I was never really that big a fan of Hideo Kojima, but I definitely respected the pieces he directed to a degree. I've enjoyed the mainline Metal Gear Solid games, and I can't pretend I wasn't impressed by P.T, which is a great horror experience that respects video games as a medium in various ways. I think for the world of horror, he's got some interesting ideas. So hearing about this sci-fi horror piece, I was immediately curious, regardless of what kind of game it would end up being . . . I also remember this being the last game I was able to pre-order before Amazon ended the "20% off prime members" deal for all new and upcoming games, so I got it at launch for a good discount!
Anyway, this entire game--as far as I can tell--was a product of him trying to find his own footing once again after being ousted by Konami, who he worked within for multiple decades. And while I can imagine it took a toll on him as a creator, and already enjoyed his pieces, I was fairly disappointed in The Phantom Pain. Without going into immense detail, a lot of my problems with that game come from what was written and presented. In other words, things that have nothing to do with the game being short-sighted or meddled during production. Things that were completely Kojima's responsibility.
With that, I limited my expectations as Death Stranding got closer to release. And unlike most folks, the gameplay reveals didn't turn me off at all, it only made me more interested. The idea that a creative force is using millions of dollars from some fatcat company's wallet to make what is essentially a "hiking simulator" was really intriguing to me. And even if it didn't, I thought the sci-fi horror aspect would lend itself well enough to make it worthwhile.
Anyway, Death Stranding is something that sticks out for me, mainly because something detrimental happened to me literally the day the game launched. I won't go into detail on what exactly that was, but I was in a really deep state of depression, deeper than I've ever known before it. The feeling of absolute betrayal from someone I thought I could trust sent me to a really dark place where my mind basically went completely blank for a couple months. All while getting kicked out of my living quarters. Shit sucked!
Where people got sick of "doing nothing but walking" in this high-profile adventure game, the absolute monotony was something that spoke to me very well at the time, as my brain was merely at a complete standstill. Of course, even this game's atmosphere and arranged soundtrack got a deep reaction out of me. The vibe and even lyrics to "Asylum For the Feeling" struck a nerve once that played in a specific mission, and nearly caused me to break down. As corny as it sounds, I couldn't help but relate to the helplessness and sorrow being depicted in the song at that moment.
I guess what I'm saying is a lot of this game hit me at the perfect moment. My brain and heart was in a certain state where I cherished the time I was able to spend exploring the challenging terrain and helping with roadbuilding in order to make this server (I assume that's how it worked) better for everyone in the evenings, as I mindlessly shoveled away at my office job during the day. I like to think the raging emotions and feeling of helplessness Kojima was likely feeling at the time was the main drive to make a game like this.
So in the end, I really appreciate the gameplay and atmosphere, which are the highlights. I just wish I liked the story more. If that wasn't the weakest aspect to this game, it would get an easy 5 stars from me.
Anyway, this entire game--as far as I can tell--was a product of him trying to find his own footing once again after being ousted by Konami, who he worked within for multiple decades. And while I can imagine it took a toll on him as a creator, and already enjoyed his pieces, I was fairly disappointed in The Phantom Pain. Without going into immense detail, a lot of my problems with that game come from what was written and presented. In other words, things that have nothing to do with the game being short-sighted or meddled during production. Things that were completely Kojima's responsibility.
With that, I limited my expectations as Death Stranding got closer to release. And unlike most folks, the gameplay reveals didn't turn me off at all, it only made me more interested. The idea that a creative force is using millions of dollars from some fatcat company's wallet to make what is essentially a "hiking simulator" was really intriguing to me. And even if it didn't, I thought the sci-fi horror aspect would lend itself well enough to make it worthwhile.
Anyway, Death Stranding is something that sticks out for me, mainly because something detrimental happened to me literally the day the game launched. I won't go into detail on what exactly that was, but I was in a really deep state of depression, deeper than I've ever known before it. The feeling of absolute betrayal from someone I thought I could trust sent me to a really dark place where my mind basically went completely blank for a couple months. All while getting kicked out of my living quarters. Shit sucked!
Where people got sick of "doing nothing but walking" in this high-profile adventure game, the absolute monotony was something that spoke to me very well at the time, as my brain was merely at a complete standstill. Of course, even this game's atmosphere and arranged soundtrack got a deep reaction out of me. The vibe and even lyrics to "Asylum For the Feeling" struck a nerve once that played in a specific mission, and nearly caused me to break down. As corny as it sounds, I couldn't help but relate to the helplessness and sorrow being depicted in the song at that moment.
I guess what I'm saying is a lot of this game hit me at the perfect moment. My brain and heart was in a certain state where I cherished the time I was able to spend exploring the challenging terrain and helping with roadbuilding in order to make this server (I assume that's how it worked) better for everyone in the evenings, as I mindlessly shoveled away at my office job during the day. I like to think the raging emotions and feeling of helplessness Kojima was likely feeling at the time was the main drive to make a game like this.
So in the end, I really appreciate the gameplay and atmosphere, which are the highlights. I just wish I liked the story more. If that wasn't the weakest aspect to this game, it would get an easy 5 stars from me.