The story follows the male protagonist Solid Snake, a FOXHOUND operative tasked with infiltrating enemy bases to neutralize Metal Gear weapons and confront Big Boss. Core themes revolve around soldier loyalty, nationless mercenaries, and classic espionage without any overlay of contemporary social messaging.

The absence of character customization, romance systems, or LGBTQ+ elements keeps the focus entirely on tactical gameplay and narrative tension from the 1980s and 1990s originals. The 2023 re-release maintains these foundations with unaltered pixel-art visuals showing the male lead, guards, and standard UI elements such as LIFE and CLASS meters. No pronoun selectors, body-type options, or identity features appear in the interface or mechanics.

Developer notes and patch details stress fidelity to the source material through only minor playability adjustments, with no narrative rewrites or added representation requirements. This approach confirms the title's complete avoidance of progressive ideological content across casting, themes, and production decisions.