Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater

GamePro

Snake Eater revives the spirit of the first Solid, with an intriguing scenario, intense action, and a long adventure that stays riveting almost every step of the way--all wrapped in high-gloss cinematic cut-scenes and voice-overs that could have come from any A-action film.

PSM Magazine

Snake Eater has one of the greatest gaggle of villains ever assembled in a game. [Jan 2005, p.60]

Official U.S. Playstation Magazine

The most noteworthy part of the game is easily the end sequence. Without spoiling it, it's a chase that combines elements of MGS, "Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade", "Return of the Jedi", "The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker", and "Ico" into an utterly engrossing and visceral ride.

Gaming Age

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.

GMR Magazine

Culminates in one of the greatest ending sequences in gaming and what's probably the most impressive display of the PlayStation 2's untapped graphical abilities.

Adrenaline Vault

With the radar screen gone and the camouflage index, stamina gauge, inclusive healing system and a whole host of new gadgets in, the series is more tactical than ever.

Cinescape

You might be surprised that this game isn't an Xbox game when you first see it on the TV. It looks great and while it does have some telltale signs of being a PS2 game, it's still absolutely gorgeous.

Play Magazine

The edge-of-your seat action is incredibly intense and perfectly paced. Combined with ties to real-life events, the immersion level is off the charts. [Jan 2005, p.64]

Into Liquid Sky

It takes the quality gameplay from the second game and vastly improves it, while taking the better story pacing from the first game in mind when providing the lengthy tale that really involves the gamer.

Australian GamePro

Marks a return of the series that should thoroughly satisfy fans as well as newcomers and silence the criticism that MGS2 received.

PSX Extreme

The character development...oh, man...the character development is unbelievable. Seeing such fantastic depth in these characters completely blew me away; some of them feel so life-like it's quite frightening.

Gaming Target

Is Metal Gear Solid 3 the best game of the year? Yes. Is Metal Gear Solid 3 the best in its series? No.

Games Radar UK (Pre-2006)

The best of the bunch yet. If you've never indulged in tactical espionage action before, you really have no excuse to let this pass you by. Absolutely vital. [PSM2]

Next Level Gaming

Without a doubt the best Metal Gear Solid game ever made. It also also one of the most beautiful games ever created on the Playstation 2 system.

Game Over Online

Not only is Snake Eater a triumphant return to the PS2, it's perhaps the best installment of the franchise to date. The inclusion of camouflage and greater attention to hand to hand combat via the CQC system are great additions to gameplay.

BonusStage

Except for the slow first few hours of the game and an occasionally annoying camera, MGS 3 is damn near a perfect game.

IGN

This is the best game in the Metal Gear Solid series and it pushes the PS2 just as far as it can go. With a total of 20-25 hours for the first time this provides a fantastic experience that will stimulate multiple parts of your brain and make you feel all fuzzy inside.

eToychest

It has all of the elements of a blockbuster movie mixed with the interactivity of a video game, resulting in an experience that is both invigorating and intriguing. In other words, this is game is a work of art, and needs to be experienced.

PGNx Media

Much like "San Andreas," it doesn't force this stuff on you. It lets you uncover them on your own. It's like having a surprise being unwrapped just a little at a time. This is certainly a much tougher game than the first two and the higher sense of realism plays an important role into that.

GamingTrend

The boss battles, camouflage use, Close Quarters Combat and wound treating are simply revolutionary for this game.

Game Chronicles

A gaming masterpiece. Hideo Kojima infuses a game that is a joy to play with an interesting story, great characters, top-notch visuals, immersive sound, and a great sense of humor.

GameZone

Snake Eater isn't a breakthrough game for PS2 like "Sons of Liberty" was, but the graphics are still jaw-dropping. The lighting, shadow and weapon/explosion effects are unbelievable.

Game Informer

To anyone who thinks that MGS 3 is all about flash and no substance, I say this: You are an idiot. [Jan 2005, p.120]

1UP

If Kojima had you and lost you with 2, then all will be forgiven here; if you don't yet know the joy of the best-executed stealth game in town, then put on your facepaint and get set for a mission that's truly unstinting in its virtues.

Electronic Gaming Monthly

Creepy, creative, and tenacious, the Cobra team outdoes even the wicked Foxhound squad from "MGS" in terms of flat-out coolness. The nerve-racking, ambitious duel against one boss, code-named The End, will likely go down as one of gaming's finest. So will the game itself. [Holiday 2004, p.110]

PALGN

The captivating storyline and uniquely brilliant gameplay make this arguably the best game on the PS2.

GameBiz

The flawless and tense gameplay is held together by an intriguing cinematic storyline complete with twists and themes as well as beautiful graphics, music and sound.

XGP Gaming

Now, don't think it's like The Jungle Book here; this isn't a jungle full of furry critters and swinging apes. In fact, it's quite the opposite.

Inside Gamer Online

The series has been known for extravagant production values, but this one is without a doubt the top of the heap. Graphically, Snake Eater takes everything about "Sons of Liberty" ' which is still to this day one of the best looking Playstation 2 games ' and one-ups it in every way imaginable.

Gamezilla!

A truly good game, mired only by small weakness and as short of a single player game as has been presented before.

Worth Playing

The core gameplay is similar, but the new camouflage and stamina additions require strategic adjustments that perfectly fit the deliberate, tactical feel of the game. It's a beautifully crafted game from every angle.

Pelit (Finland)

With stylish, entertaining and versatile gameplay, great story and excellent pacing this a sneaking mission not to be missed. The camera is often frustratingly clumsy, though. [Mar. 05]

Game Revolution

The result turns what should be an engaging, clever and straightforward story about a super-agent out to save the world into a never-ending, philosophical after-school special. Luckily, the gameplay is still so good that we'll surely forget Kojima's ego and his lack of tact when Snake's next course is served.

Yahoo! Games

For our money, the crown jewel of the bunch is the most atypical boss battle we've seen in a long time -- a long, absorbing, drawn-out, paranoid, grueling sniper duel of attrition, spanning three maps, and requiring all the focus and patience you can muster.

Cheat Code Central

Not only are the character models gorgeously detailed but you'll see everything from coffee cups to magazines lying around some of the rooms not to mention the tall grass that sways in the wind as if every single blade was animated individually.

DarkStation

Combines great stealth action with a superb storyline and excellent visuals.

GamerFeed

Something you look back on and think to yourself "I was lucky to be a part of that experience."

NTSC-uk

It is in the depiction of conflict as a state of being where Kojima wins-out, though, with his character's movements on-screen depicting the strain, horror and (sometimes) glory of war.

Maxim Online

More immersion, more espionage, more metallic gear!

My Gamer

From beginning to end, Snake Eater is hugely enjoyable—putting the PS2 controller down and walking away from the console has never been so difficult.

Thunderbolt

It’s an amazing game, easily one of the finest in the Metal Gear family. Even if this weren’t a MGS game, it would still be one of the greatest currently out on any of the consoles.

Sydney Morning Herald

While convoluted, the story is more approachable than its predecessor, with strong villains, plot twists, humour and much pretentiousness.

Game Power Australia

Clearly, this isn't another shooter which you'll blow through in an action-packed weekend, it's a game all about discovery and patience.

GameSpot AU

An outstanding gaming experience that sucks you into its expansive storyline.

netjak

When all is said and done, Snake Eater achieves what no other game can on such a level: complete immersion into an action-driven interactive movie.

AltGaming

There has never been, and will not be for a long time a more convincing and immersive game released.

RewiredMind

Snake Eater just pips "Resident Evil 4" when it comes to boss battles, with Konami's title boasting some of the finest boss confrontations since the first PlayStation Metal Gear Solid; we’re talking Psycho Mantis territory now people, for inventiveness, sheer scope and fun.

Computer and Video Games

Perhaps Snake Eater's greatest achievement for games in general is this: it makes it very clear that making an organic environment like a jungle is not merely a case of changing colours, textures and maps. It's a lush, chaotic place out there in the real, natural world, and computers are just at the very edge of starting to replicate what that's like. Snake Eater does it so much better than anyone else. [PSW]

Boomtown

Certainly not perfect, but it provides an unrivalled single player experience.

GameSpy

While some serious camera and less serious interface problems keep it from perfection, Snake Eater is both an exciting return to form and the most successful fusion yet of video games with Hollywood-style storytelling.

TotalGames.net

We'd like to say that Metal Gear Solid 3 is on a par with the original PSone game and in many ways it's much better, but it also feels like it has been left behind in some fundamental areas by the likes of "Splinter Cell."

GameSpot

The mechanics of Metal Gear Solid 3 can be just as confounding as the storyline--but also just as rewarding, especially once you reach some of the game's memorable, dramatic confrontations. In short, this is a great game that embodies both the impressive style and the one-of-a-kind spirit of its predecessors.

GameCritics

Kojima is both retro and eccentric, and unless you're willing to accept that, his work won't fly for you. But if you are, if you are on his wave-length and able to appreciate all the witty touches that make his games sing, his work becomes rewarding in ways almost no other games are.

Console Gameworld

While Snake Eater is still highly cinematic in it's presentation and design, it's based on a bad movie. To paraphrase from the Indiana Jones films: you'll beat it, kid, but that doesn't mean you have to like it.

Eurogamer

Only poor pacing early on, a frustrating mechanical legacy and a sense that Konami still hasn't quite cracked the union of storytelling and gameplay prevent this scoring higher.

PSX Nation

The shortness of the experience, reliance on a barely-improved gameplay formula, melodramatic storyline twists and stepped-up quality of its competitors (particularly Sam Fisher's "Splinter Cell" games from Ubi Soft) prevent us from scoring Snake Eater higher.

G4 TV

With some weapons, like the sniper rifle, you can't move at all if it's equipped. This is all the more frustrating after playing games like "Splinter Cell" where it's pulled off with aplomb.

The New York Times

Wonderfully detailed and imaginative, Snake Eater can also be extremely frustrating.

Edge Magazine

It’s the most loveable, exasperating, unhinged, pretentious, ambitious, gorgeous, funny, tedious, thrilling, subversive and just plain silly Metal Gear yet. It’s the most Metal Gear Metal Gear yet, a franchise turned in on itself, a snake eating its own tail. It’s perversely wonderful. [Jan 2005, p.80]

games(TM)

While certain recent games handle storytelling better than this, there remains a certain charm and magic about Snake Eater that just can't be found in titles without Kojima's Midas touch. It's a game that nobody else would dare make and that works for and against it.

GameShark

With Snake Eater’s few flaws, awkward camera and ludicrously long cut scenes, the new features added to this chapter of the series with the camouflage and the need to eat does give the game a little more depth to help make up for the shortcomings.

Gamer.tv

Has the right balance between beautifully-cinematic storytelling and thrilling gameplay.

Total Video Games

A lot of the new features fail to add anything of any substantial merit and actually continue to break up the experience, whilst the jungle location is certainly a required taste.

AceGamez

An unwieldy control system and restrictive camera view initially frustrate, but once you are used to it a whole world of deep and engaging gameplay opens up.

VideoGamesLife

Continued innovation combined with respect for the series’ heritage means Solid Snake fans have yet more hours to wile away in Kojima’s land of deception and false-truths, but many are likely to be left scratching their heads at an even more frequent rate than at the release of Sons of Liberty four years ago.

Gamestyle

There's little point in buying this version. Gamestyle recommends either waiting for the upgrade or renting this for a solid weekend of tactical espionage action.

RealGamer

Simply, "Metal Gear Solid" was a slice of videogame perfection, "Metal Gear Solid 2" was too similar to its predecessor, and Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater has tried to shake things up a little, admirably so, but has been a little too revolutionary in the process.

Detroit Free Press

Not since the movie "Rambo 3" have we seen such cheesy dialogue and a storyline so over the top that it can be comical. That's fitting because the plot also borrows heavily from "Rambo 3," or at least the worst parts of it.