Shorter Than the Rest, but Riveting Nonetheless
Three trailers later, no one should be afraid to admit that Death Stranding is a mystery. Hideo Kojima has created a stunning world around a cryptic series of events and characters, but we may be getting closer to the gameplay loop. Sure, every trailer thus far has been an in-engine marvel, but the latest piece from the Tokyo Game Show finally teases some action.
The latest trailer may hint at boss battles. In a brand-new scene that seems to be straight from the campaign, we’re reintroduced to the Man in the Golden Mask. The character is portrayed by none other than Troy Baker, who’s starred in a myriad of IPs but is most renowned for his role as Joel in The Last of Us. For Death Stranding, he has taken on the antagonist’s role, in direct opposition to Norman Reedus’ character. The motivations remain unclear.
Unlike previous Death Stranding trailers, the TGS footage is very short and leaves much less to be dissected. Everything else we’ve seen thus far was a visual spectacle, so what will Kojima show us next?
The Tokyo Game Show’s footage brings our first concrete enemy that’s not a humanoid ghost of tar, which suggests that creatures may take on a variety of forms in the universe. We already know there’s a resurrection mechanic that leaves a permanent mark in the world, and every player world will look different. Players may have access to other worlds, along with the ability to interact with one another in one fashion or another. Story details, however, remain scarce. Also, we’ve yet to see how the social components in play or how Kojima Productions will realize combat. So far, Death Stranding bears the trappings of a stealth game.
What are your thoughts on the trailer and Troy Baker? Feel free to let us know in the comments below. Death Stranding doesn’t have a release date yet, but it will release as a PS4 exclusive. Stay tuned for updates.