Over the weekend, some tweets and comments made the rounds that seemed to indicate that Silent Hills has been cancelled, and today, Konami confirmed it. Kojima’s status at the company is still up in the air, but if this is the end of his time at Konami, he’s going to need something to work on. Instead of being depressed about the cancellation, we decided to think about what the next project could be. There’s a bit of a horror bias, since that’s what he was working on, but new games in these eight game series could be super interesting with Kojima at the helm.
Don’t see your choice? Tell us what it is in the comments!
Resident Evil
The Resident Evil series has had an up-and-down history, but it’s definitely got a well developed world and story. Add in Kojima’s penchant for expanding on such things and his ability to craft a deeply involved plot, and you could have one of the most engaging titles in the series yet. Kojima rarely gives you all the answers in any game he makes, which would be a great fit for the Resident Evil series.
Deadly Premonition
Deadly Premonition is a bit of an odd game. It’s remembered mostly for its strangeness, and for how polarizing it was on release. It also has one of the most fully realized settings of any game I’ve ever played. The idea of Kojima crafting a mystery to be solved in a world where the main character has to shave, shower, and eat regularly in order to perform at peak efficiency seems like a great idea. It seems like the sort of setting that could let his creativity run wild.
Fatal Frame
Fatal Frame is a supernatural, survival-horror game where you can only deal damage by taking pictures with a device called a Camera Obscura that uses different types of film as ammunition. Heck, this already sounds like a Hideo Kojima game. Mix in the puzzle solving and spooky settings, and you’ve got a series that is not only ripe for a return to the market, but one where Kojima could really stretch his creative muscles and go crazy.
Chrono Trigger
Despite its amazing popularity, the Chrono Trigger series has basically been absent from the market since Chrono Cross released in 1999. Adding Kojima as part of the team and handing him the reins of this series could make an even bigger splash than Konami did handing him Silent Hills to work on. The series could be a great candidate for a complete overhaul, bringing the gameplay and graphics up to modern standards, adding in Kojima’s take on story, and all while maintaining the unique battle system and time travel mechanics that make it so beloved. Seriously, who wouldn’t want to play that game?
Syphon Filter
Another series in dire need of a modern installment is Syphon Filter. More in line with his work on Metal Gear, Syphon Filter would give Kojima the chance to work on a game that’s similar in style, but without all the baggage that the series had built up over the years. I’d love to see his take on the mechanics that a modern Syphon Filter could include, and I bet the story would be pretty solid too.
Final Fantasy Tactics
OK, I’ll admit this one is a stretch, but I think it could be cool. Final Fantasy Tactics is a dark epic, much in contrast to a typical Final Fantasy tale, and that’s why it exists outside the main series. It’s also got a story that just drips nuance. It’s all about the tone of the game, and that’s something Kojima has always done well.
Eternal Darkness: Sanity’s Requiem
While Eternal Darkness might seem like an odd choice for Kojima to make a sequel to, but when you think about it, it’s a fairly good fit. After all, Eternal Darkness is less survival horror and more psychological thriller. That’s pretty much right in line with what Kojima was showing off in PT and what he seemed to have in mind for Silent Hills. The game’s sanity meter would give him license to engage in the sorts of trickery that he used when Psycho Mantis would read your memory card and taunt you for your game choices. The more I think about it, the more I want this to happen.
Killer 7
Suda 51’s story of a an elderly man who transforms into one of seven assassins is a beautiful marriage of simplified controls and an arthouse style. While the game’s reviews were all over the map, it’s gained cult classic status. My imagination tells me that bringing together Suda 51 and Kojima for a sequel could be one of the greatest collaborations of all time. Kojima’s always talked about gaming as an art form, and Killer 7 is exactly that.
