Death Stranding Review

[Guri]

Referring to Death Stranding as a walking simulator is not justified. Kojima Productions are widely known for their quality storyline that contains eye-popping twists and turns that can surpass any high budget TV series. With one of the best realistic environment, the games’ mechanics are top-notch and fits the gameplay. Multiple nominations for best game music and art direction make it a full-fledged gaming title. A vast map packed with various artificial structures, unfamiliar terrain, random encounters with enemies, and interactive story objectives provides at least a 40-70 hour power punch gameplay. Motion capture technology makes the character’s expressions look lively and expressive. All the characters in the game are portrayed by well-known names of the industry, starring Norman Reedus, Mads Mikkelsen, Léa Seydoux, and Lindsay Wagner. The option to free roam and do random deliveries after the story ends makes it an endless experience. Many of the times, you will stop during a mesmerizing view, which will motivate you to open photo mode and capture the beauty.

Plot without Spoilers:

(You can skip this part if you want to unfold the experience yourself. But this will give you a fundamental idea of what you are doing in the game and why.)

Your character Samuel “Sam” Porter Bridges, played by Norman Reedus, is a legendary porter and member of Bridges who plays an integral role in expanding the Chiral Network and making the United Cities of America whole. During this journey, you will meet various impacting characters that are crucial segments of the story. Your work is to deliver packages from station to station, which will include light and heavy cargo. A supernatural disaster called the Death Stranding has forced the last of humanity into underground cities, leaving the barren surface filled with Beached Things (BTs from the parallel world), timefall that rapidly ages anything it touches, and other abnormality. Your character is a “Repatriate” means after dying, their soul can guide back to the body and bring it back to life. You need a Bridge Baby (BB) to detect other BTs as they lay between “Ha”(our world) and “Ka”(parallel world). Your character needs BB as he can only sense a BT and not see them. Sam is a level 2 DOOM that specifies he will drop a tear, and his skin will become red when he feels the presence of a BT, but using a BB will help him outline the BTs.

Gameplay:

On a basic pen and paper theory, this is a walking simulator where you need to deliver various units ranging from containers, live and dead beings, structures, and medical supplies. But from a broader point of view, the deliveries you are making are not just for fulfilling basic needs. They are the needs of a nation that will connect the cities of America and will help them survive the miserable conditions. The gameplay starts a bit slow as it gives you a tutorial about game controls and digestive story. During the delivery and progressing gameplay, you will get access to ladders, ropes, skeleton suit, and vehicles ranging from floating carriers, bikes, and trucks. You can also build structures that will help you travel faster. Ziplines, highway, bridges, watchtower, postbox can be made to reduce delivery time. You can even make resting structures like safehouse and timefall shelters. But all these structures need specific material that you will either get from delivery rewards or as a lost cargo throughout the map.

During your journey, you will encounter different BTs that can detect your movement and drag you to an open area and spawn a big BT. As they are invisible and only your scan can show their image, you will have two options–either run or kill. Running can be difficult, but it’s a better option if you don’t have weapons like grenades made from your sweat, urine, and feces; or a gun powered by your blood ammo, then running is your best bet. After like ten solid hours, the story will unfold and starts throwing sudden twists and turns, which will bind you to the game. After crossing punishing terrains like barren lands, snowy mountains, and steep slopes, you will get an emotional thriller of a story that is probably Netflix level. If you made it to story ending, Death Stranding attains a sweet spot in your memory that you will never forget.

Graphics:

The graphics in Death Stranding can’t compare to any other title. They are far better than any big title with a huge budget. The amount of detailing and work done on the game is more than breathtaking. Each location on the map maintains high graphic quality. From the illuminant objects to the dark environment, to the foggy deserted area, everything is top-notch and unbeatable. The work is not only done on atmosphere and weather, detailing in interactive objects, and the land itself is a delight to eyes. Photo Mode gives you an option to capture the beauty of the game. Great cinematics that makes you feel you are watching a blockbuster movie. Animations of weather, creatures, and machinery are all never seen before quality. Every visual aspect of the game portrays its presence and requirement in the story. Probably the only game with high-quality motion capture on a substantial gaming scale. Ultra-wide support makes it an instant pick. These mesmerizing graphics surely will change the gaming era.

Main Pros and Cons:

Pros-

• Emotional and thrilling story.
  
• Out of the blue graphics.
  
• Huge gameplay hours.
  
• Variation in game content at each new step.
  
• Strong character narrations with immersive expressions.
  
• Option to free-roam after story completition.
  
• Music will please your soul.
  
• Different playthroughs according to the player.

Cons-

• Some parts feel rushed.
  
• After 10-20 hours it might feel repetitive but will hit you back after few hours
  
• Lot of grind required.
  
• Skippable but long cinematics.

Tips to new players:

Don’t leave the game after the first chunk of hours, as that’s just a build-up. The real immersive story starts from halfway. If you are planning to complete the full game, these tips might help you-

• Cargos at the bottom level of the back will experience the lowest damage.
  
• You can use container repair spray to fix cargo, but it’s better to spray all the containers at once by keeping them on back.
  
• Trucks are the most effective vehicles, as they can contain more cargo and will highlight the weight.
  
• Drinking three monsters will increase your stamina. So grab it whenever you visit a private locker.
  
• Running through emojis will give you a small boost, according to the emoji specified.
  
• The map is semi 3D, so you can rotate it to check the elevation of the land.
  
• Rope strand is most efficient to take down human enemies.
  
• Don’t hesitate to put down zip lines, as several missions will require you to backtrack the map.

Miscellaneous Information:

Emojis-
The game offers a unique way to interact with the multiplayer audience by giving an option to place a variety of emojis anywhere on the map. These emojis can provide a little boost to other players, or players can like them to show their appreciation. Are you using a bridge made by other players? Don’t forget to drop a like!

Postbox-
Postbox act as a private structure to store cargo and equipment. It can be built with the PCC and are the first structure players have access to in the game.

Grenades-
Hematic and EX grenades can be made by sweat, dirt, blood, urine, and feces from Sam. They explode on impact and can be used to affect BTs.

Cryptobiote-
Cryptobiote is an insect looking organism that probably came from another world. Consuming them will replenish a small amount of Sam's blood.

Timefall-
Timefall is an otherworldly rain, snow, or hail that will age anything in contact. Anything from cargo or vehicles will degrade in quality. You can either hide under any bridge or build timefall shelter to prevent the cause.

Honest Rating:

Death Stranding is nothing like your usual game. These types of games only come once per decade. Get your chance to play this, as this is going to change the gaming era. You will experience realistic graphics, interactive gameplay, thrilling story, and great cinematography in just one game. What else you crave?

Rating: 10/10

Reviewer: Guri
I need a BB.