Death Stranding got a surprise release date announcement yesterday. The PlayStation 4 exclusive game in development at Kojima Productions will launch on November 8th and you can already pre-order should you wish to do so.

　　The reveal came packaged with over 9 minutes of new gameplay footage, but even after watching that you might still be a little confused about what you're really going to do in Death Stranding.

　　Luckily, the game's official page on the British PlayStation website goes in greater detail on this very topic, providing the most in-depth information we've ever had on the mysterious title.

　　

What is Death Stranding?

From legendary game creator Hideo Kojima (Metal Gear Solid) comes an all-new, genre-defying open world action adventure for PS4, starring Norman Reedus, Mads Mikkelsen, Léa Seydoux and Lindsay Wagner.

　　In the near future, mysterious explosions have rocked the globe, setting off a series of supernatural events known as the Death Stranding. With otherworldly creatures plaguing the landscape, and mass extinction imminent, it’s up to Sam Porter Bridges to travel across the ravaged wasteland and save humanity from impending annihilation.

　　

Key features

　　

Face unique challenges

Arm yourself and take aim at a variety of objectives in your mission to reunite a broken nation, while balancing under the weight of your cargo as you travel. Protect your supplies from wild bandits, and stay safe from the terrifying Beached Things… or face failing those who depend on you.

　　 

　　

Explore the world

The Decima Engine renders a hyper-realistic landscape utterly transformed by the Death Stranding. Unpassable obstacles block your path and force you to find different routes, while supernatural elements alter the physical state of your surroundings.

　　 

　　

Death is not the end

There is no traditional ‘game over’ state in Death Stranding. Lose your life during combat and you’ll find yourself in an upside-down realm, searching for a way back to the living. Choose your combat methods carefully, as killing your foe is almost never the solution – and every death carries a consequence.

　　 

　　

Assist other players

Help other travellers without ever crossing paths via asynchronous online gameplay. Send supplies, share safe houses and walk in the footsteps of fellow couriers to reunite civilisation.

　　From the looks of it, online gameplay will be asynchronous only in a way not unlike the one we've seen in From Software's Demon's Souls. Of course, there's still a lot we have to learn about Death Stranding and we expect to hear more from Kojima Productions in the next five months leading up to launch.