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Konami Interview: Committed to Core Gamers, MGS doesn’t need Kojima

It's kinda sad to see people trying to discredit Kojima and suddenly paint Fukushima as this behind-the-scenes Wizard-Writter extraordinaire who was totally responsible for the first 3 games' stories being better than the latter ones. I don't really buy that idea. I think the reason 4, PW and V are perceived as having worse writting is just a matter of franchise fatigue on Kojima's part. Also the fact that back then he had to worry less about an increasingly convoluted continuity and could focus more on telling a fairly self-contained story (2 less so since it relied heavily on 1's story, but that was used for thematic purposes and even then that's still significantly less baggage than 4 had to deal with).

I'd also love to hear what makes some of you think this will go down better than what happened to Silent Hill and Castlevania. Do you really believe Konami is gonna listen to you and bring the new hero Fukushima back or even the other staff of Kojima Productions? Will Konami even have a decent team to work on a MGS after KP disbands.

Agree with all of this. Kojima got fatigued and stopped bothering as much since he could see how easy some Metal Gear fans were pleased with him not putting much effort in, plus TPP was undoubtedly unfinished against his will. Fukushima's solo work on Ghost Babel was really good, but Kojima proved with his earlier games when he worked solo that he was fantastic too. Kojima got roped into writing something he didn't want to anymore and instead devoted his talents as a game designer to the later Metal Gear titles. Making stuff up as he goes is obviously going to come back on you eventually. People like to ignore the other writers that co-wrote MGS4, PW and MGSV with him anyway, for some strange reason and instead blame just Kojima.

Personally, I'm really looking forward to whatever Kojima makes next, to hell with Konami and whatever they decide to do.
 
I mean, if you want to argue that MGSV sucked and Kojima is a hack and someone else could make a better Metal Gear than him, that's fine. But does anyone honestly, truly believe that Konami as it is right now would give anyone, no matter how talented, the budget, time, and creative freedom necessary to make a Metal Gear that's actually good?
 

Game4life

Banned
Considering how terrible MGS5's story was, the series might benefit with fresh faces.

Kojima is one of the greatest game designers of all time.Maybe you can get better story telling with fresh faces but the eccentric game design and gameplay options that Kojima brings to the table will be very very hard to replace.
 

Draxyle

Neo Member
One of the worst things about Konami has always been the lack of value they put into "authors". They think anyone can make a Castlevania, they think anyone can make a Silent Hill, and they think that anyone can make an MGS, despite all evidence to the contrary.

Now they have no creators left, really tragic.
 
The more time goes by, I become increasingly saddened that there is no chance in hell that a Z.O.E 3 will ever see the light of day. Worse so, we actually got to see it almost happen. To see kojima try his hand at an escaflowne esque/lotr fantasy endeavor would've been incredible. That's why I was looking forward to mgs:rising cuz it would have been the closest to the spirit of Zoe, just on earth and bound by gravity. Then revengeance happened.....I think platinum needs to continue trying to stroke Mr tarantino's cock, just without metal gear involved.
 

Screaming Meat

Unconfirmed Member
Ocelot Unit is one of the best Boss Battles in MGS3. Terribly underrated battle. One of the few encounters in the series that actually relies on stealth. I mean yes, you can go out guns blazing and kill them all, but playing that battle in a stealthy manner is so rewarding and fun.

Yup. It's a brilliant set piece and one of the most replayable moments in the series. Although I have to admit, I prefer the Tengu Commando battle in MGS2 but not because of the gameplay, they are simply super cool...

...and you get a sword...

...and you get to see why Snake is such a legend. :)

Both teams function exactly as any boss does too: a progression blocker that tests your knowledge of game mechanics.

Kojima is one of the greatest game designers of all time.Maybe you can get better story telling with fresh faces but the eccentric game design and gameplay options that Kojima brings to the table will be very very hard to replace.

Yup. In that manner, I'd go so far as to say he's borderline irreplaceable.
 
Yup. It's a brilliant set piece and one of the most replayable moments in the series. Although I have to admit, I prefer the Tengu Commando battle in MGS2 but not because of the gameplay, they are simply super cool...

...and you get a sword...

...and you get to see why Snake is such a legend. :)

Both teams function exactly as any boss does too: a progression blocker that tests your knowledge of game mechanics.



Yup. In that manner, I'd go so far as to say he's borderline irreplaceable.

Hell yeah, the Tengus fight was also great. Especially with the added challenge of the "Fission Mailed" screen making the perception of what's going on that much harder, due to the small screen. It's the best "endurance test fight" in the series (yes, even moreso than the following fight against the Rays, since they had predictable attack patterns and lots of weakpoints).

Plus like you say you get to fight alongside Snake rather than as him, for the only time in the entire series. Legendary moment right there.
 
Ufbr5ej.gif

This really says it all.
Lets see them prove it.
 

bone_and_sinew

breaking down barriers in gratuitous nudity
Developed by PG of course.
It goes without saying. The youth team at Konami failed to make MGS5 with The Boss and failed in the original Rising. No one but PG and Itsuno's DMC team can make top-quality character action games nowadays.
 

Game Guru

Member
If Konami is really committed to core gamers, they need to show it by releasing core games. Until they actually do so, it's all hot air. Yes, I believe that MGS doesn't need Kojima to be good. There are many out there who could make a good MGS game other than Kojima, but Konami is not one of them.

I am never going to play one of Konami's pachinko/pachislot games or one of Konami's mobile games even if it has a license I like since I'm not Japanese and am not interested at all in the types of F2P games with microtransactions that is prevalent on mobile. I might be interested in Konami's console and PC games, but they still have to make one for me to buy. Unless that happens, I'm not really going to care what Konami does.
 
Hell yeah, the Tengus fight was also great. Especially with the added challenge of the "Fission Mailed" screen making the perception of what's going on that much harder, due to the small screen. It's the best "endurance test fight" in the series (yes, even moreso than the following fight against the Rays, since they had predictable attack patterns and lots of weakpoints).

Plus like you say you get to fight alongside Snake rather than as him, for the only time in the entire series. Legendary moment right there.

My favorite piece of music in the game is during that sequence. "Arsenal's guts". I have yet to experience an interactive gunplay encounter,red dead comes close, where the music perfectly captures that sense of brutal urgency. Harry gregson Williams understood that RAW percussion is what creates that inertia, that feeling that makes you wanna get up and run. Plus that giant crash affect that triggers on the one, sounds like a bunch of people stomping on metal bleechers in unison, gets my blood pumping.
 
I mean, if you want to argue that MGSV sucked and Kojima is a hack and someone else could make a better Metal Gear than him, that's fine. But does anyone honestly, truly believe that Konami as it is right now would give anyone, no matter how talented, the budget, time, and creative freedom necessary to make a Metal Gear that's actually good?

We're seeing the laying of rose petals iin the path for the Kojima-less MGS VI here. It hasn't happened yet, but by now it is both foreseen and inevitable.
 

Dremark

Banned
If Konami is really committed to core gamers, they need to show it by releasing core games. Until they actually do so, it's all hot air. Yes, I believe that MGS doesn't need Kojima to be good. There are many out there who could make a good MGS game other than Kojima, but Konami is not one of them.

With all due respect what exactly would be the point of having some new unconnected team make a Metal Gear game exactly? I see this type of stuff here all the time where someone says series x should be rebooted by team y or what not but I don't really understand it exactly.

To me it makes very little sense. You are taking an unrelated team, having them copy the style someone else did and usually rebooting the story. You're essentially asking for a copycat game legitimized with the established name thrown on it.

What exactly is the advantage of this? I honestly think it's better if another team has aptitude or ideas for a similar game, make thier own IP. I think gaming is better off that we had a game series like Splinter Cell made on it's own rather than being farmed out as a Metal Gear sequel. It gave them the freedom that they could do thier own thing without being held to the expectations and traditions of Metal Gear.
 

striferser

Huge Nickleback Fan
they can continue, but let's be real, kojima is one of a kind game designer. Someone as talented as him is not easy to replace.
 

Screaming Meat

Unconfirmed Member
My favorite piece of music in the game is during that sequence. "Arsenal's guts".

My man! Favourite bit of music in the series. That and Old Snake's Theme give me chills.

Hell yeah, the Tengus fight was also great. Especially with the added challenge of the "Fission Mailed" screen making the perception of what's going on that much harder, due to the small screen. It's the best "endurance test fight" in the series (yes, even moreso than the following fight against the Rays, since they had predictable attack patterns and lots of weakpoints).

Plus like you say you get to fight alongside Snake rather than as him, for the only time in the entire series. Legendary moment right there.

Spot on in every respect.
 
You MGS fans are crying about how Konami treating Metal Gear Solid games.... you don't even know half the pain of us Suikoden fans :////////

At least Konami and many people are still talking about MGS ://///////////////////
 
Kojima is one of the greatest game designers of all time.Maybe you can get better story telling with fresh faces but the eccentric game design and gameplay options that Kojima brings to the table will be very very hard to replace.
Too bad 70% of the fans only care about the story.
 
I mean, if you want to argue that MGSV sucked and Kojima is a hack and someone else could make a better Metal Gear than him, that's fine. But does anyone honestly, truly believe that Konami as it is right now would give anyone, no matter how talented, the budget, time, and creative freedom necessary to make a Metal Gear that's actually good?

Exactly. This is the point some in this thread can't wrap their heads around.

An MGS VI released in 2018 could be an unmitigated disaster considering how bone headed Konami currently are. Scrimp on the budget, stuff the game full of microtransactions and no Kojima game design.

"But it's ok guys we'll get a good story." lol.

Kojima is one of the greatest game designers of all time.Maybe you can get better story telling with fresh faces but the eccentric game design and gameplay options that Kojima brings to the table will be very very hard to replace.

Yup, the man has his faults and can go overboard but losing his gameplay touches and ideas would be a big blow.
 
Numbers from your....?
I don't know why but I'm using % today just because. Anyway, I'm saying that a big chunck of the fans, or the most vocal ones, are disappointed with MGSV becuase "Ocelot isn't Ocelot" and "No MGS moments" (??), while the game itself plays wonderfully and tries to make you feel like the Boss.
 

akira28

Member
they can continue, but let's be real, kojima is one of a kind game designer. Someone as talented as him is not easy to replace.

people liked revengeance so much, they think a good Metal Gear can be made without him. I'm not so sure. Action game is one thing. Metal gear is something else. I'm sure there is someone out there who has studied Kojima and think they can distill what he put into his games.
 
people liked revengeance so much, they think a good Metal Gear can be made without him. I'm not so sure. Action game is one thing. Metal gear is something else. I'm sure there is someone out there who has studied Kojima and think they can distill what he put into his games.

Things about MGR to consider:

- Characters, lore, and script are still KojiPro
- "Zandatsu" concept was KojiPro
- Lack of small details to be found, discovered by the player

Platinum are masters at the action game formula, but it would be asking a lot for them to expand on Rising by themselves while still instilling a "Metal Gear" feeling across it. They would rightfully feel like taking things in their own direction.
 

Halabane

Member
What a misleading title? He never said MGS does not need Kojima.

You asked him whether MGS can continue without Kojima, he stated it can continue.

Really OP, change the title.

Nobody is irreplaceable. So sure the franchise can continue. But how committed to this type of game is Konami? Their behavior would lead you to believe that they are not and are looking for small things to turn quick dollars with instead of long risky projects like msg5.

As a business that is really not a bad choice (sorry but business is business and keeping the lights on and making a profit is not a bad thing) but its not going to work for AAA development in the game sector. It really is a tough business, much like movies, where you really got to love games to be in it. And as we have seen Konami is seems tired of that and wants to solidify their company in other ways.
 
I can't believe the MGS V hate in here. The game may not be perfect but jesus, the gameplay is straight up tits !

At least it has a 93 on meta critic, that's some solace.
 
I can't believe the MGS V hate in here. The game may not be perfect but jesus, the gameplay is straight up tits !
I'm disappointed with the story too but it is seriously blown out of proportion. It's like no one played the game and just watched the story on YouTube. MGSV is one of the finest gameplay experiences ever made.
 

Monocle

Member
I mean, if you want to argue that MGSV sucked and Kojima is a hack and someone else could make a better Metal Gear than him, that's fine. But does anyone honestly, truly believe that Konami as it is right now would give anyone, no matter how talented, the budget, time, and creative freedom necessary to make a Metal Gear that's actually good?
Platinum could nail Metal Gear Rising 2 for sure, but the prospects for a mainline MGS game being great without Kojima seem considerably worse.

Is that just the 'little touches' thread or is there another? Would be nice to pick up some tips but I'm wary of spoilers
I'm pretty sure that's the one. I saw people posting some cool things in there.
 

tensuke

Member
LOL, "look at MGR as a way Metal Gear didn't have Kojima". Jeez, Konami just crushing my soul here. I mean, it would be easy as hell to remake MG1&2 in the fox engine, relatively, since the characters/story/etc. are all mostly there, they would just need to update a few things (again relatively) rather than create a whole new story and all. But I know Konami would still fuck it up by themselves.
 

nOoblet16

Member
MGS might not need Kojima but it's not like there's anyone at the company who can replace him. I'm sure the failure of Metal Gear Rising's development has to be fresh on some minds.

Yes but Rising's issue was not due to them not having Kojima on team but rarter them not knowing what to do with the concept, PG made Rising..not Kojima...in a very short time.

Also the MGS games with most well received stories were the ones not exclusively written and worked upon by Kojima. If I recall it correctly, MGS3 was quite far into development when Kojima decided to drop in and take control.
 

Sakujou

Banned
Well I mean yeah, it would be a shame if MGS6 was as crappy as Twin Snakes
have you ever played twin snakes?
it was directed by kojima(when it comes for the cutscenes) and it was a great game.

mgs5 and pw lacked something. the story felt so watery...

on the other hand, gameplay in mgs5 is superb!

i would love to see if there is a chance for a kojima less mgs, but this seems so disrespectful since konami threw kojima and his team out of the company....
 

A-V-B

Member
have you ever played twin snakes?
it was directed by kojima(when it comes for the cutscenes) and it was a great game.

What? That's not right. It was directed by someone else. It still had to get a pass from Kojima, but someone else directed.
 
Metal Gear doesn't need Kojima?

Who does it need? An outsourced western company that will water it down and it make it lose its prestige like Silent Hill and Castlevania?

Unfortunately, I was thinking about the EXACT same thing. I am willing to bet IF MGS ever returns in console form, it will probably be outsourced and inevitably ruined for good.
 

Screaming Meat

Unconfirmed Member
Maybe there wasn't as much gameplay in it, but MGS4 was the first title where none of the controls or mechanics were tripping over each-other. I don't see how it's bottom of the pile gameplay-wise.

Controls? Agreed. Mechanics? Nah.

Firstly, as you pointed out, the gameplay/cutscene ratio is way out of whack.

Secondly, game systems/mechanics are brought in only to be discarded briefly after without being explored or stretched or subverted in any meaningful way. It also lacks the seamless contextual progression into these new mechanics (which MGS1-3 do have). That makes a lot of the stuff in it feel like gimmicky after-thoughts to me.

Thirdly, I liked the fact that the controls in earlier games were a bit complicated, it meant you had to learn what you could do (which was a heck of a lot more than in MGS4 onwards). The controls meant you had to commit to and think through your actions, forcing you to rely on stealth and some planning. In MGS4, you could beast through levels without any issues at all because the surrounding gameplay systems, level design and AI didn't match up to the player's abilities (unlike TPP where I think they very much do).
 

laxu

Member
I can't believe the MGS V hate in here. The game may not be perfect but jesus, the gameplay is straight up tits !

At least it has a 93 on meta critic, that's some solace.

The gameplay may be good, but it's also got lots of repetition everywhere, a terrible story and few interesting characters. If you boil down the gameplay to infiltrating an outpost with a huge set of tools and moves and an AI that reacts to it interestingly and look beyond that, the game does not have much going for it.

Kojima had just way too grand visions for MGS V and they ran out of time and money to implement it. Many of the missions are not that good (or barely differ from a normal side op), everything in chapter 2 is terrible recycling further highlighting the lack of time.

To me the things that stand out in Metal Gear games is that there's lots of things you would not expect to work in a game but they've taken it into account and also that gameplay is not always traditional (like the controller changes in MGS1). If Konami is to release more Metal Gear games then I fear that is something that will go missing.

Something like MGR:Revengeance is plotwise pure Kojima but it has the near trademark Platinum Games style where the levels of the game are absolute shit and could just as well be empty battle arenas. They make good game mechanics though and the game's saving grace was a fun plot and wonderful boss battles.
 

Creaking

He touched the black heart of a mod
Controls? Agreed. Mechanics? Nah.

Firstly, as you pointed out, the gameplay/cutscene ratio is way out of whack.

Secondly, game systems/mechanics are brought in only to be discarded briefly after without being explored or stretched or subverted in any meaningful way. It also lacks the seamless contextual progression into these new mechanics (which MGS1-3 do have). That makes a lot of the stuff in it feel like gimmicky after-thoughts to me.

Thirdly, I liked the fact that the controls in earlier games were a bit complicated, it meant you had to learn what you could do (which was a heck of a lot more than in MGS4 onwards). The controls meant you had to commit to and think through your actions, forcing you to rely on stealth and some planning. In MGS4, you could beast through levels without any issues at all because the surrounding gameplay systems, level design and AI didn't match up to the player's abilities (unlike TPP where I think they very much do).

I've played MGS4 several times through, and I just went through MGS1-3 in the past month, and I'm not sure what you're talking about. Most specifically confusing to me is the bolded part. Besides some of the survival stuff from MGS3, what can't you do in MGS4 that you could in the others?
 
I've played MGS4 several times through, and I just went through MGS1-3 in the past month, and I'm not sure what you're talking about. Most specifically confusing to me is the bolded part. Besides some of the survival stuff from MGS3, what can't you do in MGS4 that you could in the others?

Personally speaking, I found MGS4 waaaaay too easy compared to other Metal Gear games. The game just throws way too many weapons at you early on, making it really easy if you're discovered to go Rambo on their ass and the Octocamo makes the stealth aspect too easy as well. Enemy AI isn't anything to write home about either and because the areas are so wide and open it's really easy to escape enemies unlike in previous MGS games, where you're put into tight environments with a few hiding spots to run to.

I also didn't enjoy the Boss battles anywhere near as much as prior Metal Gear titles and a lot of them just relied on the same tactics - shoot to kill "Beasts", turn into "Beauty" and kill them each and every one having the same attack pattern (which became really repetitive by the time you got to Screaming Mantis), rinse, repeat. The Vamp fight was forgettable, the Rex vs Ray fight being the only interesting new encounter but still felt like that betrayal for Solid Snake to be piloting a Metal Gear considering how much he hates them and the Liquid Ocelot fight is not good on replays, just relies too much on nostalgia and the mechanics of that fight are clunky as hell. And the CODEC is cut back ten fold too, which was a large part of the Metal Gear experience to me.

I've got to agree with him, MGS4 just doesn't satisfy me in the gameplay category at all. I prefer MG2, MGS1, MGS2, MGS3, Peace Walker, Ground Zeroes, MGSV and all of the non-canon spin offs to MGS4. The only game weaker is MG1.
 

Screaming Meat

Unconfirmed Member
I've played MGS4 several times through, and I just went through MGS1-3 in the past month, and I'm not sure what you're talking about. Most specifically confusing to me is the bolded part. Besides some of the survival stuff from MGS3, what can't you do in MGS4 that you could in the others?

Confused about it all or just the point about the controls?

MGS4 streamlines a lot of the first person stuff that was introduced with MGS2/3: leaning, tip toeing, pulling yourself up to take a look when hanging off ledges etc. Also, interaction with the environment is reduced, not just in terms of the Survival aspects from 3 either. You don't get options like shooting fire extinguishers, steam pipes, etc. Lockers, bins and other things to hide in are completely negated by the (admittedly awesome) Octocamo. So while the controls are much smoother and the camera way better, I found the encounter options to be reduced. They may not seem like much, but Metal Gear is, above all else, about the details.

Then, to top it off, the game itself doesn't meet your new abilities. It is still designed like an old Metal Gear game and the new controls make most encounters a joke. There is no threat when you're caught, no real need for stealth. The AI can't match you, the level design is still harking back to the 90 degree angles of MGS2 when you can hide literally anywhere. At least TPP embraces non-stealthy encounters and matches your new capabilities with large, adaptive, scalable and coordinated teams hunting you down.

The biggest crime for me though, is that gameplay mechanics are simply discarded as the game goes on. Where is the hiding on the battlefield post Act 2? How is that stretched, pushed or subverted? What about the tailing section post-Act 3? We get half an Act dedicated to a gimmick, whereas previous Metal Gears would have a five minute section for it, have a decent in-game reason for you to do it that didn't feel contrived, and they would challenge your understanding of the new mechanic as you went on (great example of the latter is the High Frequency Blade in MGS2: starting with one room of Tengu, then a room full of Tengu with less cover, and finally culminating in a badass showdown with Solidus). We hardly get any time with either of these things before we're on to the next level which is straight Metal Gear stealth again. The Rex vs Ray fight is a great gimmick, but it is just that: a gimmick. It lacks any gameplay substance, something indicative of the game as a whole IMO.

Don't get me wrong, I played the shit out of it. My opinion comes from many hours of experience with the entire series.

Personally speaking, I found MGS4 waaaaay too easy compared to other Metal Gear games. The game just throws way too many weapons at you early on, making it really easy if you're discovered to go Rambo on their ass and the Octocamo makes the stealth aspect too easy as well. Enemy AI isn't anything to write home about either and because the areas are so wide and open it's really easy to escape enemies unlike in previous MGS games, where you're put into tight environments with a few hiding spots to run to.

I also didn't enjoy the Boss battles anywhere near as much as prior Metal Gear titles and a lot of them just relied on the same tactics - shoot to kill "Beasts", turn into "Beauty" and kill them each and every one having the same attack pattern (which became really repetitive by the time you got to Screaming Mantis), rinse, repeat. The Vamp fight was forgettable, the Rex vs Ray fight being the only interesting new encounter but still felt like that betrayal for Solid Snake to be piloting a Metal Gear considering how much he hates them and the Liquid Ocelot fight is not good on replays, just relies too much on nostalgia and the mechanics of that fight are clunky as hell. And the CODEC is cut back ten fold too, which was a large part of the Metal Gear experience to me.

I've got to agree with him, MGS4 just doesn't satisfy me in the gameplay category at all. I prefer MG2, MGS1, MGS2, MGS3, Peace Walker, Ground Zeroes, MGSV and all of the non-canon spin offs to MGS4. The only game weaker is MG1.

This guy covers pretty much everything else wrong with this game. Man, if I weren't already married....
 

bigol

Member
Our sources have given us more info (and by the way, they told us that no European PR or community manager has any idea of what is going on). They've told us that all MGS V story DLC plans have been scrapped and that the scenes that were in the trailers but not in the game will never be brought back: http://www.gameblog.fr/news/53706-metal-gear-solid-v-pas-de-dlc-d-histoire-et-sequences-suppri

I always had this feeling that KONAMI Europe is totally disconnected from KONAMI Japan
The words spoken by this community manager could be just his opinion and not something KONAMI really wants to do.

So for now give up hope of a KONAMI committed to core console gamers, they are not.
 

Sayad

Member
Yes but Rising's issue was not due to them not having Kojima on team but rarter them not knowing what to do with the concept, PG made Rising..not Kojima...in a very short time.

Also the MGS games with most well received stories were the ones not exclusively written and worked upon by Kojima. If I recall it correctly, MGS3 was quite far into development when Kojima decided to drop in and take control.
None of the MGS games were exclusively written by Kojima.
 

Sanctuary

Member
I'm not exactly a Metal Gear "fan", but saying that they don't need Kojima to continue the series is completely true. Problem is, as with any established franchise, when you remove the people that had the biggest influence over a series of games, or the best games in the series things change. A lot. Sometimes for the better, but in most cases it's not.
 

Sami+

Member
No. Fuck off, Konami.

Try saying "hurr we don't even need kojima" when sales for the next one tank. And I really fucking hope they do, just so I can have some faith in this community.
 

RionaaM

Unconfirmed Member
After finishing Portable Ops last Friday, I couldn't disagree more. Without exaggerating, it was one of the worst games I've played in quite a long time. It's not written by Kojima, and it shows. The gameplay is also repetitive and dull, making for a boring and annoying game.

On the other hand, MGS4 started incredibly well. Just reached act 3, and so far it's been fantastic.

I did like Rising a lot, but it's not Metal Gear Solid, it is its own beast.
 
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