Death Stranding Director’s Cutis coming to PS5 as an expanded adventure, and while the reveal trailer didn’t reveal much information, there are some cheeky nods to classic video games, particularly fromDeath Strandingdirector Hideo Kojima’s own creation. So what’s up with the box?
In the Director’s Cut trailer shown at the Summer Games Fest, protagonist Sam exits an elevator that leads him to a room full of armed guards. The area’s setup immediately calls for stealth, and Sam looks around for anything to help him navigate the room. Looking toward a metal shelf, Sam finds a Fragile Express box, but it’s not just any box. It’s a box full of oranges.
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The most obvious nod here is the reference toMetal Gear Solid, the classic stealth franchise created by Kojima. InMetal Gear Solid, one of Solid Snake’s most tried-and-true stealth strategies involves shuffling around guards while hidden beneath a box. The box has featured in manyMGSgames and is even included as a Snake taunt in theSuper Smash Bros.fighting games.
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So what’s with the oranges? InMGS 2: Sons of Liberty, Snake specifically uses a box labelled “The Orange” to sneak around. This could also be a subtle nod to Valve’sOrange Box, a bundle of classic games that includedPortal, Team Fortress 2,andHalf-Life 2: Episode Two. AlthoughDeath Strandingoriginally released on PS4 in 2019, it was ported to PC and, more specifically, to Steam, which is owned and operated by Valve.
Of course, the nod might just be self-referential (which is apt of Kojima’s artistic style) sinceDeath Strandingalso released on the Epic Games Store. But even so, it’s hard to ignore the similarities.
Funnily enough, Sam hops in the box as opposed to Solid Snake’s hiding under the box. As a result, Sam doesn’t see much use for the item and places it back on the shelf. Good luck clearing that room, Sam.
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