Death Stranding is one of the most divisive games in history, but not necessarily because of controversy. The so-called walking simulator that explores deep if weird and convoluted themes that isn't for everybody. Now, the game's enigmatic director, Hideo Kojima, has everyone scratching their heads again by sharing what inspired him to do it.
Kojima recently appeared on the Game-Genome show on NHK World Japan to talk about Death Stranding where the host, Gen Hoshino, broke down some of the game's hidden themes.
The host said that Death Stranding is a tribute to the high points of video game history. According to Hoshino, the rope and ladder were taken from Donkey Kong, Nintendo's popular platform game series while the driving element of Death Stranding was a tribute to racing games. Additionally, the stealth and shooter elements in the fight with Cliff were inspired by Metal Gear Solid, a game developed by Kojima. Finally, the fight with Higgs was reminiscent of fighting games such as Street Fighter.
"All old games were in 2D," Kojima said. "Before sandboxes or 3D visuals. Why not enjoy that again in an open-world setting?"
"You discovered the hidden theme of Death Stranding!" Kojima remarks.