Operation Snake Eater takes place in the fictional Soviet region of Tselinoyarsk. Naked Snake enters the area in 1964 to rescue Nikolai Sokolov and stop the threat posed by Colonel Volgin.
Tselinoyarsk is presented as a large wilderness region rather than one continuous urban setting. Its jungles, rivers, mountains, caves, military facilities, and industrial areas support the game’s survival-focused design. Snake must hunt animals, treat injuries, manage camouflage, and adapt to different environments.
The name is easy to confuse with Tselinograd, a real city in the Soviet Union that is now known as Astana, Kazakhstan. Tselinoyarsk is a fictional setting created for the game. It should also not be confused with Shadow Moses Island, the Alaskan setting of the original Metal Gear Solid.