Death Stranding - Review @ Techraptor

[HiddenX]

Techraptor checked out the genre-mix Death Stranding:

A Heartfelt Message You Must Hear

Death Stranding was built with the intention of defying what we understand video games to be. Most action games are built on the premise of using a "stick" to beat people away. Creator Hideo Kojima has set aside the stick and handed players a rope in the hopes that they choose to tie together, rather than to break apart. His dedication to this theme is the foundation of every piece of Death Stranding, from the gameplay to the story to the social features. Players will learn the power of the rope over the stick. This game is about building connections with real people, fighting to help each other, and suffering to reduce the suffering of others. And yes, there will be a lot of walking.

These Boots Were Made for Walkin'

Many players coming into Death Stranding may think it's a literal walking simulator; this is absolutely not the case. I would loosely describe it as a third-person action-adventure game with stealth and horror elements. Kojima takes many of the mechanics and conceits we subconsciously consider to just be a "video game thing" and either tosses them aside or totally inverts them. The broad gameplay loop includes receiving an order from a terminal, deciding how to attach your packages to maintain balance, and setting out across the hell-stricken landscape to deliver. Your orders range from food and water to medicine and electronics, all of it necessary to sustain life. This sequence becomes addictive and traversing the rough terrain becomes fun in its own right.

The most basic obstacle in Death Stranding is indeed the walking. Players must carefully choose their routes to weave around small rocks and hills that are, at the beginning, a death sentence. Balancing Sam's body while he crosses this difficult terrain is an ever-present challenge. Wraith-infested areas and camps of MULEs (raiders) dot the landscape, adding to the already daunting number of things to keep in mind while delivering a package. You can stealth around the MULEs, but as I'm not fond of stealth games I chose to use non-lethal weapons to attack and round them up. The Bola Gun is a rope cannon, and firing it at MULEs ties them up in a satisfying knot and allows you to explore the region freely. Alternatively, you can attack and kill them with a wide variety of assault weapons and explosives. In the world of Death Stranding, bodies left out in the world cause a "voidout" and a game over unless they are brought to an incinerator. Besides it being a hassle, I found the idea of killing anyone to be directly in conflict with its central theme. You can also fistfight MULEs and knock them unconscious if you don't have any weapons handy.

[...]

Score: 10/10

More information.

 

[Pongo]

Sounds interesting I guess, but
Every cutscene was so enthralling that I didn't mind that they were sometimes up to 30 minutes long
30 minute cutscenes...? Don't think this is for me.

 

[Nereida]

One of the pictures in the site says "Yes, there is actual combat in Death Stranding, and the boss fights can get difficult".

The whole article is made from a defensive point of view, trying to convince readers that the game is not about walking around.

Obvious Kokima fanboy.

I'm not touching that game with a 10-meter pole.

 

[FizzyShellfish]

I read there's as much as 20 HOURS of cut scenes. I read that some cut scenes are well over one hour long. Combine that with Kojima's usual nonsense writing and his "up-his-own-ass" style?

You'd have to pay me to play this.

 

[FizzyShellfish]

I played and enjoyed the game Control. I read there were 2 sections of Kojima-written and directed content. I had never played his games but had read a lot about him, so I was curious and I sought out those optional, side content stories.

All I remember was some nonsense about forklifts and trees, and a lot of walking around in the dark with voiceover and subtitles. Those two side "stories"—or diversions or whatever—were easily the worst part of Control for me. They had nothing to do with the plot, and came across as undergrad creative writing after a lecture about Surrealism. Put simply: it sucked. It was try-hard artsy-ness for the sake of bad art. I found the sections annoying and pure wankery. How anyone could sit through 20 hours of that crap, plus another 60 hours of walking around and delivering packages is beyond me.

I like the idea of shared building and seeing what other players build without seeing the players. There's some very interesting game design in Death Stranding, no doubt. I'm sure there's some interesting gameplay at times and some jaw-dropping surreal visuals. But there's no way I could swallow that much horseshit for 60+ hours.

Plus: there's heavy product placement with Monster® Energy Drink featured prominently throughout the game.

 

[mercy]

Add all to above comments that the soundtrack is kinda SHT. At best its a 'MEH..'-background noise..

So.. is Konami crying that they let loose Kojima or not?

 

[joxer]

I have just played the game for 6 hours.
Enough for today.

What I've seen so far - I love it.

Cutscenes can be skipped if you don't want to watch them, but so far I love the horror movie bits you unlock by walking around the map in a fedex sim.

One of the pictures in the site says "Yes, there is actual combat in Death Stranding, and the boss fights can get difficult".

The whole article is made from a defensive point of view, trying to convince readers that the game is not about walking around.

Obvious Kokima fanboy.

I'm not touching that game with a 10-meter pole.

I have no idea what bosses look like in this game. Nor care.
I got caught by monsters and couldn't win the fight - because this opened a sidestory I guess this "fight" cannot be won.
After that I smacked a hostile then robbed his boots and nearby container because quest and those were only two fights I did in my 6 hours. I could engage more but I just stelthed/ran past trashmobs. Yet, I didn't get bored.

I can only say this.
If you want to play yet another Dark Souls game, stay away from this one.
If you want to risk your sanity however, based on earlygame, this game is perfect!

So.. is Konami crying that they let loose Kojima or not?

Konami shifted their core business to gambling machines. Why would they cry? No lootboxes in death stranding.

 

[Couchpotato]

It's a Kojima game that's all I need to know that I wont be playing it.

Attempting to impress by affecting greater importance, talent, culture, etc., than is actually possessed.

Pretentious Crap.

 

[TheSHEEEP]

Pretentious Crap.

Pretty much this.
If there was no Kojima behind it, you could easily subtract 3 points from all the ratings.
Ratings such as these are the primary reason nobody sane trusts "professional" reviewers any more, they don't rate games for what matters (gameplay) but for some perceived notion of some important story to tell or agenda to push.
The emperor's new clothes, nothing more.

Just read the author's final words on this:

Hideo Kojima transcends not only what a video game can be, but what media as a whole can be.

Death Stranding is a game in which you will choose to suffer to lessen the suffering of others, over and over again, whether they be real human players or NPCs. It is in that suffering that you will find yourself capable of true altruism, of love, of compassion, of empathy for total strangers. You will give, and give, and give, and give and ask for nothing in return. It is in giving that we find happiness. It is in giving that we find our humanity.

"transcends what a video game can be"
You couldn't make that crap up - pretentiousness on top of pretentiousness. One gigantic jerk-off of the author's perceived notion of self-importance.
And not a single word about actual gameplay.

There's just no valid gameplay here.
"difficult boss fights" my ass - you can just walk away from them without any consequences whatsoever. Discredits the author right there as either a blind fanboy or completely incompetent at gaming.
Or you lose in them - still no consequences, you just have pick up your stuff again.
Combat exists in theory but is so absurdly easy and the AI so horrendously dumb that it must have been an afterthought when people realized "oh, crap, should we add some gameplay?".

And yes, the game is very literally a walking simulator. Don't know what else you could call a game in which the act of walking itself is actually simulated and the only existing gameplay (try not to fall over while delivering packages) together with inventory tetris (which is so annoying they even make it optional lol).

I don't doubt the game has a good story or good acting or good graphics or even a good atmosphere at times.
But it has little to nothing to offer when it comes to what games should be about - gameplay that puts the player's skills to the test.
Well, I guess you could say it tests patience…

 

[Capt. Huggy Face]

I don't know anything about the game, but I kind of liked the ad:

 

[fatknacker50]

I thought the game was a meme... and then I saw Techraptors score :lol:

 

[Andrew23]

Im personally glad there are developers trying to do things in different way. Im also not sure if this game is for me and I might never play it myself, but the guy seems to be following his vision he believes in. I can respect that.

 

[mat9813004]

I can respect that. Indeed, a case could be made for this game being avant-garde art in a computer game format, and I want to like avant-garde art & music. Which probably means I don't really like them. In this case I haven't formed an opinion besides appreciating the simulacra of Norman Reedus & Lindsay Wagner and the symbolism of the babies and ghosts. Because I haven't played it and thats good enough for me.

 

[joxer]

Instead of one sentence spam…

If there was no Kojima behind it, you could easily subtract 3 points from all the ratings.

No. If there was no Gullermo del Toro in the game, then you could subtract 10.
But he's in and is more creepy than the creepiest person in any existing game. Kojima has nothing to do with that creepyness.

they don't rate games for what matters (gameplay) but for some perceived notion of some important story to tell or agenda to push.

I got the impression Death Stranding is a stealth game. As such, because you can avoid trashmobs by crouching and hiding behind something or in the high grass, I have to say that it's gameplay style is awsome.
On the other hand I can't care less about gameplay, I'm playing a game on PC, not on tetris plastic minigame with a few buttons where a product due to hardware limits has absolutely nothing but gameplay.
In other words, if it's gameplay you want and nothing else, perhaps you should toss your PC in the trashcan and buy stuff like this:

"transcends what a video game can be"

That sentence is plain bs and equals "immersive sim".

There's just no valid gameplay here.

There is.

"difficult boss fights" my ass - you can just walk away from them without any consequences whatsoever.

Again, I have no idea what a boss looks like in Death Stranding nor care.
Also again it's a stealth game - it's not RPG.
As it's not RPG and is stealth game, why avoiding combat would have any consequences?

Or you lose in them - still no consequences, you just have pick up your stuff again.

What are you talking about? If you lose an item, and I have no idea how you lost it, I guess it's impossible to lose anything earlygame as I didn't manage to lose anything… Just reload.

Combat exists in theory but is so absurdly easy and the AI so horrendously dumb that it must have been an afterthought when people realized "oh, crap, should we add some gameplay?".

I agree with this 100%. Why does combat exist in a stealth game in the first place? It needs to be removed completely.

And yes, the game is very literally a walking simulator.

No it's not.
It's tutorial apparently 15 hours long is. You will however unlock some stuff like a motorbike - is it GTA simulator then?

Don't know what else you could call a game in which the act of walking itself is actually simulated and the only existing gameplay (try not to fall over while delivering packages) together with inventory tetris (which is so annoying they even make it optional lol).

Hold both left and right mouse buttons while carrying packages - no fall. If that sounds too complicated, make a mod that does it instead.
Death Stranding is not No Man's Sky. There is no inventory tetris as such. There is however rebalancing stuff you're carrying which, thanks to your mousebuttons hold is completely irrelevant.

I don't doubt the game has a good story or good acting or good graphics or even a good atmosphere at times.

Well I doubt. Earlygame is one thing, complete game is another.

But it has little to nothing to offer when it comes to what games should be about - gameplay that puts the player's skills to the test.

Games should be about only two things: they need to be fun and they mustn't be boring. Are Visual Novels where all you do is picking different choices and enjoy/suffer consequences games? Of course they are.

Each player however has their different taste, some can't appreciate a game without grinding while some won't buy a game without DLC/lootboxes.
I've posted above. If Dark Souls clone is what you want, Death Stranding is a complete opposite to it. Buy something else.

 

[Giovanni1983]

I have seen some gameplay videos of this game but I have not played it so I don't want to be unfair against it.

However, I have read many reviews that talk about it being a literal walking simulator in barren landscapes and that it's incredibly repetitive but then, 9 or 10/10. What exactly is the deal here? Anyone that has played it can shed some light?

 

[Ripper]

I have seen some gameplay videos of this game but I have not played it so I don't want to be unfair against it.

However, I have read many reviews that talk about it being a literal walking simulator in barren landscapes and that it's incredibly repetitive but then, 9 or 10/10. What exactly is the deal here? Anyone that has played it can shed some light?

I thought this girl gave quite a good explanation of how some people worked through the tedium, and found a rewarding experience.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lKdv-IeAv2g

It certainly seems to divide opinion, and, without having played it, to me it does smack of rambling pretension. But, I'm somewhat curious to try it, in case I do I actually find what these folks are talking about.

 

[mercy]

Couple more posts in this thread will reveal this game is not a game at all, but a FEDEX tutorial for 2022, after The Plague devastated Earth.

 

[joxer]

I have seen some gameplay videos of this game but I have not played it so I don't want to be unfair against it.

However, I have read many reviews that talk about it being a literal walking simulator in barren landscapes and that it's incredibly repetitive but then, 9 or 10/10. What exactly is the deal here? Anyone that has played it can shed some light?

I did not watch gameplay videos so I can't tell you anything about videos.
In fact I bet if a proper player from this site made a video it'd be completely different from monetized crap.

What I can tell you is that I was walking, running, crouching and climbing for the first 6 hours of the game.
And then I've unlocked a motorbike.

I still had to climb an area not accessible with it, but that's less than 5 mins per sidequest leading there. Everything else - I'm GTA driving. Because you can put some packages on the bike it helps against being overburden and you're zooming all over the place.
A hint for those who just started and did not unlock it - make sure you repair the bike if caught by ghosts next time you hit a facility with a garage (circular elevator)!

About repetitiveness, initial main quests and so far all sidequests are delivering something from a point A to point B. Those that aren't fedex delivery are different: looting something from hostiles, constructing something or killing ghosts.

I'm not collecting random lost packages nor am clearing a map (bugs, crystals, sandalweed) - all of that looks like grind for mmo lovers so I refuse to do it. Unless a quest to gather some of course.

A note for those who played MGS5, the quest structure is similar to that game. Main quests are numbered 001-099, sidequests are numbered with 100+.

Couple more posts in this thread will reveal this game is not a game at all, but a FEDEX tutorial for 2022, after The Plague devastated Earth.

This game is a game.
Tutorial? It does have a long tutorial, just as I've explained above.

 

[wolfgrimdark]

I had to roll my eyes. Suffering and giving and humanity ... No idiot you are playing a video game. You want to really help others? Suffer for others? Give to people? Get off your ass and go into the real world and make real sacrifices for others.

Giving someone a hand in a video game so they can let their character do something is not suffering or helping humanity

Apologies but I found the whole article so annoying. One of those armchair preachers.

Play games and have fun but don't think you're really helping make the world a better place because of it. Oh nothing wrong with spreading some good emotions and happiness around ... I get that. Just that it was so ... well extreme in my mind the way the article was written. Like they thought they were actually saving humanity

 

[Arkadia7]

It just is more of what I call a cultural narcissism that seems to afflict (some) younger generations today. Everything they do, even now apparently including playing a video game, has to have some greater meaning and power, as if they are doing some noble act, or something.