4.5/5 ★ – jimbo_3282's review of Death Stranding.

I went into this game with minimal knowledge despite its release in 2021, thinking that I was in for a exploration and delivery driven game with a small underlying story but I dont think I could have been more wrong. The way that this game sets itself is truely a unqiue experience. You as a player are thrown in almost blind into this supernatural world with minimal knowledge or understanding of what you are witnessing despite your character Sam evidently having some form of understand of the entities that are BT'S and that aspect alone almost urges you to keep playing so that you can gain a clearer understanding of Sam's motives and extreme caution. That story is then unvieled to you piece by piece, with each delivery seeming just as important as the last as you traverse the vast lands around you uncovering mysteries. It isnt often that we see fetch quests being able to fomulate and hold such urgency, let alone carrying the main story through. In other games sometimes the side quests seem like nothing more than just that, a side mission but death stranding doesnt follow this pattern. Each delivery rewards you with of course new gear at your disposal but also a great perspective of the lesser important characters, the people who arent fully in the loop but are still living through the crisis that is the death stranding and how they are surviving or keeping themselves entertained. Each vendor you unlock has a unqiue personality that comes to life more and more as you return their packages. Following this, the gameplay is truely encapsulating not often do you see combat being disencourgaged. Despite the option for combat being there, often you will find it safer to try and minimalise your engagment as to not risk your cargo. The encorporation of the online structures and markers makes for such a lively world despite there being zero roaming NPC'S (despite the mules in their camps). You can be in a tough spot and praying for saftey and boom you find a safe house built by another player almost as a saving grace or your bike may be on it's last battery then suddenly theres an arrow pointing up a hill directly leading you to a charger. Despite the game being single player, you cant help but feel as if you have teammates supporting you on your adventures. I also love that the gameplay doesnt take itself serious all of the time. Some moments you will enter heart pounding encounters with large scale BTs or fending off mules trying to steal your cargo but then the next moment you find yourself full speeding off a ramp build on a mountain side and doing tricks through the air or unlocking inflatable otter customisation for your suit. The game is described as a genre defying experience and i dont think any words could explain it better. I cannot recommened this game more to anyone who loves a vast open world, a strong story with plenty of big twist, fun vehicle mechanics or a simple but highly effective combat system.