There’s Already A Game Like Kojima’s “Forgetting Game” Idea, And You Can Get It For Free This Week Only

Mario Bautista May 24, 2025

Earlier this week, legendary developer behind Metal Gear Solid, Hideo Kojima, shared an idea for a unique game that’s very on-brand for the quirky creator. The only problem is, it’s already been done in the indie title, Sifu. The indie brawler was the debut title for development studio Sloclap and features a gorgeous painted style and unique setting.

It also features an idea that shouldn’t work in video games, executed to perfection: As time passes in the game, your characters get old and, eventually, die of old age. A very similar idea was presented by Kojima earlier this week on an episode of his Japanese radio podcast. And if you think the concept sounds like a great twist, there’s some excellent news: Sifu is free to download and keep forever on the Epic Games store this week, until May 29.

Hideo Kojima’s “Forgetting Game” Idea Sounds Farfetched

The Idea Sounds Like It Would Be Terrible To Play

Kojima is well-known for his unconventional ideas that stretch his games into the real world in new and creative ways. Metal Gear Solid, for instance, has a character who can see your save files and comment on other games you’ve been playing. Another character that the spy protagonist Snake has to go up against can be defeated simply by waiting long enough for him to die of old age.

This concept of aging in video games is an idea that’s stayed in Kojima’s mind until recent years, according to the newest episode in his podcast, KOJI10. In it, Kojima discusses a number of ideas that would use the actual passage of real-world time as a mechanic in the game.

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One idea, for instance, would have players wait in real time to work on things like cheese and wine, which typically require lengthy waiting times in the real world. The other would be a life simulator where the character would age in real-time, eventually seeing certain abilities like eyesight and mobility deteriorate.

But the most interesting idea coming from Kojima is the “forgetting game” concept, which would have the game change the more time a player spends between gaming sessions. Over time, the protagonist would slowly forget the game’s mechanics, from things like how to fire a gun to more concerning things like who they are and what their job is.

Coming from Kojima, these concepts sound too outlandish to work, and he even admits on the radio show that he wouldn’t expect anyone to want to buy titles like this. But in practice, Sifu manages to combine the aging and passage of time ideas into a game that really works—and works well.

Sifu Manages To Incorporate Aging Into A Game, And It Works

The Game Expertly Integrates The Effects Of Aging Into The Stylized Brawler

Sifu is a striking game that might catch your eye even before you know its central mechanics. The story of this beat-’em-up title takes place on the streets of China, where the main character is on a quest for revenge. Using the martial art of Pak Mei Kung Fu, the protagonist goes up against many enemies across varied locations like nightclubs, office buildings, art galleries, and more, in search of their family’s assassins.

Besides their martial arts skills, the game’s protagonist has an ace up their sleeve in the form of a magical amulet that revives them every time they die. But this gift comes at a price: every time the character dies and gets revived, they become older. Being old in Sifu is a double-edged sword, as it unlocks more powerful skills but reduces the character’s health. If they get too old, the protagonist can die “permanently,” requiring players to restart the level.

“Being old in Sifu is a double-edged sword, as it unlocks more powerful skills but reduces the character’s health.”

It might not require real-world time like Kojima’s idea, but the concept of aging in Sifu is a unique twist to the idea of leveling up. In most other games, leveling up means improving your skills and stats across the board. But Sifu’s take on leveling is more akin to real-world aging, with certain tradeoffs. As you get older, you become wiser and gain certain skills, but the toll of age can also slow you down and make certain tasks that used to be easy a lot more difficult.

Why Now’s The Perfect Time To Play Sifu

Get It Free In Preparation For The Upcoming Movie

Kojima might not have thought that incorporating real aging into a game was a good idea, but Sloclap has already figured out how to integrate it into their game. Sifu is a beautiful game and the aging mechanic makes it stand out even more as a unique take on typical leveling systems.

Sifu Review: Lean and Mean, But Left Wanting For More

Sifu keeps its earlier promises as an easy-to-pick-up, hard-to-master modern beat ’em up, though many players will feel starved for content.

If you’re intrigued by the idea, you’re in luck: Now’s the perfect time to pick up Sifu and give it a try. The game is available completely for free on the Epic Games store until next Thursday, May 29, so you have nothing to lose. Games downloaded through Epic’s weekly free games program are yours to keep and play forever, though they require installation of Epic’s Steam-like game launcher. It’s a small price to pay in return for a free download of the 2022 title that’s typically priced at $39.99.

Now is an especially good time to play the game, as the game’s been picked up for a movie adaptation through Netflix. The upcoming Sifu movie will be directed by Chad Stahelski, who also directed the classic John Wick. Can’t get enough? The game also has an episode in Secret Level, the 2024 video game TV anthology for Amazon Prime Video.

Hideo Kojima might still create his version of the aging protagonist game eventually, bringing some of his uniquely Kojima spin on the idea. But for now, Sloclap’s indie gem Sifu achieves a version of Kojima’s vision beautifully.

The stunning game has clearly piqued the interest of many people. In the future, it may be seen as the game that inspired other developers to play more with the idea of what leveling up looks like. Take advantage of Epic Games’ free game to play Sifu now, as its fame continues to grow through its TV and, soon, movie appearances.

Source: Epic Games, KOJI10