Death Stranding: Director's Cut Review (Snovalla)
Death Stranding is Hideo Kojima's love letter to the people, places, and things that have influenced him over the years. In order to truly understand and enjoy Death Stranding past the "walking simulator" aspect, it is important to acknowledge the years Kojima spent having his creative ambition stifled. It is no secret that historically, his projects did not come to fruition due to influences outside of his own control. His vision(s) were not captured the way he had wanted/intended.
The game itself is pretty straight-forward in terms of: you accept a mission, you walk/climb/drive to its intended destination, and you make connections along the way. This is a very basic run-down of the game and at face value, I can see why people may not have enjoyed the game or do not intend to ever purchase it.
Anyhow, back to my first point - the game drives home the themes of human interconnectedness (the lack of and re-establishment of such) and the understanding of what is “known” and what remains “unknown”. Sure, there are many different themes within the story but I believe these two can encapsulate the core of what DS is about. Death Stranding is a continuous journey of re-learning how to connect with others after a period of isolation, how to allow yourself to see and be seen. It is understanding that no matter how much time has passed, there will be fundamental concepts and phenomena that will transcend the tests of time and trauma. Without being able to directly communicate, we have a joint understanding of what we “know” and what we deem as “unknown” despite finding out we knew about this time and time again. The course of history repeats itself, information is diluted, but somehow we find out again, and again, and again sometimes without ever speaking to anyone else (especially in the DS universe). We are all connected somehow - you are never truly alone.
Further to this - the world and life of porters is always described as lonely and rather difficult. Porters are not adequately rewarded for the high-risk job they perform in the DS universe. The player-character, Sam, may sometimes have to traverse long distances by foot carrying heavy cargo. However, despite risking his life doing so, the game constantly reminds you to not only: keep pushing on but you also need to rest when you are pushed to the limit. The game not only rewards you when you push yourself, it also rewards you when you priortise rest. The self needs to heal and rest to help the cohort.
Overall - DS is worth picking up. It offers a unique player experience - meaning, not everyone will enjoy the game the same way. Some may not even enjoy it at all. You will discover your own meaning.