Policenauts, Silent Hill and a Metal Gear JRPG - an audience with Kojima
"The president of Konami rung me up and said he'd like me to make the next Silent Hill."
Hideo Kojima is open to reviving Policenauts and Snatcher as well as lending a hand to a new Silent Hill game - though it's unlikely he'd be able to take a direct role in any of the projects himself.
"Personally I love adventure games," Kojima said during today's Eurogamer Expo developer session, "and I'd love to see other chapters in the Snatcher or Policenaut series. But from a business perspective it's pretty hard to make that work. I think it's my job to push forward, so I don't think I could make it.
"I do think there's a possibility that I'd make an adventure game in collaboration with someone else who's great at making adventure games - maybe there's a possibility. As far as making a remake of Snatcher, that's something I'd like to attempt. We couldn't do it internally, but maybe we could partner with someone."
Snatcher has been treated to a prequel of sorts in the shape of the catchily titled SDATCHER, a seven episode radio play that aired last year and that was created in collaboration with Suda51.
Kojima also spoke about potentially getting involved with the Silent Hill series - a subject he expressed interest in via Twitter earlier this year.
"In the past I've mentioned Silent Hill in interviews, and as a result of that the president of Konami rung me up and said he'd like me to make the next Silent Hill," Kojima revealed today.
"Honestly, I'm kind of a scaredy-cat when it comes to horror movies, so I'm not confident I can do it. At the same time, there's a certain type of horror that only people who are scared of can create, so maybe it's something I can do.
"That said, I think Silent Hill has a certain atmosphere. I think it has to continue, and I'd love to help it continue, and if I can help by supervising or lending the technology of the Fox Engine, then I'd love to participate in that respect."
Most of the questions sent Kojima's way were, understandably, centred around the Metal Gear series, and he revealed many of his favourite moments from its 25 year history.
"If we're to talk boss characters, then I have one answer," he said. "I've done a lot of boss battles in a lot of games, and one thing I try to accomplish is make something no one has ever seen before. From that perspective, two bosses I'm a fan of are Psycho Mantis from Metal Gear Solid and The Sorrow from Metal Gear Solid 3."
Kojima also spoke of his personal relationship with Snake, and how he's grown with the character that he created. "What I can say is that I've aged alongside Snake, and I've matured along with him," Kojima said. "As long as there's a Snake in Metal Gear Solid, that Snake will always be a part of me, so I don't think I could ever do a Snake that's much younger than myself.
"For example, if at some point if we decided to bring out a JRPG with Snake in his teens, I don't think that's something I could do. I'd have to leave that with the younger staff. As you've seen, Ground Zeroes will feature a slightly older Snake."