Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater
Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater is the prequel to the entire Metal Gear series. Most of the series' defining gameplay elements have been carried over and as before, Snake must use stealth and wits rather than brute force to infiltrate enemy zones and eliminate his major adversaries. Unlike the previous games, this installment takes place in a large outdoor jungle. Snake is able to use camouflage, climb trees, hide in tall grass or wear clothes that make him less noticeable.
Kojima's masterpiece, with a final hour that still hits like a truck.Kit · Sadkitty Games
Loved
- Deep stealth with camo, food and injuries
- Unforgettable boss fights
- Moving story and Bond-style theme song
Not so much
- Original camera is awkward without Subsistence
- Menu juggling for camo and healing gets fiddly
Play it if stealth fans and anyone who loves a big, cinematic, strange story.
Skip it if players who hate long cutscenes and radio chatter.
No cheat codes
Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater doesn't have cheat codes. The tips and secrets below are the next best thing.
Play it better
- Watch the camo index and swap uniform and face paint to suit each area, since a high number makes you nearly invisible.
- Eat to keep stamina up, because low stamina ruins your aim and stops healing.
- Use the Cure menu to treat wounds properly, like removing bullets and bandaging cuts.
- Learn CQC to grab, interrogate and throw guards silently.
- Beat each boss by draining their stamina instead of their health to earn their unique camouflage.
- Capture animals alive and keep them in your pack, because fresh food lasts longer and some foods spoil.
Hidden in plain sight
Tap a secret to reveal it.
Trivia
- The Subsistence re-release added a free 3D camera, a long-requested fix.
- The opening theme 'Snake Eater' is a deliberate homage to classic James Bond title songs.
- It's a prequel set decades before the original Metal Gear.
- A full remake, Metal Gear Solid Delta: Snake Eater, came out in 2025.
