Hideo Kojima, director of Konami’s Metal Gear series, is working with 5pb executive Chiyomaru Shikura on an adventure game that could be a sequel to Policenauts.
A few months ago, a photo popped up on Twitter entitled “Blood Oath,” his depicting Kojima, Shikura, and No More Heroes designer Goichi Suda, celebrating and posing for the camera. After the photo hit the web, Shikura mentioned that the trio would be working on a Japanese-style adventure game (think more Phoenix Wright than Sam & Max).
In a recent interview with Japanese site 4gamer.net, Skikura was asked about the status of the Kojima partnership. The executive confirmed that the project was moving forward, and added, “Kojima told me that he wanted to make an adventure game. We’re at the still stage where we need to go to a secluded spot in the mountains and hash this project out, and thus, we don’t have any of the minute details hammered out.”
Shikura emphasized that the project was important to him for two key reasons. He stated, “The meaning of why I am personally connected to this project is that this is the third entry in a conceptual science series, and that it is a project with Kojima.”
5pb has some adventure game experience under its belt, having worked on Japanese visual novels such as Chaos;Head. The company is known for their erotic games and dating simulators; however, given Kojima’s involvement, it is unlikely that the title will be pornographic in nature. Shikura backed this up, mentioning that instead of games with “bishoujo or moé boys”, he thinks it would be great if there was a resurgence of the classic adventure game.
Hideo Kojima has yet to confirm or deny Shikura’s statements. However, Kojima did comment last month that he is deciding between a new Metal Gear or an original title for his next project. Shikura’s statements imply that Kojima chose the latter.
Given the statement that this game is the “third entry in a conceptual science series,” it is easy to speculate that the adventure collaboration is a sequel to Snatcher and Policenauts. However, no details have been confirmed at this time. It is also unknown whether Goichi Suda, who appeared in the initial photograph, is involved in the actual project.
