Hi, random reddit user here. I bought the game today and played for around 2 hours and wanted to share my overall thoughts on my very limited experience. I think I'll go into my journey overall in that time as it helps paint my mindset a little better.
First off let me just say that I have steered away from most discussions and gameplay of the game aside from reviews and its been mixed to say the least, I know that much. I know the bigger complaint of the game is the tediousness of walking around and with the walking mechanic the way it is I was actually buying it based on that. Call me weird but I like those level of details in games, like Red Dead 2 and Kingdom Come Deliverance where these games take their time to portray actions in a realistic way.
Secondly, I said I played for two hours but really I played for one hour since most of my time was listening and, while I don't really hate cutscenes in video games, this one really started to get under my skin. Didn't help that most of the time I didn't know what the hell anyone was talking about. They were speaking English but I felt like I walked into a random episode of Game of Thrones but in German.
Oh they try to explain these things in a bit of clumsy writing but they try. Still confused overall but hey, I just need to pay attention more... and make notes. Can't help but laugh everytime Diehardman comes on screen and says in a 100% serious tone "This is Diehardman"
Right, onto the gameplay. So, yeah, it's mostly walking right now and its not fast walking unless you sprint of course. You're slow as you stumble along the world and it's not made easier by the terrain and while this is the biggest complaint of the game, this is where I found the most enjoyment. That and looking at Norman Reedus's crotch and getting hit in the face but that's because I have previous experience in that area.
It would honestly be boring if you were just walking around but a lot of thought went into the walking in this game so it's not just holding the control stick forward but an actual mechanic. You take into account the weight of your deliveries, the terrain and adjust technique based on those. You can change the location of items to shift your weight where I had the most fun. Reminded me a little of Resident Evil 4 when you had to sort items in your case so it made sense. Guns on the left, Grenades on the right and herbs on the bottom. You pick up and flip and turn items to get them to fit better until you grab an egg that only takes up one space that throws everything off! It's that level is what I'm saying.
So yeah, start off picking up fallen packages from your bike and talk to spikey lady then continue on. Next take your dead mother up a mountain because no one in this world has any sense of compassion it seems. Imagine if your wife died and someone said "listen, i got a bad hangover. Can you drive the Hurst to the crematory?" So you do that and the world finally opens up for seemingly the first time. First task is to connect the establishments together and on my way to do so I found plenty of lost cargo along the way.
Now, I'm not a very sentimental guy but seeing all these poor packages dropped by these struggling players lit a spark in me. These players are trying their hardest out here in this unforgiving world to do the same job as me right now and dammit, they deserve to have their cargo delivered! I picked them up, one after another! As the pile grew high so did my resolution as each one represented the needs of others being carried on my limited back! I placed ladders, climbed down rocky mountains placing ropes, climbed up the steep hill to the disconnected settlement and realized I went to the wrong place...
Yeah, gotta deliver them to the right one which is the one I came from... the one with the rivers, steep hills, rocky mountain between me and there...
FUCK IT! I MADE IT THIS FAR DAMMIT AND I WASN'T ABOUT TO QUIT NOW! With more ladders on my back, and a little less weight I made my way back! I thought I would lose everything each time but I continued on. Each cargo I passed that I had to leave behind broke my heart. I'm sorry other player! Your hero is in another game. ;-;
But that just added more determination. I can't fail now. I can't imagine how those other players felt knowing they had to leave those behind. Someone trusted them with their delivery but it was too much! But I'll make these deliveries for sure. The journey was long and bumpy but I finally made it! I made my way to the terminal to turn everything in and realized I had no clue how to personally turn stuff in, only entrust it to another player... NO MATTER!
I made it, dammit. I made it. I shut the game down and thought back on everything and felt a sense of accomplishment after.
The game feels more impactfull today with the events going on in the world, not gonna lie. With a nation being divided because of a very serious deadly pandemic and people wanting hope and losing it continuing on as best they can to try and survive. But this game practices social distancing with brotherhood. I don't know who you are Devils-Ping-Pong or bunnygirl_786 but your work was not in vain. I'm sorry you lost your stuff but know that someone picked it up for you and made the delivery. I know it can't wash away the negative feelings you must've felt when it happened but they were a reminder to someone that every rock, river, bad weather was a small inconvenience to someone determined to see your work done. We may never meet but I felt your pain and struggle and we all have that sometimes. No matter what our religion may be, our beliefs we are all apart of this world. Our struggles don't have to be all our own as there is always a back with a pack to share the load with. Hang in there my friends, we go this for you. <3
So yeah, that was my thoughts on Death Stranding. It's amazing how alone you can feel in the game but be reminded that you're not alone. I get where the negatived criticisms come from for sure but I found this game entirely special. But what do I know, I'm only two hours in. :)
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