Hideo Kojima is finest identified for the Steel Gear collection, and latterly Dying Stranding, however amongst his early work are two standout video games which have by no means actually obtained a lot love from writer Konami: Snatcher and Policenauts. These graphic journey video games are in loosely the identical lineage, with the primary being principally a Blade Runner riff and the latter a extra formidable adventure-conspiracy constructed across the notion of police astronauts: the people who maintain order in humanity’s house colonies.
Policenauts was launched in 1994 and, considerably unbelievably, given Kojima’s subsequent profession, has by no means been launched outdoors of Japan. A localisation was begun at one level however was later cancelled, and it was left to followers to belatedly convey the sport to English-speaking gamers, with a 2009 patch for the Japanese PlayStation model. The sport follows astronaut Jonathan Ingram and explores themes that will sound acquainted—social isolation, technological advances, house journey’s influence—through primarily a galactic cop drama.
In different phrases: in case you like Hideo Kojima’s work, you will in all probability discover one thing right here to love. And even when you do not have time to play it, you’ll be able to see at-a-glance how influential this sport has been on Kojima’s subsequent path: simply take a look at the visible designs and the way the up to date Kojima Productions presents its mascot and mission. This sport marks the primary time Kojima labored with Yoji Shinkawa, who’s outlined the look of Kojima’s video games ever since.
“I miss the ‘POLICENAUTS’ actuality,” writes Kojima (opens in new tab), presumably which means the universe he created for the sport. “I accomplished the planning, setting, story, storyboard, and instructions, nevertheless it was in 1990, so 32 years in the past. After that, I needed to switch to the opposite division, and full-scale manufacturing was delayed”.
Policenauts would spend 4 years in growth, and the ultimate product mirrored what was happening in Japan on the time, together with a public debate over organ donation. “House growth and the medical scene had modified drastically” mentioned Kojima. “At the moment, nobody even imagined {that a} personal firm would go into house. Nevertheless, Japan didn’t have a division of labor in allotting and prescribing at the moment.”
The sport stays stubbornly unavailable and your solely actual choice for taking part in it’s emulation, which appears bonkers: Konami’s merely leaving cash on the desk with this one. What did it for Policenauts, although, was not its personal reception a lot as what got here subsequent for Kojima: 1998’s Steel Gear Stable was such a success that this collection would dominate his output for the very best a part of twenty years.
Seems, although, that the director did as soon as idea a Policenauts 2. “I used to be pondering of a sequel the place Redwood comes again to earth (house) for revenge, nevertheless it by no means occurred,” writes Kojima (opens in new tab). Tony Redwood is the principle antagonist of the sport, one other high-ranking house cop (who, for bonus evil factors, has killed your ex-wife), who on the finish of Policenauts ‘dies’ by leaping to his dying with a maniacal snort. Within the sport, Earth is known as house whereas the house colony is known as Past Coast (in truth Policenauts’ working title was Past, till Konami realised it could not trademark the phrase).
So: Policenauts was a sport a couple of cop on an area colony unravelling a giant prison conspiracy, and the sequel would have been the return to Earth with the villain in tow. There are numerous might-have-beens in gaming historical past, however it is a unhappy one: particularly as Kojima’s two earlier video games on this lineage are so inaccessible. One can solely hope that the director’s profile and up to date popularity imply that Konami finally does the appropriate factor: even when it missed its likelihood to bankroll the sequel.
