We don’t know much about the new Kojima game, Death Stranding, but speculation is good fun.
And actually, the trailer, introduced at The Game Awards, tells us a lot.
First of all, the game’s got cash. It’s got three heavy-weights in Mads Mikkelson, Guillermo del Toro, and Norman Redus. All great names, all great talent, in one video game. That alone is enough to buy this blind.
As for the story, it reminds of Cuaron’s Children of Men.
The Guillermo character is carrying an unborn baby in an artificial womb, which is basically a glass jar with fluids and a synthetic umbilical cord.
He’s hiding. From what?
Nasty, slithery creatures with tanks and guns and WWII era planes.
He stands in front of a sewer tunnel, ankle-deep in yucky water, as a baby doll floats by. It appears he’s waiting.
The doll continues its journey into the sewage, and is met by a group of underground (literally) soldiers. These aren’t ad-hoc partisans, they’re well-equipped pros led by Mr. Mads.
But wait, they’re not good! guys
Nope. We know this because Mads’s eyes are bleeding. Bleeding black goo! And his men…they’re connected to him by cables. That’s not good at all. Perhaps a type of umbilical cords as well…? The men disconnect from him when he sends them off to find Guillermo and the baby.
Who are they after, the baby or Guillermo?
Hundred bucks says the baby. It’s either the last baby on Earth or some kind of a Messiah baby. The Chosen One, I guess. Obviously some kind of a DNA stranding break-through…. Or not.
We’ll see what the game is all about, but the story is intriguing and with the heavy-weights behind it, especially Kojima, this is definitely a game to hook up our umbilicals to.