Metal Gear series creator Hideo Kojima has said that Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain is his last game in the franchise. This, however, is not the last we'll see of Metal Gear, as Konami plans to keep putting out titles in the famous series. While the loss of Kojima will undoubtedly produce negative effects, there are also positives that could come out of the situation.[Excerpt]
I'm a big fan of the Metal Gear franchise, and on the whole will miss Hideo Kojima's influence on the series. Believe it or not, however, there are some ways in which Konami and Metal Gear can benefit from Kojima's absence.
Warning: There is a single spoiler ahead for those who haven't played Ground Zeros.
The Removal Of Auteurism
Kojima's ultimate vision and judgment over the series has made it a success, but the strong influence of one person (the creator, no less) can have its drawbacks. Kojima's stamp isn't without its flaws.
His love of film makes his cutscenes an important part of the overall work instead of being filler between gameplay, but their length and the games' reliance on them can bloat the experience. Awesome graphics will likely always be a calling card of the series, but the franchise could benefit from a smoother, more economical use of cutscenes.
Kojima's sense of humor has always shown through in Metal Gear, from the games themselves to their PR campaigns, but there have been times – like the joke the cardboard box has become – that it makes a farce of the gameplay. These kind of built-in, running gags have grown old, and there are other, less obnoxious ways to inject personality into the characters and world. Besides, some of the funniest moments in a game can't be pre-programmed, but must happen spontaneously by the actions of the gamers themselves.
Speaking of obnoxious things in the series, its over-the-top sexualization of female characters and other sexual elements also feel out of place and forced. Even if it's not a boss' outrageous costume, I don't understand what's served by shoving a bomb up Paz's vagina in Ground Zeroes other than applying a heavy hand to themes, exposing Kojima's juvenile mindset, or worse.
A New Start
Kojima stepping away from the franchise could also liberate ideas from other Konami developers on the games. It's pure speculation that there are better ideas that could make their way into future games or which have been previously shut out, but at a minimum I'm intrigued what the team comes up with from here on out.
Kojima has talked about his exit for a while now (he directed Metal Gear Solid IV: Guns of the Patriots after initially saying he wouldn't), and now is the time to make a clean break. Until he does, I think it could be distracting to have him in the building even if he isn't working on the next game. And there would also be the temptation to ask him back to rescue a game in trouble or feel like he's watching over the team's shoulder.
He told us in an interview last year that the franchise doesn't have a lore bible, and that he's disseminated the series' byzantine backstory and philosophy verbally to team members through the years. With Kojima gone, the series could start down its own road instead of constantly trying to wedge new stories between the gaps in the series' canon. Hell, maybe the franchise could even clear the decks with a hard reboot.
Konami is in a tough position: Does it grab the opportunity before it and take the Metal Gear imprint in a new direction, or does it try and ape Kojima's affectations and carry on like nothing's changed?
It's going to be tough sledding for Konami and the franchise until it finds its footing after Kojima leaves, and it won't be a clear-cut case of addition by subtraction. However, there are positive things the company can draw from the ether if it's bold enough.
For more on the future of the series, check out Jon Gregory's opinion piece for his thoughts.
from Game Informer Magazine http://ift.tt/1EIyPiI
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