Metal Gear Solid: Snake Eater 3D (2012)

The original is one of my favorite games and this version is a really solid way to play it. I'd still recommend the original, but this version has nice additions that make it stand out.

• So many mechanics were added. Crouch walking, walking while aiming, 3 aiming options (auto, first person, third person).
• Added options for item cycling. You aren't stuck to just toggle, you can use 3 item switching like in later games.
• Able to unlock multiple titles per playthrough + hints on how to get each title
• Makes great use of the second screen by having the map always be displayed.
• Can't confirm this, but it feels like they built new assets just for this version, which looks great. I feel like they improved the caves after the Ocelot fight because it seemed easier to see than in the original game.

• Small screen size. It's hard to get used to not being able to see as much as you normally would.
• Added motion controls. I really didn't need to use motion controls to walk over rope bridges.
• Controls feel a bit unresponsive and can be a bit hard to get used to if you're used to the original version. It can also be tedious to have to use the touch screen to control zoom and toggle silencers.

This is almost the definitive way to play the game. If this were made on a console instead of the 3DS, this probably would have been my favorite way to play this game.

Metal Gear Solid 3 is a gaming shame for me for two reasons:

1. I've been meaning to give the Metal Gear series a second chance after dropping it with MGS2.
2. My wife bought me a copy of this game on 3DS back in 2012, and I still haven't touched it.

With my shiny new Nintendo Switch rapidly making my 3DS and Wii U obsolete, I figured there was no time like now to finally dig into this portable Cold War mission. Here are my thoughts now that I'm about half-way through the game:

• I'm kind of amazed that my original 3DS is capable of running a PS2 game so well. While the size and resolution of the 3DS screen do leave something to be desired, I can't help but be impressed with how good this game looks and sounds in spite of hardware limitations.

• It's immediately apparent that MGS3 was meant to be played with dual analog control, but unfortunately, since I don't have a Circle Pad Pro or a New 3DS, I'm stuck with having to use the ABXY buttons to aim. This set-up is definitely not as fast and accurate as I would like, but I'm managing to make it work.

• To compensate for the less-than-ideal controls, I decided to power through this game on easy mode. This way Snake can survive taking a few hits while I take a little more time to line up my shots.

• I forgot how loaded with dialog and cutscenes Metal Gear games are. The beginning few hours of the game probably contains more cutscene time than actual gameplay time. On the PS2 this was probably fine, but on 3DS I'm keenly aware of how much time I'm spending just staring at these lengthy non-interactive scenes.

• The juxtaposition of serious political themes and wacky over-the-top characters is really bizarre. In one moment, the game is covering the effects of the Cuban Missle Crisis on US-Russian relations, in the next, I'm in a boss battle with a man that shoots "bullet bees" out of his mouth.

• The inclusion of the blatantly James Bond-inspired opening theme song "Snake Eater" is incredibly corny, but I kind of like it anyway.

While returning to the 3DS in a post-Switch world hasn't been easy, I've been mostly enjoying my time with MGS3. The convenience of playing this game on a device that I can easily toss into my lunchbox without a case means I can work gameplay sessions into small gaps in my schedule without much pre-planning. The only downside is due to the verbose nature of Kojima games, I've spent many of my lunch breaks just watching 30-minute long cutscenes. At my current rate of progress, I'll probably be finishing up Metal Gear Solid 3 and writing my review within the next 2 weeks.

For more content like this, check out my blog: Tales from the Backlog