55 Years Ago, This Western Quietly Inspired Some of the Best Boss Fights of All Time

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Hideo Kojima’s games are strongly influenced by movies, particularly films like *Blade Runner* and *Dr. Strangelove*. Surprisingly, a Western film has also been a major inspiration for his series – one that most players probably wouldn’t guess.

The original *Metal Gear Solid* revolutionized storytelling in video games. With extensive voice acting and carefully crafted cutscenes, Hideo Kojima’s first 3D game was a perfect fit for the PlayStation and truly advanced the entire industry, becoming a landmark title for a generation of gamers.

Metal Gear Solid Was Inspired By An Alejandro Jodorowsky Movie

It’s not surprising that movies had a big impact on some of Hideo Kojima’s most famous games. He’s specifically mentioned the 1970 film *El Topo*, an Acid Western, as a key inspiration, explaining at an E3 panel how it shaped the boss battles in one of his games.

Hideo Kojima explained that each boss in *Metal Gear* fought with a distinct personal philosophy. He made sure players learned the backstory of each boss – both before and after the fight – so they could understand *why* they were fighting and what they believed. Kojima described this as a kind of ‘cannibalism’ – the player absorbing the philosophies of these characters. He compared it to the first half of the film *El Topo*, highlighting the similar thematic depth.

El Topo’s Four Great Gun Masters Shaped Metal Gear Solid

Trying to fully explain *El Topo* would be difficult, as it’s an incredibly strange and dreamlike film. Briefly, the first part of the movie follows the main character as he searches for four legendary gun experts in the desert. However, these encounters aren’t typical Western shootouts; they involve conversations about philosophy and faith.

I love how the *Metal Gear Solid* games really flesh out their bosses. They don’t just feel like obstacles; they have these surprisingly deep backstories and reasons for doing what they do. You often learn about it from the characters *after* you beat them, through those Codec conversations, which is so cool. Though, let’s be real, the stories can get *really* weird and complicated, and there’s a *lot* of dialogue!

Knowing Kojima’s love of film, it’s not surprising he was heavily influenced by strange and artistic movies from around the world – and that influence extended to how he designed video game bosses. Before *Metal Gear Solid*, most game bosses were simple obstacles, but Kojima wanted more. He believed every boss, even the first one you fight, deserved a detailed backstory and lots of narrative.

The *Metal Gear Solid* series is famous for its unique boss battles, like the one with Psycho Mantis in the first game and the deeply personal fight with The Sorrow in *Metal Gear Solid 3*. While Hideo Kojima is usually credited with designing these battles, a lesser-known contributor, *El Topo*, also helped bring them to life.

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2025-10-11 20:37