Live Out Your Deliveryman Dreams
Ever wondered what it’d be like to be a deliveryman in a crazy sci-fi world? Well, then Death Stranding is the game for you. Oh, you haven’t? Well, Death Stranding still is an interesting take on a rather sounding mundane idea.
You play as Sam Porter Bridges, a deliveryman tasked with “reconnecting” the fractured cities of America. The core gameplay of Death Stranding revolves around taking on packages, stacking or equipping them on Sam, and then making your way to the delivery destination.
It sounds tedious, and it is, but there’s just something weirdly engaging about all of it. You’ll need to optimize your packages to stack them the right way and distribute weight, then make sure you have the proper tools and equipment with you for your journey.
You can use objects like ladders and climbing spikes to help yourself over terrain, and Sam’s stamina is a constant factor you’ll need to manage. At the same time you’ll always need to work to balance your cargo and make sure you don’t fall or damage it.
Death Stranding has a strangely compelling loop of taking on an order, planning out your route, then dealing with any unforeseen variables that pop up.
You won’t really understand the game’s systems until you try them out for yourself.
Classic Crazy Kojima Storytelling
Hideo Kojima is renowned for his unique style of storytelling, with a big emphasis on symbolism, imagery, and of course, cutscenes. Death Stranding is no different, and it starts using metaphors right out of the gate.
Yes the story is a bit tough to follow in the opening hours, but there’s a ton of lore and context to dive into with optional emails and interviews that you can read, if you’re interested.
The main story should roughly take you 30-40 hours and its a wild ride that deals with the land of the dead, spectral creatures, dreams, and more.
Yes it’s heavy-handed and super confusing but, really, would you have a Hideo Kojima game any other way?
It’s Filled With Fantastic Actors and Performances
Death Stranding’s story is a wild confusing ride, but what really keeps things surging forward is the cast. The game has drawn a lot of attention since its announcements because of the big names attached to it, and it’s clear that everyone, not just Kojima, was invested in the project.
The main character Sam is played by Norman Reedus, of Walking Dead and Boondocks Saints fame, who does a fantastic job at portraying the gruff reclusive Porter. Joining Reedus is a seriously talented group of other actors.
Acclaimed actor Mads Mikkelsen plays the enigmatic Cliff, award-winning director Guillermo Del Toro plays Deadman, Troy Baker voices Higgs, French Actress Lea Seydoux plays Fragile, and that’s just the tip of the iceberg.
Other celebrities like Conan O’Brien and Junji Ito make appearances as side characters.
Even if you don’t have any idea what’s happening in the story at points, the performances in Death Stranding are so compelling and packed with emotion that it doesn’t really matter.
It’s Gorgeous and Unlike Anything Else Out There
Death Stranding is built on the Decima Engine, created by Guerrilla Games for Horizon: Zero Dawn. Needless to say, it’s a stunningly beautiful game with impressive vistas, mountain ranges, and green valleys.
Past all those beautiful sights, however, what you really have is a game that’s unlike anything else available.
The aforementioned delivery system is an incredibly unique gameplay mechanic, but every step you take ties into a bigger idea of reconnecting America, and it constantly feels like you’re feeding into something bigger.
Whether that’s by increasing your Porter grade and boosting Sam’s stats or raising your ranking with a dispo center, everything ties into a greater theme.
Your options do expand later on as you get access to weapons and guns, but the majority of the game is a slow, methodical experience.
If you need any help while playing through Death Stranding, make sure to check out our extensive guide wiki.
About the author
