Originally composed before the game's development as a substitute track, the song was praised by director Hideo Kojima and the final version was performed by a live orchestra.

During the composition of "Snake Eater", Harrell was requested by her friend, Konami music producer Rika Muranaka, to perform a demo version.

[3] Months later, King Records, the publisher of Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater Original Soundtrack, requested that Harrell perform the final version in Los Angeles with a live orchestra; she finished it in two takes.

[2] In 2015, a hip-hop remix performed by actor Donna Burke, with additional reverb and echo effects, was included on the Japan-exclusive album Metal Gear Solid Vocal Tracks.

[13] In the context of the game, Smith wrote the song was "used to pace the story and to provide a reflective moment" for the player, and felt its non-diegetic usage positioned the female vocalist as the protagonist's narrator.

[15] Video Game Music Online's Oliver Jia considered the song "unforgettable" and deserving of praise but found the lyrics occasionally cheesy.

[4] GamesRadar+'s Henry Gilbert and Square Enix Music Online echoed similar thoughts, with the former writing that some lyrics could be viewed as "too silly" and the latter that it used its cheesiness advantageously.

[8][10] Jia found the version featured in Metal Gear Solid Vocal Tracks a "surprisingly good cover", praising Burke's performance.

[11][10] Paste's Austin Jones described Harrell as an "indelible and underappreciated legend" in video game music for her performances of "I Am the Wind" and "Snake Eater".