Metal Gear Solid Delta: Snake Eater gives players the option to choose between modernized and classic control schemes. This is supposed to appeal to both new players and longtime fans of the series.
The decision to include legacy controls in the remake comes from a desire to stay true to the original Metal Gear Solid 3 experience. Konami, working with Virtuos, has focused on keeping the feel of the original game, and this includes how players control the game.
How Do Legacy Controls Work in Metal Gear Solid Delta?
If players select the legacy control scheme in Metal Gear Solid Delta: Snake Eater, they will use a control layout similar to the 2004 version of Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater. This includes the classic overhead camera view, which shows the environment from a top-down perspective, unlike the newer over-the-shoulder camera angle in the modern control scheme. This difference in camera angle changes how the game plays, forcing players to adjust to a narrower field of vision and think carefully about their movements.
The legacy controls do more than just change the camera angle; they also affect how the game mechanics work. Movement, aiming, and combat all feel different with the classic control scheme. Players should expect some clunkiness and heaviness, which reflects the technical limits of the original PlayStation 2 era. However, this is not necessarily a bad thing, as it adds to the authentic, nostalgic experience many players want.
The focus on slow, deliberate actions and tactical planning, rather than fast, reaction-based gameplay, encourages players to think before they move, carefully considering how to handle each situation. The legacy controls in Metal Gear Solid Delta are a big choice for players. It is a deliberate decision to accept a more difficult, sometimes less intuitive control style for the sake of staying true to the original game.
Are Legacy Controls Like the Old Way of Playing?
The “Legacy Style” controls in Metal Gear Solid Delta: Snake Eater are designed to closely match the experience of playing the original Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater. This is a central part of Konami’s strategy, meant to please longtime fans who value the original game’s unique feel and gameplay mechanics.
Specifically, the Legacy Style reintroduces the overhead camera angle, a feature that calls back to the 2004 release. This viewpoint gives players a wider view of their surroundings but requires a different approach to stealth and movement compared to the more modern over-the-shoulder camera found in the “New Style.”
Along with the camera angle, the control setup is also adjusted to match the original. This means actions are assigned to buttons in a way that will feel familiar to those who played the game on the PlayStation 2, which significantly changes how the game feels. For instance, it affects how players move and aim.
Do I Have to Use Legacy Controls?
No, you are not required to use Legacy Controls in Metal Gear Solid Delta: Snake Eater. The game provides a choice between modernized controls, similar to those found in current action games, and the legacy controls, which maintain the weight and feel of the original.
You can also select between an over-the-shoulder camera view, which aligns with the perspective used in the Silent Hill 2 remake, or the classic top-down camera angles that were a defining feature of older Metal Gear games.
What Is the Difference Between Legacy Controls and Regular Controls in Metal Gear Solid Delta?
The “Legacy Style” control scheme is meant to recreate the feel of the original game as closely as possible, including the fixed overhead camera angles that were a key part of the classic Metal Gear experience. This means players will move using the older tank-style controls, where direction is based on the character’s facing, and actions like aiming and shooting may feel less smooth compared to today’s games.
This mode is meant to bring back nostalgia and deliver an exact recreation of the original gameplay, even down to the way jungle areas transition in and out just like they did in 2004. For players who want something more in line with modern games, Metal Gear Solid Delta also offers a “New Style” control scheme. This option features a third-person, over-the-shoulder camera view, similar to what was added in later versions like Metal Gear Solid 3: Subsistence and the HD Edition.
Beyond the camera changes, the “New Style” controls also include other modern improvements, like the ability to crouch-walk and aim weapons more precisely. It’s something you’d expect from Metal Gear Solid 5. However, the game seems faithful to the original story.
Why Did MGS Delta Change the Controls?
Metal Gear Solid Delta: Snake Eater’s control scheme is a response to how outdated the old system has gotten. While some people do like the older version, it just doesn’t hold up anymore.
Konami knows that the original Metal Gear Solid 3’s control scheme, while innovative for its time, could feel clunky or outdated to gamers accustomed to modern third-person action titles. Therefore, Metal Gear Solid Delta: Snake Eater has two distinct control options of “Legacy Style” and “New Style.”
