Hideo Kojima: An Article of Truth, Ego and Genius

Hideo Kojima is one of the most iconic and polarizing figures in the gaming world. From Metal Gear Solid to Death Stranding 2, his work has defined generations and inspired passionate debate. But beyond the praise lies a deeper question: If Kojima is the only “genius” we celebrate, are we stuck in a loop of nostalgia disguised as innovation?

The One and Only

Don’t get me wrong. I still remember being a teenager and having to switch controller ports to fight Psycho Mantis. That moment left a mark on me. Even now, it’s astonishing. That level of originality was rare then, and with the rise of generative AI, it’s becoming even rarer.

Hideo exposes an uncomfortable truth: Today, it seems like only Kojima is allowed to bring true originality to a AAA title, while the indie scene is left to carry the creative torch and push boundaries on its own.

NOT FOR THE CULT NOR THE INDUSTRY

Even though I fully recognize his genius, and how he stands alone in a sea of uninspired, copy-paste games, there are things that make me see Kojima less as a meticulous director in both form and substance, and more like what I’d call an Eccentric-director-auteur. That’s probably the best way to describe him. Brilliant, yes. But often frustrating. Here’s what (always) bothers me (and not the industry):

A videogame is not a movie

Anyone who has played a Kojima game knows exactly what I mean. Metal Gear Solid 4 is the perfect example. Long cutscenes can work, but in my case, they bore me. A video game, just like a movie, has to entertain. But unlike a movie, the player shouldn't spend so much time without actually playing.

OH THAT EGO!

Let’s face it. When someone is incredibly talented, a bit of arrogance doesn’t bother me. Just look at Eminem. But with Kojima, the ego seeps directly into the product. In Metal Gear Solid V, we keep seeing "A Hideo Kojima Game" again and again. Okay. We get it. Really.

THE INDUSTRY GOLDEN BOY

Every industry has its untouchables the so-called golden boys. The term, popularized by the GREAT Orson Welles, the mind behind Citizen Kane and War of the Worlds, applies perfectly here. In gaming, Hideo Kojima is that figure. And while it’s not entirely his fault, it raises an uncomfortable question: what happens when myth overpowers reality? When every review scores a 9 or 10 by default, can we really trust the conversation around his work?

Game Directors "Like" Kojima You Should Be Watching

I know Kojima is unique. But that doesn’t mean we don’t have other great creators (I like more directors) trying to leave their mark. They might lean more into the Hollywood-style blockbuster model, but they do have a voice, a style, a signature.

Ken Levine (BioShock, BioShock Infinite)

Will the cirle be unbroken?

A master of philosophical storytelling and dystopian worlds. When you play BioShock, you’re stepping into Levine’s mind, a space shaped by sociopolitical tension, moral ambiguity, and sharp cultural commentary.

Visually, his games mix art deco elegance, dark, atmospheric lighting, and oppressive, decaying grandeur. The cinematic pacing, tight first-person framing, and sudden bursts of chaos mirror the emotional unraveling of his characters and worlds.

I absolutely loved BioShock Infinite and it truly caught me by surprise. For me, it's not only the best of the series, but easily one of the greatest games in gaming history (yep). All of it made possible by the vision of Ken Levine.

Sam Lake (Max Payne, Alan Wake, Control)

From the gritty film noir monologues of Max Payne to the eerie, King-inspired atmosphere of Alan Wake, Sam Lake has always brought a distinct voice to gaming. What sets him apart is how he blends narrative and gameplay without letting one overpower the other. His games feel cinematic, but never at the cost of being fun.

And while his worlds are often dark and surreal, there's always a grounded emotional thread running underneath. You’re not just playing a detective or a writer, you’re playing a person slowly unraveling through the chaos of their own mind.

Yoko Taro (NieR: Automata, Drakengard)

A masked philosopher of chaos and emotion. Yoko Taro is not a typical director. Often appearing in public wearing a smiling creepy mask, his presence reflects the tone of his work: playful, mysterious, and deeply unsettling.

His games blend existentialism, machine consciousness, and emotional storytelling, wrapped in JRPG mechanics that feel both nostalgic and avant-garde. Visually, he leans into stylized desolation, dreamlike environments, and surreal transitions, creating experiences that feel like myths being deconstructed in real time.

In a medium obsessed with power fantasies, Yoko Taro dares to ask questions most developers avoid, and that alone makes him one of the few true auteurs of gaming.

WHAT I LEARNED OF KOJIMA

When playing video games wasn’t what it is today, because it was still seen as something marginal, unfairly so, Kojima taught me the value of originality. The process of creation as surprise. The urge to do something unexpected so the player would stop, think, and feel something. Not something generic, which unfortunately feels like the default in much of today’s media and culture, not just in gaming, but everywhere.

Maybe I’m wrong. Maybe breaking the mold is easier nowadays. Time will tell.

A Final Note From the Heart

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CS