REVIEW

Death Stranding Review

by Jake Stewart, November 27th, 2019

Death Stranding has been one of the most mysterious games of this entire generation. For over three years, the entire industry has been left wondering what Kojima’s latest work would eventually become, and we finally have our answer. This is one of the most divisive games of the decade and I loved it, but I can understand why somebody would feel the opposite.

Death Stranding is unlike any other game you’ve ever played before. The phrase may have been used for previous games but it never rang truer than in this game. Death Stranding at its core is a game about traveling and exploration. You take the role of Norman Reedus, I mean, Sam Bridges who is tasked with making deliveries of important cargo to all the remaining cities left in a post-apocalyptic America. A major event known as the Death Stranding wiped out most of humanity and cursed the survivors with a plague of Beached Things or BTs, a type of paranormal creature that is hellbent on dragging every remaining human into the tar to create more of itself.

Sam’s treks across the wasteland with packages of various shapes and weights. Along with that, every single piece of equipment that you carry also takes a slot on Sam’s suit. Every rope, ladder, health pack, weapon, building material, etc. will also add to Sam’s massive workload. If that sounds overwhelming, it is. After prepping for a trip, Sam will likely look like he’s about to teeter over from the massive amount of boxes and bags attached to his back and his suit. The tower of required boxes makes Sam a bit wobbly during the travels, making it imperative to focus on your balance when moving.

Death Stranding forced me to consider even the slightest ledge, gap, boulder or mountain as an obstacle to consider. Moving too quickly or ambitiously will leave you tumbling down a hill while your packages and equipment go skating away. The left and right triggers can be used to brace Sam’s hands against his shoulder straps (assuming he’s not carrying anything in those either) and will lean in that direction. If you have a particularly towering load, you may find yourself frequently focusing on your leaning and struggling to stay upright. As mentioned earlier, Sam has plenty of tools in his arsenal to assist in this massive venture. Climbing anchors and ladders can be set virtually anywhere and can be used to lay across caverns, climb up mountains, brace yourself while climbing downward, the options are only limited by creativity.

If you’re hoping for something more, there is certainly more under the surface but the majority of your playtime will be spent in this cycle of managing your load and walking from place to place. There are events here and there to spice up the gameplay, but if you don’t like the core loop, it will not make it forgivable. Terrorist groups known as MULEs seek to repossess Sam’s cargo to add to their massive hoard by any means necessary. If you’re feeling particularly brave, you can infiltrate these camps for tons of valuable cargo and weaponry. I found myself quite enjoying these fights, as the weapon options were unique enough to make each encounter exciting. The hand to hand combat is reminiscent of Kojima’s previous works in the Metal Gear franchise and carries a lot of weight in every punch. The ability to grab cargo and beat MULEs into submission or throw it at oncoming enemies is a great touch and is immensely satisfying. As you progress through the game, you’ll unlock some more standard weapons like Assault Rifles, Shotguns, Pistols, etc. While the ranged combat is fairly barebones, it makes for a nice alteration in the delivering formula with some promising rewards for those who challenge the MULEs.

In terms of combat, the only other thing you’ll be regularly fighting is the aforementioned BTs. However, these encounters go much differently. When you enter an area with BTs out and about, a short cutscene will play of the scanner emerging from Sam’s backpack to indicate the presence of BT foes. BTs are impossible to see for regular humans, so the scanner (and subsequently Sam’s Bridge Baby) are used to spot these ghosts and give the general direction of them. The first few times you encounter the BTs, they are absolutely terrifying. The prospect of an invisible foe that is exponentially stronger than you, and in much higher numbers make for a tense encounter. However, I found that the formula of these encounters hardly ever changed as the game went on, and I found the BTs as more of an inconvenience than an actual threat. Later in the game, you gain weapons using Sam’s bodily fluids (something that BTs happen to be allergic to,) and can face the BTs head on. Despite not being able to see them normally, other than the general outlines when standing still, these weapons can be used to pop the BTs when in an emergency. You won’t much find yourself waging war on the BTs, and instead just trying to survive their attacks. When I first got the fluid-based weapons, I tried all-out-war on the BTs and found that to be an utterly horrible strategy that I cannot recommend. Sometimes stealth really is the best option.

One of the most fascinating bits about Death Stranding is the multiplayer aspect. While you won’t be seeing other Sams running around the USA with you, you’ll find the remnants of their travels, and vice versa. Ladders or ropes placed by other players in your “session” will be usable for you, as well as any structures they build like generators for your electric based tools, or shelters to hide out from the intense weather. Players interact with these by leaving likes at their choosing on whatever they may find from another player, in which these likes will slowly level up your Sam, increasing his speed and capacity. The level of companionship felt here is strangely touching, and I found myself leaving supplies or ladders behind in places that may help others where I may have needed it myself. Some giant projects like roads or bases require help from others to build, but make massive improvements on the landscape. Where only wasteland resided before, massive roads slowly take form, connecting each city together. While you will never see these players, there is some level of comfort knowing that deep down, they want to help you, and for some reason, you want to help them.

As for the story bits, it is unsurprisingly Kojima in nature. Dialogue is often cheesy and over-explanatory, but I found the characters rather unique and compelling nonetheless. The performances from actors such as Tommie Earl Jenkins as Die-Hardman, and Mads Mikkelsen as Cliff were surprisingly impressive. Without giving away plot significance, many of the scenes in the game’s final chapters were some of the best performances I’ve ever seen, and likely the best capturing of raw emotion ever portrayed in a video game. Kojima stories are well known for being somewhat nonsensical, and while you won’t leave the title with every question answered, I found myself completely satisfied with the conclusion after the title’s nearly 45 hour run-time.

Death Stranding is unlike any game you’ve ever played before, for all the good and bad that comes with that. I would be hard pressed to say that most players will enjoy this game, and I might even be stretching to say that half of players will survive the 35 hours of cut scenes and walking. However, if you’re someone like me, and what I’ve said here sounds like it hits the mark, this game is a must play. I urge every reader to give it a try at some point, even if not for years down the line, snagging from a bargain bin. This game is incredibly unique, and one of the most beautiful titles I’ve ever had the pleasure of playing. Some slight quality of life issues and pacing towards the middle are the cons holding be back from regarding this as a completely fulfilling experience.

Fans of Kojima may find themselves divided on this particularly unique title. Though, if you can manage to let yourself grow into the unorthodox style of gameplay, there is plenty of depth under the surface to make an unforgettable experience.