The Best Konami Games From Every Year In The 2000s (2024)

Prior to leaving console game development behind in 2015, Konami was one of the most highly-respected developers in the industry. And this was never more evident than their run in the 2000s, where they were able to produce some of the greatest games of the entire era. Through their roster of incredible IPs like Metal Gear and Castelvania, Konami cultivated a strong library of games that were consistently the best in the business during this period.

Whether it was on the PlayStation 2, the Game Boy Advance, or the then-upcoming next-generation consoles, Konami continued their dominance in the industry from previous years on the PS1 and N64. Throughout a decade of innovation and technological advancement, Konami remained one of the most ambitious and trusted developers in the market, as these games remain just as fantastic today as they were upon release.

A Portable Stealth Adventure Is One Of Metal Gear's Best

After the massive success of Metal Gear Solid on the PS1 in 1998 and a direct sequel a year away, Konami wanted to expand the franchise into the handheld market. And with an install base of over 100 million units, the Game Boy Color was a perfect place for a portable stealth adventure. But despite some obvious similarities, Ghost Babel is actually a completely original game instead of an adaptation of the PS1 classic.

Positioned as a side story that is non-canon to the main story, Ghost Babel takes place in an alternate universe where the events of Metal Gear 2: Solid Snake never took place. As it's on less powerful hardware than the PS1, Ghost Babel evokes the older games in the series and is still a great bit of fun today. It's a unique little detour in the canon that is able to stand on its own, with some fun stealth gameplay and a story that feels right at home in the crazy world of Metal Gear.

9 Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons Of Liberty (2001)

The Cinematic Masterpiece That Broke New Ground

The jump from PS1 to PS2 was a massive technological leap, one that Konami and Metal Gear creator Hideo Kojima was keen to take advantage of. A direct sequel to the 1998 classic, Sons of Liberty takes place roughly two years after the events of Shadow Moses and begins with Snake's mission to board a tanker in order to find a new model of Metal Gear. Roughly an hour into the game, Kojima turned everything upside down by introducing a brand-new playable character in Raiden and making Snake a co-star.

It was a gamble, as Snake had become one of the industry's most popular heroes, and replacing him in the sequel with a totally new character was an incredibly bold move. Thankfully, it paid off, as Kojima not only contextualized the character switch in a brilliant way, but crafted a fascinating story built around identity and passing things on to the future. It also heavily upgraded the series' systems, featuring a first-person view for weapons, new evasion techniques, and a tranquilizer gun to allow for non-lethal playthroughs.

8 Contra: Shattered Soldier (2002)

A Return To Form For Iconic Shooter Series

• Platform(s): PlayStation 2, PC
• Release Date: October 22, 2002
• Developer: Konami

Contra was rather quiet in the early 2000s, as the last entry was a middling 3D entry on the PS1. Seeking to return the series to its roots, Konami developed Contra: Shattered Soldier, as a 2.5D game with 3D models played from a 2D perspective. It wasn't just the visual aspect that Konami was looking to maintain from the older entries, as Shattered Soldier was a highly difficult and challenging game, just like its predecessors.

Enemies are fast and aggressive, filling the stages with seemingly unlimited numbers. Shattered Soldier is built on the player keeping their composure, staying calm, and surviving its deadly gauntlet of monsters and creatures. The bosses are also some of the most impressive on the platform, with some truly epic and large-scale encounters that rank up with some of the absolute best.

7 Silent Hill 3 (2003)

The Third Entry In The Horror Series Returns To Roots

After the success of the first Silent Hill game on the PS1, Konami took the series in a different direction for the sequel. The Order and the ongoing cult storyline weren't a factor in Silent Hill 2, but that all changed with the third game. Silent Hill 3 brought the cult story back to the forefront in a big way, paying off many of the plot threads that the first game started.

Featuring one of the best stories in the entire franchise, Silent Hill 3 was one of the most breathtaking games on the PS2. The character models and texture work are top-tier, with some excellent music by Akira Yamaoka as well. Silent Hill 3 is full of tremendous atmosphere, as it's still one of the best horror games that one can play even today. It still feels remarkably contemporary.

Metal Gear Explores The Origin Of Big Boss

After setting Snake and Raiden off on a quest to uncover the truth about the Patriots, it wasn't entirely unfair to assume that Metal Gear Solid 3 would continue this story. But, like he usually does, Hideo Kojima took a left turn and decided to make MGS3 a prequel that covered the origins of Snake's father, Big Boss.

Set in the year 1964 at the height of the Cold War, Snake Eater explores the beginning of Big Boss' descent into darkness and how he became the villainous force that he would become later in the series. It's an enticing offer, casting a new light on one of Metal Gear's most interesting antagonists. A phenomenal performance by David Hayter as Big Boss is perfectly balanced by Lori Alan's spectacular turn as The Boss, featuring a captivating and heart-wrenching story about loyalty and war that still resonates to this day.

5 Castlevania: Curse Of Darkness (2005)

The Best 3D Castlevania Game To Date

Castlevania made quite a name for itself as one of the premiere 2D action-platform franchises by the time the early 2000s rolled around, having previously appeared on the NES and PS1. While numerous franchises were beginning an awkward transition from 2D to 3D, Castlevania wasn't looking to be left behind and had produced three 3D games already by 2005. But while the previous attempts had been very good, Curse of Darkness bested all of them and is still one of the best 3D Castlevania games to date.

Backed by one of Michuru Yamane's best soundtracks for the franchise, Curse of Darkness is a terrific third-person action game that was keen to change some things that were starting to become a bit stale. The iconic whip known as the Vampire Killer is gone, as lead character Hector is not a Belmont, and instead uses a range of weapons, from swords to axes. It was a fun, unique departure for the series that didn't stick, but still managed to be one of Castlevania's best 3D efforts.

4 Castlevania: Portrait Of Ruin (2006)

One Of Castlevania's Strongest Handheld Efforts

Despite the success that 3D Castlevania games had seen on home consoles like the PS2 and Xbox, it was truly a dominant force in the handheld market. And in 2006, Konami released Portrait of Ruin for the Nintendo DS, the second Castlevania to be released on the platform after Dawn of Sorrow the previous year. It is set during World War 2, as Dracula once again returns to torment the world, and features two playable characters.

One of them is Jonathan Morris, a descendant of a character of the same name from Castlevania: Bloodlines, while the other is Charlotte Aulin, a member of the Belnades clan. It's a complex adventure that ties deep into the early days of Castlevania lore, as Jonathan's quest to unlock the true power of the Vampire Killer in spite of not being a Belmont is one of its best assets, along with the same brilliant map design the series is known for.

3 Silent Hill: Origins (2007)

PSP Game Examines Early History Of The Creepy Town

By the time 2007 rolled around, the original development team behind Silent Hill, an internal team inside Konami known as Team Silent, was no more. Konami opted to hand the series over to Western developers, beginning with Silent Hill: Origins by Climax Studios. Although it wasn't the same as it used to be, Climax managed to create one of the more overlooked entries in the franchise.

Origins is the tale of Travis Grady, a trucker who drives through the town of Silent Hill and gets pulled into a dangerous fight for survival. A prequel to the first game, Origins establishes a large part of the lore that players came to know in the original title. It's still one of the best entries in the franchise not developed by Team Silent, showing a passion and appreciation for this unique horror universe. Originally released on the PSP, an upgraded PS2 version was released a year later.

2 Castlevania: Order Of Ecclesia (2008)

The Final DS Game In Series Sees Belmont Clan Vanish

Castlevania was rather active on handheld systems during this decade, as long-time series shepherd Koji Igarashi was releasing portable games in the franchise every couple years to rave reviews. In 2008, Order of Ecclesia became the final game in the series before it was rebooted in 2010 with Lords of Shadow. Thankfully, it was a worthy conclusion that explored a dark period in the series where the Belmont clan had all but vanished.

In the wake of their disappearance, a group known as the Order of Ecclesia was founded, and players took control of a member named Shanoa looking to uncover the truth about what happened to the vampire-slaying family. It features a fabulous score by Michiru Yamane and some of the best stages seen in the series.

1 Silent Hill: Shattered Memories (2009)

An Excellent Remake Of The Original Silent Hill

When Konami was looking to develop a re-imagining of the very first game in the series known as Silent Hill: Shattered Memories, they brought in developers Climax Studios, a group who had familiarity with the franchise after having worked on Silent Hill: Origins in 2007. Originally released as a Wii exclusive, Shattered Memories re-tells the story of Harry Mason entering the creepy town of Silent Hill in order to find his daughter Cheryl.

Part of the game takes place inside a therapist's office - that of Dr. Kaufman from the original game - while the other takes place within Silent Hill and the terrifying Otherworld. In-game, Shattered Memories uses a multitude of different techniques to scare the player. Whether it's via the unique mobile phone that the developers use to keep the player off balance, or the frightening chase sequences, there are plenty of scares on offer. Shattered Memories is not often discussed these days, but it's still one of the finest entries in the franchise.