Hideo Kojima is a living legend in the gaming industry, known for his creativity, out-of-the-box thinking, and willingness to do what other developers won’t. It is because of his artistic prowess that gamers love thisJapanesedeveloper, and it’s quite rare for one of his games to disappoint.
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Out of all the games Kojima has released over the years, one franchise takes the crown for consistently delivering bangers, and that’s the Metal Gear series. Still, we will try to keep the MGS entries to a minimum in our list of the all-time best Kojima games.
Blade Runner Meets Kojima
Long before Kojima became a household name, he released Snatcher in 1988, a cyberpunk noir adventure that was light-years ahead of its time. Drawing heavy inspiration from Blade Runner, the game plunges players into a dystopian future where bio-mechanical creatures called Snatchers secretly replace humans.
The game’s storytelling is pure Kojima: rich, cinematic, and brimming with intrigue. From the pixel-perfect graphics of the Sega CD version to the way it blended investigation with light gun-style shooting segments, Snatcher was a genre-defying masterpiece.
6Policenauts
Lethal Weapon In Space
Policenauts
Released in 1994, Policenauts feels like a love letter to 80s buddy cop action films with a distinct Kojima twist. Set in a futuristic space colony, the game follows Jonathan Ingram, an ex-cop investigating his ex-wife’s mysterious death. Its point-and-click gameplay might feel dated by today’s standards, but back then, it was a marvel of interactive fiction.
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What stood out most was the game’s world-building, as every little detail about the colonized space station feels meticulously researched, from zero-gravity physics to the psychology of living in space. Kojima’s obsession with realism and cinematic flair shines here, laying the groundwork for the larger-than-life storytelling he’d later perfect in Metal Gear Solid.
5MGS 3: Snake Eater
Survival Of The Fittest
Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater (2004)
Set against the backdrop of the Cold War,Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eaterrewound the clock to tell the origin story of Big Boss, the legendary soldier who would shape the Metal Gear saga. Ditching the high-tech gadgets of its predecessors, the game embraced a raw, survival-focused experience in the Soviet wilderness.
Players had to manage stamina, treat injuries, and adapt to the environment to succeed, which added depth and realism to the stealth genre. Combine that with innovativeboss battles, like the sniper duel against The End or the heart-wrenching final fight with The Boss, and that’s a recipe for a game that’s both mechanically brilliant and emotionally devastating.
4Death Stranding
The Walking Simulator That Walked So Others Could Run
Death Stranding
Few games have divided audiences likeDeath Stranding. Dubbed as a “strand” game, a genre where the player’s world is affected by the actions of other players online, it re-imagines traversal as the heart of gameplay. Delivering packages across a desolate America might sound dull, but every step feels monumental thanks to Kojima’s focus on environmental design and an evocative soundtrack by Low Roar.
Released in 2019, Death Stranding also broke new ground with its asynchronous multiplayer. Being a “strand” game, players could leave tools and structures in the world to be used by others, fostering a sense of global collaboration, and sending a subtle but powerful message about connection in an isolated world. Love it or hate it, there’s no denying the game’s innovation and Kojima’s fearless approach to storytelling.
3MGS 2: Sons of Liberty
The Raiden Switcheroo
Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty
If there’s one game that proves Kojima loves trolling his audience, it’s Metal Gear Solid 2. Released in 2001, the game famously baited fans into thinking they’d play as Solid Snake the entire time, only to introduce Raiden, a rookie operative with no connection to Snake’s gruff persona that players would control for the rest of the game.
Beyond the controversy, the game’s meta-narrative about misinformation and control feels eerily prophetic in today’s digital age. Gameplay-wise, it further refined the stealth mechanics of the first entry and had visuals that were more up-to-date with the times.
2P.T. (Playable Teaser)
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P.T.wasn’t a full game; it was a demo for the now-canceled brand-new Silent Hills that Kojima and Konami had planned. But even as a teaser, it redefined what ahorror gamecould be. Dropping players into an endless, looping hallway filled with unsettling sounds, cryptic messages, and Lisa, P.T. left an indelible mark on the gaming community.
Its photo-realistic graphics paired with minimalist gameplay that only involved basic puzzle-solving and walking, created an atmosphere of pure dread. Kojima’s mastery of subverting player expectations shines here, from the hallway subtly changing each loop to the cryptic puzzle-solving that left fans theorizing for years.
The game was only ever released, for free, on the PS4, and roughly a year later, it was taken down from the PS Store after Kojima and Konami’s falling out. There was no way to play P.T. after it was taken down, though there are fan-made replicas, such as Unreal PT, which players can still play today.
1Metal Gear Solid (1998)
Closest to Cinema A Video Game Can Get
Metal Gear Solid
Where do we even begin withMetal Gear Solid? Released in 1998, thisPlayStation classicset such a high benchmark for what a video game could be that hardly any game after came even close to reaching it. Kojima took the stealth genre to unprecedented heights, weaving a gripping tale of espionage, betrayal, and nuclear threats with Hollywood-style cutscenes and unforgettable characters like Solid Snake, Revolver Ocelot, and Psycho Mantis.
The game’s infamous fourth-wall-breaking moments, like Psycho Mantis reading the player’s memory card, are still talked about today. Add in tight stealth mechanics, intricate level design, and a soundtrack that perfectly complements the tension, and you’ve got a masterpiece.
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