The latest Physint poster may have given us our first bit of plot details about Hideo Kojima‘s upcoming Metal Gear spiritual successor.
While Bill Skarsgard’s casting was the main draw of Kojima’s Physint update at the latest Xbox Tokyo Game Show, there’s more than initially meets the eye. We also got some artwork consisting of a photo Kojima took of the duo, with a tagline that reads: “The next Cold War begins.”
Based on that tagline, we can assume that Physint is about espionage in a time when nuclear war could break out at a moment’s notice, while the world powers are engaged in a giant game of chicken. To me, that sure is a Metal Gear Solid game right there. Metal Gear Solid: Snake Eater, Peace Walker, and The Phantom Pain all took place during the Cold War, with it being a major plot point in the first two.
Given that Snake Eater is considered one of the best Metal Gear games, it’s not a surprise that Kojima would return to a formula that works. However, “the next Cold War” seems to imply that the game will be set closer to modern day than the actual conflict.
Another interesting detail about the marketing for Physint is Kojima’s unofficial theme song for it – “Here Comes the Feeling” by Asia – which he has attached to Instagram posts about the game and is also on the original poster.
Having had the song on rotation since last week’s PlayStation debacle, I’ve found the lyrics have definitely struck me. Many see Death Stranding’s themes as a metaphor for Kojima coming to terms with the loss of Metal Gear; however, the Asia song focuses on reunion. “All through the winter, I thought I’d never see you again” is how it kicks off, while the chorus consists of “Here comes the feeling. Here comes the same old feeling,” which certainly feels like a ‘we are so back’ declaration from Kojima.