Quite possibly the biggest question regarding Metal Gear Solid Delta: Snake Eater is how the game will fare without the franchise's creator. Hideo Kojima created the first ever Metal Gear back in 1987 for the MSX2 home computer. While he hasn't been the director of all the games, his creative input has been essential in establishing Metal Gear's tone, story, and gameplay.
Metal Gear Solid Delta: Snake Eater will be a grand reimagining of one of the mainline entries in the Metal Gear Solid franchise. Since the original game takes place before the other titles, it makes sense for Konami to start with this particular remake first. Regardless of its outcome, Metal Gear Solid Delta: Snake Eater won't be the same as other Metal Gear titles Hideo Kojima was involved in.
Hideo Kojima Adds A Flair For The Strange In Everything He Does, Including Remakes
Whether it be a brand-new IP or a sequel to an established franchise, Hideo Kojima makes it a point to leave his mark on every game he works on. Kojima demonstrated this creativity in his latest game, Death Stranding, with convoluted mysteries concerning BBs (Bridge Babies), BTs (Beached Things), and the grand phenomenon known as the Death Stranding itself. Death Stranding shows just how eccentric Hideo Kojima can get when he isn't pressured by time or the company he works for.
But this doesn't mean his creativity was completely restricted back at Konami. Metal Gear Solid: The Twin Snakes is a prime example of a remake with Hideo Kojima's flair. The game would have done well enough by using the same engine used in Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons Of Liberty, but Kojima and his team went the extra mile and added more features and Easter eggs to whet GameCube owners' appetites.
Showcasing a GameCube and Wave Bird wireless controller in Otacon's office alludes to the game's release on the platform and Otacon's nature as an otaku. Likewise, certain features like the Grip Level were carried over from Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons Of Liberty. Metal Gear Solid: The Twin Snakes show how Kojima can make an old game feel new again aside from implementing the expected graphical improvements.
The Release Trailer For Metal Gear Solid Delta: Snake Eater Could Hint At The Direction Of The Game
While there isn't much information on Metal Gear Solid Delta: Snake Eater yet, the way the announcement trailer presents itself could be an indication of things to come. The trailer is straightforward and gives very little indication that the game is a Metal Gear title. The only hints are Snake's appearance at the end and the iconic "Snake Eater" song performed by Cynthia Harrell. The announcement trailer might have been directed to create a big reveal at the end, but by and large, it is rather tame for a Metal Gear trailer.
By comparison, the Tokyo Game Show's 2005 trailer for the Hideo Kojima-directed Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns Of The Patriots is much more thrilling. It subverts expectations by starting from the first-person perspective. As viewers are lulled into thinking this is just another first-person shooter, a much older Solid Snake takes out the person behind the camera, and the trailer switches to his perspective. Aside from this subversion of expectations, the TGS 2005 trailer is much longer and shows a great deal of Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns Of The Patriots' story, world, and plot.
Metal Gear Solid Delta: Snake Eater might incorporate and refine the features of the original game. It might even add new things of its own. But the game just wouldn't be the same without Hideo Kojima's input. Now that Metal Gear's creator has nothing to do with the franchise, it will be interesting to see how Konami handles a Metal Gear entry that isn't as disappointing as Metal Gear Survive.
Metal Gear Solid Delta: Snake Eater is in development for PC, PS5, and Xbox Series X/S.
