Metal Gear Solid: Snake Eater has brought the beloved franchise back into the spotlight, and fans are now wondering what’s next.
But here’s the thing – making a remake of Metal Gear Solid 4 isn’t going to be simple for Konami.
Why? Well, Hideo Kojima isn’t involved anymore, and since Metal Gear’s DNA is so deeply connected to Kojima’s creative vision, any new game without him is bound to face some serious reviews from fans.
It’s a tricky spot to be in, and even remaking older games comes with its own set of problems.
Why Metal Gear Solid 4 won’t be easy to Remake
In a conversation with the Japanese outlet Real Sound, Metal Gear Solid producer Noriaki Okamura discussed the issues faced during the initial remake of Metal Gear Solid 4.
Okamura pointed out that “MGS4’s code ended up being quite unconventional,” due to the PS3 era.
If you remember the PS3 era, Sony’s console had this weird and powerful cell architecture that developers struggled with. Games built exclusively for PS3 often ended up with code that’s a nightmare to work with years later. This makes creating a modern remake or even a simple re-release incredibly complicated.
This isn’t unusual for PS3 games, honestly. Many exclusives from that generation are stuck in a digital prison because of how they were built. It’s why we don’t see more PS3 remasters compared to games from other consoles.
Issues due to earlier Games
If Metal Gear Solid 4 is too difficult to tackle, Konami could go backward instead. Metal Gear Solid 1 and 2 are still sitting there, waiting for potential remakes.
But those games have their own hurdles to clear. Both of the first two games used a top-down camera angle, similar to Snake Eater’s original release. However, they never got the third-person camera treatment like Metal Gear Solid 3: Subsistence did. But the remake did lay the groundwork for Delta: Snake Eater’s approach.
The early games focused a lot on tight indoor spaces, narrow corridors, and industrial settings. These environments might not work as well when converted to modern era games.
Konami Is taking his Time
Okamura went on to add that Konami is still thinking about what to make next.
As the team wants to ride the wave of momentum from Delta: Snake Eater, but they understand that what worked for that game won’t necessarily work for others.
Whether the next project will be another remake or something entirely new is still up in the air. Okamura made it clear that “applying the same methodology” from Delta wouldn’t be the right move for other titles in the series. Each game has its own identity and technical requirements.
The Franchise Needs Careful Handling
There’s a valid debate about whether Metal Gear Solid should even continue without Kojima. His fingerprints are all over this series – the quirky humor, the philosophical themes, the unexpected moments that break the fourth wall. That’s hard to replicate.
But if Konami is determined to move forward, at least they’re not treating it like a factory assembly line. Metal Gear has always been weird, creative, and unpredictable. A cookie-cutter approach would kill everything that makes these games special, and Okamura clearly gets that.
Learning from Past Mistakes
Let’s not forget Metal Gear Survive – Konami’s first attempt at a post-Kojima Metal Gear game. That was pretty rough how it went.
The survival game with zombies felt nothing like Metal Gear and was widely panned by fans and critics alike. It’s the perfect example of what not to do with this franchise.
The series has had successful spin-offs before, though. Games like Metal Gear Acid on the PSP and the Game Boy Color’s Metal Gear Solid (called Ghost Babel in Japan) managed to capture what made Metal Gear special while trying something different.
