Konami perhaps only re-entering the public sphere with hard hitters who Silent Hill 2 remake and Metal Gear Solid Delta: Snake Eaterbut there was once a time when the publisher-developer was almost unstoppable. In the late 90s and early 2000s, Konami was a galvanizing force in the gaming industry, establishing bold trends and breaking new ground with innovative projects.
If you were to look at this era of Konami year by year, one would stand out as a clear exception. 2001 saw the release of three games that would come to define the PlayStation 2, and the wider gaming medium in unexpected ways. Looking at the long-lasting cultural impact of these releases, it's hard to believe they all launched within the same year, but that's just the level Konami was at back then.
- Metal Gear Solid 2 MetaCritic score: 96
- Metal Gear Solid 2 honors and awards: Game Informer Game of the Year 2001, PSM Game of the Year 2001, Japan Game Awards Excellence Award 2001, Edge Innovation of the Year 2001
Hailed by many as the best entry in the Metal Gear series, Metal Gear Solid 2 is a landmark for the gaming medium. It represented an almost incredible leap in power between the PS1 and the PS2, making it the first Metal Gearwhich was considered groundbreaking just a few years earlier, looks outdated. Graphics and range were far from the only way MGS2 newly created: its narrative was not only risky and experimental, but made biting sociopolitical commentary uncharacteristic of its era. It even correctly predicted many of the current problems of modern society, such as the spread of misinformation facilitated by the Internet. These strengths were wrapped up in a ground-breaking stealth sandbox that still feels great to play and helps immortalize Metal Gear in the annals of gaming history.
Silent Hill 2
- Silent Hill 2 MetaCritic score: 89
- Silent Hill 2 honors and awards: IGN Editor's Choice Award
Although it was not as critically acclaimed as MGS2 upon release, many contemporary players would probably put Silent Hill 2 on a similar level to Kojima's opus. Again, this game was a striking technical improvement over its PS1 predecessor and its story, even if it wasn't as cerebral as MGS2's, was remarkably arresting and uniquely harrowing. Even today, Silent Hill 2The story of love, lust and guilt is remembered as impactful in a way that many video game stories are not. The quality of the story was underlined by last year's Silent Hill 2 remake, which left the original's plot and script virtually untouched despite major changes to all other design elements.
Ender's Zone
- Zone of the Enders MetaCritic score: 78
- Ender's Zone honors and awards: Japan Game Awards Excellence Award 2003 (Zone of the Enders: The 2nd Runner)
Ender's Zone is nowhere near such famous and genre-defining games as Metal Gear or Silent Hillbut it's an undeniable cult classic, with yet another unexpectedly deep story – a theme that seems to define Konami's 2001 output. Its compelling sci-fi plot about Earth's battle against its Martian colonists is heavy-handed but compelling, with plenty to say about war, existentialism and destiny, giving the game a subtle edge. Ender's Zone would later receive an even better-received sequel, garnering the Excellence Award at the 2003 Japan Game Awards.
When you look back at Konami's run in 2001, you can chalk some of it up to luck, but it reads more like the result of smart investments. More specifically, investing in talented creators and producers such as Hideo Kojima, Masashi Tsuboyama, Noriaki Okamura and Yoji Shinikawa. It's bittersweet, as Konami has had quite a few tough years since 2001, and especially after its widely publicized split between it and Kojima in 2015. But after recent successes such as Metal Gear Solid Delta and Silent Hill bthere is hope that another 2001 may be in Konami's future.
