TheMetal Gear Solidfranchise is beloved by many, as it is one of the most influential series in the stealth genre. While the originalMetal Gearreleased in 1987,Metal Gear Solidproper released in 1998, and that may be when the franchise truly took off. Now, over twenty years later, rumors are swirling that a remake of the originalMetal Gear Solidis on the way.
While the leaks and whispers have come in waves, the most recent example of the return of Solid Snake is from voice actorDavid Hayter who think that aMetal Gear Solidremake is happening. While not full-proof evidence, the voice of Snake himself believing it’s a legitimate possibility aids the credibility of what is, more or less, rumor at this point.
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If indeed aMetal Gear Solidremake is happening, there are two different routes the game could take. The remake could be true to the original with a fixed camera angle, opting to be a more conservative remake in terms of content. Or it could be a game that takes an immersive approach from a third-person perspective, much likeMetal Gear Solid 5: Phantom Painand the other more recent titles. This idea would be one that overhauls the experience for a more modern audience, like thesuccessful and appreciatedResident Evil 2remake.
The Classic Metal Gear Solid Route
There is something to be said about the purity of the originalMetal GearSolid, andMetal Gear Solid 2for that matter. While the freedom and immersion of the third-person perspective is very much appreciated with Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eaterand beyond, the experience of those first two games is something that cannot be denied. There is a reason why many believed thatthe first twoMetal Gear Solidgames are the best, so it is reasonable to remakeMetal Gear Solidand retain that fixed camera angle perspective.
Keeping the perspective from the original would allow the developer to focus on the purity ofMetal Gear Solid. While fans love to play 3DSuper Mariogames, for example, there was an extreme fascination and awe whenNintendo introduced 2DNew Super Mario Bros.on the DSback in 2006 with a return to its Mushroom Kingdom roots.Metal Gear Solidshifted to an entirely different feeling experience with its third-person perspective and likely for the better with later entries. But for the original to be brought back, keeping the game exactly how it was may prove to be the safest bet for fans.
At first blush, it would appear thatMetal Gear Solidwould be more of a remaster than a remake if it would retain the classic camera angle. However, if the game were to keep its old perspective, it could still be completely overhauled and utilize new technologies. The game could have lightning-fast reloads, seamless transitions, 4K resolutions, extremely high-frame rates, ray-tracing, and more.
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Remaking and Overhauling the Original Metal Gear Solid into Modern Times
The option that likely would take more work would be a remake from the ground up. This would be built around the idea of bringing the originalMetal Gear Solidinto the era of modern video games, and therefore very much feeling like theMetal Gear Solid 5: Phantom Pain.
While there is no denying that the first twoMetal Gear Solidgames are enjoyable, the games almost “leveled up” beginning with theS-Tier levelMetal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater. Players had to manage their first aid, hunger level, and change clothing for camouflage and stealth, while all of this was done in a gorgeous 3D jungle landscape from a third-person perspective.
There are rumors thatBluepoint Games is remakingMetal Gear Solid, and the developer could certainly be up for the task. Based on its previous body of work, a third-person perspective Solid Snake adventure seems perfect. The developer is also one that often utilizes technology to its full extent, so a remake could be one that brings the gameplay to the modern era in a variety of ways.
Many do believe thatBluepoint is the perfect studio for aMetal Gear Solidremake, as it has worked on the likes of theDemon’s Soul Remake. However, the task set before Bluepoint withMetal Gear Solidwould be quite a unique one, and it would need to draw inspiration from other games to get it right.
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Recent Remake Examples to Draw Inspiration From
The gap between the PlayStation 3 version ofDemon’s Souls(2009) and its remake (2020) was just 11 years, which is much less than the ongoing 23 years sinceMetal Gear Solid’s release. TheDemon’s Soulsremakedid not see a drastic overhaul in terms of gameplay or perspective. Instead, Bluepoint updated the game with significantly improved graphics, a few updated features, and more.
WhatMetal Gear Soliddeserves and could see is something along the lines of what theResident Evil 2 and 3remakes, or whatFinal Fantasy 7was just treated with. Games from an entirely different era that are remade need to be recreated from the ground up, and these examples exemplify this.
While remakes likeCrash Bandicoot N. Sane TrilogyorTony Hawk’s Pro Skater 1 + 2may be great, the core gameplay remains the same, but the overall presentation is updated. Nintendo’sThe Legend Of Zelda: Link’s Awakeningis an example of a game that received an entirely new fresh set of paint with its remake.
In many ways, this would be an example of the “first route/option” for aMetal Gear Solidremake, as it would maintain its same perspective but receive updated visuals, smooth transitions, new features, and more. But ifThe Legend Of Zelda: Link’s Awakeningwere to have been released withThe Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wildengine, for example, that would have been rather groundbreaking. That is the idea of what a remake of Solid Snake’s first PlayStation game could really be (the second route/option). There areplenty of studios that could remakeMetal Gear Solid, but whatever route is taken, Solid Snake deserves the best.
