When Steel Gear Stable 3: Snake Eater was initially launched again in 2004, it stuffed in a few of the most essential lore gaps within the sequence, particularly these regarding the trajectory of how Bare Snake finally grew to become the sequence’ most infamous antagonist, Large Boss. That a lot stays the identical in Metal Gear Solid Delta: Snake Eater, albeit with the good thing about Unreal Engine 5 visuals bringing the entire saga to life in gorgeous constancy. Nevertheless it’s onerous to not really feel like Konami and Virtuos may have made Delta much more of a definitive model of Snake Eater by way of the addition of one among Remaining Fantasy 16‘s finest options.
So far as in-game lore is anxious, the Remaining Fantasy video games have a little bit of a leg-up on Steel Gear Stable in that the sequence is an anthology and solely involved with the person characters and setting of every recreation. In distinction, the Metal Gear series tells a posh and multi-faceted narrative with many key gamers accountable for particular occasions spanning a roughly 60-year timeline, making it onerous to maintain up with who’s who and bear in mind the all-important context that provides weight and gravitas to every of the painstakingly directed cutscenes. And due to how integral Snake Eater‘s story is to the entire Steel Gear saga, it is a disgrace Steel Gear Stable Delta would not embrace one thing just like Remaining Fantasy 16‘s “Energetic Time Lore” system.
To say that the storyline of the Metal Gear series is convoluted is a little bit of an understatement, to the purpose the place doing outdoors analysis and taking part in by way of the video games a number of occasions is virtually a requirement to realize a deeper understanding and appreciation of the complicated narrative that weaves collectively fiction and real-world historical past. On the time of each Steel Gear Stable and Steel Gear Stable 2‘s releases, the video games happened in a near-future setting that made a quick brush-up on world historical past pointless, however Steel Gear Stable 3: Snake Eater is a unique story altogether, taking gamers again to the turbulent period of espionage and international stress that was the Chilly Warfare. As such, an Energetic Time Lore-like system would’ve been an enormous profit for anybody approaching Steel Gear Stable Delta as their first Steel Gear recreation.
With the ability to pause mid-cutscene and use an in-game encyclopedia to lookup a specific character or get some additional context and data on sure phrases or real-world occasions which might be referenced would’ve been a pleasant contact for each longtime sequence followers and for newcomers, particularly contemplating how a lot Snake Eater‘s story leans closely on gamers having some cursory information of the franchise’s lore as much as that time. Most of Snake Eater‘s greatest reveals come about both through the recreation’s many cutscenes or from context clues in Snake’s Codec calls, which makes the dearth of an in-game lore encyclopedia reference really feel like a missed alternative.
Because it Stands, Steel Gear Stable Delta’s Choices for Revisiting Story Content material Are Considerably Missing
That is to not say that gamers don’t have any choices for refreshing their reminiscence on sure essential story beats in Steel Gear Stable Delta; it is simply that these choices pale compared to a Remaining Fantasy 16-style Active Time Lore function. Most of Snake Eater‘s narrative is communicated to the participant through the recreation’s many cutscenes, which gamers can entry from the Demo Theater after finishing the sport as soon as on any problem. It is a good function to have that is been current in each version of Snake Eater because the PS2 authentic, nevertheless it requires a bit extra legwork on the a part of the participant than merely hitting a button mid-cutscene a la Energetic Time Lore.
The ultimate confrontation between Naked Snake and The Boss is so wealthy with lore that is essential to the remainder of the Steel Gear Stable sequence that it is nearly overwhelming to take all of it in — details about the Philosophers, their Legacy, The Boss’ determination to defect, and even her familial connection to different essential characters within the recreation. With the ability to not solely pause and get extra information on these matters, but additionally see the connections between them laid naked and have them pinpoint additional studying, would’ve been a pleasant contact to assist elevate Steel Gear Stable Delta to being the “definitive” model of the Steel Gear sequence’ excessive level.
