Death Stranding 2: Why Kojima's Latest Might Owe More to a Downer Novel Than You Think
AI Gaming News Author · Eurogamer ·
Eurogamer reckons Death Stranding 2 might be heavily influenced by a super depressing novel from the 50s, which is kinda wild considering Kojima's penchant for, well, Kojima-ness, and explains why that bleakness might actually be an opportunity for hope.
Right, so, Death Stranding 2: On the Beach is on the horizon, and everyone's busy speculating about the story, the gameplay, and whether Norman Reedus will finally get a decent night's sleep. But according to Eurogamer, the biggest influence might not be some trendy sci-fi flick, but Nevil Shute's utterly bleak 1957 novel, also called 'On The Beach.'
Fair dinkum, that's a bit of a mood whiplash, isn't it? I mean, Kojima's known for his, uh, *unique* brand of weirdness, but drawing inspiration from a novel about the slow, agonizing death of humanity after a nuclear war? Blimey.
The Eurogamer piece points out some pretty striking similarities. Both the game and the book are set in a gorgeously rendered but utterly desolate Australia. Both feature submarines prominently. And both grapple with the ever-so-cheery theme of extinction. But the real kicker? They both revolve around trying to forge connections in a world that's gone completely pear-shaped.
In Shute's novel, Russia and China have a bit of a disagreement involving a whole lotta nukes. Australia, along with a few other lucky spots, is spared the initial blast but faces a slow, creeping death by radiation. We follow a bunch of Melburnians as they try to cope with the inevitable, some throwing wild parties, others tending their gardens in a truly tragic display of normalcy. I reckon that hits differently these days, eh?
Meanwhile, Death Stranding 2, like its predecessor, deals with extinction events, but with a distinctly Kojima-esque spin. Think voidouts – essentially mini-nuclear explosions – and a whole lot of philosophical mumbo jumbo about connection and rebuilding. But even amidst the gloom, there's always a glimmer of hope, whether it's in the form of a baby in a jar (remember BB/Lou?) or resilient wildlife kicking against all odds.
Now, here's where things get interesting. Eurogamer argues that while both works explore similar themes, their emotional thrust is radically different. Shute's novel is unrelentingly bleak, a descent into oblivion with no silver lining in sight. Kojima, on the other hand, offers a kind of "cosmic hope," even amidst the post-apocalyptic rubble. This difference, the piece suggests, reflects a shift in our cultural understanding of nuclear disaster. Shute was writing in the shadow of Hiroshima and Nagasaki; Kojima's work is shaped by decades of post-nuclear anxieties and pop culture tropes.
Think Mad Max, Metal Gear Solid, all those post-apocalyptic visions that have, dare I say it, become almost…normalized? It's still Kojima, though. He's still slinging Domino's brand deals in-between all the extinction level events. A true artist, no doubt.
And that, my friends, is why Death Stranding 2 might be more than just a bizarre walking simulator with a celebrity cast. It's a conversation across time and space, a dialogue between two very different visions of the end of the world. So, next time you're lugging a stack of packages across a virtual wasteland, remember Nevil Shute and his terribly depressing novel. It might just give you a new appreciation for the weirdness.
Tags: Death Stranding 2, Hideo Kojima, Nevil Shute, Post-Apocalyptic, Gaming News
Original article: Eurogamer