NightSky Dev: Kojima is Terrible At Making Games

[Zom-B]

Obviously Kojima is a pretty divisive name in gaming. Seems to me that people either love him and the games he makes or hate him. Personally, I've enjoyed every single MGS game. Sure, 3 is definitely the best, but they are all awesome to me, even the cut scenes and the writing. I mean, nobody can force people to like campy, off the wall military/spy stories and outrageous characters, but for people who enjoy that genre, with all the occult and sci fi themes mixed in, it's a can't miss.

No one game is going to satisfy everyone, of course. For example, I think the Gears of War games are steaming piles of brown boring, but hey, I sure don't begrudge anyone else enjoying them and their silly landscapes of perfect cover and bro-heavy comraderie and machismo.

Same goes for Kojima games. Maybe this Rodriguez guy just doesn't like Kojima's style and that's fine. But until he has a successful multi-game franchise under his belt, his opinion isn't worth any more than mine is.

Well after the complete shambles that was MGS2 i can understand where this guy is coming from. Though MGS3 somehow managed to be pretty damn good... The appeal of Snake's ultra smexy voice probably had a factor in there somewhere. And maybe Kojima was away during half of the cutscene to gameplay ratio meetings?

That makes sense i suppose. Since apparently (from what i've heard) MGS4 goes back to the loopy world of MGS2 where nothing makes sense and cutscenes are an hour long again. Oh joy. Wonder if a huge Diabolus Ex Machina turns up to invalidate two/three hours of gameplay in that game too.

Is MGS2 a "complete shambles" because Kojima pulled the rug out from every one and put Raiden in as the main player controlled character? Or was it something else that you object to?

I wasn't privy to the outcry when MGS2 released, but from what I've read, Kojima took a huge risk doing that, for no other reason than to do what he wanted. Personally, I think it was a pretty ballsy decision and it was still a great game. Once you get past your attachment to Snake and start playing the game, it's as good as any of the others.

For an interesting read on MGS2, check this out: http://www.deltaheadtranslation.com/MGS2/

It's fairly long, but if you have any sort of intellectual interest in MGS, MGS2 and what changed and why between the games, it's pretty intriguing.

 

[Sixties Spidey]

I can get where he's coming from by Konami being a shitty publisher, but Kojima? Yeah, MGS2 was fucking terrible, but you're telling me that MGS1 and MGS3 aren't great games that practically left a legacy of their own? Get the fuck out.

 

[KingCrInuYasha]

I just finished the first Metal Gear Solid and Rodriguez's claims aren't without some grain of truth. The bosses were good, the sneaking parts were nice and the controls were alright for the most part, but the story...oh boy. "How much info dump can we put into this cut-scene?" "How convoluted can we make the story?" "What silly thing will Snake and his friends say next?"

Spoiler: Spoilers for Metal Gear Solid and Zelda: Twilight Princess

Also Liquid Snake is the biggest badass villain turned crybaby I've seen in a video game since Zant from The Legend Of Zelda: Twilight Princess. Those two need to get together, they'd just adore each other.

"I should have been the ruler of the Twili!"
"I got all the flawed, recessive genes!"

 

[Zom-B]

Obviously Kojima is a pretty divisive name in gaming. Seems to me that people either love him and the games he makes or hate him.

I think I can provide an exception to that. I'm not a Metal Gear fan, but overall I like Kojima. He's in dire need of a lesson on economy of script writing and some of his ideas are so balls-in-a-blender insane that I sometimes wonder how many human heads he has in his fridge, but he's a dedicated auteur and producer with real passion for his IPs and some very creative ideas about how to have games interact with their own technology.

I really believe that we're better off with his contributions than without them. Better to shoot for the stars and land in the mud than to shoot for the mud and make it.

Well, it was only a broad generalization. I would never literally suggest that Kojima can only inspire love or hate. I'm sure many are quite indifferent to him.

We could probably get into a debate about whether or not he does need a lesson in economy of script, but I don't think either of us will change the other's opinion. Personally I think the guy makes awesome games and there's nothing I would change about what he does. Otherwise I am in agreement with you.

 

[Savryc]

My MGS experience began and ended with 1. It was fun sure but so much exposition dump and monologues at the drop of a hat made me want to throttle everyone involved and scream "GET TO THE FUCKING POINT!" and from what I've heard and read the expo bombs just get bigger and more convoluted. Still, I may have to pick up 3 at some point though, or track down the HD collection.

Kojima's got talent yeah but the guys no Da Vinci.

As for the indie thing, I don't mind it, but the people who spout the "indie = the worlds only hope for gaming" thing (you know who you are) can shaft themselves on the Eiffel Tower.

 

[Souplex]

Before I flip and rage, I'd like him to expand this thought. That way I have a tangible way of arguing back. This guy might just hate stealth.

Calumon: Maybe he's just a big meanie who hates things because he's a meanie!

Only because stealth is universally terrible and ruins games that would have been otherwise great like Deus Ex.

 

[Lord Beautiful]

I fucking love Metal Gear Solid. I also see where this guy is coming from. Also, I like that last quote of his.

 

[MammothBlade]

Finally. Someone came out and said it. I think the Metal Gear Solid games are generally good, with good storytelling, but the gameplay is overall, mediocre and MGS4 was much more of a film than a game. Kojima is not good with gameplay.

 

[JasonKaotic]

I finished Metal Gear Solid 2 today, and I can tell this man that he is wrong and I don't like him.
The ending confused the shit out of me, but still, Konami has made some brilliant games.

 

[Dr Jones]

Oh, pish posh. Kojima's a crazy sob whose rediculous characters and loooong, silly stories put the developers in a unique position to do a lot of things that aren't as encouraged in other games. Its weird, but what's so bad about such silliness existing?

He's fellated as a genius and a great storyteller.

I agree. Though MGS might be a bit convoluted, they really just took every major thread and resolved it in a manner, that seems as if it was planned since MGS1. The whole Ocelot saying "You're pretty good" thing, and his arc where he is "Liquid Ocelot", it all tied together so nicely in the end. (save for a few (ton) of details but shush).

 

[crepesack]

I'm sorry but night sky is a shit awful game. The stove calls the kettle black. In my personal opinion this guy is full of himself.

 

[Zom-B]

We could probably get into a debate about whether or not he does need a lesson in economy of script, but I don't think either of us will change the other's opinion.

If it's any help, my opinion comes from being a screenwriter. The only form of writing more compressed than that is poetry. Kojima always seemed to me the kind of guy who never quite got that you shouldn't play an ace when a two will do. I do believe the man is a wellspring of creativity and games as a medium would be poorer without him. I just think the execution of his ideas is his weakest area.

Fair enough, you have insight as a writer for film/television. But those media are quite different from games and I don't think being a scriptwriter gives your opinion any more weight than mine does as a writer of short stories.

When it comes down to it, there's no one right way to write a movie, game, book or song, there's only what the public considers to be the "best". We can look at literature from other eras and say "WTF, this is a load of shit", but in that time period, and even to modern scholars, it may have been a classic or critical or popular success.

 

[Tanakh]

I fucking hate all of Konami's games. They're twisted, clunky, fucked up pieces of junk. Great concepts behind them, bloody terrible execution.

It's the gameplay, people.

Mhee, the old Castlevania games were great. As for Kojima, I kinda liked MSG, not enough to buy it but enough to play it at firend's houses; since then I rather not play his games, but some friends swear by him, and I detest what he did with castlevania though it doesn't play that bad.

But i am one of the oddballz here, that play videogames almost only for it's gameplay, that being the same reason i found baldurs gate or ME 3 bland.

 

[SonOfVoorhees]

Metal Gear games have solid gameplay, just bullshit story and way to many pointless cut scenes. Especially when you get one cut scene, walk a few feet and then another cut scene kicks in. Wouldn't mind if they were integral to the story, but most of them are not.

 

[Vigilantis]

Wait...the Metal Gear Series isn't a good franchise? Why did I just buy the HD Collection then? Sadly I guess I'm into shitty games since MGS3 is one of my favorite games to have picked up on the PS2.

I can understand the argument of too many cut-scenes, especially in MGS4, however it was still a great game beyond having such a cinematic feel. Don't like it...don't play it.

Edit: Still waiting for Zone of Enders 3