You're going to have to give us a minute. Troy Baker channelling his inner Joker, Mad Max's George Miller, a creepy puppet, guitar hero, and Léa Seydoux's mask looking like it belongs on RuPaul's Drag Race. We know Hideo Kojima has become known for his out-there ideas, but Death Stranding 2 really takes the biscuit.

Even reading the synopsis for 2019's Death Stranding made our heads hurt, with Timefall, DOOMS, Beached Things, and Bridge Babies. That looks like it'll be nothing when compared to Death Stranding 2, which also comes with the chirpy (and misplaced) subtitle of On the Beach.

Death Stranding 2 leaves players confused

Sony's January 2024 State of Play had some big hitters like a first look at the Silent Hill 2 Remake gameplay, the Until Dawn remaster, Sonic x Shadow Generations, and the jaw-dropping reveal that Kojima is working on what seems to be a spiritual successor to Metal Gear Solid. Still, we've got Death Stranding 2 before that. 

The 10-minute showcase gave us the return of Norman Reedus as Sam Porter Bridges, as well as Seydoux and Baker reprising their roles as Fragile and Higgs from the first game. Despite Higgs' end in the first game, he's somehow back and leads an epic scene with what looks like a Guitar Hero battle.

One of the newcomers is a puppet sidekick that Fragile gives to Sam. Animated with visuals that look like they're pulled from Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse, this little dude also gives us Slappy the Dummy from Goosebumps vibes. It's left you confused and some of you angry, but we can agree that all of us are intrigued. 

We weren't alone in our musings, as one confused gamer wrote, "Just watched the Death Stranding 2 trailer. That has to be the most wild and wtf trailer I've ever seen lol." Another added, "I am so f*****g confused. Is this death stranding? What happened to the alien things??? Why a guitar???" 

Still, it seems that most of you liked the madness of it all. One supporter cheered, "Death Stranding 2 might’ve just given us the greatest game trailer I’ve ever seen. WTF." Someone concluded, "Game of the year. Nah Game of the century. One of the most mind blowing trailers I’ve ever seen."

Death Stranding 2 has a release window

Before we had to go for a lie down in a darkened room, there was one last surprise in the form of a (loose) release window. Set to go head-to-head with Goliaths like GTA 6 and Monster Hunter Wilds, Death Stranding 2: On the Beach is coming out in 2025.