At first glance, Snake Eater seems like a desperate attempt from Kojima to step back from the broader philosophical ruminations of MGS2 - but that is far from the truth. Snake Eater is an incredibly well designed game with a remarkable story that, just like MGS2, will remain timeless. Snake Eater may occassionaly be an exercise in tedium - the surgery system is a slog sometimes - but most of the time, it feels fantastic to play. MGS2 remains superior, but Snake Eater is still a masterpiece from Kojima that goes above and beyond.