During this year's The Game Awards, the best the industry has to offer was given the recognition it deserves. Gamers were also treated to some amazing trailers showing off what to expect from the industry. Kojima's Death Stranding 2 was finally revealed, and the trailer is as cryptic as it is intriguing. Although it seems to exist in a realm of its own regarding genre and storytelling, there are a few elements that appear to be borrowed from Metal Gear Solid.
Gamers witnessed the return of stealth in indoor environments in Death Stranding 2's enigmatic trailer, which is something the series has been moving towards since Death Stranding Director's Cut. The focus on Fragile also suggests that the game may take a page from Metal Gear Solid 2 and switch up the protagonist, and there's obviously the huge mech that basically has Metal Gear stamped on its forehead.
Death Stranding 2 and its Stealth
The Death Stranding 2 trailer shown at The Game Awards was very short, but already fans have been dissecting for as many details as possible. It begins with Fragile rescuing a baby from what seems to be some kind of nursery. It is clear that she is not meant to be there, and that she is in a very dangerous situation. As she makes her escape, she crawls through narrow passageways and avoids the beam coming from flashlights around a corner. Her escape ends with her climbing aboard a Trike and speeding away.
For fans of Kojima, the references to Metal Gear Solid are hard to ignore. Fragile appears to be on a stealth mission not unlike the ones Snake navigates in Metal Gear Solid games. It is particularly notable because Death Stranding is a game that typically has players outdoors. However, the trailer suggests that the upcoming game may feature more indoor stealth elements, much like Metal Gear Solid games before The Phantom Pain.
Is Death Stranding 2's Trailer Preparing Gamers for a Switcheroo?
Kojima has a history of setting up expectations for his fans only to swiftly subvert them. One of the most famous incidents of this occurred with the marketing of Metal Gear Solid 2. In the lead-up to the game, the marketing led gamers to believe that they would be taking control of Snake once again. Surprisingly, that was not the case, and the game's protagonist is instead Raiden.
Metal Gear Solid 2's marketing stunt isn't the kind of thing that can be effectively pulled off twice. However, the trailer for Death Stranding's sequel suggests that much like the 2001 game, there may be a protagonist swap in store. Rather than focus on Sam, the trailer centers on Fragile and her escapades. It appears that gamers will be discovering more about her backstory, and the focus on her stealth movements and use of the Trike is hard not to interpret as sneak peeks into the gameplay that fans can expect. Evidence for a possible switcheroo also comes from the fact that Sam Bridges looks much older in the trailer. It may be a sign that the torch is about to get passed to Fragile.
The trailer was enough to get fans excited about Kojima's upcoming project. That is not all they can look forward to, however. The auteur also has an Xbox game in the works that will be using Microsoft's cloud technology. It appears things are quite busy over at Kojima Productions, and with a creative like Kojima steering things, it is nearly impossible to predict what gamers will ultimately receive.
Death Stranding 2 is currently in development.
