Acclaimed for his unique approach to game mechanics, Hideo Kojima has recently revealed an interesting new feature of the Death Stranding Pro Bundle controller. The Bridge Baby that Sam (played by Norman Reedus) carries throughout the game will make noises to players through their controller. It is unclear if this sound will be on all PlayStation DualShock controllers or just the bundle version but it does indicate that the creator of some of gamings most memorable moments still has a few tricks up his sleeve.
Death Stranding is Hideo Kojima's first game since leaving Konami. Kojima's Metal Gear Solid series revolutionised storytelling in games and altered standard mechanics with boss fights such as The End that would conclude after a certain time and date. Most famously, players would have to switch control ports to stop your enemy, Psycho Mantis, guessing your every move. With these features in mind, the news of the Bridge Baby communicating though a controller will open the imaginations of fans to what elements gameplay will include.
This isn't the first time that the PlayStation 4 Dualshock controller has been used for additional sound. Grand Theft Auto V used the speakers in the controller for phone calls and overall it added to the immersive experience. This instance is more unusual because of the fact that babies do not often make helpful noises and the creepy nature of the game. In fact, it still isn't completely clear what Death Stranding's Bridge Baby actually is.
Many fans have already responded to Hideo Kojima's initial tweet with horror and confusion. In fact, some may hope that standard PlayStation controllers do not make the noise. Yet, unique themes are nothing new to the director. In fact, some have even claimed that Death Stranding is about social responsibility. Whatever the overall game proves to be about, the theory of strands, unifying America and teleporting through different areas via scary monsters has successfully created plenty of speculation.
This new feature will likely confuse fans until they get their hands on the game. After all, Death Stranding was thought to be a walking simulator until Kojima responded. The addition of a talking baby will only add to the varying theories that are being provided by players. What is certain is that if Death Stranding proves to be anything like Kojima's previous games, people will still be guessing about the game even when they are playing it.
Death Stranding releases on November 8th, 2019 exclusively for the PS4.
Source: IGN