Random Video Game Review - Death Stranding

 

Yep, it's that game. The game that caused a lot of buzz just before and during the pandemic. The game that Hideo Kojima would move on to after moving on from Konami and leaving the Metal Gear franchise behind. I managed to get my hands on the director's cut as part of this month's Humble Choice bundle. I have been warned however that it's a delivery game more than anything else, but I was still interested. Especially as it features a lot of big names, created by a major player in the gaming industry and published on the PC by the same people that published the equally cinematic Control. So let's take a look and see if the buzz was worth it:

Set in the United States following a cataclysmic event which has caused destructive creatures to begin roaming the Earth, players play as courier Sam Porter Bridges (voiced and motion-capped by Norman Reedus) who is tasked with delivering supplies to isolated colonies and to reconnect them via a wireless communication network of sorts. The game is an action open world one that features online functionality. As Sam, you venture out and deliver goods to various colonies, cities and people on the outside. Each time you do so, you attempt to connect them all via a communications system known as the Chiral network and also get evaluated too. If done well in all or most areas, you'll be able to level up Sam as you progress in the game. The game does feature a lot of licenced music, in case any of you want to do a gameplay series on it on YouTube. The enemies in the game, are largely invisible, but can be seen on occasion. If Sam is ever killed by them, he goes into an ocean area where he must swim to reclaim his body. However, the death to him that happens, causes a mass explosion to take place, leaving a crater in its wake. As the Chiral Network gets bigger and bigger, more and more resources will become available to you. What you do with them, is up to you, the player.

As cinematic games go, this one is pretty good. Unlike games such as Heavy Rain and the Dark Pictures Anthology games where it's move a bit and then quick time events or choose a conversation choice, this one is a full on open world game with some cinematic moments. But otherwise left for the player to explore and enjoy. Thus making it stand out from those kinds of games. It can feel like a game full of fetch quests, but with great performances from the very talented all star cast, it's a cinematic game done right and hopefully not the last one like this to ever be made. 9/10