A reader has pushed back against the idea that Hideo Kojima has wasted his career by working on the same franchises and genres for much of his time in the industry. The argument highlights the variety across his body of work, from early titles like Snatcher and Policenauts to recent releases such as Death Stranding and its sequel.
Kojima's portfolio shows range
The reader notes that Snatcher/Policenauts, Metal Gear, Boktai, Death Stranding, and Zone Of The Enders – which Kojima produced – played nothing like each other. 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 offered very different settings and mechanics.
Kojima also served as an advisor on Castlevania: Lords Of Shadow. The reader points to P.T. as a groundbreaking demo that revolutionised the horror genre with its liminal dread, cryptic puzzles, and looping psychological leanings. It inspired indie games like Visage, Madison, and Luto, and likely influenced Capcom's restructuring of Resident Evil 7, given producer Masachika Kawata's admiration for P.T.
Death Stranding and upcoming projects
Finishing Death Stranding just before the pandemic amplified its themes of isolation and human connection, the reader says, and they came to appreciate its traversal, logistics, and stealth mechanics. While the sequel felt iterative in some aspects, it remained a wild ride with what the reader calls the greatest arch villain end monologue scenes and possibly best closing parts in any game. Troy Baker's performance was described as staggeringly good, deserving of a best voice actor award.
Looking ahead, the reader expects big things from Kojima's upcoming project Physint, suggesting the triple-A stealth genre has become stagnant and that Physint might breathe new life into it. The reader concludes that Kojima's risk-taking and inventiveness are clear across his softwareography, and they will always take notice of what he announces next.
