Death Stranding in the Test
What do you get when you a, of Konami and, consequently, also Metal Gear Solid, liberated Hideo Kojima a lot of money in the Hand and pushes him in the realization of the new project completely free Hand? That is the question the industry since the first trailers to Death Stranding. Now the Game has finally been released, but a satisfactory answer to this question is also find it difficult even now to.
There will be rain
The life of a Porter is not easy. So call in the world of Death Stranding people who made it their business to have a variety of items, materials and Goods, made to order in the remotest corners of the country to transport. This is for several reasons worse than it may sound at first. The fact that the country since an apocalyptic event years ago has changed significantly would be there. The so-called time there would be a case that looks like ordinary rain, but everything he touches in a matter of seconds to years aging. Even a few seconds of unprotected in a downpour can be fatal.
The second and even bigger Problem is the so-called BTs, in the rain, coming, are, Ghost-like Figures, hunting people who venture into their vicinity. Anyone of them is caught, the consequences are disastrous. Not only loses the one, inevitably, his life, the meeting between the living people and BT, is also causing a so-called Voidout, an explosive release of immense energy, that everything in a considerable Radius, swallowed, and a crater behind. Due to all these circumstances, is so remote as pretty much every corner of the country, because the Survivors have retreated underground, walled cities and bunkers back, leaving them only in the highest Distress.
As a player you take the role of the Porter’s Sam, who wants to bring at the beginning is actually nothing more than people to what you want. Soon, however, a far greater task is given to him: The miserable remnants of the government, persuaded him, a literally to unite major role in your Plan, the Land and its inhabitants, to take. He should start a delivery Tour across the whole country and all the Autonomous settlements into a kind of Central network, to be able to finally get back to something like a functioning society.
Neatly pack and nothing to forget
Basically, you can Death Stranding probably best described as Open-World Stealth Game to call. The largest part of the time one spends in the harsh landscape, and trying under the most adverse circumstances, his packages once more to deliver to targets less difficult to reach. Thereby, not only the above-mentioned rain, and BTs hard to make life, even the Terrain itself is often for the opponent. There’s rivers to cross, to climb the cliffs and overcome ravines. In addition, there are the so-called MULEs, the pirates of this world, whose favorite occupation it is to steal sorrow-stricken Porters your cargo.
Before you can continue, however, to deal with all these inconveniences, it is necessary to plan first, his journey conscientiously. Depending on the job, you should consider various things before you go. It is, for example, in rough terrain, you should ladders or On or Down to bring. The road is particularly wide? Then it can not in damage, a second Pair of shoes, because the use of the time. Are the MULE or BT to pass through? If so, you should be in the various Gadgets that are made in the course of action, in order to resist these enemies. And did I mention that the rain also destroyed the cargo, slowly but steadily? So be quick and get a package-repair-Spray pack.
Also, the cargo itself has its pitfalls. The packages come in different sizes and vary in difficulty. For this reason, you should think well, how to pack his backpack. On the one hand, Sam is clumsier, the more he has to carry, on the other hand, it is also becoming increasingly difficult to keep the Balance, his center of gravity far above. Who puts up with oversized packages, you will quickly have an unpleasant lesson to learn: the Fall of Sam, not only he, but also his Luggage damage. To prevent this, use the shoulder buttons, once you lose the balance. If you tilt it to the right, with the left unchecked. You hold both at the same time, attacks Sam, his backpack straps with both hands and is so stable and hardly can fall, is progressing but at a much slower rate. In addition, the Wading through the water, strong gradients or Wind at Sam’s draw bar of Stamina. The should be empty, falls, he inevitably.
Furthermore, the nature of the contract plays a role not to be underestimated. Thus, for example, fragile cargo, which is already at the smallest slip-up will be unusable, or very heavy or large shipments that cannot be transported under circumstances at once. Other goods, in turn, is perishable, must be so dimensioned, in a certain, sometimes quite short, period of time to be delivered. Fortunately, it unlocks with the Expansion of the network in the course of the game, many Upgrades and new Tools that facilitate the work for you. In addition to the already mentioned ladders and climbing AIDS, it is later on a kind of robotic pants that is more stable and can bear a floating sled that follows a and, in addition, pick up your bags, or even vehicles.
What you do not do anything for a few Likes
Whom now the Gameplay principle of Death, Stranding , and its funny Story Setup is not yet extraordinary enough, is about the innovative Multiplayer integration features. Because even if you will encounter over the entire playing time of around 40 hours, never to another player, so you can leave your traces. A ladder allows you to cross a gorge, it can be re-used and taken removed. You let them be, you will find other players in the same place again and you can use also or even take away, should you need them elsewhere. For lost or left packages, the same applies. Other players will be able to deliver them, and either by themselves, or in settlements or stations package for further shipment to deliver.
These stations can be from each player somewhere in the area positioned and are then available for everyone. Bridges, loading stations, a kind of field camp, or roads may also be expanded built. Here are the required materials you do not need to apply absolutely even. So you can place a player on the Basis of a bridge and the other comes over and happens to have the right raw materials it has to provide this. Are all expenses paid “” is completed, the bridge automatically. You help each other to occur without ever coming in direct contact. Thank you, for example, for a smart-covered head, you can see one with Likes, similar to Facebook, and the like.
These Likes are also the counterpart of the game in the conventional experience, because the Customer to rate our delivery of it. After each Mission is charged: The Likes will be divided into five areas, which are independently high-levels and Sam new opportunities or improved values bring. The Mechanics behind these statements is unfortunately a bit opaque, which makes it difficult to target specific areas to upgrade, but this might be a conscious Design decision.
50 Shades of Grey
If you Trailer and Gameplay Videos flying over, one is inclined to Death, Stranding colorless to blame, but so would the optical Design does not meet. Buildings and other manmade structures also come in a variety of shades of grey, therefore, the ravaged landscape of the former United States, and is only crossed right through the rarely of a pale Green. Colors are used here specifically to either Gameplay-relevant things to highlight, or are part of the Subtexts of the Story. The latter can probably be said about the lack of colors in the Rest of the game. Together with the straightforward, almost clinical Design of buildings and equipment, the entire look provides the immense desolation of this seemingly dying world.
To contribute to the dense, but kind of nightmarish atmosphere, the actors of the various main and supporting characters, all, of course, Norman Reedus as Sam. In addition, there are, for example, Mads Mikkelsen, Léa Seydoux, or Lindsay Wagner to see. To see familiar faces in this strange, strange environment and in part totally crazy costumes, the whole is again a little surreal. The self-confessed film fool Kojima has also housed a few of his directing idols in roles known only to the initiated again. So about Guillermo del Toro and Nicolas Winding Refn. Fortunately, has managed the implementation of excellent. They all look incredibly real, facial Expressions and Gestures keep it realistic and believable.
All the succeeded in the whole presentation is terrific. So straightforward, the futuristic Design and the desolate landscapes may be, as the detail is verleibtheit but on every corner to feel. And technically, the Game can convince more than just. The frame Rates remain largely stable, even if the world sinks in black sauce, out of the countless monsters as they rise. Bugs me during the entire running time, and not met and also the loading times keep (after a single, longer loading pause when you restart) pleasant in limits.
Special mention should find the synchronization and the Soundtrack. The former is managed both in the Original English as well as English is excellent, and it is notable that the above-mentioned Directors don’t like their actor colleagues, their Parts and is self-talk. The Musical background comes from, in addition to a very good but rather restrained Score mostly 2 small Icelandic Indie Bands, to assist with their spherical sounds already mentioned, the atmosphere still further.
What is it now?
Well, what actually? On the one hand, to Death Stranding as a highly idiosyncratic Stealth Game with combat mechanics call, including a tiny breath of strategic planning and an obvious focus on Storytelling. Because even if his latest work is not a lot to do with the Metal Gear series has in common, his taste for cinematic presented, and more from only dissipated between sequences has Kojima not stored. So you have to expect after the completion of a Story Mission in order to be able for 20-30 minutes the Controller out of Hand. Before the credits roll, you should make far longer, nothing.
The game is also a work of art. Kojima manages to pack an audio-visual experience into an interactive experience, without these two concepts stand in the way of another, but compliment. The totally crazy Story of its stylish packaging under the confused surface, especially with the complex nature of the human being. The long, partially event-free hikes invite you to reflect on the events of the plot and acting, not least through the help of the fabulous spherical music, almost meditative. Thus, the Visionary, the for many years, eagerly sought the Holy Grail of the video game industry, the interactive Film, closer than any desperate attempt that has ever existed.
CONCLUSION
Death Stranding is like art-house cinema, with all the advantages and disadvantages. His Gameplay is reduced, will make the Game certainly only a very specific audience delight. Even if mechanically everything is working top notch, the actual course of the game but little variety, and dispersion, in order to offer what one imagines under “entertainment Software” maybe. Who but on the total work involved is capable of, you will quickly find that Death Stranding far more than the sum of its parts. Story, Design, music and Yes, even the sometimes deliberately monotonous Gameplay to pull in the same direction and don’t want to be just a game, but an experience. And Hideo Kojima succeeds without question full-length. Thus, there remains a certainty, the opinions skiving (as well as art-house cinema), the video game of a very special kind, about the safety and long will be discussed.
What Death Stranding is? Open World Stealth Game in an extraordinary post-apocalyptic Setting.Platforms: PS4
Tested: PS4 Pro
Developer / Publisher: Kojima Productions / Sony
Release: 08. November 2019
Link: Official Website
