
Before I get into this, I want to make one thing clear. I have no personal allegiance to Konami or Kojima. I am not emotionally invested in whatever problems went down between them. I respect what Konami has done historically, from Castlevania to Metal Gear, and I have enjoyed their decisions over the years regardless of who they hired. That said, it is hard to deny that things have gone downhill since Kojima was removed from the company.
I have never been one of those “If Kojima is not involved, I will not support it” people. That mindset does not make sense to me. I do not know Kojima personally and neither do 99 percent of the fans defending him like he is family. Whatever happened between him and Konami is their business. As a gamer, my only real concern is value for money and how much entertainment I am getting for the price I pay.
ROI in Gaming: When a Game Truly Pays You Back
For me, two games stand out as the best return on investment I have ever had.
- Super Street Fighter II Turbo – I have been playing it for decades, buying every re-release, and still getting huge amounts of enjoyment from it.
- Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain – I have been playing it for ten years and it is still my go-to stealth action game.
Both games gave me hundreds of hours of replayability for a fraction of what I have spent on many other titles. That is the mark of great game design, not hype and not marketing, but true longevity.
Why MGS5 Is Still Untouchable
People love to complain about Metal Gear Solid V. Missing mission? “Cut content”? I could not care less. The so-called missing Mission 51 about Eli and Psycho Mantis was never going to change my overall enjoyment of the game.
The truth is that MGS5’s gameplay is on another level. The freedom, fluidity, and the ability to approach missions in a thousand different ways make it unmatched. No other game, not even other Metal Gear titles, comes close to how smooth and satisfying it feels to play.
Before MGS5, I loved Metal Gear for its story, lore, and atmosphere. The gameplay was always the weakest part. MGS5 flipped that completely. It became the perfect game inside my favorite gaming universe.
Why Delta Is Likely to Fail
Now let’s talk Metal Gear Solid Δ: Snake Eater.
My prediction is that it will flop. Not because Kojima is not involved, since I am not part of the “Kojima or bust” crowd, but because no one else has the same emotional connection to the series that Kojima had. This is a guy who risked budgets, timelines, and even his job to push the series forward.
With Delta, Konami’s priority is not innovation or perfection. It is a cash grab. They buried the franchise after MGS5, saw its continued success, and decided to bring it back for profit. But you cannot fake passion. You cannot replace a creator who lived and breathed the series with executives who just want to hit their quarterly goals.
The Missed Opportunity: Fox Engine with MGS3
When I first heard about Delta, I hoped they would use the Fox Engine, the same engine that made MGS5’s gameplay flawless, and combine it with MGS3’s story and new graphics. That would have been the ultimate Metal Gear game.
Instead, early gameplay looks clunky, with AI that might even be worse than the original MGS3. It looks gorgeous, but graphics alone do not keep players engaged for years. Smooth and satisfying gameplay is what keeps you coming back, and from what I have seen so far, Delta will not have it.
Why MGS5 Still Wins in 2025
Metal Gear Solid V remains the peak of action-stealth gameplay. Whether you go full stealth or guns blazing, it is endlessly replayable, creative, and polished. The AI, while not perfect, supports that freedom in ways no other Metal Gear has.
Delta might deliver a beautiful nostalgia trip and a fresh take on MGS3’s story, and I will still play it. But it will not dethrone MGS5 as my go-to Metal Gear game. There is no love or soul in its development, and without that it can never reach the same heights.
Final thought: A truly great game is more than visuals and brand recognition. It is about passion, care, and creating an experience that keeps players coming back years later. Kojima did that with MGS5. Konami? We will see in a month. My bet is still on The Phantom Pain holding the crown.