Naked vs Solid Snake: Unveiling the Key Differences

The Metal Gear Solid franchise has been revived with the announcement of Metal Gear Solid Delta: Snake Eater, which was the highlight of the recent PlayStation Showcase for many fans. Following the departure of the series' creator Hideo Kojima from Konami and the disappointing release of Metal Gear Survive, the status of the series was uncertain. However, with the upcoming remake of one of the series' most popular entries, players will have the chance to relive the iconic origins of Naked Snake.

Despite looking nearly identical to Solid Snake, the protagonist of Metal Gear Solid 3 and now Metal Gear Solid Delta is a different character entirely. The Metal Gear series is known for its complex plot involving nanomachines, government organizations, and clones, but understanding the characters of Naked Snake and Solid Snake can help clarify the series' lore. For newcomers to the franchise, Metal Gear Solid Delta provides a great entry point to better comprehend the rest of the series.

Breaking Down the Differences Between Naked Snake and Solid Snake

Metal Gear Solid 3 takes players on a journey back to 1964, where they control Naked Snake, a Green Beret operative, on a mission to extract Nikolai Sokolov from the Soviet Union during the Vietnam War. However, Naked Snake's plans are thrown off course when he discovers that his mentor, known as The Boss, has defected to the Soviet Union and is working against him. As the story unfolds, players follow Naked Snake as he faces off against The Boss in a final duel, ultimately triumphing and earning the title of Big Boss. This victory propels him into a role as a founding member of the Patriots, and eventually leads to his involvement in the Les Enfants Terribles cloning project.

The project produced a range of clones modeled after Big Boss, among them Liquid and Solid Snake. Known by his codename, David, Solid Snake gained fame as the protagonist of the original Metal Gear and Metal Gear 2: Solid Snake, where he worked as a mercenary for his creator under FOXHOUND. However, Solid Snake eventually grew to resent Big Boss, leading to their adversarial relationship. After leaving FOXHOUND, Solid Snake retired but was later recruited as a CIA undercover agent, setting the stage for the events of Metal Gear Solid.

Despite being a clone of Big Boss, Solid Snake has a markedly different perspective on war and conflict. While his progenitor revels in warfare, Solid Snake seeks peace, which ultimately drives a wedge between the two. Solid Snake has become an iconic figure in gaming, appearing in multiple Metal Gear titles and even crossing over into other franchises such as Super Smash Bros. With the release of Metal Gear Solid Delta and Metal Gear Solid Master Collection Vol. 1, players will once again experience the struggles of both Solid Snake and Naked Snake in a world consumed by conflict.

Metal Gear Solid Delta: Snake Eater is currently in development for PC, PS5, and Xbox Series X/S.