We may have grown accustomed to—or spoiled by—the various Twitpics posted by Kojima of in-game scenery, but that has yet to abate the boiling anticipation for Death Stranding. If anything, it's only added to the allure and mystique. As Gamescom winds down to its final two days, the immense hype remains at an all-time high, what with the gameplay trailer, character reveals, and a "briefing" video of the game's premise only egging fans on for more. Thank you, Kojima, but we're fairly certain not a soul will understand the game even after its November release.
To help guide us through the game's complex narrative and breathtaking scope, as well as to help quell fearful fans on Reddit, Titan Books alongside Kojima Productions will be publishing an art book containing behind-the-scenes concepts and initial imaginings of the game. It's for those among the fanbase who want not only to enter the mind of Kojima himself but also want to see beyond the walls of Kojima Productions. The latter announced the news on Twitter yesterday with three images that are featured in the upcoming hardcover.
Most striking of the bunch is in the top right of the tweet, showcasing a pre-production version of Sam Porter Bridges, played by Norman Reedus. The character's gear appears to have gone through a series of upgrades and changes throughout development, specifically the addition of his Bridge Baby. Introduced more in length during the Deadman spotlight trailer released at Gamescom Monday night, the Bridge Baby offers a whole new look at in-game responsibility. We all laugh about it now, but Kojima's pissing mechanic will give players a more grounded, natural gaming experience that will challenge us to treat our character, Sam, the same way we treat ourselves.
If what has been said is true, that the game is about "walking," then the scenery should be both dynamic and beautiful. From what Kojima has shown on Twitter, specifically those images featuring voice over production, it's clear there's much more to anticipate even in the sounds the game will employ. The number of iterations Sam has likely gone through is evidence enough that Death Stranding is an open-world game packed with immeasurable beauty in both character and level design. The pages in the artbook dedicated to either Mads Mikkelsen's or Troy Baker's characters will both be resplendent with intrigue, let alone the pre-game artwork of the shadowy BTs.
If you're like us and cannot wait for the book's release come November, dive into some of the featured concept art from its very pages. True Kojima fans will never forget flipping through the many wonders in the Art of Metal Gear Solid I-IV, what with in-depth examinations of villains and early takes on Solid Snake. Likewise, the images above offer us only a small glimpse into what Death Stranding has in store for players.
Until the release of both the game and the artbook, fans wait anxiously for tomorrow to finally be in their grasp.