Overdose, also known as OD, is the next project slated to come from Kojima Productions. After leaving Konami, Hideo Kojima brought his own studio to life, with its first original IP being Death Stranding. Since going independent, Kojima has teased two other projects beyond Death Stranding and its upcoming sequel. One of these in-development titles is OD, a bizarre-looking horror game that promises more of Kojima’s signature strangeness.
There is very little known about OD apart from its teaser trailer and confirmation that it is being co-written by Jordan Peele as an Xbox exclusive. Despite the project’s secrecy, one of the most exciting parts about OD is that it marks Kojima’s return to the horror genre. While he’s mostly known for the Metal Gear Solid franchise, his past exploration of horror with PT made a huge impact on the industry. As a “playable teaser” for the now-canceled Silent Hills game Kojima was once hired to lead, that vision remains incomplete. However, OD can doube down on PT‘s approach, proving that a short story can bring far more impact than a long-winded narrative.
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PT Proves That OD Can Be a Stronger Horror Experience With a Shorter Story
Of course, there are horror games that are able to pull off a longer story, but that balance is hard to achieve. Not every entry in the genre can be as unpredictable as Alan Wake 2 or Silent Hill 2, and OD has the chance to showcase how less can be much more. For most players who were lucky enough to play PT before it got removed from the PlayStation Store, the teaser is a little over an hour long, on average, according to How Long to Beat. Compared to most games, that’s incredibly short, but that doesn’t necessarily mean this is a bad thing.
In an interview with Variety, Kojima claimed that OD will be “a game like no other” and stated, “I can’t go into too much detail, and it’s also hard to explain, but it’s a bit risky and a new challenge for me within the realm of games.” This is compelling, but it also raises even more questions. PT was able to make such a huge impact with so little content, and it would be thrilling to see OD take a similar approach. There are hopes that OD will get another update soon, and if it does, there will hopefully be insight into what length the game’s story might be.
The confirmed cast for OD includes Sophia Lillis, Hunter Schafer, and Udo Kier. There have also been rumors that Margaret Qualley has a role.
OD Doesn’t Want to Overstay Its Welcome
When it comes to horror, the scares can eventually begin to fade, as the formula can become predictable. Kojima is pretty well-known for surprising players, but if the story feels too drawn out, it could diminish further attempts at scaring players. A short, tight-knit story can often be the stronger approach for horror, and OD hopefully chooses this route.
Also, with Kojima’s statements about OD being a game that isn’t like any other, there’s a possibility that the story could be very different with each playthrough. The game’s story is one of the biggest mysteries surrounding OD, but Kojima Productions has already experimented with strange narratives with Death Stranding, and early looks at OD have promised something that’s potentially even stranger.
I can’t go into too much detail, and it’s also hard to explain, but it’s a bit risky and a new challenge for me within the realm of games.
Until Kojima Productions brings more news to light, OD remains one of the industry’s most secretive projects. There isn’t even a release target revealed, so there could still be a long wait ahead. Since PT was able to generate so much excitement and fear from such simple gameplay, it will be fascinating to see if OD shares similarities or happens to be wildly different. Based on Kojima’s track record, anything seems possible.
Kojima Productions
- Date Founded
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December 16, 2015
- Headquarters
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1-2-70 Konan, Tokyo.
- CEO
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Hideo Kojima