With countless themes and a web of designer collaborations, Death Stranding will likely impact the gaming industry in many ways. Apart from the fact that it's helmed by the legendary Hideo Kojima, this upcoming title is guaranteed to make every player feel something, whether that be through a spellbinding narrative or through its wild, asynchronous multiplayer mode. There's clearly something meaningful at the heart of Death Stranding that is driving the game forward, but what exactly is it?
Awareness and connection seems to play a huge role in the title. Kojima has stated countless times that his newest project will challenge the way gamers experience both online and single player gameplay. Not only that, but his previous role in forming the 'stealth-action' genre is enough to warrant some serious expectations with his newest genre, coined the "Strand game." No one really know what he means by this, but there are a few things we can infer from his statement.
Lonesome Gameplay, No Longer
So, what does Kojima visualize as a "Strand game"? The theme of drawing back together a divided world is apparent in all forms of the game's marketing, as can be see in the the 48-minute gameplay video shown at Tokyo Game Show. The narrative revolves around Sam Porter Bridges, played by Norman Reedus, as he reluctantly travels across a dystopian America ravaged and laid to waste by the mysteriously apocalyptic "Death Stranding" event. Described far more accurately in the Briefing trailer released at Gamescom, the upcoming title will emphasize connection in a variety of capacities, from literally bringing America back together through the Chiral Network and connecting players through a unique online experience.
In his interview with Game Informer, Kojima describes the atypical gaming scenario:
"Playing the game is a lonely feeling, because you play alone usually, even though you’re online...Norman [Reedus] actually got this point as well – you’re struggling all alone. But at a certain point, you realize, “There is someone really similar to me who felt this loneliness,” because you see it when you’re indirectly connecting."
His envisioned asynchronous multiplayer is one of the most fascinating aspects of the game. Drawing every single player into one map, Death Stranding's world will grow around the player with every other person adding to the workload. Roads and highways will be built, items can be left and retrieved at random, even boss fights will feature ghost-like apparitions of fellow players there to help in sticky situations. The combination of multiplayer and single player might be an integral aspect of a "Strand game."
Hideo Kojima: A Case Study
To understand Kojima's vision of connection, one would have to first understand his past. Revealed in his interview with Financial Times, Kojima states:
"In my childhood, there were no good teachers or adults around me. I was disappointed in them. But I discovered amazing tales by reading novels or watching movies: they moved me, and I moved forward. These stories helped me when I was lost in life."
In that same interview, Kojima goes on to relate something that seems to identify the very nature of his forthcoming game:
"But at that point, I began to realise the possibilities that came with making things. And it's not that I'm only creating the things that I want to make. The reason why I want to make things is that, through my past experiences, I know I can influence and help others who I haven't even met."
This is exactly what separates Kojima from his counterparts, his attention to every single bit of detail. While challenging the industry, he's also bringing to life a positive reflection on gaming itself. Though alone, players can still achieve greatness through a narrative and multiplayer components interwoven with this overriding idea of absolute connectivity.
Environmental Considerations
There's also much to be said about the nature of the game's open-world itself. Now left fractured and decayed due to unrest and division, this in-game America looks strikingly like our very own (minus the interdimensional beings and ravaged wastes). Is Kojima going even further into the heart of this dismal reality, showcasing the possible future our timeline is headed toward? Though many may consider it a metaphor for Kojima's separation with Konami, Death Stranding is actually a metaphor of our own reality, dressing it up with science fiction and horror to make it far more spectacular. Kojima expects players to fear this imaginative rendition, a very likely scenario given the world's (not just America's) currently divided nature.
There's so much left to unpack. Kojima's newest game will be a blend of cinematic interactivity with a multiplayer component that seems beyond ambitious. He's not only tackling video game possibilities but real-world issues in such a way that motivates every creator to likewise emulate his extraordinary talents. If anything should be emulated, it's his drive to create varied connections. Very few individuals today seem to focus on this aspect, one that is necessary for continued growth.