Metal Gear Solid 3 Delta’s controls make Snake more Rambo 3 than First Blood

Konami’s beautiful attempt to remake Metal Gear Solid 3 for modern systems is reportedly resulting in a much different gameplay style due to its new controls. With a brand-new “modern” control scheme alongside its spruced-up, Unreal Engine 5 visuals, the upcoming Delta remake of Snake Eater has been changed more than you might assume.

Metal Gear Solid 3 Delta is faster-paced

According to a report from Eurogamer, after a hands-on with the game, the “modern” control scheme in the Metal Gear Solid 3 remake does change the game substantially. Designed similarly to the controls of Metal Gear Solid 5: The Phantom Pain, Snake is now a lot easier to control as you navigate combat encounters.

For example, players can now move and aim at the same time which wasn’t possible in the PS2 original and it’s easier to swap between equipment to perform some brutal combos. The preview claims that this leads to a more “hurried approach” and does “cut into the original’s stealth-focused challenge”.

At the time of writing, these changes do appear to have changed the balance of the game, making it skew towards action. While Konami has altered enemy AI to accommodate this new control scheme, a lot of the original game’s mechanics are still in play.

A return to [original] form

For MGS3 fans who don’t like the idea of a newer, modern control scheme, Konami has also included a “classic” control scheme. This mode makes the gameplay exactly like it did back in 2004, matching the game’s slower-paced style.

While the new, tweaked character AI will still result in a different experience, MGS 3 Delta does appear to be a pretty strong remake. It’s not an entirely different game like Silent Hill 2 Remake, or a basic remaster like the Metal Gear Solid Master Collection, but it’s somewhere in between.

Metal Gear Solid 3 Delta is currently scheduled to release later this year.