Summary
Hideo Kojima just continues to show what he is capable of when the sky’s the limit for game development, as he has released yet another 10-minute trailer for the highly anticipated sequel to 2019’sDeath Stranding,Death Stranding 2: On the Beach. The trailer offers an extended look atDeath Stranding 2, showcasing what appears to be an incredibly emotional story, but the characters, both new and old, are arguably the highlight of the trailer.
While it is certainly nice to see familiar characters like Sam and Fragile back for another round, one of the new characters revealed inDeath Stranding 2’s pre-order traileris Neil, a mysterious individual who appears to have a painful past fueling a vengeful future. While next to nothing has been firmly disclosed about his character arc, the trailer makes one thing clear: Neil is the character to watch inDeath Stranding 2.
Why Fans Should Keep a Close Eye on Neil in Death Stranding 2
Neil’s Resemblance to Solid Snake Opens the Door to Death Stranding 2 Meta Conversation
Death Stranding 2’s pre-order trailer hasn’t been live for very long, and plenty of fans have already pointed out how much Neil resembles Solid Snake, the protagonist from another ofHideo Kojima’s franchises,Metal Gear Solid. Of course, this is to be expected of Kojima, as he is known for including references to his past games in his works. In fact,Metal Gear Solidis a great example of this in action, which has multiple nods toSnatcherandPolicenauts, two of Kojima’s earlier adventure games. Even the firstDeath Strandinghas a reference toMetal Gear Solidwhen Sam says, “Kept you waiting, huh?,” as it mirrors Snake’s famous phrase.
While next to nothing has been firmly disclosed about his character arc, the trailer makes one thing clear: Neil is the character to watch inDeath Stranding 2.
In light of that, it could be thatNeil’s resemblance to Solid Snakeis nothing more than a subtle nod to one of Kojima’s biggest franchises. At the same time, although Kojima has never outright confirmed it, the idea of a “Kojima-verse” has been tossed around for quite some time. Even if a Kojima-verse doesn’t actually exist, though, Neil’s resemblance to Solid Snake still blurs the lines between the developer’s franchises, offering a meta-commentary that really enriches the overall experience. This may not be the most important reason fans should keep their eye on Neil inDeath Stranding 2, but it’s at least enough for followers of Kojima’s work to make an immediate connection with the sequel.
Neil May Be an Antagonist in Death Stranding 2, But Might Be Too Obvious
The main reason Neil is the character to watch inDeath Stranding 2is his currently mysterious role in the game’s story. Based on what is shown inDeath Stranding 2’s pre-order trailer, Neil looks like he could be an antagonist in the narrative. However, that may be too obvious, especially when considering Kojima’s reputation for subverting expectations. For example,Death Stranding’s Cliff Ungerwas originally portrayed as an antagonist, but he was eventually revealed to be a tragic anti-hero.
The latest trailer forDeath Stranding 2actually implies that Neil could have a similar arc to Cliff’s, though that would likely turn out to be a divisive move and be criticized for being too repetitive.
Nevertheless, Neil is clearly going to play a pivotal role in the story, even if he doesn’t turn out to be the overarching antagonist of the story. Perhaps, like Cliff did inDeath Stranding, Neil will be used inDeath Stranding 2as a character development device for Sam. Based on Kojima’s history, it’s entirely possible (and even highly likely) he is using Neil’s prominence in the recent trailer as a form of misdirection, hiding the identity of the true antagonist. Whatever he turns out to be, though, Neil is the one fans should watch asDeath Stranding 2’s June release datedraws nearer.
