An interview about the design process of Metal Gear Solid has surfaced. The collaboration of Hideo Kojima and Yoji Shinkawa was key to the game’s success.
released in 1998 Metal Gear Solidwent down in history as a production that radically changed not only Hideo Kojima’s career, but also the gaming world. The game, which stands out with both its cinematic narrative and innovative gameplay mechanics, popularized the stealth genre, and Yoji Shinkawa’s designs were at the center of this success. A recently revived interview in the Japanese PlayStation magazine offers interesting details about how Kojima and Shinkawa shaped Metal Gear Solid.
Metal Gear Solid and Yoji Shinkawa’s Contributions
Hideo Kojima states that after seeing Shinkawa’s designs while Metal Gear Solid was in the planning phase, he decided that he should join the team. Shinkawa influenced the game’s visual designs not only from an aesthetic perspective, but also from a gameplay perspective.
For example, Metal Gear Rex’s design was created to make it feel like both a war machine and a living creature. While making this design, Shinkawa locked himself in his home for weeks and used scrap parts for the model. Kojima has visited from time to time to support this process.
One of Yoji Shinkawa’s most iconic contributions was Cyborg Ninja (Gray Fox), one of the game’s beloved characters. Kojima admits that he did not initially plan such a character, but this character, which Shinkawa designed by saying “Because he looks cool,” played a central role in the game’s story.
Shinkawa also reshaped the visual design of the Otacon character. Kojima states that he initially imagined Otacon differently, but with Shinkawa’s suggestions, the character became what it is today.
It’s clear that the creative collaboration between Kojima and Shinkawa had a huge impact on the success of Metal Gear Solid. The game is still remembered as an unforgettable classic today, and this interview gives us a better understanding of the creative process behind the game.