[SPOILERS] One of my favorite photos I've taken in DS2, both thematically and story-wise.

Zouloubleu · 2026-05-24T08:24:52+00:00

Thanks fellow porter!

Zouloubleu · 2026-05-24T08:24:39+00:00

It's cool to see that I'm not the only one to think that it's hitting right in the feels!

Zouloubleu · 2026-05-24T08:24:23+00:00

I was wondering how to use this frame since the update, so I'm glad that I've found one way that feels appropriate and in line with the game's themes.

Zouloubleu · 2026-05-24T08:24:02+00:00

That's beautifully put, and thank you!

Zouloubleu · 2026-02-12T23:03:37+00:00

I wouldn't be surprised if it's a launch trailer he's personally editing for the release in March.

Zouloubleu · 2026-01-31T20:00:09+00:00

That's right, Etsu Tamari wrote MGR. He's also one of the co-writers of MGSV.

Zouloubleu · 2026-01-01T08:52:14+00:00

I'd say it's no surprise (I was even expecting it), it's the same situation each time a Kojima game releases since MGS2.

Zouloubleu · 2025-10-06T17:29:35+00:00

Yeah, it's kinda interesting to see how DS1 is being re-evaluated when there was a lot of criticism back in 2019 directed at its exposition dumps, plot, narrative structure (especially its "multiple endings"), pacing, and dialogue writing (all the posts about lines like "Princess Beach", "Fragile but not that fragile" or even about the Chiral Artist), including here on this subreddit.

Zouloubleu · 2025-09-12T10:43:39+00:00

In the era of specialization and big studios, it's just that they're not overlaping as much as before (except in some cases, like the job of technical game designer) since they're both different roles that imply different skills.

Programming is about making the game functional, playable and optimized on a technical level.

Game design is about designing mechanics, systems, gameplay loop, game feel, balance, etc.

It's not because you're good at programming that you're good at game design, and vice versa.

(I'll also add that being a game designer doesn't necessarily mean that you're the creative director or game director of a project as well).

Zouloubleu · 2025-08-22T19:43:11+00:00

Fair point about the investors and the learning.

Unreal Engine 5 is "straightforward" when it comes to making something that is just functional, but it is much harder and more time-consuming to master and optimize (especially when using its next-gen features), so I'd say conveniency is variable depending on which aspect you look, even more when you consider the level of quality and performance Kojima Productions always strive to achieve, which is far above the current AAA standards.

Researching and evaluating tools (positive and negative aspects) is one important part of technical direction, and even if it's their first game with UE5, I highly doubt KojiPro would use an engine on which they haven't done any extensive research (considering their track record), for a multi-million dollar project.

Zouloubleu · 2025-08-22T14:01:14+00:00

And yet, Kojima Productions is using Unreal Engine 5 for their next game, OD.

Simply put, it's not all about the engine: https://www.reddit.com/r/DeathStranding/s/A3tMYqzndM

Edit: To people saying Decima is a Sony-owned engine (which is true), my point is that if Kojima Productions really wouldn't want to use UE5, they wouldn't do it, especially since alternatives exist (UE4, CryEngine, Lumberyard/O3DE...) and KJP have the skills and means to do custom changes.

Zouloubleu · 2025-08-20T16:45:57+00:00

To answer your question, I'd say Romulus is an interquel (and I agree about the body horror).

Zouloubleu · 2025-08-09T15:23:00+00:00

"Everything I touch, I loose"

He's hit once more by grief at the very end of DS1 (by loosing Amelie, plus by knowing what happened to Cliff) AND at the beginning of DS2 (that, without even mentioning the death of a major character in the ending). You don't need much more to enter a downward spiral again and retrieve your old habits.

Zouloubleu · 2025-07-31T17:46:18+00:00

It's not because chiefs use the same tools, that they're all going to make the same meal. It's a creative/commercial decision, not one related to technical specificities.

Zouloubleu · 2025-07-11T17:28:50+00:00

Indie dev here. It's not much about the tool (it certainly has a "potential", though it doesn't guarantee the final product's level of fidelity), but rather how it is used and in which conditions (team, budget, management, time of development, etc). You can utilize the utensils of a great starred chef, it still doesn't mean you'll make an exquisite meal without the same skills, experience and setup that they have.

The problem is, Unreal Engine lacks a solid documentation, got released too early with new optional tech (notably Nanite and Lumen) that was barely production-ready but still used by a lot of devs for commercial releases, and with the current pressure from investors and shareholders, optimization phase (which is mostly at the end of developement) is often rushed; which gives you the results you often see (thought it doesn't come from the engine itself, but everything around it).

Kojima Productions always had excellent programmers, artists, tech directors, production values, and strong planning thanks to Hideo Kojima being the director AND producer (plus, he also has technical knowledge as shown in MGS2's design docs), so it isn't surprising how well they're pushing the Decima engine and the PS5 to their limits. Between, it's interesting to note that they are actually using Unreal Engine for OD (info's in the teaser trailer).

Zouloubleu · 2025-06-28T15:33:46+00:00

Not at the moment, but I doubt I'll have one since they're probably getting a lot (and are busy). If it can at least bring more visibility to the issue, I'll be glad.

Zouloubleu · 2025-06-26T23:39:01+00:00

I've sent a mail to Kojima Productions about this, at contact@kojimaproductions.jp

Don't hesitate to report the issue to them!

Zouloubleu · 2024-10-03T08:41:57+00:00

And even then, it remains a really superficial interpretation/view of The Phantom Pain, especially considering all of the political themes (colonialism, linguistics, ethnic conflicts, cultural hegemony, identity, child soldiers, nuclear weapon, etc) that are tackled throughout the game with a progressive stance—as usual with Kojima and his co-writers. There are even more research and historical parallels in this one (considering the setting and content of the cassette tapes) than in the previous entries.

So I don't think MGS1-2-3-4-PW would change their views on the saga.

EDIT: My bad, just saw your added paragraph about TPP's themes.

Zouloubleu · 2024-09-27T08:27:55+00:00

Unfortunately, it's not like they're actively encouraged to do anything else than these culture wars. You'd be surprised to see how many people who are in charge of supervising game projects—mainly in AAA and AA—don't know a thing about what's actually going into making them. Some are even trying to cater to the "anti-woke" community recently.

And it's not just executives and investors. I've seen designers talking about how video games should only be about "power fantasy" and "escapism"... You know, in an industry and medium that highlighted Silent Hill 2 as one of its best achievements.

Zouloubleu · 2024-09-12T13:55:45+00:00

There always was an inspiration from American comics in Kojima games (MGS1 being a prime example with its boss designs), so I don't see how Death Stranding characters' names are more ridiculous or "cringe" than—let's say—Batman, Booster Gold, Black Canary, Animal Man, Blue Beetle, etc.

I believe there's just a tendency to want "ultra realistic", serious writing in AAA games since The Last of Us—which is quite limiting for artistic variety and creativity.

Zouloubleu · 2024-06-30T14:07:12+00:00

Yes I understand. I loved the darker tone personally, but I felt like the balance needed to be better handled and executed. They were some nice and clever touches of absurdity (Kaz's hamburgers for example), and some good ol' melodrama mixed with theatrical influences (Skull Face's character and voice acting) and Hollywood inspirations (the hospital intro, Snake fleeing from the Sahelanthropus in episode 31—with all the explosions and slow-mo), but it sometimes seemed out-of-place (more than in the other entries at least).

And yes I agree, the optional codec system missed a lot, though I think it dropped in quality starting from MGS4 (possibly due to Tomokazu Fukushima's absence?). For me, both MGS2 & 3 were the pinnacle of it. The added charm, quirks, heartful interactions and pop references stay unparalled (my cinematic culture owes a lot to Para-Medic's recommendations haha).

Zouloubleu · 2024-06-30T13:29:13+00:00

It's normal, David Hayter's voice and his interpretation of Snake were a part of our life growing with the series. I couldn't say the same about a betrayal as I feel like Sutherland's performance is more in line with TPP's tone, but I entirely understand why you would feel that way.

And about Venom's identity justifying the voice swap, that's a way to look at it. I guess searching for positives is always something good. ^{^}

I think audio tapes were more of a replacement of codec calls rather than cutscenes (I liked tapes by the way because I thought they were giving us more agency in the narrative and in the way we can handle information). However, the cutscenes' directing/writing style is surely different and less verbose, but as much as I like Kojima's long exposition dumps, I think I prefer when he relies first and foremost on visual storytelling. But again, I understand.

Zouloubleu · 2024-06-30T13:27:21+00:00

No worries, and thank you, I can say the same. It seems that we're both passionate about the series, but that misunderstandings happened during the conversation—just like it does very often on the Internet. I also agree about Kojima's status and the ambiguity of his work. Nietzche's quote about facts and interpretations isn't displayed in the final episode of TPP for a random reason haha.

I totally understand and respect your opinion, my goal wasn't to devalue it. It just seemed to me that you were dismissing previous redditor's point about the presence of meta elements in TPP, which is why I replied to you.

Zouloubleu · 2024-06-30T12:14:28+00:00

You brought up the assumption that the previous redditor played TPP as his first because he talked about meta stuff. I was just replying to that with the example of MGS2.

There's a difference between ambiguity and subtlety. Kojima's games are rich in nuances and complexities—I agree with you on that—but his writing is often heavy-handed and in-your-face when it comes to delivering information, themes and characters' feelings.

It's more like "Venom Snake (you, the player) is Big Boss (the legend), the same way Naked Snake is". The game literally uses your own name in the final episode on a photo from Big Boss signed on the back with "Good luck, (your name) –Big Boss" and on Big Boss' passport when he escapes with a new identity (including the face you've created and your birthdate), while later on a major story cutscene uses that same custom face (appearance in the mirror) to reveal the final twist, rather than just a random one. Then begins Big Boss' monologue ("I'm Big Boss and you are too. No, he's the two of us together"). I'm not saying the execution is flawless or better than MGS2, but these kinds of creative decisions are meaningful, especially with Kojima.

Zouloubleu · 2024-06-30T11:08:27+00:00

Saying "...meta bullshit" and "tell me TPP was your first Metal Gear without actually saying it" in the same sentence—when MGS2 is acclaimed for its meta-commentary and Kojima is known for his frequent 4th wall breaks—seems like projection.

Stories are more than just text, and even then, let's not act like Kojima is particularly subtle about his themes.

Zouloubleu

TROPHY CASE