Direct quote 1997
“human beings, we all carry the burden of our humanity on our shoulders as we go through this life. Game characters haven't really had that much depth though, have they? They're always perfect angels, heroic types. Drama built around such characters rings a bit false to me.”
What it documents
In 1997 Kojima said that human beings, himself included, carry the burden of their humanity on their shoulders as they go through life, while game characters had not had much depth and were always presented as perfect angels or heroic types, making drama built around them sound false to him; he said he wants to give his game characters a real chance to act, and to do that he needs to show the details of their lives up to that point, their friends, their environment and their upbringing.
Source
shmuplations.com; MGS development interview in Famitsu Weekly (1997), unofficial English translation. View source ↗
“In my case, I want to give these game characters a real chance to "act", and to do that, I need to show and include the details of their lives up to that point, their friends, their environment and upbringing.”