12 Video Games That Will Change How You See The World

Another series of games which pits us firmly against the romance of war, except this time by siding us with the often demonised contributors: the soldiers themselves, whilst simultaneously addressing different philosophical and scientific themes in each of the main entries of the series.

In Metal Gear Solid, Kojima explores the concept of genes and how we are bound to our fates. Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty follows Richard Dawkins’ lead, moving from genes to memes: a cultural idea that passes from one individual to the next and capable of mutation through ideas, imitation and communication, explored through Raiden's re-enactment of Shadow Moses and Solidus' plan to destroy the Illuminati-like Patriots.

Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater tackles how circumstances mould us, and MGS4: Guns of the Patriots focuses on how ideas are changed and manipulated over time.

I single out Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain, which theme centres on revenge and pain, as it is one of the most relevant today. War is a never-ending cycle of one side avenging the victims from earlier conflicts which require an almost inhuman act of collective forgiveness to overcome, whilst pain represents not just the physical scars that soldiers carry all their lives, but the mental ones as well.

Bravo, Kojima. Now make up with Konami and get to work on Metal Gear Solid 6 before that abomination Metal Gear Survive hits the shelves.