Editorial | Death Stranding: Oddly compelling.

By Sam Coles:

There are some games that are polarising experiences which isn’t a bad thing, as they can lead to some unique experiences. This was my initial thought process when I first played Death Stranding, a game that is odd to say the least as it is as Hideo Kojima as Hideo Kojima can get but it is an oddly compelling game which I lost myself in for hours. Now this is not a review of the game because at the time of writing I have yet to finish the game, this is more of initial first thoughts of the game so let’s get into it.

Death Stranding takes place in a post-apocalyptic America after the titular event where the dead live as an invisible entity, where you have rain called “Time Fall” that ages people rapidly. You play as Sam Porter Bridges as portrayed by Norman Reedus, where he is part of a courier service delivering aid to various cities across America as society are now protected within city walls. Sam is special as the ghostly entities known as “BTs” have a special interest in him, and he unlike others can sense them due to his “Dooms” where has a low level ability of sensing them as I mentioned. He runs into a woman named Fragile at the start of the game, where her Doom levels allow her to actually see the BTs.

The story is interesting, it’s shrouded in mystery as you find yourself with more questions than answers; this is not a bad thing as the game continues to string you along with its bizarre world and characters where Sam seems to be the only normal person within the scenario.   

Now the gameplay is where it has people within the gaming space split, some say it is a glorified and pretentious walking simulator while others say it is a relaxing and explorative game. I have to say I fall into the latter category, yes there is a lot of walking as you deliver packages, but there is something oddly compelling about the gameplay it has that just one more delivery mentality about it. The gameplay loop sees you take on contracts from a terminal within a city and then you plot the best route, you will get into combat encounters as bandits in the wilderness will try and steal your cargo, fortunately you can kick seven shades of blue out of them.

As you traverse the baron wasteland you have to contend with different environments and obstacles, because you are playing as a normal human and not a super soldier so you will lose your balance on hills or if you are carrying too much. Now this sounds laborious, but you get into a rhythm when walking and suddenly you start to wobble like a Jenga tower, to then save your balance at the last minute. What makes this great is the community, as you walk around you will find certain objects and structures left by other players and these can make your journey easier. These can range from ladders to help climb steep inclines quicker or get across gaps and rivers faster, post boxes to drop off lost cargo or ropes to help you get down slopes in a more speedy fashion. It reminds me of Metal Gear Solid V’s multiplayer in the campaign, although everyone is not trying to steal from you but instead are trying to help you. It feels alive and diegetic within the game’s world, as it feels as if it is a part of the game’s world.  

What stood out to me when I first booted up the game was the presentation, and my lord this is easily one of the best looking games I have played on the PlayStation 4. Hideo Kojima’s insane attention to detail shines through yet again, the character models look believable with every face movement captured from a slight smirk to flash of anger and annoyance. The world is absolutely beautiful, from the deserted grasslands you start off in to the more cold tundra in the mountains. Every detail is there for a reason, even down to the walking and running animations as you jog across the world show subtle details such as Sam losing his balance when he hits uneven ground. It is absolutely astounding the detail in this game, I haven’t seen this much attention to the subtle details since Red Dead Redemption II.

I have enjoyed my first few hours with Death Stranding; at first when the game came out back in 2019 I had zero interest in it. However now I have played it, it is truly a unique experience and that is something we don’t often get in video games these days. I can’t wait to carry on with the story and see where it goes.