Physint is one of three upcoming Kojima Productions projects currently in the works, and it also happens to be the most mysterious. Unlike OD and this year’s scheduled Death Stranding 2: On the Beach, there has yet to be any sneak peek of Physint yet. So far, all that is really known is that it marks an exciting return to form for Hideo Kojima.
After years of fans asking for another Metal Gear game, Kojima was inspired to make Physint. Since parting ways with Konami, he no longer has control of the Metal Gear franchise, but Physint potentially being heavily inspired by the spy thriller is exciting for a lot of longtime fans. There is also the possibility that Physint could be influenced by Kojima Productions’ first franchise, too: Death Stranding. Kojima has referred to the series as a “strand-type game.” If Physint is planned to embrace this specific genre, then there are serious pros and cons to consider.
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Physint Carrying the Strand-Type Torch is a Risky Move
What is a Strand-Type Game?
Essentially, a strand-type game is all about connection while still maintaining a single-player experience. When playing Death Stranding, players can come across evidence of other players, like built structures that help traversal, common paths traveled will erode, and lost cargo from other players can be found. It adds a sense of connection in an otherwise lonely world, and it’s a compelling way to bring players together. Whether players leave ladders and ropes for others to use or leave behind items as gifts, Kojima’s strand concept is an innovation of what the Dark Souls franchise started.
Death Stranding 2 is scheduled for this year but has yet to lock in a release date.
The Case For Physint Being a Strand-Type Game
- Continuing player connection could become a trademark of future Kojima Productions games.
The biggest pro of Physint being a strand-type game is that it continues the subtle community building that Death Stranding introduced. While Dark Souls is technically the first series to implement this type of single-player cooperation, the concept of a strand-type game is central to Death Stranding‘s story and identity. Of course, Physint may not be connected to Death Stranding in any way, but including strand-type elements in most of its projects could serve as a common trait that gives Kojima Productions a specific identity.
The Case Against Physint Being a Strand-Type Game
- Death Stranding‘s open-world is hard to translate into a spy thriller.
If Physint is as influenced by the heyday of Metal Gear as many are hoping for, then it needs to be a more focused, linear story than Death Stranding. It’s hard to build the necessary tension of an espionage thriller in an open setting, and a strand-type requires an exploration-heavy world. A strong story and straightforward world is bound to be the better route for such a project, especially if it really wants to make its sweat-inducing stealth moments more effective.
Also, it’s hard to imagine a spy thriller that is centered around the themes of connection in the same way that Death Stranding is. Of course, there’s always the possibility that Kojima is taking an unorthodox approach to an espionage story, but using the same strand-type mechanics the Death Stranding boasts could potentially take players out of the game if it feels out of place.
Kojima’s other in-development project, OD, is a horror game for Xbox.
Physint News May Arrive This Year
Of course, there is no way to know when Kojima will offer a deeper insight into the game, but an update will hopefully come soon. Casting of Physint was delayed due to the SAG-AFTRA strike, but now that the strike has ended, an official casting announcement could potentially be on the horizon. As the year continues and Death Stranding 2 arrives, it will be exciting to see if Kojima reveals more details of Physint.
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