Video game remakes are a tricky business. While many have been well-received in recent years, faithfulness to the source material is always the subject of significant debate.
From the moment of Metal Gear Solid Δ: Snake Eater‘s reveal, fans have questioned how it will turn out. The original title – first released in 2004 on the PlayStation 2 – is widely considered to be one the greatest video games ever made and its success was primarily attributed to the vision of its creator and director Hideo Kojima.
Kojima – who split from publisher Konami in 2015 following the completion of Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain – is not involved with the upcoming MGS3 remake. As a result, some dismissed it as a mere cash grab that was destined to disappoint.
But as more of the game is revealed, optimism appears to be growing. It looks utterly stunning and resoundingly faithful. The release of its jaw-dropping story trailer showcased incredible environments and highly detailed character models.
One of these was The Boss, the primary antagonist of Metal Gear Solid 3. As many fans rightly pointed out, she looks different. But she also looks perfect.
Previously, The Boss was hard-faced but conventionally attractive. Hideo Kojima and his team were no doubt limited by the technological capabilities of the time and unable to capture more subtle facial details.
In 2024 with Unreal Engine 5, such limitations no longer exist. The Boss now resembles a war-weary former soldier who has suffered countless traumas and is faced with impossible moral choices. Her face remains hardened and stoic but is grounded in a realism her original model was unable to portray.
She also exhibits a thousand-yard stare that is fitting of a soldier who has experienced numerous conflicts, the Normandy landings, and even child birth on the battlefield. While her appearance is arguably more plain, it is richly detailed in its subtleties.
Naturally, Metal Gear fans on social media are at odds over The Boss’ new appearance. Over on Reddit, initial reactions have been largely positive. One user commented: “I think they did a phenomenal job portraying sadness in her eyes.”
Another simply said: “Yeah, they nailed it.” u/CableNo6838 explained that they were “even more impressed” after seeing a side-by-side comparison of her original and new model, concluding that The Boss’ redesigned look “definitely honored the spirit of her original design” and “it’s absolutely cool how much care and respect they’re showing for Koji Pro’s work.”
On X, reactions have been predictably more negative (and even toxic and offensive in some cases). One X user posted “I kind of don’t like the look of the remake model of her tbh. Maybe it’ll grow on me” while another said “I’d say she’s unrecognizable”.
Elsewhere, @Grenovich_ commented “It looks kinda weird to me honestly” and @dennyytm said “wtf is thatttt”.
Whatever your opinion is on her redesign, no release date for Metal Gear Solid Δ: Snake Eater has been announced. There are even rumours that it won’t arrive until 2025. That means there is still plenty of time for the game’s developers to tweak the models of each character and The Boss’ appearance may change.
With that being said, I see no reason for them to make alterations at this point – the new model reflects her tortured backstory to great effect and is a commendable improvement.
What are your thoughts on The Boss’ redesign in Metal Gear Solid Δ: Snake Eater? Let us know in the comment section below and don’t forget to check out our other gaming articles…
