Solid Snake voice actor David Hayter says many misunderstand how big of a heart his character actually has.
I’m never one to give up the chance to lore dump about Metal Gear Solid, so… Big Boss was considered the greatest soldier of all time and turned into a legend, then his clones (Solid Snake and his siblings) were created by The Patriots so they could have their own Big Boss after they had a falling out with him. So Solid Snake was quite literally bred to be a perfect soldier, and because of that he’s not quite as emotive as some of the other characters in the series.
However, Solid Snake (and Big Boss) voice actor David Hayter thinks the character is somewhat misunderstood thanks to this demeanor. While speaking with Resident Evil and Baldur’s Gate voice actor Maggie Robertson in a video on the Future Game Show channel, Hayter is asked about what was most misunderstood about his character, to which he responds, “I think that Snake’s heart is most misunderstood.”
Hayter elaborates: “People focus on the fact that he’s a tough guy and that he’s a professional killer,” but that “what really draws me to him and I think what subconsciously draws the audience to him is his inability to turn away from anybody who needs help… I think that’s really the key that makes him quite loveable.” This is an aspect you definitely see from Snake as the series progresses, not that there was as much room for characterization on the MSX 2 as there was on the PS3.
Hayter then poses the question to Robertson, asking “what is misunderstood about your tall, large boobed, vampire,” with Robertson pointing out that Lady Dimitrescu is a mother, which is showcased with her attitude changes throughout her segment of the game, as she becomes more focused on getting revenge on Ethan, saying she has “a deceptive amount of heart.”