The trailer for Death Stranding 2, the sequel to Hideo Kojima’s Kojima Productions‘ debut game Death Stranding has been released. The game appears to continue from where the first game left off. However, the trailer reveals that the world of Death Stranding will be significantly different this time around. This article aims to discuss and highlight all the new elements introduced in the trailer.
The first Death Stranding was released in 2019. Despite its unconventional nature, it found its audience and achieved success, widely recognized for pushing the boundaries of fiction by blending metaphysics, science, and human psychology. The game continues to be analyzed and deciphered, even to this day.
Many individuals have attempted to unravel the hidden meanings and metaphysical metaphors within the game, which adds to its allure. However, despite its acclaim, the previous game also faced criticism. This article will explore the new additions that Kojima may have incorporated into the sequel.
Death Stranding 2 Metahuman Technology
Right off the bat, fans of the game can recognize a significant difference in the graphics of the cutscenes compared to the previous game. The MetaHuman Technology is the reason for the difference, developed in partnership with Epic Games/3Lateral.
MetaHuman technology is a cutting-edge facial recognition and recreation technology. It is capable of producing digital avatars that closely resemble their real-life counterparts with astonishing detail. While the game had already received considerable praise for its graphics and character design, this represents a significant leap forward.
The trailer and cutscenes showcase an impressive attention to detail made possible by this technology. For instance, in one close-up scene, Fragile and a new character (discussed later on) are seen examining the arm of a corpse or a cocoon. The close-up zoomed shot reveals skin bumps on the corpse’s arm, mirroring real life.
The characters’ eyes are exceptionally realistic, as are the rest of their features.
Fans are familiar with how the main protagonist, Sam, behaves and looks as he does in real life portrayed by the actor in movies and television series, most notably Daryl Dixon in The Walking Dead series. Fans can notice the accuracy with which he has been depicted in the trailer. From his slight tight-lipped smirk to his unconventional slow stride, this new technology truly brings his character to life in the gaming world.
New DS2 Characters
The previous game introduced a vast ensemble of characters. Main characters like protagonist Sam Porter Bridges, Fragile, Deadman, Lou, Higgs Monaghan, Cliff, Die-Hardman, and Amelie, to name a few. Additionally, actors and celebrities such as Conan O’Brien, Sam Lake from Remedy Gaming Company, and Max Payne made cameo appearances in the game. Director cameos like Guillermo Del Toro and Hideo Kojima himself also appeared as side characters in the game.
The new game follows suit, introducing multiple new characters alongside the returning main ones (Sam, Fragile, Lou, Deadman, Higgs). The game will certainly introduce more characters not shown in the trailer.
Famous director of the cult classic Mad Max series, George Miller, is making his gaming debut with this game. Portraying the captain of the new ship in the game called DHV Magellan (more on that later). He appears to be knowledgeable in medical matters as well. He operates or examines a corpse with Fragile in the previously mentioned scene.
Fatih Akin, another renowned director known for works such as The Edge Of Heaven and In The Fade, is making his gaming debut with this game. It seems Hideo Kojima has a knack for involving various directors from diverse backgrounds in the world of his games.
Fatih portrays the character of a ventriloquist dummy who, much like Mimir from God Of War, aided the main protagonist Kratos and will likely assist Sam in similar ways. Like Mimir, Fatih’s character will likely inject some humor into the game along the way.
From his accent, it seems likely that he is from either the Middle East or Europe. It is a possibility that the game will likely discuss his origins somewhere.
— Robot Warrior-Baby?
A new character is introduced in the game and is depicted fighting with Higgs in the trailer. Higgs is making his reappearance with a twist. The warrior fighting with Higgs possesses something unusual about them. Despite having a large build, their voice resembles that of a baby’s chuckle. This has sparked numerous speculations. Some have even suggested that this might be Lou from the future. True identity will be revealed in the game surely.
Known for her role in Maleficent, this marks Elle’s first venture into the video game industry. She can be seen wandering around the DHV Magellan, in the trailer. She appears to be sneaky in her movements. Her scenes suggest that she is either one of the team members on the carrier or someone from the outside who has managed to infiltrate the carrier to gather information. Some speculate that she might be Lou. However, the identity is not confirmed. The identity and role will certainly reveal themselves once the game comes out.
The game will undoubtedly introduce more new characters. However, this article only covers those who have made an appearance in the trailer in some capacity.
DHV Magellan
Many are referring to it as a nod to the heli-carriers from the Metal Gear Solid universe. This carrier appears to play a crucial role within the context of the Death Stranding world. Additionally, it emerges from the mouth of a baby in a womb scene. It makes several appearances throughout the trailer implying that Sam will be spending considerable time around this carrier throughout the game.
Another detail to note about the carrier is that it will serve as a rest house and headquarters for Sam and his potential teammates in the game. This is hinted at during a scene where Fragile guides Sam around the carrier. She shows Sam the bunkers of all the members residing on board.
It is also evident in the trailer that this carrier exists both in the afterlife segment of the game and in the living world segment as well. The blue color of Sam and Fragile in one scene confirms that the carrier is present in the Beached world. Additionally, in some scenes, the carrier can be seen in the ‘living’ world. The color of the characters’ skin indicates this.
The aspect that puzzles fans the most is how the carrier is fueled and controlled. In one of the opening scenes in the trailer, the unnamed captain of the ship inserts his disfigured arm into the hole around the steering side to start the ship. The ship appears to be fueled by the black-tar substance linked to the Beaches. How it does this, remains to be seen. This certainly highlights how humanity in the world of Death Stranding has progressed significantly. From being initially unaware of the situation in the first part to now leveraging it to their advantage to overcome the problem.
Draw Bridge
The names assigned to individuals and various elements carry deeper significance. They are chosen for a purpose in Death Stranding. Similarly, Draw Bridge is not merely a name, but embodies the entire concept of the operation and its purpose: to draw bridges.
It is the name of a new organization, presumably carrying on the work of the previous organization, Fragile Industry, and possibly undertaking additional responsibilities. The organization appears to also own DHV Magellan. The organization’s mission involves facilitating connections between people to gather information, maintain contact, and essentially bring individuals closer together.
It seems that a mysterious character, not revealed in the trailer, controls and funds it. Hopefully, the game will unveil the identity of the individual.
As previously discussed, the organization appears to have several other members, such as Sam and Fragile, who have their designated rooms in the DHV Magellan and are likely to be revealed in the game.
‘Bringing The World Together’ / New Locations
Fans of the game and those who have played it will recall that the first instalment focused on connecting America by constructing connection routes and a digital cloud service. However, this time, the focus is on connecting the rest of the world. The stakes have been considerably raised in the game.
It seems that Sam will travel to various locations and countries around the world to help connect them together. One of the places he appears to be visiting is Mexico, as mentioned in the trailer. The glimpses of sandy dunes suggest that it could be either Mexico or the Middle East. The exact location of the sand remains uncertain, but it is clear that Sam will embark on a journey to different locations around the world.
The line “Bring the world together” spoken by Fragile during one of her conversations with Sam, suggests that it is the core mission of the group, Draw Bridge.
The trailer has revealed a very peculiar location that has left fans scratching their heads. In one scene, Sam walks on a rocky terrain with a moon-like figure positioned directly above him. The proximity between Sam’s location and the moon-like structure in the sky is almost touching. It resembles something out of an end-of-the-world scenario where planets or stars converge with the Earth. There are numerous speculations surrounding this mysterious place, but the game will reveal its true nature once released.
The Stranding Atmosphere
In the previous game, while the weather did change throughout the game, thunderstorms and nighttime were notably absent. However, in the new game, the studio has included these features. The trailer showcases multiple shots of what nighttime will look like in the game.
Nighttime and thunderstorms will significantly enhance the game due to its tone. With its mysterious and slightly horror-filled elements, the addition of nighttime will only complement the overall atmosphere of the game.
In one scene of the trailer, Sam appears to be running on what looks like a bridge during a thunderstorm night in the rain, with a city and its buildings in the backdrop. The atmosphere already looks incredible.
Another addition to the weather is the dusty storm, presumably in the desert region of the game. In one scene, Sam appears to be fighting with new types of foes (more on them later) amidst a dusty storm, enveloped in a reddish-orange hue. The studio is taking things to a new level.
Placing Packages Down
One of the complaints from gamers in the previous game was the inability of Sam to set packages down on the ground while engaged in combat with enemies or BTs. Without the ability to place packages down, they would often drop and sustain damage during battles. Additionally, the weight of the packages on Sam would affect his aim during combat.
The trailer demonstrates that Sam can now safely place packages in a secure hiding spot when he is preparing to engage with enemies or while in the midst of combat. Sam demonstrates this in the same dusty stormy scene where he positions the packages on the ground in a secure hiding place just before engaging in battle with the enemies.
Death Stranding 2 New Faction
The trailer unveiled a new type of soldier faction in the game, seemingly associated with Higgs. Both the soldiers and he are wearing similar attire.
Dialogue accompanying the introduction of this faction suggests that they are utilizing the Chiral Network to develop a robot army to ‘protect’ humans. It appears they will also undertake the task of delivering packages, similar to the work done by human porters like Sam.
As promising as the plan sounds, it still fails to reveal the full extent of the faction’s motives. Their connection to Higgs, who does not align with the protagonist’s interests, reveals much. They also apprehend and manhandle Sam. He engages in combat against them in other scenes. All of these elements suggest that there is more to this faction than initially meets the eye. However, such layers of complexity are often characteristic of games like this.
They seem to have a suitcase that, when thrown towards the ground, transforms into a dog-like robot. Dogs have Odradek-like faces. The design given to them does not suggest friendliness at all.
Improved Gunfight Mechanics
Players familiar with the previous game would acknowledge that combat was not one of its highlights. When one thinks of Death Stranding, combat is not typically what comes to mind. In fact, many gamers rated it as subpar. However, it appears that the developers have addressed this issue as well in Death Stranding 2.
The Death Stranding 2 trailer has emphasized combat on several occasions, and Fragile shows Sam a designated training area in the DHV Magellan equipped with VR sets and guns for combat practice. This suggests that the game is encouraging players to explore the new and improved combat and gunfight mechanics.
Once they get their hands on Death Stranding 2, gamers will judge whether the gunfight and combat have improved or not.
Octopus Tentacle In The Pod
In the previous game, the significance of the BB Pod for Sam is evident for various reasons. One reason is that it literally sustains his life. It offers Sam a path back to the world of the living, thus preventing a Voidout in the event of Sam’s death, or, in Death Stranding terms, his journey to the Beach. The BB Pod also aids Sam in detecting BTs, which would otherwise be invisible to him.
But above all, for Sam, it’s the profound sense of connection with the BB Pod. Most importantly, it’s the bond Sam shares with what is inside the BB Pod: Lou. Sam’s deep connection with Lou becomes especially evident towards the end of the game. The moment when he receives the task to dispose of the deceased Lou in the incinerator. In one of the endings, (SPOILER FOR DS) he decides against parting with Lou and successfully revives him back to life.
However, the trailer depicts Lou’s death, and in place of Lou, there is a frightening octopus tentacle in the BB pod. It is unclear what this signifies and how it will unfold in the game because without Lou’s abilities in the BB Pod, Sam, according to game logic, would lose the ability to detect BTs. He would also lose the ability to return to the living world without Lou’s powers.
Sam’s conversation with Higgs about Lou, while Higgs has captured Sam, suggests that Sam remains unaware of many secrets about Lou, known by Higgs or possibly others as well. Death Stranding 2 seems to continue Sam’s journey towards uncovering answers.
Sam’s New Suit
Sam wears a different suit from the previous game. This time, he is most likely wearing the suit provided by Draw Bridge. Fragile also wears a similar kind of suit. It seems like the design belongs to Draw Bridge.
Sam’s Aging
In one of the scenes, it is clear that Sam has aged significantly at some point in the game. It is evident in the trailer scene where Fragile is showing him around the DHV Magellan. Their skin is bluish in color, suggesting that they are on the other side of the Beach. The game also portrays multiple stages of Sam’s life. Fans can easily notice young Sam, today’s Sam, and Future Sam throughout the trailer. How this will all play out in the story is anyone’s guess.
The world of Death Stranding 2 promises to be bigger and better in this new game. There will be numerous mysteries to uncover and many details to reveal after the release. This article attempted to cover those details present in the trailer that promises a different experience for gamers from the past.
