So I can't see the Snake of Phanton Pain as the same person as was in Snake Eater and Peace Walker.

It feels more like a re-imagining of the character. Possible a response to all those who always found it super weird that Snake asked so many basic questions and was so naive about every subject under the sun. To change him into a Gordon Freeman, a Link, a cypher for the player without too many dodgy personality traits. Maybe its just because he's gone from being so talkative to being so mute that it feels jarring to me. I keep telling myself that piece of shrapnel is jammed in the speech centre of his brain. :)

What do we think?

I personally think, there's potential for good story here, but too many corners were cut. It fell flat, where it should have been good. I dunno. I'm still trying to process it all.

(No real Spoilers)

Well, the piece of shrapnel DID impair his speech center, as stated by Ocelot when they try to explain why you'd need a russian interpreter when Snake/BB could speak russian well enough in Snake Eater that Sokolov even remarked on his good accent.

As for the basic question thing (BASIC QUESTION THING? METAL GEAR??)....yea, i feel like in the tapes that was replaced by

Ocelot: Hey, do you remember [THINGORPERSONFROMPREVIOUSGAME]?

Snake: Yeah, i remember he/she/it

Ocelot: Great, let it explain me again anyway in great detail to no one in particular

which is more or less the same thing, but maybe a VERY SLIGHT improvement when it comes to natural dialogue

After all, "a soldier code named Snake blew up a robot called Metal Gear" formula can only take you so far, much like "eliminate an imminent threat within the day " can only take 24 so far.

I'm surprised you didn't get the feeling you're not actually playing as the original Big Boss from the opening sequence. Both Ishmael and Ahab seem to be separate people; I'm not sure where the real Snake is, but I think Ishmael is connected to (or even is) Big Boss. Also, Big Boss from Metal Gear 1 doesn't have a large amount of scars nor does he seem to have a mechanical arm.

If we accept Ishmael is at least related to Big Boss, this brings into question who Ahab is.

So what specifically do you mean by this? All I see different is presentation and Boss in this one isn't as likely to hit on a woman or anything (he's been through some shit by this point). Other than that, same as before as in his character traits. Like you mention, he asks less stupid questions and to me that's all the presentation of the character, the style of dialogue, etc. That's what's different here. People focusing on Snake talking less are kind of missing that all the storytelling and dialogue is different.

I like the idea of what little he does say having more weight and drama to it because of the fact that he rarely speaks, but I've yet to see them really pull that off. So far there's been a little too many moments where I think "oh come on, just say something." It's mostly because the way a scene is written seems to warrant a response from Snake and then one never comes.

That said, the tapes have plenty of chit chatty Snake. Also it makes sense that Snake wouldn't be talking a lot during missions because he's busy getting shit done.