While Metal Gear Solid Delta aims to evoke fond memories of the original Snake Eater, series producer Noriaki Okamura wants to make sure it doesn't play like a 20-year-old game.
Initially, Okamura believed that all the game needed was a graphical upgrade, but upon viewing it with more modern visuals, the team noticed that “some elements don't mesh well with the new graphics.” For Okamura, simply modernizing the graphics risks losing some of the feel of the original game, and he wants players to feel that while the visuals are new, it's still the same game they remember.
One area that also needs an update in Okamura's eyes is the game's controls. The classic control layouts will still be available for those who want to use them, but a 'new type' control system brings the game more in line with recent entries in the series. The goal, in short, is to make Delta feel like older fans “remembered him, but so he doesn't feel old and clumsy,” allowing players to control Snake much more fluidly than in the original game.
“We didn't want to make any unnecessary changes that would take people away from that experience.” explains Okamura, “But at the same time, we have to make sure that when people play it, they don't feel old, like they're playing an old game. [We’re] “Making sure that when you play this game, it's on par with some of the more modern games in terms of controls and without taking you out of the experience.”
While the MGS Delta revamp is no doubt aimed at making the game more accessible to both new and returning players, it's clear that Okamura cares about the game's original fans. “The best result for this is that [long-term fans] “I still feel nostalgic.”
See what we think about Snake's step back in time with our Metal Gear Solid Delta Preview.