In Death Stranding, Sam Porter Bridges runs into cargo-hoarding MULES, blood-thirsty terrorists, and otherworldly BTs, but the core conflict of the game is derived from none of these factions. Rather, the challenge at the center of Death Stranding is that of the player being in a constant, never-ending struggle to move about the world around them. To navigate efficiently, players have to pay attention to a wide variety of feedback cues ranging from visual prompts that command players to balance out Sam's weight to aural hints like BB crying as she approaches an autotoxemic state.
Like many other PlayStation exclusives, the surrealist Death Stranding will soon be making its debut on PS5, complete with updated graphics, a performance boost, and possibly some new content. However, there is one big question surrounding the game: Will it take advantage of the DualSense controller's more unique features? It remains to be seen, but here's hoping that it does, because the pairing of the feedback-intensive Death Stranding and the DualSense might be an even better match than Sam and his Bridge Baby.
Death Stranding PS5: The DualSense's Adaptive Triggers
One of the more notable aspects of Death Stranding's gameplay is that Sam can hardly walk five feet without stumbling. The combination of rough, uneven terrain and the heavy cargo carried throughout each delivery consistently puts Sam's balance to the ultimate test. Using the shoulder buttons, players must routinely shift Sam's weight to the left or right to prevent him from taking a cargo-damaging dive.
On the PS4, this mechanic loses its novelty after a few hours. It doesn't matter if Sam appears to be on the verge of wiping out or is only slightly leaning over one way; every pull of the trigger to balance him out feels the same. However, with the DualSense's adaptive triggers, Death Stranding on PS5 could make players not just see the varying levels of Sam's struggles to stay upright, but feel them, too.
Hypothetically, when utilizing the shoulder buttons, differing levels of resistance could arise based on Sam's current position and cargo load. A slight misstep could call for only a tiny pinch of pressure, while a serious stumble on a steep surface may require a more forceful pull on each trigger.
The DualSense's adaptive pressure itself could also be a useful tool when it comes to gauging Sam's balance. For example, players may hold one or both triggers down while maneuvering through steep terrain, during which they might feel substantial pressure on the shoulder buttons. But upon reaching more even land, they could feel that resistance lighten up, thus signaling to the player that it's okay to let up on the triggers.
Other Possible DualSense Features In Death Stranding PS5
The DualSense controller could also be of great use while traversing Death Stranding's rough world, especially when it comes to navigating through fields of ghastly BTs. Typically, one must rely on BB and the odradek scanner to get a general idea of where they are. However, the DualSense's haptic capabilities could help unlock another tool in Sam's arsenal that, despite being prevalent in the story, is surprisingly absent in gameplay.
The game establishes that Sam suffers from a condition called DOOMS that allows him to sense surrounding BTs. Unfortunately, this ability isn't well-reflected in gameplay. A slight rumble when coming into contact with a BT is perhaps the closest Death Stranding comes to emulating Sam's extrasensory skill, but it's less of a tool for locating and avoiding the phantom foes, and more of an indicator that the player is about to get caught by one.
As evidenced by games like Astro's Playroom and Returnal, the DualSense's haptic feedback can produce vibrations ranging from quietly faint to shockingly violent. Ideally, Death Stranding could take advantage of the different degrees of rumble feedback by allowing Sam's special sense to be represented through them. In short, the controller would vibrate when Sam is around a BT, but how intense it is would depend on the distance between the two; if one feels the rumblings of the controller progressively get more intense, they could heed that as a warning to find another way around.
Another admittedly less important, albeit fun way to implement the DualSense would be to use the controller's built-in microphone. Players regularly need to soothe BB throughout Death Stranding, and the microphone could allow players to do so not by simply rocking the controller side-to-side, but by also singing or talking in a calm voice. It may not sound entirely necessary, but then again, neither does a gameplay mechanic revolving around rocking a baby.
It's not yet known what new additions Death Stranding: Director's Cut will bring to Hideo Kojima's abstract title, but hopefully PS5 DualSense integration is one of them. The revolutionary controller's features could go a long way in making Death Stranding more immersive than ever, and if there's one thing that Hideo Kojima is known for, it's finding new and creative ways to make the hardware a game is being played on as much of a part of the experience as the game itself.
Death Stranding is available on PS4 and Windows with a Director's Cut in development for PS5.