• Skip to main content
  • Skip to header right navigation
  • Skip to site footer
Gameranx

Gameranx

Video Game News, Lists & Guides

  • News
  • Features
  • Platforms
    • Xbox Series X
    • PS5
    • Nintendo
  • Videos
  • Upcoming Games
  • Guides
  • News
  • Features
  • Platforms
    • Xbox Series X
    • PS5
    • Nintendo
  • Videos
  • Upcoming Games
  • Guides

Metal Gear Solid 5: Kojima Unsatisfied With Snake’s Appearance Vs Realistic Backgrounds

October 31, 2013 by Ryan Parreno

Fox Engine is near photorealistic, but Kojima still struggles with uncanny valley.

Brutally honest as ever, Hideo Kojima commented on the recently unveiled screenshots for Metal Gear Solid 5. Kojima thinks the game retains its realism up until Snake himself shows up.

Of course, Kojima refers here to the uncanny valley, a problem that remains unresolved, not just in video games, but also movies, television, any media that tries to depict humans using computer graphics.

We do know that computer graphics have reached the level where it matches the photorealism needed to depict real world environments. Even older games on current gen, such as Gran Turismo 5, and arguably Gran Turismo 4, readily demonstrated the capability to match and even exceed images and video generated using high definition cameras in real life.

Kojima’s honesty is a break from the overt optimism about broaching that uncanny valley from others in the industry, typified by Nvidia and Quantic Dreams when they showed off their demos that apparently demonstrated photorealistic depictions of people.

I don’t want to push Nvidia or Quantic Dreams personally, but it’s no secret both were soundly criticized for making these claims, which may have energized their respective fanbases, but did not actually match up with reality.

In its essence, the uncanny valley, as it applies to computer generated imagery, is not about matching the surface appearance of real life people, but about eliminating the elements that make it apparent that these images are not real. CGI that fails to pass this test comes across as plain creepy, and as a result many animators avoid the issue entirely.

Whether Kojima can match up to his own expectations, or exceed what Nvidia and Quantic Dreams have demonstrated, we can only hope. For the moment, enjoy the image gallery from 4Gamer that prompted this comment from Kojima below.

Share this post:

FacebookTwitterLinkedInPinterest

Recent Videos

10 BRAND NEW Games of Summer Game Fest 2025

10 BRAND NEW Games of Summer Game Fest 2025

Mario Kart World Tour - Before You Buy

Mario Kart World Tour - Before You Buy

FUTURE OF GRAPHICS LOOKS INSANE, RDR2 NEXT GEN? & MORE

FUTURE OF GRAPHICS LOOKS INSANE, RDR2 NEXT GEN? & MORE

Switch 2 - Before You Buy

Switch 2 - Before You Buy

10 BIG Announcements of State of Play June 2025

10 BIG Announcements of State of Play June 2025

10 Most Underrated Game GENRES OF ALL TIME

10 Most Underrated Game GENRES OF ALL TIME

10 GTA 6 Fan Theories That BLEW OUR MINDS

10 GTA 6 Fan Theories That BLEW OUR MINDS

Top 20 NEW FPS Games of 2025

Top 20 NEW FPS Games of 2025

10 WEIRD Gaming Stories of MAY 2025

10 WEIRD Gaming Stories of MAY 2025

Category: Updates

Sidebar

Recent Posts

  • Splitgate 2: How to Earn Launch Celebration Event Rewards
  • Splitgate 2: How do Battle Pass Chapters Work? | Answered
  • Splitgate 2: Is There Crossplay? | Answered
  • Splitgate 2: How to Add Friends
  • Onimusha: Way of the Sword Gets A Brand New Summer Game Fest Showcase

Copyright © 2025 · Gameranx · All Rights Reserved · Powered by Mai Theme