Kojima Productions unveiled an exciting 10-minute trailer for Death Stranding 2 at SXSW, showcasing both familiar and new faces. Among the returning stars are Norman Reedus and Léa Seydoux, reprising their roles from the original game. However, the trailer introduces a striking new character, Luca Marinelli, who is set to play a pivotal role as Neil in Death Stranding 2: On the Beach. Marinelli, an acclaimed Italian actor known to English-speaking audiences from Netflix's The Old Guard, brings his talent to the game, not just as a new character but as someone who echoes the iconic Solid Snake from Hideo Kojima's Metal Gear Solid series.

Who is Luca Marinelli playing in Death Stranding 2?

Luca Marinelli steps into the role of Neil in Death Stranding 2: On the Beach. In the trailer, we first see Neil in an intense interrogation scene, accused of unknown crimes by a man in a suit. Neil claims he was merely doing the "dirty work" for this individual, indicating a strained working relationship. The man retorts that Neil "has no choice" but to continue working for him.

The trailer then shifts to Neil interacting with a Bridges employee named Lucy, portrayed by Marinelli's real-life wife, actress Alissa Jung. Their conversation suggests a romantic connection and reveals Neil's task: smuggling cargo, specifically brain-dead pregnant women, on behalf of the suited man, presumably for the United States government's secret research on Bridge Babies (BBs).

Wait, brain-dead pregnant women?

The concept of brain-dead pregnant women is tied to the BBs from the original Death Stranding. BBs are seven-month fetuses extracted via c-section from brain-dead mothers, creating a state of limbo that enables them to communicate with the world of the dead. These infants help detect Beached Things (BTs), malevolent spirits that can cause devastating Voidouts—catastrophic events akin to nuclear blasts.

The US Government had previously conducted experiments with BBs to understand Voidouts, but these were officially halted after a disastrous experiment in Manhattan. However, as Neil's smuggling suggests, the research continued covertly, aiming to harness the unique abilities of BBs to combat the threat of BTs.

Is Solid Snake in Death Stranding 2?

How Death Stranding 2 connects to Metal Gear Solid

Additionally, the trailer features Heartman merging the DHV Magellan with a colossal BT to form a bio-robotic giant, reminiscent of the Sahalanthropus from Metal Gear Solid 5. This fusion not only nods to the iconic machines of the Metal Gear series but also underscores the potential for catastrophic destruction akin to nuclear weapons.

Will there be another Kojima Metal Gear Solid game?

It's highly unlikely that Hideo Kojima will return to the Metal Gear Solid series, given his departure from Konami. Future Metal Gear Solid projects, such as the upcoming remake of Metal Gear Solid 3, will proceed without his direct involvement. However, the themes and imagery of the Metal Gear series continue to influence Kojima's work, as evident in Death Stranding 2. The sequel promises even grander ambitions, with diverse environments and a stronger focus on combat, drawing it closer to the spirit of Metal Gear Solid while forging its own unique path.