Behind-closed-doors Death Stranding trailer footage shown at Gamescom 2019 has been leaked, and it reveals details about the game’s story that previously had the gaming community scratching its head. The previous, publicly released Death Stranding Gamescom footage, meanwhile, raised more questions than answers.
Since the game’s reveal, details about what exactly Death Stranding is about have been scarce. It didn’t help when creator Hideo Kojima gave fans a strange definition of Death Stranding, categorizing it under an entirely unique genre he called “action game/strand game(social strand system).” Actual gameplay seen so far of Death Stranding seems to indicate it'll mostly involve walking around a highlands-type environment, peeing, delivering packages to people and rocking a baby with motion controls. So far, there’s been few details on why Sam, the game’s protagonist, is doing any of this, besides vague statements about “reconnecting America.” Whatever the game ends up being, it’s apparently impressive: voice actor Troy Baker said Death Stranding is a statement from Kojima, meant to advance video games as a medium rather than simply sell games.
The leaked E3 briefing footahe, however, gives viewers a more concrete look at how Death Stranding will actually function as a game. The video, seemingly recorded on a hidden camera, appeared on various channels across YouTube, including one from uploader Sir Francis Drake. In the Gamescom footage, Sam is shown speaking with a man named Die-Hardman and a woman named Amelie in what appears to be the Oval Office of America’s White House. Die-Hardman, wearing a black skull mask, and Amelie, a holographic projection of her physical body on the other side of the country, task Sam with traveling across America to Edge Knot City in order to reunite the United Cities of America. He’ll need to reactivate Chiral Network terminals using a device called a Cupid, fight an enemy faction called the Homo Demens along the way, and rescue Amelie from Edge Knot City.
Die-Hardman tells Sam that many want America to remain a separated, presumably anarchic place, but Amelie and Die-Hardman’s vision is to reunite the people with non-violent, altruistic bonds. At the end of the footage, Sam refuses Die-Hardman and Amelie’s request. He apparently shares some kind of rough history with whatever organization the two represent, as he leaves the room remarking that it was always like he was “never there.”
Obviously, all of this is still pretty vague, but it at least gives Sam a less abstract goal (assuming he eventually accepts the request). Rather than just “reconnecting people,” it’s now clear that Sam has to get from the east coast (presumably Washington D.C.) to the west, where Edge Knot City is. Sure, he’ll be reconnecting cities and people to one another along the way, but his ultimate goal will be to rescue Amelie from Edge Knot City. Granted, rescuing a woman from the bad guys is pretty much the most tired plot hook Death Stranding could have, but hopefully Kojima will mix things up along the way.
Source: Sir Francis Drake/YouTube