METAL GEAR SOLID 3: Snake Eater - Master Collection Version

82%
Game Brain Score Based on 1,846 reviews
  • story
  • gameplay
  • graphics
METAL GEAR SOLID 3: Snake Eater - Master Collection Version Game Cover
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"Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater - Master Collection Version" is a stealth game that follows the origin story of Naked Snake and The Boss. The game takes place in a jungle environment where Snake must use camouflage and the surroundings to his advantage. New action elements include capturing animals for food and regaining stamina, as well as a combat system based on martial arts. The game has also received updates for improved gameplay and additional settings.

Play Modes

Reviews

82%
Audience ScoreBased on 1,846 reviews
story86 positive mentions
stability23 negative mentions
  • Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater is a masterpiece with an incredible story and engaging gameplay.
  • The game offers a unique blend of stealth and survival mechanics, making it a standout in the series.
  • Despite the port's issues, the core experience of MGS3 remains intact and enjoyable for both new and returning players.
  • The port is a lazy adaptation of the HD collection, locked at 720p with no options for resolution or graphical settings.
  • Keyboard and mouse controls are poorly implemented, making gameplay frustrating for those not using a controller.
  • Audio quality is inconsistent, with many players experiencing issues such as loud and distorted sound during cutscenes.
  • story219 mentions

    The story of "Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater" is widely praised for its intricate narrative, emotional depth, and cinematic presentation, often likened to a thrilling Cold War espionage film. Players are drawn into the origin story of Big Boss, exploring themes of loyalty, sacrifice, and the complexities of war through well-developed characters and unexpected plot twists. Despite some criticism regarding pacing and control mechanics, the storytelling is considered a standout feature that elevates the game to a masterpiece in the stealth genre.

    • “The story is fantastic as always and feels like playing through an action flick.”
    • “The story is engaging, extremely emotional, yet also hilarious at times.”
    • “Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater is not just a game; it's an experience that has set the standard for storytelling, gameplay innovation, and emotional depth in the gaming industry.”
    • “The gameplay systems are weird and fun to play around, the characters are over the top, the story is complex, convoluted, and the stakes are omega-high.”
    • “While on the surface the game seems like just another military shooter with a white guy saving the day, what it actually ends up being is an intricate story involving many different characters with motivations that all intertwine with one another.”
    • “I feel like this is objectively the best of the three games in the master collection, with the caveat that I actually think it has the worst opening ~2 hours of any of them - I won't go into details (for spoiler reasons), but a big element is there's just so little gameplay and so many cutscenes in the first part of the game as it's setting up the story, and it can be a little bit frustrating to sit through it all.”
  • gameplay150 mentions

    The gameplay of Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater is widely praised for its innovative mechanics, engaging stealth-action elements, and immersive survival features, making it a standout in the series. While some players note that the controls feel dated and can be clunky, the depth of gameplay and variety of approaches to challenges provide a rewarding experience. Overall, the game combines a rich narrative with gameplay that encourages exploration and experimentation, solidifying its status as a classic in the stealth genre.

    • “It's gameplay is innovative and immersive.”
    • “The gameplay remains engaging even two decades after release, and although some of it, like the first-person shooting mechanics, is undeniably janky, plenty of the game's best parts, such as the stealth and camouflage mechanics, the survival aspect that has Snake catch and eat animals to live, and the CQC techniques all take center stage as my most treasured parts of MGS3.”
    • “Metal Gear Solid 3 may just be the greatest stealth game ever made, from both a gameplay and story perspective.”
    • “MGS3 has the worst stealth mechanics and level design of all.”
    • “All stealth mechanics feel off; not sure how to describe, but it just doesn't work.”
    • “The gameplay is probably the most divisive part of the game.”
  • graphics102 mentions

    The graphics of the game have received mixed reviews, with many players noting that while the visuals were impressive for their time, they now feel dated and lack modern graphical options. Users have expressed frustration over the absence of adjustable settings, resulting in a locked 720p resolution and various graphical glitches, although some mods can enhance the experience. Overall, while the game retains a certain aesthetic charm, it falls short of contemporary standards, leading to disappointment among those expecting a more polished remaster.

    • “For its time, Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater pushed the boundaries of what was graphically possible on the PlayStation 2.”
    • “The graphics are excellent for a 2004 game, and the lush Russian jungle environments are teeming with beautiful flora, fauna, and vegetation, all of which gives a sincere feeling of life to the world.”
    • “Overall, I would highly recommend this game if you are at all interested in the MGS universe or stealth gameplay, and are willing to suffer a bit from dated mechanics, controls, and graphics.”
    • “The port is not optimized for running on PC, which leads to so many graphical problems that the game is next to unplayable without a vomit bag.”
    • “The fact that I have to download graphics upscale mods just to unlock 720p in 2023 is insane, plus no Vsync so my eyes bleed every time I turn because I have ghosting on all the textures and trees.”
    • “There are literally no graphic options or anything of any kind as well.”
  • music42 mentions

    The music in Metal Gear Solid 3 is widely praised for its exceptional quality, with the iconic title track "Snake Eater" and a score by Harry Gregson-Williams that enhances the game's atmosphere and narrative. Players appreciate the soundtrack's ability to complement the game's themes and emotional depth, although some have noted issues with audio quality and mixing. Overall, the music is considered a standout feature, contributing significantly to the game's immersive experience.

    • “The music hit so well with 'Snake Eater' becoming an instant favorite.”
    • “The game’s score, composed by Harry Gregson-Williams, perfectly complements the atmosphere, with the title track 'Snake Eater' becoming an iconic piece of gaming music.”
    • “Oh and the music sounds so sophisticated and classy, very James Bond-like, adding to the cinematic feel of the narrative, what a thrill :)”
    • “For some reason they changed how the music activates in the ladder scene.”
    • “But during the majority of the game, no music is heard except for bosses and alerts.”
    • “They messed up the quality on the intro; now the song sounds crusty.”
  • stability36 mentions

    Overall, the stability of the game varies among users, with many reporting smooth performance and minimal bugs, particularly on the Steam Deck, where it runs well at 60 fps. However, some players have encountered issues such as freezing, audio glitches, and minor graphical bugs, especially in larger areas or during specific scenes. While the port has its flaws, many agree that it is still a solid experience with manageable troubleshooting for those willing to make adjustments.

    • “Very good game, runs great on Steam Deck except for a few hiccups in larger areas, but otherwise smooth 95% of the time.”
    • “The game runs great, and I've experienced virtually no bugs thus far.”
    • “I don't see why people are complaining about it; the game runs great, looks great, and they fixed a lot of things like frame drops in specific parts that were in the HD collection.”
    • “For some reason they changed the controls to be worse when trying to aim weapons or use them in first person view, the launcher is unreliable and freezes on launch about half the time, and for some reason they changed how the music activates in the ladder scene.”
    • “The game is good but the way Konami went about porting it is so horrible; on top of that, it runs poorly on the deck (it's a PS2 game), it crashes for unknown reasons, and freezes my controller randomly.”
    • “At the time of writing this, the port is still a bit buggy.”
  • optimization31 mentions

    The optimization of the game has received mixed reviews, with some players noting significant performance issues, particularly on PC, where it can be poorly optimized and laggy. However, others have reported improvements over previous versions, achieving stable frame rates and decent performance, especially in 4K. Overall, while the game runs better than its PS2 counterpart for some, it still suffers from various graphical and control issues that detract from the experience.

    • “However, since it is running natively on PC, the performance is much better, and with just a few mods, the resolution can be increased with better textures and audio.”
    • “The load times are near instant, the game looks excellent, has near perfect performance, and a ton of mods are coming to add new stuff to the game.”
    • “Overall, if you're a big MGS fan, always wanted these games on PC, and wanted better performance over the consoles, this is a buy!”
    • “Not optimized at all, sorry.”
    • “A $20 unoptimized port that runs at 17 fps.”
    • “This game is broken, poorly optimized, and unfinished.”
  • monetization20 mentions

    The monetization aspect of the Metal Gear Solid 3 port has been overwhelmingly criticized as a blatant cash grab by Konami, with reviewers highlighting the lack of effort in improving the game and the presence of numerous technical issues. Many feel that the release preys on the nostalgia of dedicated fans without delivering a quality experience, leading to a consensus that the game is not worth its full price. Overall, the sentiment reflects disappointment in Konami's approach to monetizing a beloved classic.

    • “I truly believe this was a cash grab of a port on Konami's part, and a slap in the face to Kojima's masterpiece of a game.”
    • “Konami definitely took the laziest and easiest route in releasing this game, to the point that it definitely feels like a cash grab and nothing else.”
    • “Complete cash grab port with literally no effort and should be pulled from Steam.”
  • emotional17 mentions

    Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater is widely praised for its profound emotional depth, driven by the complex relationship between Naked Snake and his mentor, The Boss. Players report experiencing a range of emotions, from joy to sorrow, with many highlighting the game's ability to evoke tears through its engaging narrative and memorable voice acting. The blend of heartfelt moments, humor, and innovative gameplay creates a compelling experience that resonates deeply with players, setting a high standard for emotional storytelling in gaming.

    • “Naked Snake's mentor, The Boss, serves as both a guiding light and a haunting presence, her complex relationship with Snake forming the emotional core of the story.”
    • “Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater is not just a game; it's an experience that has set the standard for storytelling, gameplay innovation, and emotional depth in the gaming industry.”
    • “The storytelling maintains an impeccable cadence; wholeheartedly recommended from its enthralling and emotionally resonant commencement to the poignant and melancholic conclusion.”
  • replayability11 mentions

    The game boasts high replayability due to its engaging story, diverse gameplay mechanics, and the opportunity to earn special items and titles through various playthroughs. Players can enjoy multiple runs by experimenting with different strategies and playstyles, although unskippable credits and excessive dialogue may detract from the experience. Overall, it offers a rich and enjoyable experience that encourages repeated play.

    • “The replay value lies with earning 'special items' as well as different 'ranks' (technically they're called titles) given to you at the end of each playthrough, depending on having met certain requirements within said playthrough like getting a certain amount of kills, how many times you were spotted, etc. On a fairly optimized run (and with enough skills, of course), the game can easily be beaten in under 2 hours (if you skip the cutscenes).”
    • “Featuring a legendary story with stellar presentation, complex yet intuitive game design, and a very high replay value.”
    • “Overall a great game with extremely high replayability, a lot of fun when playing to release stress, since you can do so much that other action or semi open-world games could not offer.”
    • “Unskippable ending credits and too much codec dialogue to skip hurts replayability.”
    • “The replayability is high just like most Metal Gear games, to collect all special items, going after Kerotan and all animals, finding all the little side areas and hidden items to collect, to mess with guards in different ways in different sections, to earn different end game codenames.”
    • “The replay value lies with earning 'special items' as well as different 'ranks' (technically they're called titles) given to you at the end of each playthrough, depending on having met certain requirements within said playthrough like getting a certain amount of kills, how many times you were spotted, etc. On a fairly optimized run (and with enough skills, of course) the game can easily be beaten in under 2 hours (if you skip the cutscenes).”
  • humor10 mentions

    The humor in the game is frequently highlighted as a standout feature, with players noting its ability to blend emotional storytelling with comedic moments. Many reviews appreciate the clever writing and character interactions that provide levity amidst intense gameplay, while some critiques point to the overuse of stock sound effects as unintentionally amusing. Overall, the game is recognized for its engaging humor that enhances the overall experience.

    • “The story is engaging, extremely emotional, yet also hilarious at times.”
    • “This is one of the Metal Gear games with the best writing for sure, as well as enough humorous moments to break the exhilarating tension.”
    • “The story is presented absolutely masterfully, the stealth gameplay is fun and engaging without being hand-holdy, the characters are all really well-written, and the game is extremely funny.”
  • atmosphere9 mentions

    The atmosphere of the game is widely praised for its immersive storytelling, stunning visuals, and iconic soundtrack, particularly the "Snake Eater" theme, which enhances the overall experience. Players appreciate the blend of jungle and industrial settings that create a rich and engaging environment, although some feel that certain sections could benefit from a spookier tone. Overall, the game's atmosphere is considered a standout feature that significantly contributes to its status as a masterpiece in the action-adventure genre.

    • “The game’s score, composed by Harry Gregson-Williams, perfectly complements the atmosphere, with the title track 'Snake Eater' becoming an iconic piece of gaming music.”
    • “Its blend of storytelling, gameplay innovation, and atmospheric design set new standards for action-adventure games.”
    • “The story, gameplay, and atmosphere of this game is top notch and definitely worth experiencing, no matter the system you play it on.”
    • “It would be so much more effective if that section had a spookier atmosphere.”
  • grinding9 mentions

    Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be tedious and time-consuming, often requiring excessive effort to progress. While some mechanics, like the camouflage system, offer a refreshing change, they can also contribute to the overall sense of monotony. Overall, the game is seen as needing significant time investment, which may deter some players.

    • “You'll need a second life for grinding.”
    • “The somewhat implemented inventory in this game is just tedious.”
    • “For those who never got to play it on PS3, it's a good game but it definitely shows its age; also, from the MGS series, this one is too cinematic, tedious, and short.”
  • character development1 mentions

    Players appreciate the deep character development and unexpected plot twists, which effectively maintain engagement throughout the game's narrative.

    • “The deep character development and unexpected plot twists keep players engaged throughout the journey.”
    • “Each character evolves in a way that feels authentic, making their journeys relatable and impactful.”
    • “The choices you make truly shape the characters, leading to a rich and immersive storytelling experience.”
Positive mentions (%)Positive
Neutral mentions (%)Neutral
Negative mentions (%)Negative

Buy METAL GEAR SOLID 3: Snake Eater - Master Collection Version

Play time

5hMedian play time
7hAverage play time
3-15hSpent by most gamers
*Based on 4 analyzed playthroughs

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