Where Kojima dropped the ball.

[A.G.]

Where has Kojima dropped the ball? Depending on whom you ask the answers will be many and varied. Naturally one can nit-pick just about any game in the series, it’s all largely subjective. However, I wanted to discuss a few of them that I personally feel not only where mistakes but were flat out examples of laziness.

1999 – Metal Gear Solid Integral | VR Missions


Despite what some critics said about the length of MGS1, I never felt the core campaign needed any change. It wasn’t super long by no means, but I don’t think it needed to be. For it’s time the gameplay was amazing and the game offered a lot of variety. The story is also very well presented and didn’t need to be expanded. However, the expanded edition of Integral and VR Missions were a mistake. 300+ VR Missions, many being repetitive and frustrating, were hardly a fitting expansion. What was the point? Training? Most of the missions required the player to pull of tasks that where 10x harder than anything in the core game. And even if you completed them, what did you get? A photo shoot of Mei Ling and Naomi (both dressed too!)… Lame!

What I would’ve suggested is taking those 3 little levels they gave us with the Ninja and GREATLY expanding on them. Clearly they already developed him into a playable character… so why waste him on VR?! How about a small mini game that tells Gray Fox’s story on Shadow Moses?! Infiltrating as the Ninja. Fighting the guards in the hallway (fun blood bath!) Facing off against Snake (though in a loosing effort). Hell, the REX fight would’ve been sick! And why stop there? Why not add another mini game of Meryl trying to resist being captured. Or her sneaking around in an enemy uniform after breaking out of the Cell?! All these things where easily possible since everything was already made. But instead we got 300+ of VR… wonderful…

2002 – Metal Gear Solid 2 Substance


Man oh man… was this ever an opportunity to salvage MGS2! Forget the deep narrative, the casual gamer didn’t care! They just hated Raiden. So how can we fix it? What? With 500+ VR Missions you say?! With Snake and Raiden on skateboards you say?! f...ck you! I mean, this was really it! This game was going multi-platform, talk about a possible audience. And hell, we got Snake/Pliskin on the Big Shell… but in VR!!!

What I would’ve suggested is NO VR!!! Just give us Snake’s mission on the Big Shell. Just think, you can fight the Ninja (mentioned in the game). You can help against the Harrier (or just have you fight it with Raiden helping from the bridge). You can probably take on Vamp at some point too. Would’ve loved a round 2 in a gunfight with Ocelot! Fight with Fortune as Raiden takes on the Ray Units. Hell, why not an ending duel with the Marine Ray and Ocelot?! Why, why, why?! This would’ve given people a legit reason to buy Substance and likely would’ve kept Metal Gear as the top name in the industry.

2006 | 2010 – Portable Ops and Peace Walker


Everyone knows how I feel about Kojima’s “Missing Links”… but what an opportunity though! OK, ok… Portable Ops was released to early to really fall in with this theory, but Peace Walker certainly wasn’t. Act 3 of MGS4 describes, and rather well, the whole Big Boss vs Zero war. THAT’S THE f...ckING MISSING LINK!!! Why oh why would you create a story from scratch when you have such amazing and yet to be explored amount of information?! Who cares about Gene, or returning Sokolove. Hot Coldman? Are you insane?!!! That’s our villain? I can dump on Peace Walker all day, but that’s not the point of the topic…

What I would’ve suggested in a game that simply shows what Big Mama talked about in Act 3 of MGS4. Give us the war between Zero and Big Boss! 5-mini missions, about the size of the Tanker mission in MGS2 with NO Metal Gear tanks though out them to convolute the plot:

1970 – A smaller version of MPO, something very specifically focused on the formation of Fox-Hound and the Patriots (instead of just mentioning it at the end of the f...cking game like MPO!)

1971 – A small mission that shows Big Boss captured in some lab facility. The goal is to escape. The ending reveals Zero saying “let him go… we got what we wanted”. Hence the start of the Les Enfants Terrible Project.

197X – The War. Big Boss waging war with Zero after learning about the clones.

198X – Formation of Outer Heaven in Africa and Fox Hound Operations in the states. Rookie Solid Snake and Gray Fox are playable.

Now that’s a missing link! That’s how you give the fans quality and keep your canon in tact. I have hopes for Rising giving us something in that style only with Raiden. And with Kojima not running the show 100%, maybe we will.

[solidelman]

I agree with the third one, kinda agree with the first one, and disagree with the second one.

INTEGRAL WAS sh*t

I agree that VR missions were a waste of time, but I don't know how a Gray Fox expansion would work. I mean, it was cool with Half Life, since you never really know what happens in the game; many things are left unanswered. But here, although there may be some room for expansion, I don't think it would be enough. I dunno... maybe that's just me.

Why no Pliskin in Big Shell? The casual gamer doesn't care about the deep narrative!

But Kojima probably does. Having Snake's part in the Big Shell would ruin his idea of the narrative. Yes, the casual gamer doesn't give a sh*t, but that's why we got Metal Gear Solid 3.

I personally defend his decision to leave the "Snake in the Big Shell" part untouched. All he wanted to convey is in the original game.

Portable Ops and Peace Walker

Although I don't agree that Peace Walker's story was sh*t, it was certainly not necessary. At all. Same thing with MPO.

[A.G.]

I agree that VR missions were a waste of time, but I don't know how a Gray Fox expansion would work. I mean, it was cool with Half Life, since you never really know what happens in the game; many things are left unanswered. But here, although there may be some room for expansion, I don't think it would be enough. I dunno... maybe that's just me.

You wouldn't need to expand the story. That's the magic of it. Some complained there wasn't enough gameplay. Well, this would take care of it. Like you said, it was a mystery what he did. But the cutscenes would be minimal and you could really set up some neat fights. Not only is it a "Rising" type of stealth, but you could have Fox square off with Raven or Mantis before Snake took them out. You know? And I believe fighting REX with Fox would be amazingly fun if done right.

But Kojima probably does. Having Snake's part in the Big Shell would ruin his idea of the narrative. Yes, the casual gamer doesn't give a sh*t, but that's why we got Metal Gear Solid 3.

I personally defend his decision to leave the "Snake in the Big Shell" part untouched. All he wanted to convey is in the original game.

Right, in "Sons of Liberty". I'm talking about "Substance". By this point the deep story has been told the way he wanted. The point of an expansion, like with Integral, is to give the player more gamepaly. So why not give them the gameplay that actually matters. That they would actually care to play. It would be kept minimal in terms of plot since we already have Sons of Liberty. And showing Snake take on the Ninja and form an alliance with Olga or take on Ocelot would hardly go against the grain of a game that, by that point, is over a year old. Not to mention that this way it would actually qualify to be called and expansion.

Although I don't agree that Peace Walker's story was sh*t, it was certainly not necessary. At all. Same thing with MPO.

I just don't get his Missing Link deal... He does a good job of outlining everything that is "missing" in MGS4. If you absolute have to make a game, why not use the plot you already set up?! lol

[The Mad Jackyl]

Yeah, Kojima for whatever reason could have really set things up for such a legendary storyline, but failed on several instances. I think he should have really only released an MGS game every 5 years or so, but the industry dictated otherwise...

[The Mad Jackyl]

This topic has inspired me to write somethin very similar, though only on the topic of MGS2.

[A.G.]

Good!

[lueluxacky]

Feb 26, 2011 13:55:58 GMT -5 The Mad Jackyl said:

I think he should have really only released an MGS game every 5 years or so, but the industry dictated otherwise...

Exactly. I think you're blaming Kojima too much, AG. I think he was more likely than not pushed by Konami to release all those side games for quick cash. It's what companies do.

I think his greatest mistake was making the story too grand. I know, thats a bad thing?lol I liked the way MGS2 ended, and I would've been happy if the entire plot ended there. So was he apparently, since it was SUPPOSE to be his final MG game. But like I said, it was too good. Too filled with questions unanswered that the world basically forced him to come back. And so MG became another Final Fantasy. Where a game needs to be released every couple years in order to keep cash coming in. Aside from Winning Eleven, what other big franchise does Konami have right now? Because of MG's popularity after MGS1 and MGS2, it became their biggest cash cow. Instead of being series that pioneered, now it's "Oh, look, another metal gear. Cool, I guess." Even MGS4 was like that, there wasnt much coverage for it, and it was basically a game just for fans. Storywise, I hated it too.

MG is expanding. Targeting larger audiences (PW, RISING), in order to make more money. So in one hand it's good MG has become as big as it is, and expanded to several gaming devices that more and more people can play those games, but it's also evolving into something that isn't MG anymore.

[A.G.]

Ahh, the old MGS2 ending debate.

I'll keep my thoughts on it short and sweet. The story of MGS2 was great, well above anything in gaming. BUT, the ending of the game suffers from HORRIBLE presentation. The worst in the series. That very presentation is the main reason why the game got so much heat. The story was amazing, but because he didn't give the ending the proper presentation, most didn't understand it. And they can not be blamed.

MG is expanding. Targeting larger audiences (PW, RISING), in order to make more money. So in one hand it's good MG has become as big as it is, and expanded to several gaming devices that more and more people can play those games, but it's also evolving into something that isn't MG anymore.

The sad part is that there is a way to do it right. There is a way to expand into new markets and target new audience without sh*tting all over the established fanbase. Kojima, or Konami, or both just simply STILL don't get how to listen to the fans.