Ever since Hideo Kojima left gaming company Konami to set up on his own, fans have been anxiously waiting to see what his next big game would be. Death Stranding just came out and it is definitely something to talk about.
The game is set in a post-apocalyptic USA, where the spirits of the dead come back during the rain to try and bring the living to their side. You play as Sam Porter whose main goal is to reconnect the country and rebuild America; hence the company he works for is called Bridges.
The game looks mesmerising! You’ll do a double, triple take trying to figure out whether you’re watching CGI or images of real mountains and rivers. Also, they have used motion capture on all of the actors’ faces in order to project them into the game – and there are plenty for you to look at, such as Norman Reedus, Mads Mikkelsen, Léa Seydoux, Margaret Qualley, Guillermo Del Toro and more.
When controlling Sam, it feels real: every piece of equipment or cargo that you carry, has an effect on Sam’s movements. Something as simple as walking can be difficult depending on what terrain you are walking on, what shoes you are wearing and how much cargo you are carrying. You also have to care for Sam, giving him food and water, healing injuries and even giving him showers and letting him go to the toilet. There are different vehicles depending on your needs at any time: bikes, trucks and exo suits are just some of the many you can choose from. There are plenty of weapons you can use against human enemies and spirits (BTs). You can also build bridges and other structures to try and make your life or other players’ lives easier.
Ironically, the way that Sam feels real, is also the game’s major drawback. Having to make sure he eats, sleeps, showers and goes to the toilet, can be daunting – or boring. It feels more like babysitting rather than an action game sometimes. Fighting human enemies is hilariously easy but the BTs are where the real horror-show begins. There’s always a sense of dread when they are around. You can’t see them as they are invisible, but you can sense them with a tracking device that points in their direction. These are some of the best moments in the game, as you never know when you may be dragged out by the BTs. The game also offers online help. Players can help each other by building different structures and providing resources. This brings the game community together and gives you a sense of doing something for the common good, as everyone is going through the same struggle.
Death Stranding may not be best of Kojima but it is still lots of fun and for that I’ll give it 7.5/10.
