# Death Stranding



## Leviathus (Oct 26, 2019)

Finally got around to pre-ordering a physical, anyone else aboard the hype train?


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## Ralyks (Oct 27, 2019)

It's Kojima and he's doing something that isn't MGS, so I was kind of obligated to preorder.

That said, still zero clue as to what's going on in this game.


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## Leviathus (Oct 27, 2019)

^lol my sentiments exactly.


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## KnightBrolaire (Oct 27, 2019)

I'll wait until I see some more gameplay. It's verry bizarre looking, even for a Kojima project


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## StevenC (Oct 27, 2019)

I've been on this hypetrain for years. Since the moment Kojima left Konami. MGSV is one of my favourite games ever and Kojima is one of the only trustworthy people in the video game industry.


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## Leviathus (Oct 28, 2019)

Seems some folks are pissed but i think this is good news.... 

https://twitter.com/KojiPro2015_EN/status/1188787623965401088


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## StevenC (Oct 28, 2019)

Leviathus said:


> Seems some folks are pissed but i think this is good news....
> 
> https://twitter.com/KojiPro2015_EN/status/1188787623965401088


That's really surprising considering Sony funded the game so hard an its using the Horizon engine which hasn't made it to PC, either. Weird, but good for those people that don't have PS4s.


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## Ralyks (Oct 28, 2019)

Honestly, it sounds similar to what happened with Street Fighter V. Sony helped fund it, but it also made its way to PC.


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## Leviathus (Oct 29, 2019)

StevenC said:


> That's really surprising considering Sony funded the game so hard an its using the Horizon engine which hasn't made it to PC, either. Weird, but good for those people that don't have PS4s.



Right? I guess the term is "momentary exclusive"... Will be cool seeing Decima on PC though.


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## Lorcan Ward (Oct 29, 2019)

I checked the reddit subforum and they are posting links now it was announced a year or two ago that it would be a timed exclusive and the cover released a few months ago didn’t say PS exclusive like others do.


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## Ralyks (Nov 3, 2019)

So the reviews are........ All over the fucking place so far.


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## wankerness (Nov 4, 2019)

It sounds like I'd hate it. 80 hour campaign, most of which is spent delivering packages and trying to figure out how to go up and down hills without tipping over. Pedestrian Fed Ex simulator 2000. Ugh.

And that's what I read in a glowing review! (Kotaku)


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## Ralyks (Nov 4, 2019)

Gotta be honest, I'm torn between getting my preorder and see what the fuck is this, and canceling it and putting it towards Jedi Fallen Order. I'm going to play this game at some point, it's just do I want to pay 60 bucks for it or wait until its 30 - 40?


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## Leviathus (Nov 4, 2019)




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## MFB (Nov 5, 2019)

You're telling me a game that has Conan O'Brien in it, wearing an otter helmet/suit won't be a 10/10 classic?

I'm shocked, utterly shocked.


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## mongey (Nov 6, 2019)

Def not a game for me. Sounds like a painful ordeal.
But hope it delivers for all those wanna be couriers out there. No pun intended.


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## Ralyks (Nov 8, 2019)

I'm about 20 minutes in... Well, it's visual breathtaking and has a nice soundtrack so far...


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## StevenC (Nov 9, 2019)

3 or 4 hours in, not really sure about how I feel. Sort of has that feel of a lot of indie games where the game play ranges from relaxing busy work to mildly stressing busy work. But then you're doing a stealth bit in a massive valley and you remember how good Kojima is at stealth games. This is the furthest I've made it in a MGS game without killing anybody. And then you're trying to sneak around some ghosts while stopping a baby from crying. Need more time, but so far I haven't wanted to play for very long stretches, but not sure if that's the game's fault.

I will say Kojima needs to stop giving characters multiple names and then using those names as names for other things. It's needlessly confusing and none of them are good puns.


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## Leviathus (Nov 9, 2019)

Got the bike around 4-5 hours in... lost it in the river 10 mins later...


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## lelandbowman3 (Nov 9, 2019)

Waiting to see what the final reviews are before I spend the money. I have 4-5 unfinished games so far and I'm not in a hurry to add more to that collection.


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## Ralyks (Nov 10, 2019)

lelandbowman3 said:


> Waiting to see what the final reviews are before I spend the money. I have 4-5 unfinished games so far and I'm not in a hurry to add more to that collection.



there’s been reviews out for nearly two weeks. And boy, are they all over the place.

I’m still early on but... I do want to keep playing? Let’s see what happens once I’m 5 - 8 hours in I guess.


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## StevenC (Nov 11, 2019)

Starting to enjoy this a lot more. The bike is great, BTs are scary and this is the first game where the social elements actually make sense and feel like they add something.


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## Leviathus (Nov 11, 2019)

Lol, there was a huge growth of piss mushrooms right out front of Conan's place.


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## StevenC (Nov 11, 2019)

Leviathus said:


> Lol, there was a huge growth of piss mushrooms right out front of Conan's place.


That's what the mushrooms are?!?!


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## Leviathus (Nov 12, 2019)

StevenC said:


> That's what the mushrooms are?!?!



Indeed, and you can also pee on the BT's.


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## Ralyks (Nov 15, 2019)

While I'm enjoying the game, good lord episode 2 needs to end. Everyone says the game opens up with episode 3.


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## StevenC (Nov 16, 2019)

How completion isn't are you guys getting with the standard orders? Also, I'm at the start of chapter 2 and haven't gone on the boat yet; is it trivial taking the boat back and do I get to bring vehicles back and forth?

Been really busy lately and haven't been playing as much. Also the risk of running into BTs kind of makes me less likely to do things. Like I've only been to the power station once, because I can't get around those ones. It would be cool if I could throw grenades on the bike.


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## StevenC (Nov 16, 2019)

StevenC said:


> How completion isn't are you guys getting with the standard orders? Also, I'm at the start of chapter 2 and haven't gone on the boat yet; is it trivial taking the boat back and do I get to bring vehicles back and forth?
> 
> Been really busy lately and haven't been playing as much. Also the risk of running into BTs kind of makes me less likely to do things. Like I've only been to the power station once, because I can't get around those ones. It would be cool if I could throw grenades on the bike.


Too late to edit; I'm actually at the start of Chapter 3, and apparently you can get back to the Chapter 2 area easily.


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## Leviathus (Nov 16, 2019)

StevenC said:


> Too late to edit; I'm actually at the start of Chapter 3, and apparently you can get back to the Chapter 2 area easily.



Yeah, you'll get fast travel soon, as well as some new toys that'll help ya with the BTs.


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## Ralyks (Nov 16, 2019)

I still haven't gotten to chapter 3, but I'm still into the game. Although Jedi: Fallen Order may cause a slight delay...


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## StevenC (Nov 18, 2019)

Somehow got 37 Bridge Link levels from doing the


Spoiler



shopping mall


 level. Is that normal?


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## Leviathus (Nov 18, 2019)

StevenC said:


> Somehow got 37 Bridge Link levels from doing the
> 
> 
> Spoiler
> ...



Not a clue of what you're sayin' and i'm 30+ hours in.


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## StevenC (Nov 18, 2019)

Leviathus said:


> Not a clue of what you're sayin' and i'm 30+ hours in.


The craftsman sends you into the BT area to get some things from his old house. When I got back with his stuff I got 37 levels in the Bridge Link category.


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## Leviathus (Nov 18, 2019)

Ohh i think i did that, just don't remember a shopping mall... also drinkin' rn...


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## Ralyks (Nov 24, 2019)

StevenC said:


> The craftsman sends you into the BT area to get some things from his old house. When I got back with his stuff I got 37 levels in the Bridge Link category.



Yup, this happened to me too.

I think I like this game because it's so peaceful, yet so stressful at the same time. I saw someone describe it as "edge of your seat tedium".


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## StevenC (Dec 6, 2019)

Last night I got a truck that has a roof on it, and now my parcels won't get rained on. I do kinda wish I could see inside it, though.


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## Leviathus (Dec 11, 2019)

Once i got to the mountains it was over for me, was just waiting for the story to end so i could stop playing. Very disappointing, i know i'll never play it again.


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## StevenC (Dec 11, 2019)

Leviathus said:


> Once i got to the mountains it was over for me, was just waiting for the story to end so i could stop playing. Very disappointing, i know i'll never play it again.


Don't say that... I just got to South Knot and now they're sending me up the mountains.


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## Leviathus (Dec 11, 2019)

Wait till you get to watch the unskippable credits twice!


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## StevenC (Dec 11, 2019)

Leviathus said:


> Wait till you get to watch the unskippable credits twice!


I feel like this is exactly the kind of thing we shouldn't complain about when knowingly going into Kojima games. It's like going to see an M Night Shyamalan movie expecting it to be straight forward and enjoyable.


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## Leviathus (Dec 11, 2019)

It's expected for sure, and don't let me mess up your experience. For the most part i enjoyed the game but it lost its charm for me about 30 hours in.


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## Ralyks (Dec 11, 2019)

I've decided that Death Stranding is the Fear Innoculum of video games.

Anyway, I'm hoping I'm near the end of chapter 3. I'm still enjoying it, and I'd probably be farther if it weren't for all the stuff I grabbed on Black Friday....


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## Leviathus (Dec 11, 2019)

Sidebar: Tool is like fuckin' when you're drunk... it takes too long and you never get there...


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## Mwoit (Dec 13, 2019)

Finished it, and err, I liked the game but the pacing is terrible and the ending is... hm.


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## Seabeast2000 (Jul 18, 2020)

So I guess this was just released for PC/Steam this week? Is it worth $60?


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## Leviathus (Jul 18, 2020)

Seabeast2000 said:


> So I guess this was just released for PC/Steam this week? Is it worth $60?


I'd wait for it to go on sale, shouldn't be too long i'd imagine.


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## Seabeast2000 (Jul 18, 2020)

Leviathus said:


> I'd wait for it to go on sale, shouldn't be too long i'd imagine.



Thanks, that fits right in with all of my other game purchases


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## mikernaut (Jul 19, 2020)

I liked it and it was quite the emotional journey at times, but yeah it could have been tweaked/edited down. Going into it knowing it's Kojima game ur gonna get some off the wall stuff. Now after finishing The Last of US 2 recently, the game is mindblowing in most departments, except the writing on this one. like literrally punch yourself in the face bad, which is crazy considering they have a solid track record.


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## Ralyks (Jul 19, 2020)

I've been wanting to go back and finish this during lockdown. Then FFVII came... And Persona 5 Royal... Then Last of Us 2... Now Ghost of Tsushima ..


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## Jarmake (Mar 16, 2021)

Got Death Stranding as a bday present and I just finished the main plot. Took me around 67 hours with a bit of sidequests and some additional running around the mountains trying to circle around the timefalls and mules.

It was frustrating at times, but damn it was worth it.


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## SpaceDock (Mar 16, 2021)

An amazing game on PC! I found that the game realizes it’s a game and does some stuff that plays into that. I don’t want to give spoilers, but once I found out that there were several exploits that I could use to defeat the most difficult parts of the game, it was mind blowing.


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## Ralyks (Mar 16, 2021)

It's funny, I've been thinking about this game a lot lately, and I do want to get back to this game at some point. I'm just afraid of how much I need to remember after having been away from it since, well, at least before COVID19 became common vernacular... Anyway, I may wait and see if the rumors of a PS5 upgrade come to fruition.


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## mlp187 (Jun 26, 2021)

Sorry to bump this ancient thread, but I need help understanding the game -
Is the whole game delivering supplies while trying not to alert BTs and MULES?


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## mikernaut (Jun 27, 2021)

Kinda.... Theres some weird/different sequence later on .. flashback scenarios that have some different gameplay, weird boss fights . The 2nd map if you haven't gotten there yet is bigger with more terrain variety and vehicles . also bandit camps that will attack you but you can then raid them and steal their supplies.. so some combat. Not to mention a ton of rebuilding roads if you feel so inclined. The motorcycles are a blast and you can also set up ziplines up in the snowy mountains.


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## StevenC (Jun 27, 2021)

mlp187 said:


> Sorry to bump this ancient thread, but I need help understanding the game -
> Is the whole game delivering supplies while trying not to alert BTs and MULES?


If you have just started playing the game you should know that your only goal at the start should be getting to Port Knot City and leaving the Eastern Region. You can come back and do whatever you haven't done at anytime.

The gameplay loop is basically delivering packages while avoiding monsters, yeah. The gameplay loop sucks in the first area because there are no ways to avoid monsters. The thing I enjoyed most was forging delivery routes to preppers and optimising them. Sneaking through a BT area to set up infrastructure so that I never have to sneak through a BT area again. 

It's mainly a game about walking around chilling out, driving around, and then having your heart rate spike every time the game makes you do something you haven't done before. Also, there are some shooter bits. They're pretty cool set pieces in my opinion, but the shooting isn't the focus of the game so I can't describe anything about these bits as "affirmative".


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## mlp187 (Jun 27, 2021)

@mikernaut 
@StevenC 
Thanks for your input. I haven’t bought the game yet, just doing some research before making the purchase. I’ve watched a lot of game footage and just had a tough time figuring out exactly how I would be spending my time. 
Thanks again!


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## Ralyks (Jun 27, 2021)

Well, they confirmed a PS5 "Directors Cut", so I think I'm just going to wait on that.


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## StevenC (Jun 27, 2021)

mlp187 said:


> @mikernaut
> @StevenC
> Thanks for your input. I haven’t bought the game yet, just doing some research before making the purchase. I’ve watched a lot of game footage and just had a tough time figuring out exactly how I would be spending my time.
> Thanks again!


OK, so it's a lot of walking and driving mainly. But before you do the walking and driving it's a lot of preparing for the journey. Then after you've made the journey a few times it becomes about how efficiently you can walk or drive, and how well you can plan your drops and collections. 

It's got a high score replayability to it, which is fun. And you don't necessarily notice you're repeating missions, because you can just redo them incidentally for extra resources. The first gameplay trailer where they showed the giant ladder is basically it. It's like a platformer if Mario wasn't a plumber but a post apocalyptic mailman who can almost see ghosts. Or like MGSV with postal route design instead of private military services. 

You can fight the ghosts later on. When you realise that can be fun the game changes. They give you anti-BT weapons early on, but you don't get a useful weapon against them until closer to the halfway/two-thirds mark. But you can always pee on them, so do that. 

The human enemies are cool because you have to be careful fighting them. It takes the MGS non lethal weapon philosophy to a different level because of the premise. 

The boss fights and set pieces are all fun. Particularly because you can't run out of ammo, because of the premise. The online element of the game is fantastic IMO and way underappreciated, because of the premise. There are some bits where you can just go nuts and it's great.

Also the whole game is spooky as hell and I've legit had nightmares about it. Also Kojima so a good chunk of the game is cutscenes. It's the only reason to own a PS4 in my opinion. 

If you have any other questions, let me know 


Ralyks said:


> Well, they confirmed a PS5 "Directors Cut", so I think I'm just going to wait on that.


Do that. It looks like there will be more game in it. Even if it's just a couple of warehouses to raid while sneaking around in a box.


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## mlp187 (Jun 28, 2021)

Thanks, spectacular write-up @StevenC. I’m going to grab it.


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## StevenC (Jun 28, 2021)

mlp187 said:


> Thanks, spectacular write-up @StevenC. I’m going to grab it.


Really hope you enjoy it!


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## StevenC (Sep 21, 2021)

The Director's Cut looks like it has some cool stuff in it, but I'm not going to buy a PS5 for one game I already have.


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## Ralyks (Sep 25, 2021)

Anyone play the Directors Cut yet? I downloaded it, but then had to pass out as I'm about to go drive 6 hours.


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