On the night of December 8 to 9, 2022, the Game Awards took place. The winners of the event were announced, and numerous new games were showcased. Among them was a trailer that particularly excites MeinMMO editor Marie Friske: Death Stranding 2.
As I clicked through the Game Awards trailers to get an overview of the new releases today, I was taken aback. As a huge fan of Kojima’s games, last night was an absolute highlight for me.
Since I completed Death Stranding, I have been eagerly hoping for a sequel. However, I did not have high hopes, as the first part already felt quite complete in terms of its story.
However, with Death Stranding 2, a continuation is coming, and I feel as if Christmas has come a bit early this year. As I watch the trailer, I am simply delighted and sit in awe.
The trailer for Death Stranding 2 has everything I wish for from Kojima
In typical Kojima fashion, I can already extract some information from the trailer, yet I have no idea what is actually happening here. Much like Death Stranding, there is a dark, apocalyptic atmosphere, and the trailer is simply spectacular to watch.
There are supernatural elements that appear abstract and creepy, such as structures defying gravity or a ghostly BB appearing in a pod. Exactly what I expect from Kojima.
Back to the roots
Even in the smallest details, it is clear that this is a Death Stranding trailer. At the beginning, you hear splashing, some toys shaped like sea creatures, and the interior of the bunker feels familiar. A baby-in-throat scene, as you are all too familiar with from Death Stranding, of course must not be missing.
Several characters from the first part are back. Fragile is very present in the trailer with a toddler, who is most likely Lou. At second 0:32, you can see her bib with the name embroidered on it. The heavily aged main character from the first part, Sam Porter Bridges, is also present.
While watching, I immediately notice some parallels to the first trailer: Fragile, who flees with Lou from pursuers, resembles Cliff and the BB from the first trailer. The background song is the same, only this time sung by a different person whose voice is all too familiar to me…
However, there are also enough new exciting elements that intrigue me: Like the beginning of the trailer with the people in red clothing or the scene where Fragile is attacked and afterwards seems to have a black tar outline around her eyes, similar to Cliff. Cliff, an antagonist from the first part, was a deceased soldier who lingered restlessly on his beach in search of his BB.
For comparison, you can watch the launch trailer of the first part here again:
Is Higgs back?
Everything indicates that Higgs plays a major role in the second part of Death Stranding. The man with the golden skull mask repeatedly appeared as Sam’s antagonist in the first game. However, he was defeated and sent into exile – now it seems he is back.
Because the singer of the background song is Troy Baker, the voice actor and actor for the character Higgs. His name also appears in the cast at the end. Since I found the character Higgs to be one of the most interesting in the first game, I am looking forward to possibly encountering him again in the new game.
Additionally, the person at the end of the trailer with the red mask bears a striking resemblance to the “Extinction-Entity” Amelie. She also wears a quipu around her neck. I could imagine that Higgs might not be the only antagonist returning from the first part.
The trailer ends with the ominous question: “Should we have connected?” In German: “Sollten wir uns verbunden haben?”
What do we know about the release date and platforms? Death Stranding 2 is announced for Playstation 5. However, a specific release date has not yet been revealed.
I am definitely looking forward to it and can hardly wait to play Kojima’s new Death Stranding installment!
Until Death Stranding 2 is released, it is a good opportunity to replay the first part. Here you can read why I still celebrate Death Stranding even 3 years after its release.
