I never would've thought I'd love Death Stranding as much as I did. I knew nothing about the game itself, but I am not a fan of Kojima (hot-take: metal gear solid V was boring as hell) and I think in a lot of his games there are things that work well and don't work for me at all. Death Stranding ended up being that kind of game again, but the things that worked so well for me, made the 100 hours I spent in this game feel like no time. I'm pretty sure the game resonated so well with me, because of my current situation IRL. It's been a very personal and emotional journey for me, but more on that later.
Delivering packages to reconnect an USA that looks like Iceland encompasses things that I'm a sucker for: simulator-games have always been a guilty pleasure for me. I've spent countless hours playing Euro Truck Simulator or even Farming Simulator. Iceland on the other hand is on top of my travel destinations since I first heard Sigur Ros in 2005 and pictured their music the perfect soundscape for any remote place on our planet.
So it only makes sense I felt an immediate urge to explore the areas of the game as well as indulge in the game mechanics.
It’s weird because on paper I shouldn’t like a game that basically is a series of fetch requests, a quest type hated by so many (also by me) in other open world games. But it somehow works. Planning a trip with fragile cargo through uneven terrain, using a multitude of accessories and vehicles, all while a timer ticks makes the successful delivery feel like an accomplishment every single time. Where the genius of the game-design lies however, is the implementation of the multiplayer that perfectly compliments the gameplay elements as well as the overarching narrative and message of this game. I have felt a sense of community even though I have never seen another player in my game, only the things that were left behind for me to use. It is heartwarming to see all of the work others have put in, knowing that others will benefit from it. That motivated me to go the extra mile on so many routes, building networks of zip-lines over mountains and through BT-ridden areas and safe-havens for other porters to take a break.
I was once in a discussion with someone about how I thought TLOU2 was the quintessential game of 2020 for me and how they thought Death Stranding was the quintessential game. At the time I couldn’t really fathom how one would think that over TLOU2. Now that I have played the game, I kinda understand what they were getting at. I think both games are quintessential, but what distinguishes TLOU2 and Death Stranding is how both games approach conveying the same message. Imho you could look at it simplified by having an optimist view or a pessimist view on things. TLOU2 puts you through misery, pain, grief and lets you side with people who struggle to cope with their reality and end up doing things that are wrong and sometimes despicable. Having the audience live through that and getting them out of the comfort-zone they are bound to reflect on those actions and hopefully learn from it. Death Stranding however puts you in a world that is already broken apart and gives you the task and tools to make it a better place again. Every delivery is part of a hopeful process, of reconnecting and rebuilding. Both games have a vision of how the world might be better for all of us, coming from polar opposite directions though. Artistically I prefer the way the narrative works in TLOU2 and I personally think it might have a heavier impact on people. But I totally understand why one would prefer it the other way around. Maybe it’s not thorough enough to get my point across, but I’m just rambling here haha.
Death Stranding is a stylishly orchestrated game that feels very polished, every cutscene has great acting by a diverse cast and careful cinematography, the game has top-notch sci-fi sound design and a very unconventional choice of music that’s a fitting puzzle piece for the feeling the atmosphere of this game evokes. From a technical and game-design standpoint this game is nothing short of spectacular and a testament to the vision and aspiration of Kojima. Where he lacks significantly however imho, is writing. I have always loathed the militarism and patriotism on display in previous games, but more so the way he writes dialogue and the way he explains the more abstract concepts he tries to tackle. It all feels very pseudo when he tries to be important and often feels like written by a 6 year old when he tries to be lighthearted. And those names, I mean come on: Deadman? Die-Hardman? Mama? BB? I now, more than ever, wish he would adapt a story / hire a good writer and stick to the other parts of game development.
I said earlier, that this game was a very personal journey for me. I’m currently living through one of the roughest patches of my life and even with a pandemic behind me where isolation was kind of mandatory, I don’t feel like going out or talking to people, heck often times I don’t even want to be with myself. Venturing out into the wilds in Death Stranding was a therapeutic experience for me, offering the isolation and escapism I desperately needed. Usually I don’t speed through a game like that, but every free minute I found I put on my headphones and went out there, on my own. Contemplating while delivering, being sentimental when listening to the music, feeling a sense of accomplishment I seemingly can’t get anywhere else right now. It’s a pretty sad thing to say and I’m happy I was able to spend some of those dark hours in a virtual world. Because now I feel better, it took time, but I feel better. And my desire to socialize was rekindled by all the porters I met and connected to the UCA. So now I’m ready to venture out IRL again, but also enjoy playing games with others again: so, wanna play?
Delivering packages to reconnect an USA that looks like Iceland encompasses things that I'm a sucker for: simulator-games have always been a guilty pleasure for me. I've spent countless hours playing Euro Truck Simulator or even Farming Simulator. Iceland on the other hand is on top of my travel destinations since I first heard Sigur Ros in 2005 and pictured their music the perfect soundscape for any remote place on our planet.
So it only makes sense I felt an immediate urge to explore the areas of the game as well as indulge in the game mechanics.
It’s weird because on paper I shouldn’t like a game that basically is a series of fetch requests, a quest type hated by so many (also by me) in other open world games. But it somehow works. Planning a trip with fragile cargo through uneven terrain, using a multitude of accessories and vehicles, all while a timer ticks makes the successful delivery feel like an accomplishment every single time. Where the genius of the game-design lies however, is the implementation of the multiplayer that perfectly compliments the gameplay elements as well as the overarching narrative and message of this game. I have felt a sense of community even though I have never seen another player in my game, only the things that were left behind for me to use. It is heartwarming to see all of the work others have put in, knowing that others will benefit from it. That motivated me to go the extra mile on so many routes, building networks of zip-lines over mountains and through BT-ridden areas and safe-havens for other porters to take a break.
I was once in a discussion with someone about how I thought TLOU2 was the quintessential game of 2020 for me and how they thought Death Stranding was the quintessential game. At the time I couldn’t really fathom how one would think that over TLOU2. Now that I have played the game, I kinda understand what they were getting at. I think both games are quintessential, but what distinguishes TLOU2 and Death Stranding is how both games approach conveying the same message. Imho you could look at it simplified by having an optimist view or a pessimist view on things. TLOU2 puts you through misery, pain, grief and lets you side with people who struggle to cope with their reality and end up doing things that are wrong and sometimes despicable. Having the audience live through that and getting them out of the comfort-zone they are bound to reflect on those actions and hopefully learn from it. Death Stranding however puts you in a world that is already broken apart and gives you the task and tools to make it a better place again. Every delivery is part of a hopeful process, of reconnecting and rebuilding. Both games have a vision of how the world might be better for all of us, coming from polar opposite directions though. Artistically I prefer the way the narrative works in TLOU2 and I personally think it might have a heavier impact on people. But I totally understand why one would prefer it the other way around. Maybe it’s not thorough enough to get my point across, but I’m just rambling here haha.
Death Stranding is a stylishly orchestrated game that feels very polished, every cutscene has great acting by a diverse cast and careful cinematography, the game has top-notch sci-fi sound design and a very unconventional choice of music that’s a fitting puzzle piece for the feeling the atmosphere of this game evokes. From a technical and game-design standpoint this game is nothing short of spectacular and a testament to the vision and aspiration of Kojima. Where he lacks significantly however imho, is writing. I have always loathed the militarism and patriotism on display in previous games, but more so the way he writes dialogue and the way he explains the more abstract concepts he tries to tackle. It all feels very pseudo when he tries to be important and often feels like written by a 6 year old when he tries to be lighthearted. And those names, I mean come on: Deadman? Die-Hardman? Mama? BB? I now, more than ever, wish he would adapt a story / hire a good writer and stick to the other parts of game development.
I said earlier, that this game was a very personal journey for me. I’m currently living through one of the roughest patches of my life and even with a pandemic behind me where isolation was kind of mandatory, I don’t feel like going out or talking to people, heck often times I don’t even want to be with myself. Venturing out into the wilds in Death Stranding was a therapeutic experience for me, offering the isolation and escapism I desperately needed. Usually I don’t speed through a game like that, but every free minute I found I put on my headphones and went out there, on my own. Contemplating while delivering, being sentimental when listening to the music, feeling a sense of accomplishment I seemingly can’t get anywhere else right now. It’s a pretty sad thing to say and I’m happy I was able to spend some of those dark hours in a virtual world. Because now I feel better, it took time, but I feel better. And my desire to socialize was rekindled by all the porters I met and connected to the UCA. So now I’m ready to venture out IRL again, but also enjoy playing games with others again: so, wanna play?