Kojima’s upcoming horror game has little official information but has already set itself apart from others in its genre.
Following the departure from Konami, the game director, Hideo Kojima’s latest new IP, OD, the game seems set to follow in the footsteps of the popular game, Death Stranding as it pushes the boundaries of mediums and takes some risks with its gameplay formulas. Although very little is known about the upcoming game aside from its cryptic announcement trailer and the collaboration with Jordan Peele, the circumstances around its development and the inspiration behind the game indicate that the game has the potential to subvert the typical tropes of the survival horror genre.
Becoming a phenomenon, the demo had players decoding its hidden messages for months in the playable teaser for the canceled Silent Hill project, which has achieved high praise as a masterpiece despite its brevity. This would be largely due to the genuine sense of fear the demo was able to create in many players, having been built on a creeping feeling of dread and atmosphere, as opposed to most games which simply rely on jump scares alone. There have been a few hints associating OD with P.T. and Silent Hills since its reveal, with Kojima possibly intending to invoke his past work for the sake of the direction this horror project will be taking.
While OD’s footage reveals it’s already clearly an unconventional game by horror game standards, there are already clues as to how this could manifest in a more practical sense. However, during an interview with Japanese magazine, An An, Kojima revealed that the primary inspiration behind OD came from the 1973 film, The Exorcist.
Kojima went on to state that “When I rewatched “The Exorcist” after being over 60 years old, I found it to be far from scary, it was a very well-made movie. Friedkin’s direction, special effects, sound, camera, actors’ performances, and details. Every scene was amazing and perfect.” Further stating that “It was a high-quality drama depicting human courage and love in the face of evil. The reason it was a huge hit around the world and is still talked about today was not because it was an occult film…”
The sentiment that Kojima seems to really be expressed in regards to visual quality seems to have translated into projects such as MGS5 and Death Stranding, it’s likely that continues informing the photorealistic motion captured the style of OD’s celebrity cameos.
The formula of survival horror has remained mostly unchanging since the genre’s rise in the 90’s. However, gaming hits like Silent Hill 2 have been quite notable due to strong character writing. In a genre known for the inconsistent quality outside the impact of scares, Kojima Productions may have chosen to focus mainly on the high quality of The Exorcist’s cinematic elements that its director found appealing. Overall, the horror gaming fans have much to look forward to in this upcoming game and its unique take on the genre.
