Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater is a stealth action-adventure game that was developed and published by Konami for the PlayStation 2 in 2004. The game was released in North America and Japan in late 2004, and in Europe and Australia in early 2005. The game serves as a prequel to the entire Metal Gear series and was the fifth Metal Gear game written and directed by Hideo Kojima. The game is set in 1964, 31 years before the events of the original Metal Gear. The story centers on the FOX operative codenamed Naked Snake as he attempts to rescue Russian rocket scientist Nikolai Stepanovich Sokolov, sabotage an experimental superweapon, and assassinate his defected former boss.

While previous games were set in a primarily urban environment, Snake Eater adopts a 1960s Soviet jungle setting, with the high-tech, near-future trappings of previous Metal Gear Solid games replaced with wilderness. Despite the change in environment, the game’s focus remains on stealth and infiltration, while retaining the series’ self-referential, fourth-wall-breaking sense of humor. The story of Snake Eater is told through numerous cutscenes and radio conversations. The game was met with critical acclaim and was a commercial success, having sold more than four million copies worldwide as of March 2010. The game received praise due to its story, protagonist, cutscenes, and new features.