Hideo Kojima is in Control, narrating a very weird mission

Control is a surreal game, which helps justify Remedy Entertainment’s choice of guest voice actor: Hideo Kojima, the eminent game designer and creator of the Metal Gear series.

Not only does Kojima make a voice-over cameo, so does Aki Saito, Kojima Productions’ head of marketing. Kojima is the one speaking Japanese, and Saito is providing the translation.

Turns out, Kojima wasn’t fooling around when his publicist tweeted back in March that he was doing “some voice recording for the other Sam.” Now we find out that “Sam” likely means Sam Lake, the leader writer of Control and model for Max Payne himself, not the main character of Kojima’s Death Stranding, due out in November.

Kojima, as Dr. Yoshimi Tokui, narrates a bizarre … meditative experience? I have no idea what the hell this is, really. He lingers, unironically, on the flavor of a bag of potato chips and suggests the player talk to trees and counsel them on their relationships with other trees.

“Or shrubs. Whatever they prefer,” says Saito. Then a fleet of belligerent forklifts shows up. See for yourself.

Well then! I feel my mind has been significantly opened to the needs and experiences of seagulls and trees. Multiplayer First, which spied the Easter egg, notes that Kojima is indeed included in the game’s credits, along with Saito.

Control launched on Tuesday for PlayStation 4, Windows PC and Xbox One. Our review calls it “one of 2019’s best and weirdest games.” No kidding!