The Metal Gear Solid franchise is beloved by many, as it is one of the most influential series in the stealth genre. While the original Metal Gear released in 1987, Metal Gear Solid proper released in 1998, and that may be when the franchise truly took off. Now, over twenty years later, rumors are swirling that a remake of the original Metal Gear Solid is on the way.
While the leaks and whispers have come in waves, the most recent example of the return of Solid Snake is from voice actor David Hayter who think that a Metal Gear Solid remake is happening. While not full-proof evidence, the voice of Snake himself believing it's a legitimate possibility aids the credibility of what is, more or less, rumor at this point.
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If indeed a Metal Gear Solid remake is happening, there are two different routes the game could take. The remake could be true to the original with a fixed camera angle, opting to be a more conservative remake in terms of content. Or it could be a game that takes an immersive approach from a third-person perspective, much like Metal Gear Solid 5: Phantom Pain and the other more recent titles. This idea would be one that overhauls the experience for a more modern audience, like the successful and appreciated Resident Evil 2 remake.
There is something to be said about the purity of the original Metal Gear Solid, and Metal Gear Solid 2 for that matter. While the freedom and immersion of the third-person perspective is very much appreciated with Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater and beyond, the experience of those first two games is something that cannot be denied. There is a reason why many believed that the first two Metal Gear Solid games are the best, so it is reasonable to remake Metal Gear Solid and retain that fixed camera angle perspective.
Keeping the perspective from the original would allow the developer to focus on the purity of Metal Gear Solid. While fans love to play 3D Super Mario games, for example, there was an extreme fascination and awe when Nintendo introduced 2D New Super Mario Bros. on the DS back in 2006 with a return to its Mushroom Kingdom roots. Metal Gear Solid shifted to an entirely different feeling experience with its third-person perspective and likely for the better with later entries. But for the original to be brought back, keeping the game exactly how it was may prove to be the safest bet for fans.
At first blush, it would appear that Metal Gear Solid would be more of a remaster than a remake if it would retain the classic camera angle. However, if the game were to keep its old perspective, it could still be completely overhauled and utilize new technologies. The game could have lightning-fast reloads, seamless transitions, 4K resolutions, extremely high-frame rates, ray-tracing, and more.
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The option that likely would take more work would be a remake from the ground up. This would be built around the idea of bringing the original Metal Gear Solid into the era of modern video games, and therefore very much feeling like the Metal Gear Solid 5: Phantom Pain.
While there is no denying that the first two Metal Gear Solid games are enjoyable, the games almost "leveled up" beginning with the S-Tier level Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater. Players had to manage their first aid, hunger level, and change clothing for camouflage and stealth, while all of this was done in a gorgeous 3D jungle landscape from a third-person perspective.
There are rumors that Bluepoint Games is remaking Metal Gear Solid, and the developer could certainly be up for the task. Based on its previous body of work, a third-person perspective Solid Snake adventure seems perfect. The developer is also one that often utilizes technology to its full extent, so a remake could be one that brings the gameplay to the modern era in a variety of ways.
Many do believe that Bluepoint is the perfect studio for a Metal Gear Solid remake, as it has worked on the likes of the Demon's Soul Remake. However, the task set before Bluepoint with Metal Gear Solid would be quite a unique one, and it would need to draw inspiration from other games to get it right.
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The gap between the PlayStation 3 version of Demon's Souls (2009) and its remake (2020) was just 11 years, which is much less than the ongoing 23 years since Metal Gear Solid's release. The Demon's Souls remake did not see a drastic overhaul in terms of gameplay or perspective. Instead, Bluepoint updated the game with significantly improved graphics, a few updated features, and more.
What Metal Gear Solid deserves and could see is something along the lines of what the Resident Evil 2 and 3 remakes, or what Final Fantasy 7 was just treated with. Games from an entirely different era that are remade need to be recreated from the ground up, and these examples exemplify this.
While remakes like Crash Bandicoot N. Sane Trilogy or Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 1 + 2 may be great, the core gameplay remains the same, but the overall presentation is updated. Nintendo's The Legend Of Zelda: Link's Awakening is an example of a game that received an entirely new fresh set of paint with its remake.
In many ways, this would be an example of the "first route/option" for a Metal Gear Solid remake, as it would maintain its same perspective but receive updated visuals, smooth transitions, new features, and more. But if The Legend Of Zelda: Link's Awakening were to have been released with The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild engine, for example, that would have been rather groundbreaking. That is the idea of what a remake of Solid Snake's first PlayStation game could really be (the second route/option). There are plenty of studios that could remake Metal Gear Solid, but whatever route is taken, Solid Snake deserves the best.
Metal Gear Solid remake is rumored to be in development.