In a reader feature published by GameCentral, a reader identified as GG argues against the notion that Hideo Kojima has wasted his career by working on similar franchises and genres. The reader contends that Kojima's portfolio, including Snatcher, Policenauts, Metal Gear, Boktai, Death Stranding, and Zone Of The Enders (which he produced), demonstrates significant variety, with each title offering distinct gameplay experiences.
Creativity Within Metal Gear and Beyond
The reader highlights that even within the Metal Gear series, entries like Metal Gear Solid, Metal Gear Ac!d, Snake Eater, Guns Of The Patriots, and Ground Zero/Phantom Pain provided very different settings and mechanics. Additionally, Kojima served as an advisor on Castlevania: Lords Of Shadow, further showcasing his range.
GG also references P.T., the groundbreaking playable teaser for a cancelled Silent Hill game, as a pivotal moment in horror gaming. They argue that P.T. revolutionized the genre with its liminal dread, cryptic puzzles, and psychological looping, inspiring indie titles such as Visage, Madison, and Luto. The reader also suggests that P.T. influenced Capcom's Resident Evil 7, noting that producer Masachika Kawata was a fan of the demo.
Death Stranding and Upcoming Projects
Reflecting on Death Stranding, GG admits that finishing the game just before the pandemic amplified its themes of isolation and connection, though they found the story impenetrable at times. They praise the sequel, Death Stranding 2, for its "arch villain end monologue scenes" and Troy Baker's performance, which they believe deserved a best voice actor award.
Looking ahead, GG expresses high expectations for Kojima's upcoming projects, including OD and Physint. They note that the triple-A stealth genre has become stagnant, and they suspect Physint could revitalize it. The reader concludes that Kojima's risk-taking and inventiveness are clear, and they will continue to follow his announcements.
The reader feature, submitted by GG, does not necessarily represent the views of GameCentral or Metro. Readers can submit their own 500 to 600-word features via email or the Submit Stuff page.
