Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater is a prequel of sorts, which actually ties both MGS 1 & 2 together quite nicely. You will learn many facts, like more on the origin of Snake, Ocelot, and the La-Li-Lu-Le-Lo. Granted, you really need to be in the same frame of mind as Kojima to really understand this series at all, but if you’ve been following the games up to this point, then you’ll be happy to know many of your questions have been answered. One thing that Snake Eater is sure to do is revisit the psychotic imagination of Kojima, especially in regards to the enemies you encounter that possess weird and eerie powers. Without giving too much away, I will stop there with the summary of MGS3: Snake Eater as the game is meant to be spoiler free and I will keep it that way. Just rest assured that fans will be more than delighted with this third in the series and it will definitely be worth your attention.

What more can I say about the visuals in Metal Gear Solid 3 than this is possibly the best-looking PS2 game EVER! The character models are intricately detailed to show facial grimaces, wrinkles on clothing, and wonderful animation throughout the entire game. The backdrops are absolutely stunning. You begin in the jungles, which are so painstakingly gorgeous that you will see individual blades of grass moving along with you, and this is just one example of the attention to detail the designers went through in capturing realistic environmental physics. One thing that the MGS series is famous for is the engrossing cut scenes that move the story along, and MGS 3 is no different. Expect long-winded cinematic featurettes once again, as Kojima wants you to know every ounce of what is going on whether you understand it all or not. This game has to be played to really get a sense of how beautiful it really is; Nothing else will do.

Audio once again is highlighted by two great pieces of ear pleasing goodness, the voice acting and the musical score. David Hayter and the MGS voices of old are back and lend a big part of bringing this world to life. The actor’s performances are full of emotion and believability. The musical score, besides the ‘bondesque’ opening theme song, is riveting and orchestrated quite well to capture each mood in the game, from somber to heated action.

A major change in the series is the surroundings that Snake must quickly become accustomed to. Most of the game takes place in the forest and jungles, and it is here where many new game play elements take shape in Snake Eater. First off, you must survive off of Mother Nature, so you must eat what ever is around you, from frogs, snakes, mushrooms, to fruit from trees, and even crocodiles. Not only is this living off the land vital to your survival as far as living and dying, but also keeping your strength and healing is affected. This really becomes crucial as in the jungle you are more susceptible to cuts and wounds that need attending to.

Another new addition to the series involves camouflage. You must choose the right color of camouflage to go with a particular area. You can change Snake’s outfits on the fly, which makes for easy access into territories unknown. This goes for face paint as well, as you have a camouflage ranking that is affected by what face paint you choose. What hasn’t changed is the impeccable A.I. that the series is known for. Sure, most lackeys fall for the lamest and oldest tricks in the book, but for the most part, the game is tough as nails and will rely on you using your wits to succeed. This goes for level exploring, gathering info, clues, and food, and especially goes for the great boss battles that will test both your noggin and your reflexes. In the end, MGS 3 still adds many things, but retains the great stealth action that fans have grown to love.

MGS 3 suffers ever-so-slightly once again from the cut scenes, which can sometimes be longer than the actual gameplay segments. Your first go through will be a good 20 plus hours if you take your time and soak it all in, but take out those scenes of dialog and you can cut your game time in half or more. Honestly though, if you are trying to get the total MGS experience and you’ve skipped all the dialog, cut scenes and info, then my friend you’ve missed the boat on what makes this such a great series after all.

Hideo Kojima is telling the world that this is indeed the last of the MGS games that he will direct, but we all know that he will have his hands in the series somehow as he cares too greatly about his creation to let it be destroyed by some amateur. If indeed, there is a MGS 4, and no Kojima at the helm, he will definitely be overseeing the project in some way, shape, or form. As for Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater, if you are a fan, you have played and beaten this by now. There is so much to love about this new adventure that it is hard to write a review without giving anything away. Just know that it’s once again clever, funny, and even tends to poke fun at itself on some mistakes it made in the past.