The Kojima Code

I first dove into the Metal Gear series on 2009 and remain an avid fan to this day. The need to understand the complex and unprecedented narrative and thematic elements presented by Hideo Kojima drove me to explore the world of Internet discussions, specially the forums contained in what is probably the oldest Metal Gear Solid fansite still running today; The Snake Soup, which is thankfully cited in the Foreword of this book. In this respect, I am by no means a stranger to Terry Wolfe's efforts in deconstructing and analyzing every single Metal Gear game in existence; I still remember reading and re-reading his extensive series of essays on the matter and getting excited each time a new analysis was posted on his site, Meta Gear Solid.However, as knowledgeable as I consider myself on his work and style, nothing could prepare me for this book. The things he uncovers, and the way he uncovers them, are astounding. In The Kojima Code, Wolfe has mastered the art he has been delving into during all these years. I will surely re-read this book several times; it's certainly worth it.I can guarantee you won't find anything like this anywhere else. If you're a Metal Gear fan, a follower of Hideo Kojima's work and genius, or even just someone who enjoys deep analysis of works of art as a whole, you DEFINITELY won't want to miss this read.

Growing up, I had a strange perspective on Metal Gear. Having never owned a Playstation or Playstation 2, my opinion of the franchise was shaped by talking to my friends who played the games. Because of this, I only thought of Solid Snake as some sort of American James Bond knockoff who infiltrated secret bases, killed bad guys, and got the girl.Later in life, as a teenager, I played through the franchise myself and learned just how wrong my earlier impressions of the franchise were.Reading this book is like going through my teen years again. Once again my eyes have been opened to an entire world I never knew existed. The author is clearly a dedicated fan of the series who has dedicated a large portion of his time and energy into crafting what is not only an interesting take on a beloved franchise, but also a love letter to its creator. A delightful read.

This book is wonderful! I used to feel like there was something strange about MGS2, and I felt like it was just a badly designed game. After reading this, I realize it's actually amazingly designed and I just missed what Kojima was trying to tell me. Great book for any Metal Gear fan (and also interesting to find out more about Japanese game designing).

Huge fan of Wolfe’s work. If you’re a metal gear fan, this is legitimately a must buy!

Few series are as iconic as the Metal Gear franchise. In the 80s a fresh faced movie buff turned game designer was tasked with saving an action game project and wound up pioneering a genre when he decided the player should try to avoid firefights. Within 3 decades Hideo Kojima produced, directed, and wrote hit after hit game and built a massive cult following.While Metal Gear is iconic and very enjoyable to play the story can be very frustrating. Partially due to a deep language barrier as well as Kojima simply not being an eloquent writer. The Metal Gear series is filled with plotholes, cheesy one liners, and dialogue that can simply go on for too long. Part of this holds an undeniable charm to the series, Metal Gear would not be Metal Gear if it maintained a grounded story. The confusion and the mystery it creates is part of the fun.Author Terry Wolfe offers a lot of context and behind the scenes info behind the first half of the Metal Gear games as well as Kojima's two unrelated adventure games. As you read it you'll have a newfound appreciation for the cleverness of Kojima as he worked under technological restrictions to craft his narratives. His writing is clear and concise, he avoids gamer jargon and it never feels like he's talking down to the readers who may have missed key details when they played the series. His only clear disdain is for boneheaded journalists of past and present who failed to do their jobs in analyzing these games. While he is a clear fan of Kojima don't mistake him for a fanboy. The author does not deify Kojima and is more than ready to point out the flaws in these games as well as what does and what doesn't work.Metal Gear's continuity has come to felt like the gordian knot of nerd topics. To try to pull it apart feels impossible with so many inconsistencies and misdirections. Even Konami's own supplemental database for the series had misinformation contained inside it. Kojima cared far too deeply about the series to be lazy and so clearly some of it was intentional. Wolfe begins to cut at the knot of the series and shows the deeper meaning of the postmodern classic Metal Gear Solid 2. I hope to see him further cut into the most beautiful trainwreck of a game, Metal Gear Solid 4. So I have my fingers crossed for a sequel.If you love playing and thinking about this beautiful & complicated franchise buy this book. We need more Game Journalism and commentary like this, too many writers now use video games to reflect upon themselves instead of focusing purely on the content and message of the games. This serves as a nice introduction into the series and is definitely helpful for those who may have not played the games in years.

I came to Metal Gear Solid relatively late with the release of the HD collection on the PS3 in 2013. Over time, I worked my way through most of the canon games (still have most of Phantom Pain to get through) so this book was a real eye-opener to the sort of machinations that went on behind the scenes in the making of MGS2: Sons of Liberty. I played through this game exactly once and enjoyed the game play and the wacky plot, but thought no more of it and moved on to Snake Eater and Guns of the Patriots/Peace Walker. However, it turns out this game was all along a post-modern masterpiece and most people didn't understand the incredibly nuanced things that Kojima was trying to say about information control, memes, passing on cultural units of information, destiny and a host of other things you really need to listen to GW's speech to Raiden to understand.I initially did not understand why the book cuts of at the years 2003, given another 4 games were released after this date, canon games. But as Mr Wolfe makes clear, everything of what the franchise went on to be was conditioned by the gap between MGS 1 and MGS2 - so I understand now why he focussed so much on this period.The entire second half of the book deals just with MGS2 and the themes that arise from it and what was behind its release. I came to what is known as the VR Theory of MGS2 through Terry Wolfe's blog, where a lot of the same ground is covered on his website, Meta Gear Solid. I would recommend reading that first to see if you like what he says and the style.Personally, i enjoyed this book immensely and read it in only about 4 sittings over the course of less than a week. I was engrossed in what he has to say and I put aside my initial thoughts of 'this guy is reading far too much into things' to realise that the parallels he draws are actually spot on.Essential reading for any Metal Gear fan or people new to the series. It explains the plot but above all the context behind the games and the sheer genius of Hideo Kojima as a story-teller and game-maker, which far too many people misunderstood in their hate for 'having been conned' with the Solis Snake-to-Raiden switcheroo in MGS2. Far from being a forgettable game with a wacko plot and a hated protagonist, the game is a post-modern masterpiece, and it takes a book from Mr Wolfe to explain to all us heathens, exactly why.

It is a good craftsmanship, well written and interesting but to a degree. If you are well acquainted with the story of the MGS the book will be boring, as it simply retells the story of each game up to 2003. If you are new to the series and just interested about what it is about and who Hideo Kojima is you will be happy with your purchase. I know all the stories too well and about 70% of the book was just boring for me because of that.

Researching the life and career of the brilliant videogame designer Hideo Kojima and his most succesful creations (Metal Gear, Snatcher, Policenauts) Terry Wolfe (from metagearsolid.org) delivers a solid book that fleshes out the drive and intentions of the celebrated artist and, most importantly, explores some of the most controversial and persistent myths surrounding the MGS series and its long and complex creative process.The book succeeds in its daunting aim and builds up its argument in a very compelling way, including numerous quotations, footnotes and references. The author's prose is witty, crisp and sharp, oftentimes funny and with a down-to-earth yet eloquent tone, making reading the book an enjoyable and page-turning experience.This is the most fleshed out and complete work regarding Kojima and his work there is right now, and the author's theories certainly bring a lot of important points to the ongoing discussion surrounding the series. All in all, a must-have for all Kojima fans and those interested in the workings of the gaming industry and game design. Incredible work.

A very detailed and analytical look at the first half of one of the most intriguing careers in video game development. From the original 'Metal Gear' in 1987 to 2001's groundbreaking 'MGS 2: Sons of Liberty', Terry Wolfe goes through the inspirations, the obstacles, the defeats and ultimate successes of Hideo Kojima. A must read for fans of the Metal Gear Solid series, I can't wait to dive into the life of gaming's most unique storyteller from Snake Eater onward. Terry, don't keep us waiting, huh?

Im disappointed, I wanted to read and learn more about kojima but this book is breaking down the storylines of each games. It’s not what I was looking for because I know these games and it’s storylines.