Metal Gear Solid 3 is an excellent game. It's graphics and details are amazingly accurate and the gameplay is extremely enjoyable. The game is based around stealth, and therefore the game does not approve of, or endorse violence, like many other shooters. As this is a survival game, there is some animal capture and killing involved, though there isn't much cruelty to the creatures. Compared to other shooters, such as Gears of War, this game is not very violent. Gore and decapitation does not feature in this game, and even then, there is a filter designed to block any blood. The story also includes a lot of secrets and humor in it, which will keep the player entertained for days on end. It has a great deal of information on Cold War and the Soviet-U.S. A large amount of the violent/war/torture scenes are in the cutscenes, and most of them can be skipped. I do not suggest this game to children at an influencial age, but due to it's complex storyline and detailed controls I think that children who are tolerant, patient, intelligent and emotionally stable enough will enjoy this game.
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Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater
(2004, Video Games - Action/Adventure, Rated M, Play it on: PlayStation 2)
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Is it age appropriate?
About our ratings(Flash is loading. If this text does not disappear you need to install the latest flash version)
Not age appropriate for kids under 17, age appropriate for kids over 17; suggested age 17. -
Is it any good?
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Common Sense says
Complex, violent, and for adults -- like C-SPAN.
Why We Rated This 
The good stuff
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Educational value:
What to watch out for
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Violence:
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Language:
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Drinking, drugs, & smoking:
What Parents Need to Know
This review of Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater was written by Aaron Lazenby
Parents need to know that this game features torture and battles, though it's not as graphic as some others. The game -- which layers a fictional story over the real events of the early Cold War era of the 1960s -- sticks close to its time period by incorporating stereotypical treatment of women and Russians. The images of nuclear destruction will most likely resonate more intensely with parents than with children. The "hero" always carries a cigar and is shown smoking, and he's often criticized by allies and enemies alike for blindly following orders, not having guiding principles in his life, and resorting only to violence to solve problems.
Families Can Talk About
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- Families can talk about post-World War II Soviet-U.S. relations and cultural climate that era created. Why is this period such a popular setting for books, movies, and games? Families can also discuss whether Snake can really be seen as a hero. What are his flaws? What messages do those flaws send to players?
More on Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater
What’s the Story?
METAL GEAR SOLID 3: SNAKE EATER is the latest entry in the long running and popular Metal Gear series. The year is 1964, and players control a CIA agent code-named Naked Snake, sent into the Soviet hinterlands to extract a famous scientist being forced to work on a super weapon that could change the balance of the Cold War. Snake is double-crossed and his mission fails; the scientist is spirited away by the menacing and seemingly supernatural Colonel Volgin, and a small nuclear device is detonated on Soviet soil along the way. Facing internal political pressure to respond to what looks like a hostile act by the U.S., Soviet leader Nikita Khrushchev tells President Lyndon Johnson that the U.S. has one week to quietly remove his opposition and restore order within the Soviet empire -- or face a nuclear war.
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Is It Any Good?
Wrapping amazing graphics, countless gadgets, top-quality voice acting, and hours of cut scenes around a complicated, history-based scenario, MSG3 looks as good as any Hollywood summer blockbuster. Too bad it is so weighted with realistic detail that it's almost a chore to play. Many younger players may simply give up after a couple hours of wrestling with the controls.
There are a handful of scary and complex themes that should send up a red flag for parents, including nuclear war, betrayal of friends and country, and a dark, imperfect protagonist who excels at violence. But all of these issues are addressed with respect and often restraint. There's a lot to be said for game's tone and approach toward subjects the video game industry often gratuitously exploits. But parents may find this a moot point: It's unlikely any child of an impressionable age will have the patience or interest to play this game.
ClosePublisher’s Details
Released on 11/17/2004, price $$47.88 , not online enabled
ESRB rating: M
ESRB rating: M
Our Members Say
See all 27 member reviews
Most Recent Reviews
- I rate this title iffy for age 13 and give it
- My highlights are:
- Educational
A fun and detailed game. Acceptable for children 13+.
- I rate this title iffy for age 13 and give it
- My highlights are:
- Educational
A fun and detailed game. Acceptable for children 13+.
Metal Gear Solid 3 is an excellent game. It's graphics and details are amazingly accurate and the gameplay is extremely enjoyable. The game is based around stealth, and therefore the game does not approve of, or endorse violence, like many other shooters. As this is a survival game, there is some animal capture and killing involved, though there isn't much cruelty to the creatures. Compared to other shooters, such as Gears of War, this game is not very violent. Gore and decapitation does not feature in this game, and even then, there is a filter designed to block any blood. The story also includes a lot of secrets and humor in it, which will keep the player entertained for days on end. It has a great deal of information on Cold War and the Soviet-U.S. A large amount of the violent/war/torture scenes are in the cutscenes, and most of them can be skipped. I do not suggest this game to children at an influencial age, but due to it's complex storyline and detailed controls I think that children who are tolerant, patient, intelligent and emotionally stable enough will enjoy this game.
- I rate this title iffy for age 13 and give it
- My highlights are:
- Educational
A fun and detailed game. Acceptable for children 13+.
Metal Gear Solid 3 is an excellent game. It's graphics and details are amazingly accurate and the gameplay is extremely enjoyable. The game is based around stealth, and therefore the game does not approve of, or endorse violence, like many other shooters. As this is a survival game, there is some animal capture and killing involved, though there isn't much cruelty to the creatures. Compared to other shooters, such as Gears of War, this game is not very violent. Gore and decapitation does not feature in this game, and even then, there is a filter designed to block any blood. The story also includes a lot of secrets and humor in it, which will keep the player entertained for days on end. It has a great deal of information on Cold War and the Soviet-U.S. A large amount of the violent/war/torture scenes are in the cutscenes, and most of them can be skipped. I do not suggest this game to children at an influencial age, but due to it's complex storyline and detailed controls I think that children who are tolerant, patient, intelligent and emotionally stable enough will enjoy this game.
- I rate this title iffy for age 13 and give it
- My highlights are:
- Educational
A fun and detailed game. Acceptable for children 13+.
Metal Gear Solid 3 is an excellent game. It's graphics and details are amazingly accurate and the gameplay is extremely enjoyable. The game is based around stealth, and therefore the game does not approve of, or endorse violence, like many other shooters. As this is a survival game, there is some animal capture and killing involved, though there isn't much cruelty to the creatures. Compared to other shooters, such as Gears of War, this game is not very violent. Gore and decapitation does not feature in this game, and even then, there is a filter designed to block any blood. The story also includes a lot of secrets and humor in it, which will keep the player entertained for days on end. It has a great deal of information on Cold War and the Soviet-U.S. A large amount of the violent/war/torture scenes are in the cutscenes, and most of them can be skipped. I do not suggest this game to children at an influencial age, but due to it's complex storyline and detailed controls I think that children who are tolerant, patient, intelligent and emotionally stable enough will enjoy this game.
- I rate this title iffy for age 13 and give it
- My highlights are:
- Educational
A fun and detailed game. Acceptable for children 13+.
Metal Gear Solid 3 is an excellent game. It's graphics and details are amazingly accurate and the gameplay is extremely enjoyable. The game is based around stealth, and therefore the game does not approve of, or endorse violence, like many other shooters. As this is a survival game, there is some animal capture and killing involved, though there isn't much cruelty to the creatures. Compared to other shooters, such as Gears of War, this game is not very violent. Gore and decapitation does not feature in this game, and even then, there is a filter designed to block any blood. The story also includes a lot of secrets and humor in it, which will keep the player entertained for days on end. It has a great deal of information on Cold War and the Soviet-U.S. A large amount of the violent/war/torture scenes are in the cutscenes, and most of them can be skipped. I do not suggest this game to children at an influencial age, but due to it's complex storyline and detailed controls I think that children who are tolerant, patient, intelligent and emotionally stable enough will enjoy this game.
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| 100% | of parents say kids find it easy to play |
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| 100% | of parents say it's educational |
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