In the direction of the top of the brand new ten-minute (!) lengthy trailer for Dying Stranding 2, Hideo Kojima decides to throw the group some crimson meat. The footage has by this level established new character Neil, performed by Italian actor Luca Marinelli, as what seems to be like Dying Stranding 2’s model of Cliff (Mads Mikkelson): somebody compelled into soiled jobs who cannot let go of the previous.
Then, as Neil begins to guide a small particular forces unit of some sort, the digital camera focuses straight on the character’s face as he ties a bandana round his brow. It is a small element but it surely’s an unmistakable one for longtime Kojima-fanciers: From the primary Metallic Gear Stable, the bandana has been an iconic a part of the search for each Stable Snake and Massive Boss.
As if this wasn’t sufficient, Kojima Productions then doubles-down on the vibe with the DS2 ship, the DHV Magellan. That is proven flying round and negotiating the tar channels (or no matter they’re known as), earlier than in a remaining scene taking on one of many big humanoid tar figures: At which level, for these with eyes to see, it turns into clear this is identical mech design as Metallic Gear Rex.
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To be clear, these are references: I am not saying Neil is actually Stable Snake. Although Kojima did path this casting in a 2020 Instagram publish, saying “I feel if [Luca Marinelli] donned a bandana, he’d be the spitting picture of Stable Snake!”
The creator’s friendship with Treatment’s Sam Lake is well-known, and on this gentle it is value taking a look at what Alan Wake 2 did with bringing in Alex Casey: a legally distinct model of Max Payne that can also be positively Max Payne. Konami nonetheless owns and controls the rights to Metallic Gear, Stable Snake and so forth, but it surely would not personal the concept of a personality placing on a bandana, or a familiar-looking mech silhouette.
Oh and yet one more: The president in Dying Stranding 2 is a brand new character voiced by Alastair Johnson. The ultimate recreation within the Metallic Gear sequence timeline is Metallic Gear Rising: Revengeance, by which the ultimate boss is Senator Armstrong performed by… Alastair Johnson.
So we’re in some kind of alt-universe the place, with sufficient tinfoil, you could possibly in all probability nearly persuade your self that the Metallic Gear and Dying Stranding universes are, excuse the pun, related. We have alt variations of Snake, we have got Rex, we have got Armstrong, on high of which the director’s minimize of Dying Stranding had already added a bunch of Metallic Gear-style components (this video goes by way of most of them).
All of it ties-in to components of Dying Stranding 2 which might be already being made specific. The times of supply are over. Describing the unique as a “strolling simulator” was all the time unfair, however this time round it does appear to be there shall be barely much less emphasis on traversal because the core mission mechanic and much more, dare I say, tactical espionage motion.
Neil would not simply appear to be Stable Snake along with his fancy bandana, although, he additionally leads some kind of unit that is distinguished by cranium imagery and smoking cigarettes (one other Metallic Gear staple). He additionally appears to be this recreation’s equal of Cliff, which thematically ties-in to being unable to let go of previous occasions: Or on this case, previous achievements. After which on the finish, in addition to the Rex-like ship-slash-tar creature, we get unmistakable echoes of the large mech fights between Rex and Ray that had been a few of the sequence’ excessive factors.
I’m sure there are dozens of different small nods I am lacking, and little question the Metallic Gearheads are poring over this trailer as I write. It is all the time been clear that Kojima was by no means going to actually go away Metallic Gear behind, and has turn into bolder about discussing the sequence and including extra overt nods by the point of the DS director’s minimize.
However that is as specific because it will get. Do not hassle ready for Konami to make Metallic Gear Stable 6 as a result of, if that sequence has a future, it is now as one other sequence beneath its unique creator. Followers are already joking about Neil’s character being known as “Inflexible Reptile” and the like, however the actual cost right here is seeing one of many trade’s greats not solely returning to his previous, however snug rewriting it. Expectations are excessive for Dying Stranding 2 and, going by this trailer, it might be the sport to surpass Metallic Gear.
