When Death Stranding finally arrived in 2019, players weren’t entirely sure what they were walking into, thanks in part to the strange marketing strategy filled with narrative and gameplay teases. As a result, when Kojima Productions promised something new, few could have imagined that they would be spending 60 hours throwing Norman Reedus’ sweat at ink monsters.
Now, with over a year of Death Stranding under players’ belts, those who enjoyed the game are now hungry fans looking to see what Kojima Productions has in store for the series beyond their first introduction. However, there really is no guarantee that a sequel is on the way or even some type of mobile spin-off in the vein of the developer’s previous flagship series Metal Gear Solid.
While there is no solid indication of a sequel coming outside Kojima’s own musings about the “Strand” genre, this hasn’t stopped many players from asking for one or suggesting how Death Stranding 2 should change from the original. There are endless new directions that another title can go, and even more plot threads that can still be expanded on, or might need tying up in the first place. So, maybe Kojima Productions should consider moving forward with the series and expand the bleak world beyond the reach of Bridges and the United Cities of America.
The main plot of the first game primarily involves controlling delivery man Sam Porter Bridges as he attempts to connect the remains of the United States of America after an event known in-game as the Death Stranding. Along the way, players find tons of characters and little details hidden throughout Death Stranding as people request deliveries and shipments to keep society functioning while locked away inside of bunkers. However, the player never gets to see what is happening outside of the United States, due in large part to the way that the apocalyptic event destroyed most forms of long distance communication.
So, one place that a Death Stranding 2 could explore is taking a look outside of the United Cities of America and show how the rest of the world is reacting to the apocalypse. In fact, this could be an even more interesting avenue, as the in-game events being primarily tied to Amelie and Bridget Strand would leave the rest of the world completely in the dark about everything that is happening. There wouldn’t even be the opportunity for the optimistic ending that the original game had, with Amelie somewhat ending the Death Stranding and stripping away some of the bleak overtones of the narrative.
It’s strange to imply that the bleak nature in Death Standing‘s smaller details is one of its main draws, but the dark, uncertain world and the prospect of helping it keeps players pushing forward. Many storylines twist and turn in all different directions throughout the game, but even ones that seem to be going south, like the Chiral Artist and Junk Dealer, have a happy ending if the player pays attention long enough. This winds up leading into the game’s hopeful messages of making connections and the spirit of humanity, even it misses some opportunities in the process.
Not every character or storyline in Death Stranding‘s lore are quite as happy as many of the people that Sam Bridges meets on his cross-country tour. There are Homo Demens and Mules, who will fight to kill Sam or steal his cargo, and of course the villain Higgs Monaghan, who sets off multiple nukes before the playable events of the game. So, there are levels of human depravity that the game uses for a narrative punch or to fill spaces with enemies, but glosses over in a way that Death Stranding 2 should correct.
Death Stranding is currently available for PC and PS4.
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