If you don’t know yet, Hideki Kamiya was responsible for directing and writing the iconic games you played throughout the early and mid-2000s. Whether you started shooting up infected and mutated humans because of Resident Evil or developed a huge crush on Bayonetta (because who wouldn’t), none of it would be possible without this legendary developer.
If he wasn’t directing the titles you’ve grown to love, he was most likely responsible for writing the story, conceptualizing the game, or overseeing it. Based on design, story, and overall reception, here are the best games that Hideki Kamiya worked on.
10 Awesome 101
Wonderful 101 is not the most famous game in this list, but it deserves credit for its unique gameplay. No other game lets you control 100 characters at once, or gives you the privilege of grouping them all together to battle giant aliens in very creative and cooperative ways.
The reason the heroes have to work together is because the aliens invading their planet are huge and no one hero can take them down on their own. If you’ve ever wanted to play a game that champions the power of friendship and strategy to save the world from evil, Wonderful 101 is something you shouldn’t ignore.
9 Prospective Joe
Viewtiful Joe is so seriously underrated it should be illegal. But fans of Hideki Kamiya know about this hidden gem, since it was a side-scrolling beat ’em up game on consoles. It follows the story of Joe, who was teleported into Movieworld by the villain of the movie he was watching. An early case of isekai, he wasn’t taken in by the alien world for nothing: he was tasked with rescuing Silvia, who was also taken into Movieworld.
Joe was entrusted with a device by Captain Blue, the world’s hero, and given the opportunity to transform into a hero himself so that he can save Silvia and defeat evil. Directed by Hideki Kamiya himself, this game carries its signature well from its theme to its uniqueness in art style.
8 Resident Evil
It goes without saying that most people’s experience with zombie bashing and fear of succumbing to engineered biohazards is rooted in the first Resident Evil game. We were introduced to the bottom line of the outbreak: Raccoon City, and the three characters who drove the next games in the series, whether explicitly or behind the scenes.
If you’ve suspected the connection between Resident Evil and the Sweet Home comics, it’s true that the monsters in the game, as well as the haunted mansion, are inspired by the latter. Simply put, Resident Evil was a horror action game like no other at launch, and it’s the first installment of the iconic series.
7 Resident Evil Zero
Resident Evil Zero gave fans the much needed lesson in this prequel when it explained the involvement of the Umbrella Corp. and the creation of the T virus. This also puts more focus on Bravo Team and Albert Wesker’s loyalty, all within a day before the events of the first game.
This game’s remastered version improved and updated the graphics, so you don’t have to worry about clumsy gameplay and you can just focus on immersing yourself in the mysterious events before the first game. For an old game, it also has one of the hardest achievements to unlock in the Resident Evil series.
6 Okay
Okam is a visual treat for anyone looking for a playable ink wash painting, a need you probably didn’t know existed until you stumbled across this critically acclaimed game. Even the fighting gameplay looks visually appealing instead of the usual rough gameplay seen in most games that Hideki Kamiya was involved with.
If you haven’t played this game yet, it follows the Japanese sun goddess Amaterasu in the form of a white wolf who protected a village from a sealed serpent named Orochi. This game would be a shame to miss for anyone interested in Japanese folklore and art.
5 devil may cry
Another classic from Hideki Kamiya is Devil May Cry, a game he directed. Popularizing the concept that devils don’t cry, this game is mostly about slashing and hacking demons, and partly about complicated family ties. But you most likely remember this game for Dante’s inability to die from being stabbed through the chest, or Trish’s ability to lift a motorcycle over her head and throw it full force.
Devil May Cry is the first in a successful series of entries, but the first game holds a special place in the hearts of most hack-and-slash gamers.
4 Bayonetta
It’s hard to deny Bayonetta because of her over-the-top charm, mesmerizing breakdancing and unrealistically practical combat heels. Bayonetta was followed by two games and a spinoff, none of which would have been possible if players hadn’t fallen in love with the original cast of the first game.
Beyond the fantastic relationships between the main characters, the gameplay takes heels to a practical level with the iconic heel stomp, which allows her to summon a giant high-heeled boot that attacks through stomping. Glamorous and magical, most of us wish we could fight like her without tripping on the ground.
3 Bayonetta 2
You might as well go play Bayonetta 2 if you’ve played the first game because it’s just as good as the first game. It garnered well-deserved praise with the amount of nominations and awards it was able to win in its launch year. This is a must if you are specifically invested in the friendship of Jeanne and Bayonetta, because this is the game where Bayonetta saves Jeanne’s soul, which was dragged into the inferno against all odds.
But that’s only the first half of the plot; you also find the mythological Loki in the form of a boy who plays a larger role in the story. It’s a new adventure with Bayonetta, Jeanne, Rodin and Luka, with poor Enzo being dragged away once more.
2 Resident Evil 2
If the 2019 Ultimate Game of the Year accolade from the Golden Joystick Awards isn’t enough to convince you to play Resident Evil 2, perhaps the first appearance of Leon Kennedy and Ada Wong might sway your opinion. Not only are these two capable of delivering amazing fight sequences against whoever they encounter, but this game also pursues the G-Virus vaccine in our beloved Raccoon City, now infested with zombies two months after the first game.
If you’ve gone through the original title and its prequel, you might as well give this one a shot so you can become a better critic of the Netflix live-action adaptation.
1 Bayonetta 3
Winning The Game Award for Best Action Game of 2022, Bayonetta 3 is without a doubt a fantastic way to honor and celebrate the legacy of the Bayonetta series. It carries iconic attacks from the previous two games and adds the summoning of Infernal Demons for her to control. There is also the appearance of a spunky, out-of-this-world blonde named Viola who warns Bayonetta and Jeanne about how her world was destroyed by homunculi.
Everything comes full circle in the third game, and it was a good way to kiss Cereza’s chapter to the end in the series.
