Kojima Unveils New 'Solid Snake' for Death Stranding 2: A Metal Gear Solid Revival?

Kojima Productions unveiled an exciting new 10-minute trailer for *Death Stranding 2* at SXSW, captivating fans with both returning and new characters. Familiar faces like Norman Reedus and Léa Seydoux are back, but the spotlight initially shines on the newcomer, Luca Marinelli. This Italian actor, known to many for his role as Nicky in Netflix's *The Old Guard*, steps into the *Death Stranding* universe as Neil, a character who might just be the next iconic figure akin to Kojima's beloved Solid Snake.

In *Death Stranding 2: On the Beach*, Luca Marinelli voices and provides the likeness for Neil, a character entangled in a complex web of intrigue. The trailer introduces us to Neil in an interrogation room, where he's accused of unknown crimes. He insists he was merely doing the "dirty work" for a man in a suit, who angrily insists Neil must continue working for him. This scene sets the stage for Neil's mysterious role in the game.

Subsequent scenes reveal Neil's deeper involvement, as he converses with a Bridges employee named Lucy, played by Marinelli's real-life wife, actress Alissa Jung. Their dialogue suggests a romantic connection and hints at Neil's job: smuggling cargo that includes brain-dead pregnant women, a shocking element that ties back to the first game's lore.

Wait, brain-dead pregnant women?

In the original *Death Stranding*, one of the most striking visuals was Sam Porter Bridges (Norman Reedus) carrying a glowing orange flask with a baby inside, known as a Bridge Baby (BB). These BBs, extracted from brain-dead mothers, exist in a limbo between life and death, enabling communication with the afterlife and detection of Beached Things (BTs), malevolent souls that cause destructive Voidouts. The trailer suggests Neil's smuggling operation is linked to the US Government's clandestine continuation of BB experiments, despite their official cessation after a catastrophic event in Manhattan.

Is Solid Snake in Death Stranding 2?

Image credit: Kojima Productions

The trailer concludes with Neil donning a bandana, strikingly reminiscent of Solid Snake from the *Metal Gear Solid* series. While Neil is not Solid Snake, this visual nod is intentional. Hideo Kojima has openly admired Marinelli's resemblance to Snake, especially after seeing him in *The Old Guard*. This homage underscores Kojima's deep connection to his past work while introducing new elements to the *Death Stranding* universe.

How Death Stranding 2 connects to Metal Gear Solid

Neil and his undead troops. Image credit: Kojima Productions

The trailer's references to *Metal Gear* are more than just visual homages. Neil's transformation into a Beached soldier, accompanied by undead warriors, mirrors themes from *Metal Gear*, particularly the impact of gun culture and weapon proliferation on society. The narrator's mention of the resurgence of American gun culture ties directly into Kojima's recurring exploration of how weapons destabilize humanity.

Moreover, the trailer hints at metaphysical connections between Neil and Solid Snake. As a Beached Thing, Neil's soul is trapped in the living world, much like the artistic legacy of Snake, suggesting a deeper thematic link between the two characters and series.

A Metal Gear-like creature in Death Stranding 2. Image credit: Kojima Production

Another striking reference is the transformation of the ship DHV Magellan into a bio-robotic giant by combining with a BT, reminiscent of the Sahalanthropus from *Metal Gear Solid 5*. This connection to the *Metal Gear* series, though indirect, highlights Kojima's ongoing interest in the themes and visuals of his past work.

The cinematic quality of the new trailer, akin to the *Metal Gear Solid 5* Red Band trailer, further emphasizes Kojima's storytelling prowess and his blending of gameplay with narrative, positioning *Death Stranding 2* as a grand, movie-like experience.

Will there be another Kojima Metal Gear Solid game?

While Hideo Kojima will not return to the *Metal Gear Solid* series due to his departure from Konami, his influence and thematic preoccupations continue to shape his new projects. *Death Stranding 2* is not a *Metal Gear* game, but it borrows heavily from its themes, visuals, and even gameplay elements, suggesting a new chapter in Kojima's storytelling that feels both familiar and fresh.

With expansive new environments, a focus on combat, and these thematic continuities, *Death Stranding 2* aims to be an ambitious sequel that resonates with the legacy of *Metal Gear Solid*, even if it stands apart as its own unique narrative experience.