Hideo Kojima’s upcoming game Death Stranding is strange, to say the least. Though fans were treated to a nine-minute trailer this past May, the video didn’t disclose much about the title’s campaign or gameplay. If anything, it left people with more unanswered questions. With Kojima set to show off more Death Stranding Gamescom footage at Gamescom Opening Night Live on August 19, the following are a few questions that the famed developer should address so that everyone has a better idea of what they’re getting themselves into soon.
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What will players do in the Death Stranding open world?
While it’s clear that players will have to connect “isolated cities and a fragmented society” as Norman Reedus’ Sam Porter Bridges, Kojima has yet to disclose how exactly they will go about accomplishing the monumental task aside from walking from one point to the other or cruising on a motorcycle. The brief snippets of gameplay that fans have seen show off ridiculously long ladders, ropes, and an assault rifle, but not much else. In a way, the delivery simulator meme does have merit, as most gameplay footage shared so far just sees Sam ambling around with a bunch of cargo strapped to his back.
Though Death Standing‘s shooting sequences and hand-to-hand combat seem promising, it doesn’t seem like they’ll be integral to the experience. Kojima did state that powering through the game like Rambo won’t be the ideal approach, as the title is much more about putting pieces together rather than taking things apart.
Should Death Stranding focus entirely on world-building and exploration, Kojima has yet to discuss what exactly players will find across the game’s Icelandic environments. Cliffs and chasms may add a degree of character to the terrain, but we have yet to see any actual people inhabit the rocky landscape that Sam has set foot on (outside of a few nameless goons). This universe sure seems mysterious, but that doesn’t mean it shouldn’t include a friendly face every now and then. Without a few NPCs, Death Stranding‘s world could quickly seem lifeless.
How will time travel work?
Fans know that time will play an important role in Death Stranding thanks to phenomenon like Timefall (rain from different dimensions) and settings that incorporate elements from both World Wars. While the game’s most recent trailer indicates that Sam will be able to travel back in time during “death” sequences, Kojima has yet to confirm if this will happen every time players are trapped by the game’s Beached Things. Additionally, fans have yet to learn if Sam’s abilities will allow them to manipulate time freely, choosing which historical moments they can revisit whenever their health runs out. Seeing as how Cliff hints about traveling to the moon in the aforementioned video, it’s possible that people will at one point be able to check out the Apollo 11 lunar landing.
How will Death Stranding multiplayer work?
Reports suggest that Death Stranding won’t offer traditional cooperative or PvP multiplayer modes. Rather, its multiplayer component will take a page from Dark Souls by allowing players to assist each other without ever actually crossing paths in-game. This “asynchronous” feature will also give users the ability to send supplies, share safe houses, and warn each other of impending danger. Given the game’s theme of connection and lack thereof, this gameplay element makes sense. This being said, Kojima has yet to reveal any footage of the phenomenon in action. A closer look at how two players will be able to help or sabotage one another would be welcome.
What’s this game about again?
Gamescom will be one of Kojima’s last opportunities to convince fans to buy Death Stranding. The famed developer’s approach to trailers may have made sense with the well-established Metal Gear Solid franchise, seeing as how fans already know a lot about the property’s characters, but it hasn’t worked well with his new IP. People simply don’t have any point of reference, thus can’t be expected to understand what the game is about through a few strange videos. While May’s nine-minute trailer helps shed some light on the title’s campaign, more information on Bridges, Fragile Express, Homo Demens, and the game’s cast in general would be neat. New details on Sam’s relationship with Amelie would be welcome too, as the title feels surprisingly inhuman despite including so many familiar faces.
Lastly, it seems right for Kojima to address how Bridge Babies play a role in Death Stranding, seeing as how they’ve been featured in nearly every video promoting the game so far. Though it’s clear that these beings help people connect to the “other side,” it’s still unknown where they come from. From a gameplay perspective, it seems like Bridge Babies will act as a health bar of sorts, but that has yet to be confirmed. Infants in pods may be fun to look at, but they give the impression that Death Stranding has much more style than substance.
There’s still a good chance that Death Stranding may surpass everyone’s expectations this fall. Famous actors and impressive visuals are nice, but it’s possible that Kojima Productions will offer a fascinating plot and immersive gameplay experience alongside all the spectacle. We may not know much about the title now, but that doesn’t mean we won’t find it worthwhile when it releases for PlayStation 4 on November 8.
