I must admit, and this is no secret to anyone who knows me, but I really do love me some Hideo Kojima.
Kojima's games have been a steady influence throughout my life, from Metal Gear Solid to Death Stranding and everything in between. He's a very polarizing figure for many, but for me, I love how he is always creating something different and unique. And through tough times, looking forward to whatever's next from him and others like him has kept me going.
Today, to celebrate Kojima Productions' 10th anniversary, Kojima hosted a showcase and revealed new looks at both of his upcoming projects in development: OD KNOCK and PHYSINT. Both titles could definitely use some work (the latter is likely a codename for now), but boy, do they both look promising.
First, Kojima invited Xbox head Phil Spencer on stage to show off the Xbox Game Studios title OD KNOCK, which looks to be a unique first-person horror experience. The footage, which Kojima says is all gameplay in Unreal Engine 5, shows a girl played by actress Sophia Lillis lighting candles as part of some ritual.
The atmosphere is thick with dread, tense with the creepiest sound effects, and most lifelike visuals we may have seen yet (Kojima says he scanned an entire building to make it look that good). The player is apparently tasked with lighting the candles somehow, but the tension picks up and horror intensifies a la the defunct P.T. Silent Hills demo from many years ago that Kojima helped create.
OD KNOCK definitely evokes P.T. vibes, and that's enough to get excited about. To this day, P.T. has some of the best atmosphere and most uncomfortable gameplay I've ever experienced. If OD KNOCK can recreate this, we may have a new horror classic on our hands. The game's cast also includes Udo Kier and Hunter Schafer.
OD KNOCK is in progress and likely still a year or two away, but Kojima's other project that's definitely more in my wheelhouse is many, many years out, and that means I no longer can root for the rapture to take us all because I need to see this come to fruition.
Kojima then flexed his muscles again by showing off PlayStation head Hermen Hulst, who sent a video message about his next game. Starring actors Don Lee, Charlee Fraser, Minami Hamabe, and an unknown actor as the character depicted above (many are claiming and hoping that it's The Batman's Robert Pattinson), PHYSINT won't release before 2030 at the earliest. Damn!
All we know so far about PHYSINT is that it's a tactical espionage action game. And that's all I need to know. If Kojima can rekindle some of Metal Gear Solid's magic under a new IP with the technology that will be available five-plus years down the line, I'm all aboard. He teased some of how the game would look in-engine with a stunning visual of Hamabe, who he has already scanned in, and it's beautiful.
PHYSINT is in the concept stage and Kojima is still casting roles, but just this one minor sneak peek of the title has me fiending for more. He said he will be looking to further break the barrier between movies and games, and I would expect nothing less.
Between OD KNOCK and PHYSINT, I have two incredible-looking projects to look forward to for a long time. By the time PHYSINT comes out, I will be in my 40s (yikes). For another decade or so more, Kojima has me grinding out daily life just so I can experience some more of his games, and that's really more than I could ever ask for from any artist.
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The post Hideo Kojima showed off incredible looks at both of his upcoming games, and now I’m no longer rooting for the rapture appeared first on Destructoid.
