The Nerd Series

The Haunting Art Behind Death Stranding’s Ghouls

Gaming April, 18, 2025

This game is set in the US during the aftermath of the eponymous Death Stranding which caused the destructive creature from a realm between life and death to begin roaming the Earth. The lead character Sam Porter Bridges is a courier tasked to deliver supplies to fractured and isolated colonies that remain and reconnecting them via a wireless communication network.

The key features adored by players are the almost adorable robotic arm that does everything from sense ghosts to calm down babies the tar-like monsters that emerge when the player is spotted by the ghostly beached things. The creator and its team are known for their robust world-building and almost fanatical attention to detail. The player’s main enemies include creatures known as beached things Mule and Demens.

A book named The Art of Death Stranding from Titan Books which is packed with hundreds of concept art for the characters equipment locations and creatures featured in the game as well as early and unused concepts including artwork by acclaimed artist Yoji Shinkawa. Unlike the game the book isn’t verbose. There are few captions but no big explanation about what went into designing the game’s world. The images in the book speak for themselves.

It is divided into two sections Character and Locations. There are a lot of more specific chapters ranging from early sketches of Sam and desolated cities. The books also contain ideas and sketches of the mech vehicle and animals. You can get a sense of what’s inside with this collection of exclusive art taken from “The art of death stranding” which covers some of the creature and character designs in the game.

Dissimilar from the game the art book isn’t exceptionally verbose. There are a few inscriptions but no big descriptions or compositions about what went into designing the game’s world. Rather it lets the image speak for them. It’s separated into two main sections characters and locations and within those you’ll find a lot more of distinct chapters varying from early sketches of sam to the art the inspired Death Stranding’s isolated cities to the wonderfully functional looking mech vehicle and gear designs. Particularly interesting are the some of the unused designs like a sleek grenade that could trigger holograms.

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