'Death Stranding' leaves experimental phase

Screenshot from the "Death Stranding" trailerYouTube/PlayStation

More than a year has passed since "Death Stranding" was announced at the 2016 Electronic Entertainment Expo (E3) and after all the waiting, the game has finally left its experimental stage. No specific release dates have been shared as of yet, but fans are wondering if it is time to start expecting a reveal.

According to an interview with Dengeki, Kojima announced in late December that while not a lot of information has been released since the game was announced in 2016, they have been working hard to develop it and have finished the experimental phase. Kojima also went on to state that they were beginning a new step in the game's development and would be adding new gameplay.

The first E3 announcement trailer for "Death Stranding" was uploaded to IGN's YouTube channel on Jun. 13, 2016. The trailer begins ominously with a shot of dead crabs on the beach before the camera pans out to reveal the protagonist and an infant lying on the shore. A strange tube has been attached to the infant's stomach. The protagonist then picks up the child before black handprints start appearing on his skin. The trailer ends with the protagonist looking out at a black ocean.

Starring Walking Dead star Norman Reedus, and directed by Metal Gear video game director Hideo Kojima, "Death Stranding" has some very big names behind it.

Many fans commented on the confusing nature of the trailer, however, despite that, it has received positive responses from Kojima's fans. Many of the fans are still waiting excitedly for the actual game.

The 2016 trailer was not the only one released. Another "Death Stranding" trailer was released at the 2017 Game Awards and was uploaded to GameSpot's YouTube channel on Dec. 7, 2017.

Roughly nine minutes and 44 seconds long, the latest trailer sheds some light on what "Death Stranding" might be about. While most things have still been kept vague, it tosses in scenes from the game and narrative elements regarding the characters and the strange world they seem to live in.

The latest trailer prominently features survival in the face of supernatural entities.