Death Stranding creator Hideo Kojima has taken to Twitter to explain how the game's story and gameplay are connected. Kojima says that Death Stranding will help to break down the "walls" that people have built and will help them stop living in "isolation."
After revealing a brand new Death Stranding trailer, Kojima shared a statement telling fans a bit more about what the game will offer. Kojima calls the game a "new type of action game" that is about reconnecting isolated cities and a "fragmented society." Everything in Death Stranding, from the story to the gameplay, will be connected by the idea of a "Strand" or connection.
Kojima also suggested that the name of Norman Reedus's character, Sam Porter Bridges, is a bit of a pun. Players will attempt to "bridge" divisions, says Kojima, as they form new connections called "Strands," with other Death Stranding players. The developer also says that he hopes that by playing Death Stranding, players will "understand the true importance of forging connections with others."
This isn't the first time that Kojima or someone working on Death Stranding has spoken about the importance of connections in the game. Mads Mikkelsen, who plays a character in the game, has said that Death Stranding is all about player "collaboration." Mikkelsen described this collaboration as the "whole concept of playing the game."
Death Stranding's multiplayer gameplay is all about this idea and Kojima has teased some collaborative gameplay modes. Speaking at an event in New York, Kojima confirmed that Death Stranding would have a mode like the FOBs in Metal Gear Solid 5: The Phantom Pain. In Metal Gear Solid 5, players are able to infiltrate player bases but if collaboration is important in Death Stranding, then potentially players could be helping each other put bases together.
The themes of connection and players working together are just some of the things that Death Stranding is built on. Kojima has also confirmed that the game will have themes of anti-war and it will be anti-nuclear weapons too. The game isn't a walk in the park as trailers have shown babies in tanks, masses of dead animals, and terrifying, supernatural monsters. However, among the strange plot and huge creatures, it sounds as though Death Stranding will also be a game that makes players think and will challenge some of the ideas seen in other action games.
Death Stranding will be released on November 8, 2019 on PS4.