Recent reviews by Kluss

there is no other game like Death Stranding.

now, that's not a statement about quality, but of actual gameplay. it's hard to compare it to any other genre. for the most part, it's the kind of traveling to and from hubs that you'd typically find yourself doing in any number of open-world games. the classic gaming conventions are all there: stat progression, new gadgets, traversal upgrades, action, stealth, and most critically, online connectivity.

the core of what makes the gameplay different than other open-world games is a deeply ingrained subtext of altruism. while connected to both the real-life internet and Death Stranding's "Chiral Network", you will be able to share supplies, structures, quest items, equipment, vehicles, and even entire highways, with everyone else who is connected. your job as Sam Porter Bridges, our protagonist, is to expand this "Chiral Network" in order to rebuild a shattered and post-disaster America. the benefit of this for us, the players, is that while our journey forward is taking us into harsher conditions, we're leaving a trail of convenience for others. your interactions with and progression through the America of Death Stranding will be shaped by the community's impact on the landscapes you explore. but rapid erosion caused by "Timefall", Death Stranding's post-disaster rain, ensures that nothing will remain should no one look after it. so the implicit subtext is that your true objective is to truly rebuild and maintain this new America by supplementing its infrastructure and aiding its occupants. Death Stranding achieves the, honestly lofty, accomplishment of bringing those words to hour-to-hour gameplay with its foundation upon altruism.

i can't put a number on how many hours i've spent going out of my way to help others because of this incredibly palpable atmosphere of reconstruction and dogged hope. it's such an earnest, wholesome high, to know that my efforts are appreciated by other players going through the game. just as well, it is an incredible relief to be aided by a complete stranger on the internet in my hour of most dire need. i can't say that i've ever been compelled to such consistent generosity by a game before. hell, by anything. despite its visual and thematic depressive nature, i always came away from Death Stranding feeling satisfied and hopeful.

this game fostered a strong paternal instinct towards infants that i never though i possessed. i couldn't ♥♥♥♥♥♥♥ stand babies before this game. in fact, i still didn't for roughly the first half of the game. but over time, that constant bond of taking BB with me everywhere i went really brought something forth that i didn't know i had. didn't know a game could do that.

the hype for Kojima's first self-produced project, radio-silent marketing, and scathing critiques like Dunkey's (you betrayed me, Dunk, i trusted you.) sabotaged virtually any chance of this game's actual messaging coming across. the absolute noise surrounding Death Stranding's release and initial impressions does a heartbreaking disservice to the utterly unique experience it holds.

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to address some common complaints:

Q) isn't Death Stranding just a walking simulator?
A) it isn't. the first few hours are a lot of walking and hiking, yes, but your traversal options widen as you progress.

Q) don't the vehicles handle like garbage?
A) to be completely fair, the van handles like garbage on anything that isn't a road. the reverse trike, though? i've taken that ♥♥♥♥♥ up mountains, across ladders, through rivers, snow, mud, you name it. that thing is incredible. please invest the time in getting adept with it.

Q) isn't Death Stranding's story Hideo Kojima's attempt to create a plot so convoluted and obscure that only he could truly understand it?
A) not really. i found Death Stranding to be, while typically Kojima in its intentional obfuscation and misdirection, rather digestible. there were even times where i put pieces together before the game felt it necessary to do so. MGSV is Kojima's game about confusion, Death Stranding has a very deliberate, albeit out-there at times, plot.

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now, to be fair, here are some complaints i have with Death Stranding.

- van handles like ass but the reverse trike is virtually an all-terrain vehicle. what?
- the boss battles can be pulse-pounding thrills at best, and frustratingly clumsy chores at worst.
- the actual map kind of offloads most of the content into the middle of America, creating this sort of Skyrim-esque sidequest rabbit-hole for a good portion of the mid-game. it's even encouraged, because most of the best unlockables are in the central area. the side effect of this was losing the momentum of the plot entirely. i had to wrest myself from The Grind because i hadn't progressed the plot in maybe 20-30 hours of gameplay.
- (this is the big one) the ending is kind of like MGS4+. if you've ever finished MGS4 or know about its infamous ~1:30h ending cutscene, you know what i mean. the pacing of the plot is tight and engaging for most of the game, but in the final stretch it becomes an incredibly drawn out exposition dump because evidently Kojima couldn't find out any other way to tie up the remaining Knots (heh) adequately. i found myself hooked on the plot for most of the game, only to be almost completely disengaged by the end. to be fair x2 combo, it's no MGS4. there're actual gameplay breaks between exposition dumps. and ultimately it hooked me again, just before the curtain fell.

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TL ; DR

Death Stranding got a bad wrap at release and deserves to be played because it offers a compelling and completely unique approach to gameplay. play it if you're curious, and your curiosity will be rewarded. i was the same.

9/10 experience, truly nearly perfect. very much looking forward to wrapping up my time in the post-game and replaying to appreciate all of the foreshadowing. maybe we'll help each other someday!


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p.s. A HIDEO KOJIMA GAME

the best fallout game, great modding scene

it would be a good game if it was fun

boring ♥♥♥♥ story, but zombie foightin gameplay that has raised the bar HIGH from Left 4 Dead 2, Dead Island, and only a bit from Killing Floor 2.

heavy recommend if you like ♥♥♥♥♥♥♥ zombies up and the occassional scratch-itching loot n' scoot.

it's good ♥♥♥♥. if you're looking for berserk + the warriors series, this fits the bill. a stable framerate, classic dynasty warriors experience with a faithful and satisfying berserk setting. only three hours deep, about half way through the golden age, but the replayability is already strong. fight zodd the immortal with lil' mercenary guts and WHIP HIS MONKEY ASS.

all in all, definitely worth the $60 if you're a fan of berserk and the dynasty warriors series, or the fist of the north star games by tecmo koei. put your grasses on and smash the ♥♥♥♥ out of hoards of knights and demons, struggler.

i look back on this game after seeing the ridiculous $24.99 pricetag of SUPERHOT to comment on receiver's incredibly low price /and/ innovative design. for a production time of seven days, this is a substantial gaming experience. (excuse my hour and a half gameplay time on this comment, but believe me.)

basics of the game is your now-classic indie survival collectathon. start out in a randomly generated map, with randomly generated inventory consisting of one of two possible guns (m1911 and what looks like a .32 revolver), and your mission is to A) survive and B) collect tapes.

realistic handling of a firearm in a video game is what should pull you to buy this game, because that's what it guarantees. the survival aspect and the tapes are literally just dressing around this mechanic. bullets can be acquired loosely or in magazines. loose bullets can be immediately loaded into the revolver, and must be loaded into a magazine with available capacity for the m1911.

the only conflict you'll encounter in this eerie cyberpunk polygonathon are turrets and drones. turrets scan horizontally around a room from a fixed location and drones fly around, general ♥♥♥♥. but neither of these enemies, nor yourself, are bullet sponges. for a kill: one to two bullets per drone, a minimum of one per turret, and around two for you.

the story is negligible. literally. while the gameplay is actually super immersive and really does give you a feel for what you would do when confronted with a situation like this, the story is vague and lacks substance.

receiver is a game that you should play if you are interested in game design or enjoy firearms and realistic representations of them in games. is it game of the year for its year? no. is it an 8 hour AAA title with side quests and an engaging story? definitely not. it IS a very interesting novelty, and worth $4.99 USD price.

getting back to the point though, SUPERHOT is extremely comparable to receiver. very entertaining concepts and fairly short, novelty experiences. save your money and buy this game, play it for a bit, and wait for SUPERHOT to get a price cut.

rating: 8 / 10 -- impressive and concise. nothing is wasted, if anything, receiver leaves you wanting more.

This tool is the tool that will pierce the heavens.

10/10

Classic game. It's good, better than any of the other Fables by FAR.

Heavy is a ♥♥♥♥♥♥ who has the best cards all the time.
Tycho folds. That's just it, he folds.
Max will call your bluff every time and he will ♥♥♥♥ you up.
Strongbad always gets busted out first.

It's easy to lose friends over this game.