Summary
At the end of the January 2024 PlayStation State of Play, fans finally got to look at the full title and launch window ofDeath Stranding 2: On The Beach. Over the course of one of acclaimed director Hideo Kojima’s long-form trailers, players were introduced to the next chapter of Samuel Porter Bridges’ mission of reconnecting human civilization.Death Stranding 2’s 2025 release will see players join him for all the adventures and strangeness that entails.
Death Stranding 2’s trailer also revealed several familiar voices and faces appearing alongside Norman Reedus as Sam. Léa Seydoux and Troy Baker reprise their previous roles as Fragile and Higgs, but some big names inDeath Stranding’s production staff were shown off as well. Ludvig Forssell returns as musical director while Kyle Cooper is once again the title designer, andMetal Gear Solidfans instantly recognized Yoji Shinkawa’s influence onDS2’s character and mechanical design. Of particular interest areDeath Stranding 2’s new machine designs, which include several enemy types that fans of Kojima and Shinkawa’s past work know all too well.
Cyborg Ninjas Have Become Hideo Kojima and Yoji Shinkawa’s Joint Signature
Some robots reminiscent ofMetal Gear Solid’s expansive machine catalog began creeping into the firstDeath Strandingin itsDirector’s Cut, butDeath Stranding 2has placed a spotlight on them. Not only does Fragile’s ship, the DHV Magellan,share visual elements withMGS’s iconic Metal Gear Rex, but the mechanical soldiers inDS2’s latest trailer look like they would fit inZone of the EndersorMetal Gear Rising: Revengeance. This can be explained by Yoji Shinkawa’s consistent design approach but also illustrates how Hideo Kojima tends to use these machines in similar ways.
Various designs, likeDS2’s humanoid soldier mechs and a bipedal mech making animal sounds, recall variousMetal Gearenemies, butoneDeath Stranding 2machinegoes beyond mere visual similarities. What appears to be a robotic ninja stops Higgs from menacing Sam before engaging in a high-octane fight, not only demonstrating Higgs’ new fighting style but also the return of the Cyborg Ninja archetype fromMetal Gear Solid. With design elements from past mechanized ninjas and potentially a similar story purpose, this callback to Kojima’s old projects is deliberate and thorough.
The History of Cyborg Ninjas In Hideo Kojima’s Games
While high-tech anime action has defined most of Kojima’s career, and there was a ninja boss fight inMetal Gear 2: Solid Snake, Yoji Shinkawa first proposed the idea for the Cyborg Ninja to Kojima duringMetal Gear Solid 1’s development. An oldMetal Gearcharacter called Gray Foxwas assigned the role, and since then, the title of Cyborg Ninja has passed toMetal Gear Solid 2’s Olga Gurlukovich andMetal Gear Solid 4’s Raiden. The SKULLS Parasite unit fromMetal Gear Solid 5and many enemies inMetal Gear Risingalso follow the Cyborg Ninja design pattern.
How The Cyborg Ninja Appears In Death Stranding 2
Right now, the mechanical ninja inDeath Stranding 2looks like a mash-up of many past Cyborg Ninja designs and character traits, while adding samurai-like design elements of its own. The ninja’s central eye light and ability to turn invisible and seemingly teleport recall Gray Fox, while its voice belonging to an infant may reference Olga’s diverse voice changer.
MGS4’s famous scene of Raiden duelingVamp, one ofMetal Gear Solid’s best villains, is recreated in this ninja’s battle with Higgs, right down to Higgs and Vamp bending back to dodge slashes. What allegiance the ninja holds is currently a mystery, just like most ofMGS’s Cyborg Ninjas, but it’s a welcome addition to the growing list ofDeath Stranding 2: On The Beach’s questions.
