Avoiding conflict has always been a cornerstone of the Metal Gear Solid franchise and one of the series’ signature elements, but Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater took that emphasis on stealth and upped the ante through the introduction of several new systems. For the first time in the series’ history, players could actively switch their uniform to match their surroundings, using camouflage to avoid detection, and had a tranquilizer gun they could bring into boss battles as a non-lethal option in each encounter. Somehow, these systems don’t just return in Metal Gear Solid Delta; they’re made even better through some subtle quality-of-life additions.
Avoiding detection whenever possible and using non-lethal methods to take out enemies are still the primary means by which players will be able to unlock the coveted Fox and Foxhound rankings, which also requires that players complete Metal Gear Solid Delta‘s Hard or Extreme difficulty. But thanks to the new control scheme introduced in Delta that facilitates easier aiming and movement, a stealthy, pacifist playthrough is now more manageable and an even more ideal way to experience Snake Eater. Moreover, pacifism is a player’s best bet for turning one of Delta‘s toughest encounters into a relative cakewalk.
One of the most significant additions that Metal Gear Solid Delta: Snake Eater brings to the table is its “New Style” control scheme that updates how Snake Eater controls based on modern action games. Players now have full control over the camera, and all aiming is done either over-the-shoulder in third-person or via a first-person camera that players can readily swap between with a press of a button.
Aiming is easier than ever now, which makes landing instant-takedown shots with the tranquilizer gun more frequent, but the kicker is how Delta‘s updated controls facilitate stealthy movement and avoiding detection.
In both the original Metal Gear Solid 3 and the later Subsistence version, players could either slowly walk upright to sneak up on enemies or crawl in a prone position, but they couldn’t crouch-walk. That move wouldn’t make it into Snake Eater until the game’s 3DS release, and Metal Gear Solid Delta smartly carries that addition over to make a stealthy, pacifist playthrough more enjoyable. Sneaking through the soviet jungle as Naked Snake, like the trained CIA operative he is, was always the best way to experience Snake Eater‘s campaign, and Delta‘s updated control scheme now makes it more accessible and feasible.
Snake Eater’s Most Unique Boss Fight Makes a Pacifist Playthrough in Delta Practically Essential
Using the Mk. 22 tranquilizer gun to perform non-lethal takedowns on enemies serves a dual purpose in Snake Eater. Not only does it contribute to players’ end-of-game ranking, but it also prevents having to face off against one of the Metal Gear Solid series’ hardest boss fights in The Sorrow. Especially when playing on higher difficulties, playing Metal Gear Solid Delta using pacifist tactics takes what could be the game’s most frustrating encounter and turns it into an immersive, cinematic experience that contributes to the plot without any added frustration.
It’s worth mentioning that players also need to take out all of Snake Eater‘s Cobra Unit members using the tranquilizer gun if they hope to acquire their unique camouflage patterns, each of which has special abilities that players will find incredibly useful in subsequent pacifist playthroughs.
That Metal Gear Solid Delta changes the camo menu to allow for equipping and hot-swapping patterns with the touch of a button is just the icing on the cake. Snake Eater‘s combat sandbox makes any playstyle viable with the right tools and weapons in play, but playing through Metal Gear Solid Delta as a stealthy pacifist is arguably the way to get the most out of the experience, especially with the added benefit of its new quality-of-life flourishes.