Kojima announced Death Stranding release date with an 8 minute trailer

PsychedelicDiamond

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So, here it is.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hen8tPH0A2w

So after numerous short, vague trailers of Norman Reedus wandering through postapocalyptic landscapes we finally get... a long, vague trailer of Norman Reedus wandering through postapocalyptic landscapes. All mockery aside, this trailer, along with this synopsis



suggests a rather timely plot about overcoming division and connecting with other people. Now, Kojimas approach to theme has alway been about as subtles as a nuclear strike so I'm not exactly surprised that his game about building bridges between people features a protagonist named Sam Bridges who can materialize ladders but as on the nose as the ideas informing the plot seem to be, Kojima's direction and presentation look quite on point. Of course we can't rule out that it's gonna be another MGS V where a few short minutes of well directed cutscenes follow hours upon hours of repetetive open world busywork but I'd like to give him the benefit of the doubt here, seeing how the development appear a lot less troubled than that of MGS V. I enjoy the character designs and visuals, it does seem to a very striking and inventive approach to the increasingly worn out idea of the post apocalypse.

So, overall I think the trailer is pretty decent and it does make me look forward to the game. I don't think Kojima is the great visionary some make him out to be but at his best he can produce some stylish and inventive games and I hope DS is gonna be one.
 

Comic Sans

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Well that was certainly something. Even if the game ends up not being great I am glad it exists. In a world where devs and publishers are playing it as safe as possible, it?s nice to see Kojima just going nuts with a new IP that looks unique and is weird as hell. That in itself is worth being happy about. I hope it lives up to all the anticipation
 

Casual Shinji

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Nicolas Winding Refn is in this fucking game! You fucking show off Kojima.

Anyway, this trailer does finally get me excited for this game, as the previous ones were just Kojima being "delightfully" cryptic and expecting the audience to chew on the tiny, meaningless bones he tossed their way. This finally feels like a proper game trailer that gives a nice overall indication of the experience.

Visually it certainly looks phenominal, but I'm curious how well this will actually run on even the PS4 pro. The art design is something else entirely though. I don't know if this is all Yoji Shinkawa's work, but fuck, does look like sci-fi candyland.
 

Johnny Novgorod

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While it's nice to finally get a feel of the gameplay I'm not a fan of the overall mystery box school of marketing.
 

B-Cell_v1legacy

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This looks one of those game even kojima doesnot know what is going on.

so they release a gameplay video and gameplay looks like more of walking sim.
 

Worgen

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Whatever, just wash your hands.
Well... it looks interesting that's for sure. I mean, also kinda looks like open world survival, which I'm, not really into, but the open world in mgs5 was pretty good. I don't know, it comes to steam, I'll probably check it out, but since it looks like Sony is publishing it, its probably ps4 exclusive.
 

Silentpony_v1legacy

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There's a fine line between asymmetrical/metaphorical story telling and just not having a cohesive narrative. Its a Kojima game, so we know it will be a narrative and tonal mess, with pacing issues, plot-holes, OOC characters and nonsensical twists.

It may do well commercially(I kinda doubt it will, but there's potential in a train wreck) but this game looks like an utter mess from top to bottom. No two lines in that trailer flowed with any other. It's what, Assassin's Creed genetic memories mixed with Battlefield One and Ghost Recon Zombies with a little bit of Kingdom Heart's dark/alternate world and Alien's Isolation invincible barely visible aliens needing motion trackers and sprinkle in meta-narrative about babies being pure of heart and innocent.
If this is what Silent Hills turned into I'm kinda glad it was canceled.
 

Dirty Hipsters

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It looks interesting...but also like kind of a mess.

It's like 4 different games jammed into one, and none of the different elements look that great.

The animations for the movement and melee combat looked really stiff, like the character was snapping between some jarring animations rather than organically moving with physics. Looks like there's menus out the wazoo from the "crafting" and what little gunplay there was seemed kind of piddly an unimpactful.

Honestly, a lot of this game reminds me of the bad parts of Red Dead Redemption 2 (ie all of the gameplay). I can totally see the game using too many contextual actions and menus and never getting to the point of building muscle memory. Simplicity in control guys, I shouldn't have to think about what button I have to press to do the thing, my body should just instinctively know.

I might pick this up 6 months after it comes out, once people stop throwing 10/10 scores at it for its originality and are actually willing to tell me if the gameplay is any good.
 

stroopwafel

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Looks really good. Kojima games are always a treat. I love the 'bridge baby' concept and the supernatural element with the soldiers. Fortunately the game is still sufficiently out there. I hope there is more creepy vibe as Kojima does that really well but unfortunately it has always been a little underplayed. Like the hospital scene(first mission) in Phantom Pain. Simply incredible. I hope there is also plenty of philosophical musings on the nature of modern society. Even if Kojima misses the mark there is always a level of ambition few other developers can match. Probably also b/c budgetary concerns doesn't seem a problem for him. xD But regardless, Death Stranding seems to have that same unique identity that makes them memorable decades later. Really looking forward to this.

edit: the Phantom Pain reveal trailer(from way back in 2012) before it was announced as MGS5 shows how incredible the hospital scene was. Absolutely coolest trailer ever made imo. Kojima making an entire game in this style would be a dream come true.


 

Dalisclock

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It looks interesting, no doubt. I'm actually kinda looking forward to it now.

I still have no clue what it actually is, other then "Walking around big empty world, ghost encounters and bottle/bridge babys". It's very much a Kojima game with the messaging, which sounds deep but also messy as hell.

But hey, I liked the Metal Gear series(Shocking, I know) so I'll probably enjoy this whenever I get around to playing it. Unless it's a giant turd, in which case I appreciate the effort at least.

I still have Fresh memories of the Phantom Pain and how it could have been a lot better then it actually ended up being.
 

Chimpzy_v1legacy

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OK, yeah, that looks like a suitable amount of weird. I agree it at the very least looks interesting. Tho I nearly burst out laughing at the character introductions. Deadman, Heartman, Die-Hardman. Oh Kojima, you crazy guy.

Oh, also nice to hear Apocalyptica. Path [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lOiR7b6jumI] works really well in this trailer.
 

Dalisclock

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Chimpzy said:
Tho I nearly burst out laughing at the character introductions. Deadman, Heartman, Die-Hardman. Oh Kojima, you crazy guy.
I was definitely getting Metal Gear Flashbacks at that point.

Solid Snake, Liquid Snake, Solidus Snake, Big Boss, The Boss, Fatman, Vamp, Strangelove, Hot Coldman, Fortune, SkullFace, etc....
 

Kwak

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I don't like seeing uncanny-valley versions of recognisable faces in my games. Isn't using that amount of recognisable actors just a waste of budget that could be better spent elsewhere?
 

Gethsemani_v1legacy

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I honestly don't know what to make of the trailer. I'm not particularly impressed and for being a gameplay reveal it was mostly a bunch of disjointed "You can do these things"-clips and then it abruptly stopped being about gameplay and included a ton of cutscenes. Then we have evil raider guys, we have ghosts, we have zombie spec-ops taking a bath in oil and a bunch of creepy uncanny valley models.

I've been skeptical of Death Stranding from the start and this trailer did little to convince me otherwise. Next stop: See if the reviews change my mind when the game rolls around.
 

stroopwafel

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I also wonder how that sentence in the trailer ''..even going to the moon'' relates to the incredible Ludens animated logo. Espescially given the design similarities I hope space plays a role.

 

Neurotic Void Melody

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can't help wondering if this whole thing is just Kojima coming to terms with his own paternal (paternalistic?) desires in his own special way. and if that wonder will become a morbidly growing distraction as the game trundles on
 

Dalisclock

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Neurotic Void Melody said:
can't help wondering if this whole thing is just Kojima coming to terms with his own paternal (paternalistic?) desires in his own special way. and if that wonder will become a morbidly growing distraction as the game trundles on
I just hope, if that's the case, it doesn't intersect with Kojima's tendency to put his weird fetishes in his games(but it's not sexual, it's something we will be ashamed of for not believing him). Actually, I'd prefer if his fetishes don't make it into this one at all, but that's probably too much to ask for.

Actually, scratch that. The two female characters are called "Fragile" and "MAMA". I'm sure one of them will breathe through her skin or something as an excuse to undress all the time.
 

Neurotic Void Melody

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Dalisclock said:
I just hope, if that's the case, it doesn't intersect with Kojima's tendency to put his weird fetishes in his games(but it's not sexual, it's something we will be ashamed of for not believing him). Actually, I'd prefer if his fetishes don't make it into this one at all, but that's probably too much to ask for.

Actually, scratch that. The two female characters are called "Fragile" and "MAMA". I'm sure one of them will breathe through her skin or something as an excuse to undress all the time.
yeah those names did raise an eyebrow of anticipatory cringe when they appeared. whether ironic or not, officer eyebrow will not be impressed. gonna have to stock up on fresh cringe cushions again

Kojima's 'Hollywood' fetish is at least worn on the game's sleeve, and now Troy Baker is part of that too! Wonder how he feels about that, being seen as a face person with other famous face-working people. it's still videogames, but seems like a noticeable profile boost in a way