There has been a long list of blockbuster video game remakes, making it easy to get excited for Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater receiving a “Delta” remake. But will Metal Gear Solid Delta actually be a remake, or is it just a mislabeled remaster?
While remakes are a frustrating talking point for movie fans, many of the biggest video games in recent years have been remakes. In fact, remakes of Dead Space, Resident Evil 4, and Super Mario RPG rank among the biggest games of 2023. While those games received sweeping updates, it’s sometimes tough to distinguish between a remake and a remaster.
So where does Metal Gear Solid Delta: Snake Eater stand, then? What does this remake of MGS3 have that differentiates it from the original? Konami has actually already answered those questions.
Is Metal Gear Solid Delta: Snake Eater a remake or remaster?
Metal Gear Solid Delta: Snake Eater is a remake of Metal Gear Solid 3. However, fans expecting an overhaul on par with the upcoming Persona 3 Reload or the Resident Evil remakes will likely be disappointed.
The description on the game’s official website suggests that it will ultimately be more of a remaster than a remake. According to Konami, Metal Gear Solid Delta will have “the same gripping story and engrossing world, but now with cutting-edge graphics and 3D audio.” No mention is made of any gameplay changes or new content.
Though MGS3 is a classic, there are many elements that are dated and improvements that could be made. While fans might see the word “remake” and imagine MGS3 being ported into the MGS5 engine and given a true open world, there’s no indication that this is in the cards. Odds are that there will be more of a difference between the original Metal Gear Solid and the Gamecube’s Twin Snakes remake than between MGS3 and MGS Delta.
Will the MGS3 remake have the same voice actors?
Metal Gear Solid Delta: Snake Eater will have all the same voice actors and voice lines from the original game. Unlike Persona 3 Reload which boasts a new cast of voice actors, the original audio of MGS3 will be recycled. This likely stems from the limited scope of the remake as well as the deaths of several voice actors from the Japanese version of the game.
As such, fans can expect the same voice actors as the original. Here is the original cast list:
| Character | English Voice Actor | Japanese Voice Actor |
| Snake | David Hayter | Akio Otsuka |
| Eva | Suzetta Minet | Misa Watanabe |
| The Boss | Lori Alan | Kikuko Inoue |
| Ocelot | Josh Keaton | Takumi Yamazaki |
| Volgin | Neil Ross | Kenji Utsumi |
| Major Zero | Jim Piddock | Banjo Ginga |
| Para-Medic | Heather Halley | Houko Kuwashima |
| Sigint | James Mathis III | Keiji Fujiwara |
| Sokolov | Brian Cummings | Naoki Tatsuta |
| The Pain | Gregg Berger | Hisao Egawa |
| The Fear | Michael Bell | Kazumi Tanaka |
| The Fury | Richard Doyle | Masato Hirano |
| The End | J. Grant Albrecht | Osamu Saka |
Will Metal Gear Solid Delta: Snake Eater be an open-world game?
Metal Gear Solid Delta: Snake Eater will not be an open-world game. Konami has repeatedly indicated that the gameplay will be similar to the original, meaning fans should expect the same segregated sections of the map that were there in the PlayStation 2 original.
In a developers’ note published by Konami, it’s made explicit that the scope of the remake isn’t so vast that it will lead to a top-to-bottom overhaul of the game.
“We are working hard for Metal Gear Solid Delta: Snake Eater to be a faithful recreation of the original story and game design, while evolving the gameplay with stunning visuals and a seamless user experience,” the statement reads.
While “seamless user experience” is vague, odds are that it’s a reference to the better audio, framerate, and loading times offered by modern hardware. MGS3 still holds up fairly well by modern standards and the early screenshots suggest the visual update will be significant. Fans expecting gameplay akin to Metal Gear Solid V will likely be disappointed, though.
