Summary
When it was announced that a remake of the legendaryMetal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eaterwas happening, saying that longtime fans were happy about the news would be a massive understatement. For many people, this game is the very best the series has to offer, and it managed to combinean incredibly compelling and heartfelt storywithMetal Gear Solid’ssignature action-stealth gameplay to create a game that has captured the hearts of so many people.
The game provides a fantastic experience, but considering that it was released nearly 20 years ago, it’s understandable that there are still a few areas that haven’t aged all that well. The purpose of a remake should always beto retain what made the original game so special while modernizing the experienceso that it’s much more accessible for a modern audience, so hopefully Konami will aim to iron out these specific issues when the game is finally released.
7Redesigned CQC
Despite there being plenty of high-level CQCtaking place in some of the cutscenesinMetal Gear Solid 3, it was a bit of a joke when being used in the game itself. The regular attack is a two-punch and low-kick combo that looks pretty ridiculous in practice, but it’s not nearly as bad as the comical choking mechanic.
This could feel pretty bland, and at worst, frustrating because of how unresponsive it could be, sometimes randomly missing the target even if they were directly in front of Snake. Konami should take note of Kojima’sDeath Strandingand attempt to make the combat a little more strategic and interesting for the remake.
6Less Loading Screens
Given the time that the game came out, it’s understandable why the originalMGS3had plenty of loading screens since the game was structured into multiple separate zones. However,loading screens are slowly becoming a thing of the pastthanks to modern technology such as SSDs, and it’s already been proven in the remakes ofDead SpaceandResident Evil 2that incorporating seamless transitions in an open world is definitely an option, and it would make the gameplay a lot more fluid and immersive.
A lot of games hide these loading screens into clever animations, such as Isaac Clarke taking an elevator to the next floor of the Ishimura for example, and considering how much Snake interacts with the environment, there could definitely be some creative ways to achieve this.
5Crouch Walking
Being able to walk, or even run in some cases while crouching might seem like a given for stealth games at this point, but the originalMGS 3didn’t allow Snake to do this. Even inthe HD collection, if Snake tries to move while crouched, he would simply go prone and start moving at a snail’s pace which could often make the movement feel a little clunky and outdated, even for the time.
Fans have already seen how important crouch walking is with how it was used inMetal Gear Solid 5, and it’s a much-needed addition that would just help speed up the general flow of the gameplay. It’s also an easy way to allow Snake to conceal the noise of his footsteps since the AI is undoubtedly going to be a lot smarter this time around.
4More Exciting Bike Sections
On paper, the idea of firing a machine gun at enemieswhile in the sidecar of a motorcyclesounds like it should be one of the most memorable parts of a game, but it’s unfortunately executed pretty poorly in the original game. Not only is the first-person perspective very jarring, but the section also just goes on for an extremely long time, with there being plenty of moments where there just aren’t any enemies around to even aim at.
This is a segment that’s in desperate need of an upgrade, even just switching toan over-the-shoulder camera angleand adding in a few more enemies would make it a lot more exciting. Despite how lackluster the moment is, it’s still great for breaking up the slow and more methodical stealth sections, so removing it entirely would be a mistake, but it’s definitely the individual segment of the game that could do with an enhancement the most.
3Radar
The absence of a radar or map of any kind in the originalMGS3has actually beensomewhat of a divisive topicamong the community. While some feel that it leans into the stealth-based gameplay, many find that it ends up making the game needlessly hard. This can be especially irritating if a guard has spotted Naked Snake, but there’s no indication as to where they are which makes it difficult to react, especially since they blend into the environment so well.
Maybe being able to see enemies through the walls like intheTomb Raiderreboot gamesfor example would be a step too far, but it definitely would help modernize the game if a simple radar or special gadget of some kind could ping nearby enemies. It would be best to keep the range of this short so that it doesn’t get in the way of the immersive stealth gameplay, but it would nonetheless be a welcome addition that so many fans have been clamoring for.
2More Backstory For The Cobra Unit
Most of theMetal Gear Solidgames have their ownsmall collective group of like-minded villainsthat the protagonist will encounter every now and again to test their combat abilities up to that point. That group inMGS3is the Cobra unit, soldiers who had been left behind after the Second World War and who were brought together by their loyalty for the Boss, but not all of them get much backstory in-game which is a real shame considering how fascinating they all seem as characters.
Each of them expresses a different kind of emotion felt in battle, including fear, sorrow, and fury. They’re still extremely unique as characters thanks to their different fighting styles and strange mannerisms which are always a staple of Kojima’s characters, but even adding some more info on their backgrounds through a codec call could be enough to flesh these guys out a bit more.
1Faster Camo Switching
Eating food, treating wounds, and changing camos take up a big chunk of the gameplay inMGS 3, and whileit’s cool to see Snake munching on a snake the first time, it can get a little tiresome after a few hours. It also really hurts the pacing, especially in boss battles where a grand and epic shootout is going on, only for the game to stop to a halt in order to heal.
Being able to switch this to a quick wheel would be a much-appreciated change, and it would help those frantic moments stand out a lot more. The developers could even simply allow the player to apply a “favorites” icon to some of the camos or food options which can then be used on the go with the simple tap of a button.
