played during the ending of the game. The song is performed byElisa Fiorillo.
In a break from tradition, one of the ending themes of the game was not an in-house production, butStarsailor's "Way To Fall".Hideo Kojima later revealed in his blog that he originally wanted to use "Space Oddity" and "Ashes to Ashes" (byDavid Bowie) for the ending themes because of the space development theme of the game,[42] but during the game's development that theme lost its significance. One of his colleagues then advised him to listen toStellastarr, but Kojima misheard it asStarsailor. He liked the song "Way To Fall", and chose it as an ending theme.[43]
Snake Eater was first released in North America; the Japanese release was held back for almost a month after that.[44][45] The Japanese version featured several additional downloadable camouflage patterns that were not available for the North American version,[46][47] some which were only downloadable through data fromMetal Gear Solid 3-related soundtrack CDs. A limited "premium package" edition ofSnake Eater was released alongside the standard version in Japan. The premium package comes with a DVD featuring all the promotional trailers shown before the game's release (including aproof of concept video shown internally within Konami), two booklets and a painted 1/144-scale model of the Shagohod.[48] A special limited edition CD was given away to those who pre-ordered the Japanese version ofSnake Eater, which included several tracks from the game's soundtrack, as well as computerscreensavers and additional camouflage for the main game. The pre-order package allowed cell phone users to access a special site featuring image and music downloads.[49]
For the European release, Konami added several new features, including the "European Extreme" difficulty setting, a "demo theater" which allows players to view all cutscenes at any point after viewing them once during the main game, and a Duel Mode, where players can replay boss battles from the main game, in addition to extra facepaints based on European flags and two new "Snake vs. Monkey" levels.[50] Most of the downloadable camo patterns that were available for the Japanese version were also released for the European version, with only a few exceptions.[51]
In July 2007, Konami re-released all the mainlineMetal Gear Solid games from the PlayStation andPlayStation 2, along with the PSP gameMetal Gear Solid: Portable Ops, individually and as part of a limited edition box set in Japan commemorating the 20th anniversary of the originalMetal Gear. This edition ofMetal Gear Solid 3 features the first disc from theSubsistence version and a new second disc containing ports of the MSX2 gamesMetal Gear andSolid Snake, lackingMetal Gear Online (due to the discontinuation of its servers), as well as all the other content that was present inSubsistence's original second disc (Snake vs. Monkey, Duel Mode and Secret Theater).[52][53] A similar box set was released for the North American market in March 2008, titledMetal Gear Solid: The Essential Collection, which includes the first disc ofMetal Gear Solid 3: Subsistence along with the originalMetal Gear Solid andMetal Gear Solid 2: Substance, but lacks the second disc with the MSX2 games from the Japanese 20th Anniversary edition.
| Aggregator | Score |
|---|---|
| Metacritic | 94/100[54] |
| Publication | Score |
|---|---|
| Eurogamer | 9/10[55] |
| GamePro | 5/5[56] |
| GameSpot | 9/10[57] |
| GameSpy | 5/5[58] |
| IGN | 9.8/10[59] |
| Publication | Award |
|---|---|
| IGN | Best Online Game, 2006, PS2[60] |
Metal Gear Solid 3: Subsistence was released in Japan on December 22, 2005, later in North America on March 14, 2006,[61] in Europe on October 6, 2006, and in Australia on October 13, 2006.[62]Subsistence continues theMetal Gear Solid series tradition of follow-up expanded versions. While previous releases, such asMetal Gear Solid: Integral andMetal Gear Solid 2: Substance included skill challenge missions and/orside story missions,Subsistence eschews the extra single-player missions to include ports of theMSX2 version of the originalMetal Gear and its sequelMetal Gear 2: Solid Snake (with the latter being officially localized for the first time);[57][63]Metal Gear Online, an online multiplayer component; and a fully 3D, user-controlled camera in the main portion of the game.[64] Because of all the additional content that was added, theSubsistence edition was split into two discs: the first disc contains the main game only (including the cutscenes viewer), while the second disc features the online multiplayer mode and all the other supplemental content.
Metal Gear Online, consists of fivetournament-style game modes, each with a capacity of up to eightplayers.[65] This mode pits players, each playing as a generic soldier against each other indeathmatch battles and variations ofcapture the flag, using stages, items, maneuvers, and units (such as the KGB, GRU or Ocelot Unit) from the main game.[63] Depending on server settings, each round the highest-scoring player in each unit automatically assumes the role of one of the main characters (orReiko Hinomoto fromRumble Roses), along with unique abilities and/or items. For example, the highest-scoring player on the GRU team would assume the role of Major Raikov, leader of the GRU, next round.[66] Konami'sMetal Gear Online service for the PlayStation 2 closed in Japan on December 26, 2006,[67] followed by in North America on April 2, 2007, and in Europe on October 30, 2007, although a fan community has revived it by emulating the servers.[68] As noted above, the online mode, after one of the players unlocks an animal codename, also allowed for the player to play as either Reiko Hinomoto or Rowdy Reiko fromRumble Roses (depending on if the player in question was in the red team or the blue team, respectively). According toMetal Gear series creatorHideo Kojima, he added the characters into the game as secret characters in part due to opportunity: Kojima had earlier been offered a deal withRumble Roses producer Akari Uchida to make a crossover betweenMetal Gear andRumble Roses. However, theMetal Gear development team at the time refused to work with them. Kojima eventually accepted the offer when trying to decide on secret characters for the online mode forSubsistence to tie up loose ends. He also admitted that he originally considered offering Tomonobu Itagaki, at the time the producer of the Tecmo fighting game seriesDead or Alive, the opportunity of using one of his characters as a secret character.[69]
In addition to the older games and the online mode,Subsistence includes many of the features that were introduced in the Japanese and European releases. It includes the downloadable extra camouflage and facepaint designs and "Snake vs. Monkey" stages previously exclusive to the European release, the European Extreme difficulty level,[63][70] parody cutscenes and trailers from the official website,[71] and connectivity withMetal Gear Acid 2.[72] The Japanese version also includes a URL for a hidden website that allows the download ofOtaClock, a PC and Mac clock program that featuresMetal Gear Solid series recurring characterOtacon.[73] This website is now publicly available.[74]
"Limited Edition" copies ofSubsistence also includeExistence, the game's cutscenes edited into a three-and-a-half-hourfeature film with additional scenes andremastered sound.[57] The North American "Limited Edition" package was only available to consumers who pre-ordered it before the game's release.[75] The three-disc edition is the standard release ofSubsistence in Europe to make up for its later release in the region.[76]
A bonusdocumentaryDVD video titledMetal Gear Saga Vol. 1 wasbundled withpre-orders forSubsistence inNorth America and with the EuropeanPlatinum reissue ofSnake Eater released in Germany on March 23, 2006.[77][78] The disc includes a five-part, 30-minutefeaturette about the entireMetal Gear series interspersed with aninterview ofHideo Kojima, as well astrailers for various currentMetal Gear games.[77][79]
Subsistence received marginally higher review scores than the originalSnake Eater, averaging 94% on Metacritic.[54] Reviewers commented that the introduction of the 3D camera removed the "only grade-A problem"[80] and makes the gameplay feel "less restrictive and more natural".[57] The online mode is considered "impressive for a PS2 game", though "[Snake Eater]'s distinctive gameplay conventions do not entirely lend themselves to the online action-gaming experience."[80]Subsistence receivedIGN's award for "best online game" for thePlayStation 2 in December 2006.[60]
Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater - HD Edition was released on thePlayStation 3 andXbox 360 consoles in late 2011.[81] It was released as part of theMetal Gear Solid HD Collection, as well as a digital download onPlayStation Network andXbox Live Arcade.[82][83] ThePlayStation 3 andXbox 360 versions run in a resolution of720p and aim for a target framerate of 60 frames per second, compared to thePlayStation 2 version's maximum of 30 FPS. The aspect ratio has also been increased from the original's4:3 presentation to a wider16:9 resolution, giving players a wider view of their surroundings.[84] TheHD Edition features some of the content from theSubsistence version, such as the third-person camera and demo theater, but lacks the online multiplayer mode and the "Snake vs. Monkey" minigame (due to this version also being released on theXbox 360). The originalMetal Gear games are also included in this version, both accessible from the main menu. APlayStation Vita version of theMetal Gear Solid HD Collection released in June 2012, which featuresMetal Gear Solid 2 and3;[85][86][87] this version ofMetal Gear Solid 3 features limited touch controls to take advantage of the Vita's touchscreen, and compared to thePlayStation 2 version, the framerate is a more consistent 30 FPS, with lessscreen tearing.[88]
| Aggregator | Score |
|---|---|
| Metacritic | 78/100[89] |
| Publication | Score |
|---|---|
| Eurogamer | 7/10[90] |
| GameSpot | 8/10[91] |
| IGN | 8.5/10[92] |
AtElectronic Entertainment Expo 2010, Konami displayed a technical demo for theNintendo 3DS entitledMetal Gear Solid 3D: Snake Eater – The Naked Sample. The demo's subtitle "The Naked Sample" was meant to convey its purpose as just a sample of the 3DS hardware, with no plans to bring a game into production at that point.[93] Series producerHideo Kojima stated at the time that if aMetal Gear game for the 3DS was actually made they would consider some elements from thePlayStation Portable titleMetal Gear Solid: Peace Walker, including the game's cooperative gameplay system.[94][95] Later in 2010, Konami announced a fullMetal Gear title for release on the 3DS,[96][97] which was revealed at Nintendo World 2011 to beMetal Gear Solid: Snake Eater 3D.[98] It was released on February 21, 2012,[99] in North America and March 8, 2012, worldwide.[100][101][102]
Due to the limited interface of the 3DS, as well as to take advantage of the touchscreen,3D has unique controls when compared to other games in theMetal Gear series. While the game has been heavily criticized for these control changes,[103] use of theCircle Pad Pro peripheral has been cited for alleviating many of the control issues of the 3DS.[104][105] This is done by restoring camera movement to the second analog stick, adding ZL and ZR buttons for aiming and attacking, and allowing the face buttons to be used in a manner more in line with all other releases in theMetal Gear series.[104][105]
3D also has certain optional in-game differences that affect play, such as the concise over the shoulder third-person view and the addition of crouch-walking. Firing in this third-person view substitutes an open cross-hair for the standard down-the-barrel sighting of the standard FPS view. This method of aiming can seem less precise but does allow for a greater margin of error in accuracy.[104][105]3D makes use of the 3DS console's gyroscope, which is used to maintain balance when walking across a bridge or standing on tree branches.[104][105] The camouflage system has also been updated, allowing the player to make use of the 3DS's camera to make a custom camouflage pattern.[104][105] The port features numerous graphical improvements over the initialPlayStation 2 version including better character models and the addition of normal mapping.[104][105] Despite this, the frame rate has been criticized for falling far below the other versions ofSnake Eater.[104][106]Snake Eater 3D has met with positive reviews, averaging 78/100 atMetacritic based on 46 reviews.[89]
An enhanced port ofMetal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater - HD Edition was released onto PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, Nintendo Switch and Steam in 2023. This version drops the HD Edition suffix in its title, and include a Digital Screenplay Book as well as a Digital Master Book. On Nintendo Switch, the game runs in 720p 30 FPS in handheld mode and 1080p 30 FPS in TV mode. On other platforms, the game runs in 1080p 60 FPS.
A remake ofMetal Gear Solid 3, titledMetal Gear Solid Delta: Snake Eater, was developed by Konami with support fromVirtuos.[107]Delta was announced during the May 2023 PlayStation Showcase and was released on August 28, 2025, forPlayStation 5,Windows, andXbox Series X/S.[108][109][110]
A novelization ofMetal Gear Solid: Snake Eater, written by Satoshi Hase, was published byKadokawa Shoten inJapan on January 25, 2014.[111]
KPE, the parlor entertainment subsidiary of Konami, announced apachislot adaptation ofMetal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater. It runs on a new type of cabinet known as the "Big Boss", which features a 32-inch LCD monitor infull HD covering its front surface. Scenes from the original video game have been redone in updated CGI to showcase the cabinet's high-end video capabilities.[112][113] The machine was officially distributed on October 17, 2016, to various parlors nationwide in Japan.[114]
Snake Eater was a commercial success, selling2.38 million units in Asia and America by December 2004,[115] and 3.6 million copies worldwide by August 2005.[116] This was considerably lower thanMetal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty, which had sold 7 million copies.[117]Snake Eater sales increased to over3.7 million units by September 2005,[118] and more than four million units sold worldwide as of March 2010[update].[119] In Japan,Subsistence sold 133,339 copies andSnake Eater 3D sold 79,284 copies.[120]
| Aggregator | Score |
|---|---|
| Metacritic | 91/100[121] |
| Publication | Score |
|---|---|
| Edge | 8/10[122] |
| Eurogamer | 8/10[2] |
| Game Informer | 9.5/10[123] |
| GameSpot | 8.7/10[3] |
| GameSpy | 4.5/5[124] |
| GameTrailers | 9/10[130] |
| IGN | 9.6/10[61] |
| Publication | Award |
|---|---|
| IGN | Best Story,[125] Best Use of Sound[126] |
| GameSpot | Best Story,[127] Best Sound Effects,[128] Best New Character[129] |
Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater received "universal acclaim" according toreview aggregator websiteMetacritic.[121] Gaming websiteIGN awarded a 9.6/10[61] andEdge rated it 8/10.[122]GameSpot, who granted it an 8.7/10, commented that the game is "richly cinematic" and "a great achievement".[3]GameSpy hailed it as "probably the bestMetal Gear Solid game yet",[124] andEurogamer called it "overwhelmingly superior toMGS2: Sons of Liberty" in their review.[2]
Critics were pleased with the new protagonist,[6] Naked Snake—who strongly resembles the series protagonistSolid Snake—after fans were disappointed by Raiden inMGS2.[131] Some critics, who found the lengthy dialogues and the multitude ofplot twists inSons of Liberty to be detrimental to the game experience[132] found the storyline ofSnake Eater a pleasing throwback to the originalMetal Gear Solid, with less of the "philosophical babble"[6] present inSons of Liberty.GameTrailers scored the original game a 9/10, sighting the improved graphics, gameplay and story from the previous two games but critiqued the camera and downtime between cutscenes.[133]
Reviewers had mixed opinions about the game's camouflage system.Edge commented that "laying, camouflaged, in short grass inches away from a patrolling enemy is a gripping twist on stealth",[122] whileGameSpy criticized it as "just a number to monitor and not a terribly interesting one".[124] Out of the variety of new features,GameSpot called it "the most important and best implemented".[3] The game has also been criticized for its lowframe rate, which has been reduced to 30 frames per second (compared to 60 frames per second inSons of Liberty).[124] Other reviewers criticized the camera, which was labeled "dated" byIGN,[61] and "off-kilter" byEurogamer.[2]
The cut scenes ofSnake Eater have been called "visually exciting and evocative, beautifully shot" byEdge.[122] However, they commented that the script "ranges from awkward to awful" and criticizedDavid Hayter's performance as Snake, concluding that "Snake Eater's speech is not up to the standard of other games, let alone cinema."[122]GameSpot said that some of the humor "falls flat, as if lost in translation from Japanese" and "should appeal to... hardcore fans but... takes you out of the moment."[3]
Since its release in 2004, the game has received numerous awards. Notable ones include Best Overall Action Game, Best Overall Story[125] and Best PS2 Use of Sound[126] atIGN'sBest of 2004 awards, and Best Story,[127] Best Sound Effects[128] and Best New Character[129] atGameSpot's Game of the Year 2004 awards. It was a runner-up in GameSpot's Best Action Adventure Game, Best Graphics, Artistic and Best Original Music categories.[134]
At the9th CESA Game Awards, the game was one of the recipients of the Award for Excellence.[135]Snake Eater's theme song won the Best Original Vocal Song - Pop award from theGame Audio Network Guild Awards at the Game Developers Conference in August 2005, while the game itself won the award for Best PS2 Game at 2005's Game Convention inGermany.[4] At the8th Annual Interactive Achievement Awards (now known as theD.I.C.E. Awards),Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater was nominated for "Console Action/Adventure Game of the Year" and "Outstanding Achievement in Character Performance - Male" for David Hayter's vocal performance as Naked Snake.[136]
Snake Eater was developed as aprequel to the entireMetal Gear series,[124] and was followed by several directsequels:Metal Gear Solid: Portable Ops,Metal Gear Solid: Peace Walker,Metal Gear Solid V: Ground Zeroes, andMetal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain. In 2011, Kojima revealed that he floated the idea of aMetal Gear Solid 5 set during the World War IIinvasion of Normandy, showing The Boss and Cobra Unit's assistance in the fight. However, the team was hesitant about such a big project and Kojima later felt that "simply droppingMGS5 on the younger staff members was a bit heavy."[137] Although the ending ofMetal Gear Solid 3 reveals Naked Snake was given the Big Boss title, Kojima stated "he's not really the Big Boss yet". WithMetal Gear Solid: Peace Walker, he wanted to explain how Naked Snake became the man who appeared in the originalMetal Gear games as Solid Snake's enemy.[138]
The game has since been listed on several "Best of ..." lists by video-gaming publications. In 2009,IGN placedSubsistence at number 3 on its "The Top 25 PS2 Games of All Time" list.[139]GamePro listedSnake Eater andSubsistence at 8th place on its list of "The 36 Best PS2 Games" in 2010.[140] That same year,IGN rankedSnake Eater 2nd on its list of the "Top 100 PlayStation 2 Games", and said that it had "the best story in the franchise".[141] In 2013,GamesRadar placed the game at number 22 on its "The 100 Best Games of All Time" list.[142] That same year, the game's story was ranked 10th place onGamesRadar's list of "The Best Videogame Stories Ever".[143] In 2015, the game placed 2nd on USgamer's "The 15 Best Games Since 2000" list.[144]
At one point in the game, the player must climb an extremely tall ladder for approximately three minutes while "Snake Eater" plays in the background. This sequence was cited as one of the series' most memorable moments, as well as an example ofmetafiction that highlights thelinearity of video games.[145] It has since become a well-known video gamememe, with players calling attention to or creating very long ladders in other games such asStarfield.[146]
Sokolov: A certain group is plotting to use this opportunity to seize power by rallying the anti-government forces, overthrowing Khrushchev, and installing Brezhnev and Kosygin in his place. The mastermind behind this plot is Colonel Volgin of the GRU.
EVA: I heard that one of the Cobras is waiting for you in the jungle at the foot of the mountains. He's a legendary sniper called The End. //Naked Snake: Yeah, I've seen him before. That ridiculously old guy, right? //EVA: Don't underestimate him. He's known as the father of modern sniping.
Major Zero: The Sorrow was a man with, well... special powers.
Soldier: You... you're from the Ocelot Unit of Spetsnaz! What's a GRU soldier doing here? //Ocelot: Soldier? //Soldier: He's the Ocelot commander!
The Boss: I'm defecting to the Soviet Union. Sokolov is a little gift for my new hosts. //Colonel Volgin: Recoil-less nuclear warheads... these will make a fine gift for me.
Khrushchev: So, The Boss, with Colonel Volgin's help, stole two experimental nuclear shells and took them with her as a gift when she defected. Then, shortly thereafter, Sokolov's design lab, a top-secret military research facility, was destroyed by one of these weapons. Am I right so far? //President Johnson: Yes, that's correct.
Colonel Volgin: But it won't be me that pulled the trigger. It will be our friend, the American defector.
Major Zero: To put it simply, in order to avoid a full-scale nuclear conflict, we have to prove that America was not involved in that explosion.
Major Zero: Snake, let's go over your mission objectives one more time. Rescue Sokolov. Find out what's happened to the Shagohod – then destroy it. And finally, eliminate The Boss. //Naked Snake: Eliminate The Boss... //Major Zero: This mission will be code-named "Operation: Snake Eater". //Naked Snake: Because I'll be taking on The Boss and her COBRA Unit, right? //Major Zero: Don't forget about Colonel Volgin. //Naked Snake: I'm not a hired killer. //Major Zero: I know. But that was the Kremlin's demand.
Naked Snake: I heard you used to be a code breaker for the NSA. //EVA: I was. Four years ago I defected to the Soviet Union with ADAM.
Colonel Volgin: (...) During the last great war, the most powerful men in America, China, and the Soviet Union had a secret pact. The pact was a blueprint for defeating the Axis Powers and creating a new world order.
Colonel Volgin: Admit it! You're after the location of the Legacy! The secret fund established by the three Great Powers during the two World Wars. That's what you're looking for isn't it? One hundred billion dollars. Divided up and hidden all over the world.
Granin: (...) Volgin's father was in charge of the Philosopher's money laundering activities. In the confusion of the war, he somehow ended up with their treasure. And Volgin inherited that treasure illegally.
EVA: (...) I'm not a KGB spy and I never worked for the NSA. I am an agent of the People's Republic of China... for the General HQ Second Department of the People's Liberation Army. It was all a lie. I tricked you... and I'm sorry. The Philosophers still exist in China, too. You see, my mission was to find out where Volgin was hiding the Philosopher's Legacy and steal it.
EVA: The Boss's defection was a ruse set up by the U.S. government. It was all a big drama by Washington so they could get their hands on the Philosopher's Legacy. And The Boss was the star of the show. They planned it so that they could get the Legacy that Colonel Volgin inherited... and destroy the Shagohod at the same time.
EVA: (...) Everything was going according to plan, but then something happened that no one could have predicted. Colonel Volgin fired an American-made nuclear warhead at Sokolov's research facility. Khrushchev demanded that the U.S. government provide proof that it wasn't involved. (...) The authorities in Washington knew that in order to prove its innocence they'd have to get rid of The Boss... and that one of their own would have to do the job. (...) That was the mission she was given. (...) She sacrificed her life and her honor for her native land.
President Johnson: You are above even The Boss. I hereby award you the title of Big Boss.
Ocelot: ... Yes. The American President is relying on us to keep a ling on the whole affair. We've got him by the balls. It should make a valuable trump card in future negotiations.
Ocelot: (...) The Philosopher's Legacy is now safely with us... in America's hands. (...) The film we handed the Chinese was a fake. Peking must be in an uproar right about now. (...) Only half of the money has made it back to the United States. (...) I've obtained something from Granin that you might find interesting. It's a revolutionary new nuclear attack system (...) Yes, we have John – I mean Snake – to thank for that. (...) Yes, it appears that no one knew that I was ADAM. Of course. I'm always at the CIA's disposal... Mr. Director.
While Konami shot for 30 frames per second, it frequently went over budget - the days of MGS as a 60Hz series were over. We saw dips down to 20 and even 15 frames per second during the cut-scenes...
On PlayStation 2 ... Konami dropped v-sync in gameplay where necessary in order to maintain a more fluid frame-rate... On Vita, thankfully, we have locked v-sync, and there appears to be enough horsepower to maintain a much more consistent 30 frames per second, with only certain cinematics causing frame-rate dips.
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