Kojima Unveils New 'Solid Snake': Death Stranding 2 Echoes Metal Gear Solid

Kojima Productions recently unveiled a captivating 10-minute trailer for Death Stranding 2 at SXSW, showcasing both familiar and new faces. Among the returning stars, Norman Reedus and Léa Seydoux reprise their iconic roles. However, the trailer introduces Luca Marinelli as Neil, a character who seems destined to be Hideo Kojima's new take on the legendary Solid Snake from the Metal Gear Solid series.

Luca Marinelli, an acclaimed Italian actor known for his role as Nicky in Netflix's The Old Guard, steps into the shoes of Neil in Death Stranding 2: On the Beach. The trailer opens with Neil in an interrogation room, accused of mysterious crimes by a man in a suit. Neil insists he was merely doing the "dirty work" for this man and tries to sever their working relationship, but the man retorts that Neil "has no choice" but to continue.

The scene transitions to Neil conversing with Lucy, a Bridges employee portrayed by Marinelli's real-life wife, Alissa Jung. This interaction suggests a romantic connection and reveals Neil's dangerous job—smuggling cargo, specifically brain-dead pregnant women.

Wait, brain-dead pregnant women?

In the original Death Stranding, one of the most memorable visuals is Norman Reedus' character, Sam Porter Bridges, carrying a glowing orange flask with a baby—known as a Bridge Baby (BB). These BBs, extracted from brain-dead mothers, exist in a state between life and death, enabling communication with the afterlife and detection of malevolent entities called Beached Things (BTs), which can cause catastrophic Voidouts.

Before the events of the first game, the U.S. Government conducted BB experiments to understand Voidouts, but the program was officially halted after a disastrous experiment in Manhattan. However, the trailer for Death Stranding 2 suggests that these experiments continued covertly, with Neil smuggling brain-dead pregnant women for the government's secret research.

Is Solid Snake in Death Stranding 2?

The trailer concludes with Neil tying a bandana around his forehead, strikingly reminiscent of Solid Snake from Kojima's Metal Gear Solid series. While Neil isn't Solid Snake, the visual homage is unmistakable. Hideo Kojima has expressed admiration for Marinelli, mentioning in a 2020 Instagram post that he believed Marinelli could resemble Solid Snake with a bandana, which the trailer brings to life.

How Death Stranding 2 connects to Metal Gear Solid

Beyond the visual nod, Death Stranding 2's trailer is rich with references to Metal Gear Solid. Neil, like Cliff Unger from the first game, becomes a Beached Thing, leading a platoon of undead warriors. This scene ties into Kojima's recurring theme of weapon proliferation and its destabilizing effects on humanity, a central focus of the Metal Gear series.

Additionally, the trailer hints at a metaphysical connection between Neil and Solid Snake. As a Beached Thing, Neil represents a soul trapped in the living world, much like the artistic legacy of Snake, suggesting Kojima's ongoing exploration of themes from his previous works.

Another striking reference is the transformation of the ship DHV Magellan into a bio-robotic giant by combining with a colossal BT, reminiscent of the Metal Gear machines from the MGS series. This fusion underscores the potential for catastrophic events akin to nuclear weapon launches, a key element in Metal Gear Solid games.

The cinematic style of the Death Stranding 2 trailer also echoes the grandeur of the Metal Gear Solid 5 Red Band trailer, showcasing Kojima's signature blend of gameplay and cinematic storytelling.

Will there be another Kojima Metal Gear Solid game?

It is highly unlikely that Hideo Kojima will return to the Metal Gear Solid series, having parted ways with Konami. Future MGS projects, like the upcoming remake of Metal Gear Solid 3, will proceed without his direct involvement. Nevertheless, Death Stranding 2 clearly draws inspiration from Metal Gear Solid, reflecting Kojima's continued interest in themes of weapon proliferation and existential exploration.

The trailer for Death Stranding 2 suggests an ambitious expansion of the original game's scope, introducing diverse settings like rainforests and oceans, and hinting at increased combat elements. With its thematic depth and visual homage, Death Stranding 2 feels like a spiritual successor to Metal Gear Solid, even if it doesn't carry the same title.