Hideo Kojima may have moved on from the Metal Gear Solid franchise, but he certainly hasn't retired from gaming. In 2019, Death Stranding made waves in gaming for its strand-genre gameplay, and it has been revealed that the game will be receiving a sequel. There are several reasons to be excited about Death Stranding 2, as it opens many opportunities to showcase the PS5's hardware.
Death Stranding 2 won't be the only time that Kojima will be flexing his creativity, as gamers can also look forward to an Xbox game from the creator. For that game, he promises to use Microsoft's cloud technology in new ways. It appears that the project is still a while away, though, as it has yet to receive an official title. While many are expecting the Xbox game to be extremely innovative, Death Stranding 2 also has a chance to shake things up by using the PS5's features to their fullest potential.
Death Stranding 2 and the DualSense Controller
In 2019, Death Stranding introduced players to a new style of gameplay. For the majority of the game, there aren't any high-paced shootouts to worry about and players aren't trading paint with fellow speeding racers. Instead, players are tasked with making deliveries in a dystopian version of America where most of the infrastructure has been destroyed. Hence, Sam Bridges has to carefully navigate rugged terrain, waterways, and unexpected cliffs. It may sound boring on paper, but a lot of the fun comes from working through the tedium and finally making it to the package's final destination where there is a grateful recipient waiting. Immersing oneself in Sam's lonely journey as he reconnects Americans with each other is a grueling yet oddly satisfying task.
One of the ways Death Stranding's sequel can increase immersion is by implementing the DualSense controller's unique features. Gamers also got a taste of this with Death Stranding Director's Cut. There, the triggers offer varied resistance depending on Sam's cargo load, and different guns also affect the adaptive triggers in varied ways. The controller's haptic feedback also reacts in response to Sam's environment. For example, when Sam is walking through a field of crops, players can feel the tickle of the vegetation on their palms.
Death Stranding 2 can take things further, and it has the potential to do so with its new environments. The reveal trailer suggests that players may be going underwater for their next adventure. This theory has been fueled by a prior leak claiming that Death Stranding 2 is being worked on under the codename OCEAN. If true, this could open the door for new ways for adaptive triggers to be used to illustrate the water's resistance, and for the DualSense's haptic feedback to mimic sensations such as bubbles and fields of seaweed. The possibilities are endless.
Death Stranding 2 and the PSVR 2
When Death Stranding 2 finally launches, the PS5 will have a new accessory for its hardware - the PSVR 2. The headset is an impressive one, with its controllers packing many of the same features as the DualSense. Some games like Resident Evil Village have already confirmed that they will have virtual reality versions for the PSVR 2 after it launches in February. Death Stranding 2 would be a title to show off the power of the PS5 and its new VR sidekick. Making deliveries in VR would add another layer of immersion to the journey, allowing players to better feel the emotions the game is attempting to convey.
Death Stranding 2 has yet to be given a release date, though the reveal trailer has been enough to at least confirm that Kojima Productions is hard at work on the game. There are still many questions surrounding the upcoming game, mostly due to the cryptic marketing Kojima has been utilizing. Hence, gamers are still pondering what Elle Fanning's role in Death Stranding 2 is. If the upcoming game is anything like Kojima's last projects, the answers won't be easy to come by.
Death Stranding 2 is in development.