Death Stranding 2 feels a bit like Metal Gear Solid 5, Hideo Kojima says: “When you return to your bed on the Magellan, it’s the same feeling as returning to the plant”

We were already aware that Death Stranding 2 would markedly differ from its forerunner regarding combat mechanics, but director Hideo Kojima believes the sequel shares some similarities with another of his titles, Metal Gear Solid 5.

In the recent issue of Edge magazine, issue 411, it’s mentioned that the Death Stranding follow-up resembles a contemporary rendition of the 2015 Metal Gear Solid release, a sentiment Kojima agrees with: “I experienced that myself while playing the game.”

He elaborates, likening the sensation of returning to the DHV Magellan, the ship in Death Stranding 2, to his stealth game. “When you settle into your bed on the Magellan, it brings back the same feeling as coming home to the plant in Metal Gear,” he indicates, referencing the central hub in the 2015 title.

Edge highlights the VR tasks available in Death Stranding 2 while players relax at bases, mentioning their parallels with Metal Gear’s VR Missions. Additionally, some sound effects are strikingly reminiscent.

This isn’t the first occasion Kojima has drawn connections between Metal Gear Solid and the Death Stranding sequel. He pointed out that introducing players to gameplay mechanics in an initial game and then offering greater freedoms in a sequel—similar to Metal Gear Solid 1’s stealth progression to easier weapon usage in Metal Gear Solid 2—has been applied here.

“It was quite similar for Death Stranding. There aren’t numerous games centered on delivery, so we initially had to acclimate players to it,” he outlined previously. “For the sequel, we aimed to enable those who wish to engage in combat to do so more openly.”

Hideo Kojima once contemplated that he might only have “10 years” left to innovate, and he entrusted his assistant “a USB stick with all my ideas” as a sort of “will.”

I am the Deputy News Editor at GamesRadar+, collaborating with my news team to provide captivating gaming articles that we cherish. After dedicating countless hours to populating The University of Sheffield’s student newspaper with content on Pokemon and indie games, while earning a degree in Journalism Studies, I began my career at GAMINGbible as a journalist for over a year and a half. I subsequently joined TechRadar Gaming as a news writer, where I sourced stories and covered a myriad of fascinating topics. In my leisure time, you’ll likely catch me on my Nintendo Switch or PS5 engaging with story-focused RPGs like Xenoblade Chronicles and Persona 5 Royal, nuzlocking vintage Pokemon games, or aiming for a Victory Royale.