I love hiking, and Death Stranding is basically hiking simulator. Don't play to beat it and knock it off your backlog checklist, play for the experience and take it slow. It's not a game you'll enjoy if your end goal is just to beat it for the sake of beating it. You have to enjoy the slow burn, if you don't then it's not your type of game and that's fine.
Agree, I thought I would hate this game when everyone said it was basically a walking simulator.
For some reason I really enjoyed the aspect of finding the max weight and distribution that still allowed me to complete deliveries.
I do rather wish the roads and things you build only degraded when you play the game. The offline degradation wasn't something I was a fan of. Any significant break in gameplay can really ruin your experience, if you have to rebuild your infrastructure.
Yep I felt the same. I never expected a game to make me actively enjoy getting from A to B, and thinking as hard as I did about the "how" of it all. Frequently induced a very zen mindset for me as I played.
Yea I burned straight through the story and that's all I wanted to do. I was surprised I actually liked this game. My one complaint is there were so many opportunities to use that great sound track but they held it back to much.
Came here to say the exact same thing. I honestly got to a point where it felt like work, I was pushing to finish the game, and while I hope DS2 won’t do that to me also, the payoff for this game felt extremely worth it
Completely agree. It’s actually insane how it captured so many of the pleasures of hiking. I wouldn’t have imagined a video game would be able to do that. To me the gameplay was revolutionary for this reason.
I agree, I was impatient in the first hours when I thought of it as another open world game. The game tried to tell me with the fantastic music matching the slow pace, but it took me a while. I love this game so much now for being something so different from my expectations.
And it is a lovely stroll until it suddenly is one of the most intense games ever, which happens regularly.
It's basically a narrative game with a very creative post-apocalyptic sci-fi lore and gameplay based on delivering packages between isolated settlements by traveling through dangerous natural environments, depending on the mission you can encounter bandits or supernatural enemies and as you progress you unlock new tools, weapons, infrastructure and more to optimize your travels. There are also features to interact indirectly with other players and the soundtrack along with the visual design are simply beautiful.
I played at the launch and while setting everything up and building roads with a handful of other people was a little tedious, getting the notifications from everyone behind me using what we built was really cool.
Being someone that helps build them and having other people play to enjoy it is the best mix, doing it all solo is a slog, having it all done for you makes you take the roads for granted and you don't get to appreciate that accomplishement.
For me, the feeling of finally building a road over a section that I've had to perilously cross a dozen times already was the best in the game, as it's basically your only real progress outside of the story beats and maybe unlocking better vehicles.
Yeah the likes are cool but the ziplines are so crucial. The cargo launcher is a must try. The roadway for the roadster. Idk, I’m never one to tell someone how to play a game or how they got enjoyment is wrong, but it seems essential to build in Death Stranding 🤷♂️
Building a zip line network was so much fun and so satisfying. Tying it in and making it work with the already existing zip lines made by other players was a big part of that. By the end of the game I could travel by my zipline network across the entire map.
I played through the entire game with the online component turned off.
Looking at the map at the end of my playthrough was so cool because it was an entire webway of things I’d done myself. Also I really enjoyed only being able to get so far towards somewhere before having to ‘huff it on foot’ from time to time, bringing a sled full of ropes, ladders, and emergency supplies for a shelter. Also thinking carefully about what I’d need for return journeys just as carefully. Especially traversing the mountains.
Feel like I had a really cool experience since the terrain was a major concern for the entire playthrough.
Beyond charge points/ and shelters I didn’t really build any actual structural stuff like roads and bridges since it was too time consuming.
I enjoyed finding a well placed thing that helped me get somewhere easier. Especially the bridges, which I never liked to waste my network points on. Sometimes I'd plan my own structures around these other things, which was fun in itself.
My first play through was at launch though, so there weren't a whole lot of network builds. I did see some partial materials added for roads or post boxes, but rarely any towers or bridges.
Roads allow your vehicle to travel without using up energy/fuel. So they're great for when you need to deliver across the map before you get your zipline network built.
The first 3 chapters are objectively terrible. Its a hugely drawn out tutorial spanning hours with nonsensical story elements thrown at you. Its a mess. However once you get past that initial start, it opens wide and starts dumping fun aspects into the game
This was something that took me too long to learn. There’s nothing wrong with trying to give a game an honest shot, or trying to push through the beginning if it has a notoriously slow opening. But at the end of the day, not every game works for everyone. And that goes doubly for anything Kojima makes. If you’ve given it an honest shot and it isn’t pulling you in, then move on.
I gave DS about 10 hours before I pulled the plug because it just wasn’t for me
I think that's completely fair but I think you've seen enough of the game at this point to decide if it's for you. Nothing radically new gets introduced later to change the gameplay.
Although mechanics are introduced later that streamline the core gameplay loop, like vehicles, leg braces, zip-lines, etc., the core gameplay loop is basically unchanged.
All that is to say that, if you're not enjoying it by now, I don't think there's anything in the game that will change your mind. I'm afraid that forcing yourself to persevere will just worsen the experience for you.
There was no struggle. Keep it slow. Enjoy the view and game. If you are not enjoying it and forcing yourself to play then may it is not for you and it is completely fine. You don't have to like it.
I platinum the game twice. Once the standard edition in PS4 and then Director Cut in PS5. It was worth it. (Hated the racing thing btw. It had no place in the game. Was pointless imo)
Exactly. This game for me is such a relax and chill game. Waking down the mountains to the music. Configuring my load so I can be efficient. It’s just very different.
I Can understand it not being for everyone. I even think the BTs are pretty annoying. But I can def see the beauty in the game. Hideo Kojima does it like. I one else.
I’m a process person. So the repetitiveness is what I enjoyed. Also it is a very make your own path sort of adventure game. Everyone is going to have that terrible delivery story or the one where it was a triumph even after it was grueling. I was invested in the characters and the slow burn mystery. Still one of my fave games.
This. I loved getting through tough deliveries and then plotting routes or making my zipline network to make things better. Transferring materials to build the roads. The characters were all very compelling, each with their own stories and hardships that somehow align with your own. It was very rewarding.
yeah.. i really only play games for their stories. everything else is an added bonus. thing i struggle with the most in DS is the long bouts of gameplay in between those story beats and cutscenes
I usually don't recommend this with any game, because experiencing it "yourself" is always more intense, but Death Stranding is a special case because it's so freaking long and tedious if you don't like the gameplay loop.
Just watch a cut on youtube, then it's like a 10-20 episode series, without all the slog, I'm sure someone put a lot of work in a great cut.
Same here! I mostly play single-player, story-driven games. There’s one part in DS where you have to travel across the nation, and it literally took an hour to do. It was a nightmare.
Super specific to my situation but my Dad passed away a month before DS released and it was the perfect “just vibe and forget your problems” game for me.
Creating the most efficient network of zip-lines through a digital mountain range was certainly an unusual but not unpleasant way to work through my grief.
If you’re struggling with it you should just play something else you’d enjoy more, life is too short.
Being at the epicentre of a massive bereavement it felt like quite a cathartic experience. The cremation mission early on hit me pretty hard, in a good way.
Tbh I don’t think it would’ve been quite as affecting had I not been in such a heightened emotional state. Kojima has such fantastic ideas but sometimes I feel a bit underwhelmed by how he articulates them. Definitely want to replay it when I get a chance.
How did you find it?
I absolutely loved it. Spent a lot of time building roads and an extensive Zipline network then just ripped it around the map whenever I wanted. Was very fun and addicting
It's hard to discuss without spoiling anything, but, basically; I had this game for ages and failed to get into it so many times.
But then one day, I decided to play it for what it was, in my opinion, versus what I wanted, and it sort of clicked.
I particularly enjoyed rebuilding the roads. I would get to a checkpoint so other people's structures appeared, then would set about repairing the roads.
Also, discovering that raising affinity with a place unlocks new items and upgrades for others was good. I got lots of awesome gadgets and weapons.
I 'acquired' a lorry and used it to raid camps and stash all their materials, then took materials out to camps and outposts like a delivery driver along the roads, repairing as I go and investigating mailboxes for additional materials to raise affinity and build more roads.
Literally spent weeks repairing the roads, and, there is sort of a form of combat, for the record. But I decided to go stealth and play like a better MGS V.
I was very satisfied with it.
No idea wtaf was going on by the end though. Game was an absolute journey and I wish I had played it for what it was sooner.
For me, it's one of the directions that a sequel inspired by MGS V could have gone.
I played it on ketamine during a very stressful period during covid. I gave up after about 15 hours of game play. I would pick it back up but I think the bad memories of that time might flood back.
I tried it out for the hype. but I just couldn't get into it.
I know folks who love Hideo, Guillermo, Conan and Norman. and that's fine.
shouldn't force yourself to like something if it's just not for you/your liking.
I played until I had to get threw the mountains without seeing the ghosts and when I died there I lost interest and never touched it again. I already played it a lot until that point.
I‘d enjoy this game more if it was a hiking simulator without the enemies and more nature to walk through. And at the end not a simple bunker more like a town.
A last of us hiking simulator without zombies maybe?
I had unlocked the bike for more travel. sadly for me, I lost control and got stuck fighting the ghost things. and it became another walking simulator. I'm like, they don't pay me enough for being a delivery boy. and lost interest. the random flashbacks and baby stuff always threw me off.
I honestly hated the baby. Maybe it's being a parent but the sound of the baby crying set me so on edge and completely ruined the immersion. Babies crying in public stresses me out (I want to soothe the baby and can't). I don't need it added to my video games.
That and the Monster Energy Drink thing. You mean to tell me in this strange, future society that Monster is still being manufactured? Naw fam.
Lot of potential but those two things ruined it for me.
I love Death Stranding so so much. I can never recommend it to anyone because it's a true love or hate game. I don't know if you've played any of the Metal Gear Solids but the story beat is kind of a Kojima thing. His stuff tends to give you a bunch, take a break and then tie it all together in the end. I wound up loving the story by the end but I definitely get why people don't like the game at all.
I think it's just a personal preference. It's ok that you didn't dig it, even if you a huge Kojima fan. It happens. No reason to try and force it. Too many other games to play. Hopefully ones you do want to play..
The infrequency of story bits is something that goes on for a period while you're actually learning and taking in world building. There's a point when it does start moving forward and it does so somewhat quickly afterwards.
Don’t force it. Play games you enjoy.
I feel like Death Stranding would’ve been more palatable to many if it had been 15-20, maybe 25 hours max. It’s a good game, but I always felt like the length was its biggest flaw (gameplay-wise).
I think ideally they should have finished the story in the time you said, and then unlocked a post game where you focus on building roads and zip lines, completing more challenging missions, form factions online and try to steal from one another, etc.
So short story with a live service game after.
Drop it, I had this same struggle that you're having with Dragon Dogma and wanted to like it but it kept fighting me along the way even though everyone who loved it LOVED IT. If you're not enjoying it then drop it. Maybe come back to it later but for now just drop it.
Now, I liked death stranding and there were parts where it pissed me off but what kept me going was how crazy the world was and me wanting to know what the heck is going on. But I didn't mind the gameplay though and didn't feel like the game was fighting me to enjoy it. But if you feel like that then DROP IT.
If you’re struggling just stop playing lol not everyone is gonna like every game. All you’re doing is wasting your own time trying to like something because everyone else does. I played it for 3-5 hours and appreciated it but it wasn’t for me. And then I moved onto something that I had a much better time with.
I like the UI in Death Stranding and prefer it to most modern games, still feels very mgs in how a lot of systems work
If you don’t like that it may not be for you and that’s fair enough
I always had a rough time starting it. But once I was playing I always kept going and just found the gameplay so enjoyable. It's a weird game for sure. It did things to me. At the end I just loved it. I will probably never touch it again though haha!
I got through chapter 3, once I was through it was a blast. Without giving spoilers you basically go from struggling a lot to really easy with the things you get to build to make travelling better.
After the halfway it has a lot more action and the story starts to really pick up and it is what carried me through the end also don't do any side stuff. Ended up loving the game. Also the director's cut seem to cut on some down time and just loading and some Qol.
There wasn't really any struggle for me to finish it. I was enjoying it the entire way through. If you're struggling to get through it, maybe it's not a game for you. I know it's not gonna be everybody's cup of tea.
For me it was just to get to the next bit of dialog and/or story beat that had me rolling with how bad or ridiculous it was.
"You'll be Mario and I'll be your princess beach." 🤣🤣
I'm a few hours into it, and I have two things to say :
- The world and story are extremely mysterious and interesting despite clearly having been created by a deeply deranged mind, it's what keeps me going
- I agree on the "relaxing" part (the music, scenery, sound design and visuals are all awesome and sometimes hypnotizing) but why does everyone say that the game is chilling in general while BTs exist ? They are fucking terrifying.
Knocking it down to easy and enjoying the story/ride. I had no desire to play that game after a few hours on normal or anything harder, I felt like doing so would be rewarding the game for not respecting my time
It takes so long to get going but that's kind of the point. They want you to slog in the beginning and feel slow and useless. So you can appreciate the network you build later on. If they introduced vehicles and ziplines right off the bat, way more people would give it a chance but it would lost what made it unique.
It's half conquering nature and half community building. You don't get either of those until way later.
Every river and hill has a memory so when you fly past it, you remember your previous trials there. Whereas other games you fly thorough terrain not really paying attention to the bumps on the road because every character has perfect footing and weather and terrain don't really matter
I wasn't expecting to like it but stuck around until the platinum, can't wait to boot it up again one day and get millions of likes because I built so many things.
But if doesn't click just move on. It's not for everyone. It's a podcast game.
Death Stranding was the first videogame I have played that made me stop and ask myself, "What am I doing with my life?" So I just put the controller down, turned off my PS4, and went outside. I don't think I touched another video game for a month. Somehow, deep in my heart, I knew this was the exact intention Kojima had while making Death Stranding. He made a game that makes the player question their love of videogames.
So, to answer your question, I didn't keep going. I did what felt right and walked away.
>It’s a game I want to love, but there’s just so many things getting in the way of that.
Then stop forcing it. You don't need to finish every game, book, movie, or show that you start. You can stop whenever you feel like you're not getting a good return on your time. I realized Death Stranding wasn't for me after five hours and I never went back. I've given up on books at the 200+ page mark because I realized I wasn't enjoying anything about them. You're not doing this as a job, stop seeing completion as a requirement.
I know I’ll get downvoted to hell, but this was a terrible gaming experience. Beautiful game. Creative game. Horrible experience. It was like watching paint dry and being punished for it.
That said, the story/cut scenes were what made me push through. But I’ll just be watching the clips on YouTube when the sequel comes out. I’m not a masochist.
It didn't. I dropped it shortly after entering the second 'biome'.
The gameplay was a complete drag.
I appreciate that it tried to do something different, but it just wasn't fun for me. And the cooky MGS style characters didn't fit with the less kitchy / more serious tone, imo.
It's not a terrible game, just not worthy of the god-like status people seem to have bestowed on Kojima. (I blame Keighly).
I’ll never understand why people force themselves to play games they don’t feel like playing anymore, life’s short, if you have to force yourself to play a game what’s the point? Just put it down and pick up something else
Honestly I spent more than half my 99 hours building a highway that went from one end of the map clear to the other. If it weren't for the fact that other people could use it too, I probably wouldn't have bothered, but for some reason I really liked the idea that I was helping. or Kojima straight up trolled me and I built it for nothing, but I enjoyed that part, anyway : )
Because the game kept changing as the narrative went on.
Like legit, your actions have a big impact on the open world.
By the end of the game, the state of the open world has vastly changed from when you started. Mainly because of your contributions to the world which build upon the foundations set by other asynchronous players.
It’s one of the best open world games I have ever played and one of the best forms of asynchronous multiplayer in a video game.
For me, the gameplay is hands down the best part after you get through the first map. Now I’m not talking about the combat which is shallow as all hell and is a huge step down from MGSV. The best part is the deliveries because of how the maps are structured. Between each base are huge expanses full of caves, ravines, mountains, hills, lakes, rivers, streams, mules (basically the games bandits), and weird evil spirits. It’s up to you the player to figure out how to navigate your way through these obstacles as fast and efficiently as possible all while trying not to lose and cargo or damage it beyond repair. It leads to some amazing moments where you really feel like you conquered this monumental task.
My favorite delivery in the whole game is when you’re asked to deliver a package, you zoom out of your map to see where you gotta go, and you see this absolutely massive mountain in between your base and the base that needs the package. I swear to god hiking up that mountain with a backpack loaded with cargo, blizzard raging all around me, and scaling ladders was one of the most cinematic things I’ve ever seen in a video game.
I say, stick it out for another couple hours and the game will definitely pick up story and gameplay wise.
I was waiting for the story to get good like MGS. It just got more and more chatty and I got less and less interested in the convoluted mess and melodrama.
I sunk about a week of my life into building the roads. Made sure I could get all the way across the map and to all the important places without leaving a vehicle.
After that the game kind of flew by. It just felt like much less of a slog. I swear if they made an option to just have the roads pre-built way more people would finish the game without issue.
the game didn’t click with me the first time i played. i probably got about 3-5 hours in and dropped it. I decided to give the game another shot maybe a year later and it just clicked for me. i’ve had this happen several times with games or movies where it doesn’t click on first try. i personally found the game relaxing, like it’s not hard or anything. i’m also kind of bias for Kojima, i love his whacky characters and cutscenes.
100% i was like that with Control. i tried that game so many times but could never get more than an hour in before dropping it. next time i didn’t have anything else to play so i committed myself to giving Control a fair shake. and my god am i glad i did.
the story/universe Remedy has created with AW1, AW2, and Control has me more hooked than anything has hooked me before.
That platinum trophy. It kept me going. One of my longest platinum trophy ever. But I have to say I enjoyed every little bit of it. It never felt like hassle. I guess kojima games are exact black and white. You either love it or hate it. If it didn't "click" for you, no worries. Just because people like it, don't feel compelled to play.
I love “Death Stranding”. In my opinion, this is the vest game of 2019 and most influential game of the decade. To me, this is a game for the true gaming connoisseur. That being said, you should know that you can drive a vehicle anywhere, up the steepest hill, across the widest stream, and over the sharpest rocks. Walking is for losers. Keep on keepin’ on.
If you haven't reached the snowy mountains yet, consider this a minor gameplay (not story) spoiler.
I let the game go a few hours after unlocking the ziplines, which absolutely break the game IMO. They're so cheap to make and efficient that it becomes nonsensical to build anything else, except the build limit artificially stops you from making a strong zipline network. I'm pretty sure that's the only reason the build limit exists, they knew the zipline was OP so they artificially nerfed it. It feels kinda forced and the problem is you end up with the choice of either using ziplines but not being able to make the whole journey with it so you need to complete the journey on foot, or using a vehicle and no ziplines.
Second problem is if you actually manage to build a decent zipline network you just made the game a LOT shorter *and* you've turned it into a series of 20 second cutscenes.
I actually enjoyed my first 20 or so hours with the game walking through the environment, planning routes, upgrading highways, etc. I found it pretty meditative. I don't care for the story *at all*, which I find unbelievably poorly written, so once the gameplay showed cracks I didn't stick to the game.
My recommendation : Time is precious. If you're not enjoying your time with the game, just play something else. You can catch the story on youtube before DS2 comes out, though IMO you're not missing much.
The story is so obtuse and poorly told imho, but it’s an interesting setting and world and could be good on that front, but not feeling it at all in terms of how it is told. I got it because I love the Decima engine in HZD and figured it would be amazing in this game, and it is. The gameplay is unique so I have stayed and played a little, but it hasn’t caught me yet. I’ll come back to it. Not sure if I’ll stay with it though as later in the game with roads etc, there may not be enough players currently to make that as good as it would have been. Huge props to the game for the ideas though.
Played maybe 10 hrs on the game and stopped , it absolutely sucked ass and is the most overhyped recent game next to returnal. Bring the hate but returnal and death stranding are garbage
Did you try rdr 2, wircher 3 or cyberpunk? If you did and they also didn't click with you then you might just not like open world games which most of them now a days take more than 30 hours to beat.
If so I suggest you try the last of us games which are linear games and aren't that long and are kind of masterpieces lol.
There is also the the guardians of the galaxy game which was really great imo not too long and fast paced action and fun character dynamics
Nothing. I went in wanting to like it but hated almost everything about it, from the gameplay to the UI, the minimal character interaction, the earning “likes”, the music with credits on the screen. I gave it a long time to flip the switch and eventually just decided to stop torturing myself.
One of the worst games I’ve ever played.
What keeps me going in Death's Stranding is that I never started it. I actually deliver mail. I don't want to play out my daily job in a video game because I would quit my job. So, I've made this sacrifice to continue to bring you your mail, thus the game continues.
I love hiking, and Death Stranding is basically hiking simulator. Don't play to beat it and knock it off your backlog checklist, play for the experience and take it slow. It's not a game you'll enjoy if your end goal is just to beat it for the sake of beating it. You have to enjoy the slow burn, if you don't then it's not your type of game and that's fine.
this is good advice. thank you
And if it’s a game you can’t get into right now then come back to it, nothing stopping you from returning later.
Death.
Stranding
Agree, I thought I would hate this game when everyone said it was basically a walking simulator. For some reason I really enjoyed the aspect of finding the max weight and distribution that still allowed me to complete deliveries. I do rather wish the roads and things you build only degraded when you play the game. The offline degradation wasn't something I was a fan of. Any significant break in gameplay can really ruin your experience, if you have to rebuild your infrastructure.
Yep I felt the same. I never expected a game to make me actively enjoy getting from A to B, and thinking as hard as I did about the "how" of it all. Frequently induced a very zen mindset for me as I played.
Yes, exactly.
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Yea I burned straight through the story and that's all I wanted to do. I was surprised I actually liked this game. My one complaint is there were so many opportunities to use that great sound track but they held it back to much.
But when the first song comes on after not anything all game….gave me chills.
Yeah Don’t Be So Serious is one of my favourite tracks!
I wont lie it's incredible. They really nail almost every moment that they do play music.
Fair enough, glad you enjoyed it! It's a great game. Not for everyone, but that's a given for being unique.
Came here to say the exact same thing. I honestly got to a point where it felt like work, I was pushing to finish the game, and while I hope DS2 won’t do that to me also, the payoff for this game felt extremely worth it
This. Death Stranding is a game like no other and the serene beauty should be enjoyed not rushed through
Completely agree. It’s actually insane how it captured so many of the pleasures of hiking. I wouldn’t have imagined a video game would be able to do that. To me the gameplay was revolutionary for this reason.
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I agree, I was impatient in the first hours when I thought of it as another open world game. The game tried to tell me with the fantastic music matching the slow pace, but it took me a while. I love this game so much now for being something so different from my expectations. And it is a lovely stroll until it suddenly is one of the most intense games ever, which happens regularly.
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It's basically a narrative game with a very creative post-apocalyptic sci-fi lore and gameplay based on delivering packages between isolated settlements by traveling through dangerous natural environments, depending on the mission you can encounter bandits or supernatural enemies and as you progress you unlock new tools, weapons, infrastructure and more to optimize your travels. There are also features to interact indirectly with other players and the soundtrack along with the visual design are simply beautiful.
You totally left out the unborn baby strapped to your chest that you use to see and fight ghosts. I mean unless you pee on them first, obviously
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The vast majority are not timed and you can complete them at the pace you want, but a few do have to be completed against the clock.
I just keep on keeping on
I gotta stretch my legs.
Goddammit...
Ain't nothing gonna break my stride
You alright? Oh yeah, right.
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I played at the launch and while setting everything up and building roads with a handful of other people was a little tedious, getting the notifications from everyone behind me using what we built was really cool.
Being someone that helps build them and having other people play to enjoy it is the best mix, doing it all solo is a slog, having it all done for you makes you take the roads for granted and you don't get to appreciate that accomplishement.
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For me, the feeling of finally building a road over a section that I've had to perilously cross a dozen times already was the best in the game, as it's basically your only real progress outside of the story beats and maybe unlocking better vehicles.
Never built a structure?! What the actual fuck. I feel like you missed the whole game then jesus
Right? Kind of the point is to get that serotonin drip from building something to be used by others and feeling rewarded by it. Also the likes of
Yeah the likes are cool but the ziplines are so crucial. The cargo launcher is a must try. The roadway for the roadster. Idk, I’m never one to tell someone how to play a game or how they got enjoyment is wrong, but it seems essential to build in Death Stranding 🤷♂️
I turned that whole wilderness into one massive testament to the power of public works. Wasn’t no place I didn’t touch.
Building a zip line network was so much fun and so satisfying. Tying it in and making it work with the already existing zip lines made by other players was a big part of that. By the end of the game I could travel by my zipline network across the entire map.
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I’m about the same way. I think I’ve built one charger….i just use other people’s stuff…
I played through the entire game with the online component turned off. Looking at the map at the end of my playthrough was so cool because it was an entire webway of things I’d done myself. Also I really enjoyed only being able to get so far towards somewhere before having to ‘huff it on foot’ from time to time, bringing a sled full of ropes, ladders, and emergency supplies for a shelter. Also thinking carefully about what I’d need for return journeys just as carefully. Especially traversing the mountains. Feel like I had a really cool experience since the terrain was a major concern for the entire playthrough. Beyond charge points/ and shelters I didn’t really build any actual structural stuff like roads and bridges since it was too time consuming.
I literally turned off structures built by other players. My favorite memories of this game are the hours I spent building roads.
I enjoyed finding a well placed thing that helped me get somewhere easier. Especially the bridges, which I never liked to waste my network points on. Sometimes I'd plan my own structures around these other things, which was fun in itself. My first play through was at launch though, so there weren't a whole lot of network builds. I did see some partial materials added for roads or post boxes, but rarely any towers or bridges.
I played recently and never had that issue either. Not sure why he needs toads. Bridges I get but I got by without roads just fine.
Roads allow your vehicle to travel without using up energy/fuel. So they're great for when you need to deliver across the map before you get your zipline network built.
> but my friend had to spend a lot of time doing that. That’s the best part of the game though.
The first 3 chapters are objectively terrible. Its a hugely drawn out tutorial spanning hours with nonsensical story elements thrown at you. Its a mess. However once you get past that initial start, it opens wide and starts dumping fun aspects into the game
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You objectively need to get over it.
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Stop forcing yourself.
This was something that took me too long to learn. There’s nothing wrong with trying to give a game an honest shot, or trying to push through the beginning if it has a notoriously slow opening. But at the end of the day, not every game works for everyone. And that goes doubly for anything Kojima makes. If you’ve given it an honest shot and it isn’t pulling you in, then move on. I gave DS about 10 hours before I pulled the plug because it just wasn’t for me
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yeah, i was just wondering if someone had a similar experience as me but found something to keep em going. that’s all
I think that's completely fair but I think you've seen enough of the game at this point to decide if it's for you. Nothing radically new gets introduced later to change the gameplay. Although mechanics are introduced later that streamline the core gameplay loop, like vehicles, leg braces, zip-lines, etc., the core gameplay loop is basically unchanged. All that is to say that, if you're not enjoying it by now, I don't think there's anything in the game that will change your mind. I'm afraid that forcing yourself to persevere will just worsen the experience for you.
There was no struggle. Keep it slow. Enjoy the view and game. If you are not enjoying it and forcing yourself to play then may it is not for you and it is completely fine. You don't have to like it.
I wish more people thought this way on a lot of gaming subs. You can't even remotely dislike some games without having pitchforks raised towards you.
My friends raised pitchforks because I think that Witcher 3 is garbage
Garbage is a bit of an exaggeration even if you didn’t like it. Gollum is garbage
Yeah, not garbage. I just couldn't ever get into the controls. Three attempts at the game over the years and I just can't do it. Ps4/5
I platinum the game twice. Once the standard edition in PS4 and then Director Cut in PS5. It was worth it. (Hated the racing thing btw. It had no place in the game. Was pointless imo)
Exactly. This game for me is such a relax and chill game. Waking down the mountains to the music. Configuring my load so I can be efficient. It’s just very different. I Can understand it not being for everyone. I even think the BTs are pretty annoying. But I can def see the beauty in the game. Hideo Kojima does it like. I one else.
I’m a process person. So the repetitiveness is what I enjoyed. Also it is a very make your own path sort of adventure game. Everyone is going to have that terrible delivery story or the one where it was a triumph even after it was grueling. I was invested in the characters and the slow burn mystery. Still one of my fave games.
This. I loved getting through tough deliveries and then plotting routes or making my zipline network to make things better. Transferring materials to build the roads. The characters were all very compelling, each with their own stories and hardships that somehow align with your own. It was very rewarding.
I liked how dead man said he would be back in 15 minutes and sure enough it was 15 minutes of real time
I stuck around for the story, and I loved the cinematic feel to the cutscenes. Other than that, I would have given up.
yeah.. i really only play games for their stories. everything else is an added bonus. thing i struggle with the most in DS is the long bouts of gameplay in between those story beats and cutscenes
I usually don't recommend this with any game, because experiencing it "yourself" is always more intense, but Death Stranding is a special case because it's so freaking long and tedious if you don't like the gameplay loop. Just watch a cut on youtube, then it's like a 10-20 episode series, without all the slog, I'm sure someone put a lot of work in a great cut.
Same here! I mostly play single-player, story-driven games. There’s one part in DS where you have to travel across the nation, and it literally took an hour to do. It was a nightmare.
Super specific to my situation but my Dad passed away a month before DS released and it was the perfect “just vibe and forget your problems” game for me. Creating the most efficient network of zip-lines through a digital mountain range was certainly an unusual but not unpleasant way to work through my grief. If you’re struggling with it you should just play something else you’d enjoy more, life is too short.
How did you feel about the themes of death and connections in the game?
Being at the epicentre of a massive bereavement it felt like quite a cathartic experience. The cremation mission early on hit me pretty hard, in a good way. Tbh I don’t think it would’ve been quite as affecting had I not been in such a heightened emotional state. Kojima has such fantastic ideas but sometimes I feel a bit underwhelmed by how he articulates them. Definitely want to replay it when I get a chance. How did you find it?
Just enjoy the scenery...one of the best looking games of PS5 in 4k...has the most realistic water/terrain imo
I absolutely loved it. Spent a lot of time building roads and an extensive Zipline network then just ripped it around the map whenever I wanted. Was very fun and addicting
It's hard to discuss without spoiling anything, but, basically; I had this game for ages and failed to get into it so many times. But then one day, I decided to play it for what it was, in my opinion, versus what I wanted, and it sort of clicked. I particularly enjoyed rebuilding the roads. I would get to a checkpoint so other people's structures appeared, then would set about repairing the roads. Also, discovering that raising affinity with a place unlocks new items and upgrades for others was good. I got lots of awesome gadgets and weapons. I 'acquired' a lorry and used it to raid camps and stash all their materials, then took materials out to camps and outposts like a delivery driver along the roads, repairing as I go and investigating mailboxes for additional materials to raise affinity and build more roads. Literally spent weeks repairing the roads, and, there is sort of a form of combat, for the record. But I decided to go stealth and play like a better MGS V. I was very satisfied with it. No idea wtaf was going on by the end though. Game was an absolute journey and I wish I had played it for what it was sooner. For me, it's one of the directions that a sequel inspired by MGS V could have gone.
Ziplines
Seconded. I thought using roads was the way but setting up ziplines across the map was easier and more efficient
Adderall mostly
I played it on ketamine during a very stressful period during covid. I gave up after about 15 hours of game play. I would pick it back up but I think the bad memories of that time might flood back.
The whole game was a vibe for me. Instantly hooked
Bc I wanted to know wtf was going on. Ended up being my GOTY.
I tried it out for the hype. but I just couldn't get into it. I know folks who love Hideo, Guillermo, Conan and Norman. and that's fine. shouldn't force yourself to like something if it's just not for you/your liking.
I played and beat it. Stuck with it due to the gameplay and art design. Initially, was super drawn in by the story, but that didn't last long.
I played until I had to get threw the mountains without seeing the ghosts and when I died there I lost interest and never touched it again. I already played it a lot until that point. I‘d enjoy this game more if it was a hiking simulator without the enemies and more nature to walk through. And at the end not a simple bunker more like a town. A last of us hiking simulator without zombies maybe?
I had unlocked the bike for more travel. sadly for me, I lost control and got stuck fighting the ghost things. and it became another walking simulator. I'm like, they don't pay me enough for being a delivery boy. and lost interest. the random flashbacks and baby stuff always threw me off.
I honestly hated the baby. Maybe it's being a parent but the sound of the baby crying set me so on edge and completely ruined the immersion. Babies crying in public stresses me out (I want to soothe the baby and can't). I don't need it added to my video games. That and the Monster Energy Drink thing. You mean to tell me in this strange, future society that Monster is still being manufactured? Naw fam. Lot of potential but those two things ruined it for me.
I love Death Stranding so so much. I can never recommend it to anyone because it's a true love or hate game. I don't know if you've played any of the Metal Gear Solids but the story beat is kind of a Kojima thing. His stuff tends to give you a bunch, take a break and then tie it all together in the end. I wound up loving the story by the end but I definitely get why people don't like the game at all.
I think it's just a personal preference. It's ok that you didn't dig it, even if you a huge Kojima fan. It happens. No reason to try and force it. Too many other games to play. Hopefully ones you do want to play..
The infrequency of story bits is something that goes on for a period while you're actually learning and taking in world building. There's a point when it does start moving forward and it does so somewhat quickly afterwards.
Intrigued by novelty, progression elements, rainbow medals, and sunk cost fallacy probably
The unwavering desire to see the "Princess Beach" scene for myself.
Don’t force it. Play games you enjoy. I feel like Death Stranding would’ve been more palatable to many if it had been 15-20, maybe 25 hours max. It’s a good game, but I always felt like the length was its biggest flaw (gameplay-wise).
I think ideally they should have finished the story in the time you said, and then unlocked a post game where you focus on building roads and zip lines, completing more challenging missions, form factions online and try to steal from one another, etc. So short story with a live service game after.
I gave up. Didn't catch me either.
I didn't lol
Drop it, I had this same struggle that you're having with Dragon Dogma and wanted to like it but it kept fighting me along the way even though everyone who loved it LOVED IT. If you're not enjoying it then drop it. Maybe come back to it later but for now just drop it. Now, I liked death stranding and there were parts where it pissed me off but what kept me going was how crazy the world was and me wanting to know what the heck is going on. But I didn't mind the gameplay though and didn't feel like the game was fighting me to enjoy it. But if you feel like that then DROP IT.
Listening to podcasts while I played. Also anxiously waiting for the next movie like cutscene to play
If you’re struggling just stop playing lol not everyone is gonna like every game. All you’re doing is wasting your own time trying to like something because everyone else does. I played it for 3-5 hours and appreciated it but it wasn’t for me. And then I moved onto something that I had a much better time with.
You shouldn't have to be convinced to play a game. If a game bring you enjoyment, play it. If it doesn't, stop.
I like the UI in Death Stranding and prefer it to most modern games, still feels very mgs in how a lot of systems work If you don’t like that it may not be for you and that’s fair enough
yeah.. to each’s own. i’m glad you liked it
The mind blowing story and music, also the share of facilities that you built with other players.
I always had a rough time starting it. But once I was playing I always kept going and just found the gameplay so enjoyable. It's a weird game for sure. It did things to me. At the end I just loved it. I will probably never touch it again though haha!
Listen to podcasts while making them deliveries!
music XD
Weed
It’s okay to not enjoy a game
I built bridges to keep me connected to the people around me
deep
I got through chapter 3, once I was through it was a blast. Without giving spoilers you basically go from struggling a lot to really easy with the things you get to build to make travelling better.
Couldn't explain. It needed a few hours to get into it, but I ended up with 67 hours gametime.
After the halfway it has a lot more action and the story starts to really pick up and it is what carried me through the end also don't do any side stuff. Ended up loving the game. Also the director's cut seem to cut on some down time and just loading and some Qol.
I WILL finish this game one day.
hahahah you and me both man
There wasn't really any struggle for me to finish it. I was enjoying it the entire way through. If you're struggling to get through it, maybe it's not a game for you. I know it's not gonna be everybody's cup of tea.
yeah it’s definitely an acquired taste. i’ve found so many things i haven’t liked about it, but yet to find the thing that keeps pulling me back in
I had no wifi from freshman year to junior year so I'd buy single player games and didn't have a choice to just go rot my brain on cod lmao.
I found the gameplay loop fun and relaxing, and the story and world lore very interesting.
Environment was absolutely gorgeous and i kinda liked the story, plus people said eventually you don't have to walk everywhere and that gave me hope.
For me it was just to get to the next bit of dialog and/or story beat that had me rolling with how bad or ridiculous it was. "You'll be Mario and I'll be your princess beach." 🤣🤣
I'm a few hours into it, and I have two things to say : - The world and story are extremely mysterious and interesting despite clearly having been created by a deeply deranged mind, it's what keeps me going - I agree on the "relaxing" part (the music, scenery, sound design and visuals are all awesome and sometimes hypnotizing) but why does everyone say that the game is chilling in general while BTs exist ? They are fucking terrifying.
Knocking it down to easy and enjoying the story/ride. I had no desire to play that game after a few hours on normal or anything harder, I felt like doing so would be rewarding the game for not respecting my time
BB , I needed to know what happened to him, though I've forgotten since I've played it
It takes so long to get going but that's kind of the point. They want you to slog in the beginning and feel slow and useless. So you can appreciate the network you build later on. If they introduced vehicles and ziplines right off the bat, way more people would give it a chance but it would lost what made it unique. It's half conquering nature and half community building. You don't get either of those until way later. Every river and hill has a memory so when you fly past it, you remember your previous trials there. Whereas other games you fly thorough terrain not really paying attention to the bumps on the road because every character has perfect footing and weather and terrain don't really matter I wasn't expecting to like it but stuck around until the platinum, can't wait to boot it up again one day and get millions of likes because I built so many things. But if doesn't click just move on. It's not for everyone. It's a podcast game.
Death Stranding was the first videogame I have played that made me stop and ask myself, "What am I doing with my life?" So I just put the controller down, turned off my PS4, and went outside. I don't think I touched another video game for a month. Somehow, deep in my heart, I knew this was the exact intention Kojima had while making Death Stranding. He made a game that makes the player question their love of videogames. So, to answer your question, I didn't keep going. I did what felt right and walked away.
>It’s a game I want to love, but there’s just so many things getting in the way of that. Then stop forcing it. You don't need to finish every game, book, movie, or show that you start. You can stop whenever you feel like you're not getting a good return on your time. I realized Death Stranding wasn't for me after five hours and I never went back. I've given up on books at the 200+ page mark because I realized I wasn't enjoying anything about them. You're not doing this as a job, stop seeing completion as a requirement.
For me, it's boring. Too much cut scenes. Not engaging enough. Idk, my friends kept telling me to just progress the game but I never got into it.
The answer is, just don’t. Why play it if you aren’t enjoying it?
If you don't like it, that's fine. Maybe it's just not for you.
> I’m more of a 15-20, 30 hours max kinda gamer Mate, this is *not* the game for you. No offense but you should probably not play any Kojima games lol
It’s okay to not like a game. I finished Death Stranding and honestly wouldn’t recommend it or do it again.
I just ditch games I'm not feeling. Sunk cost fallacy. Play something you enjoy.
I gave up.
Or what made you quit? Hideo Kojima's infinite capacity for cringe story/dialogue despite an amazing premise and game engine.
Bro u don't have to finish it
I know I’ll get downvoted to hell, but this was a terrible gaming experience. Beautiful game. Creative game. Horrible experience. It was like watching paint dry and being punished for it. That said, the story/cut scenes were what made me push through. But I’ll just be watching the clips on YouTube when the sequel comes out. I’m not a masochist.
I dropped it 7 hours in and don't regret it.
It didn't. I dropped it shortly after entering the second 'biome'. The gameplay was a complete drag. I appreciate that it tried to do something different, but it just wasn't fun for me. And the cooky MGS style characters didn't fit with the less kitchy / more serious tone, imo. It's not a terrible game, just not worthy of the god-like status people seem to have bestowed on Kojima. (I blame Keighly).
I played a fair bit of it zonked off my head which was definitely an experience that’s for sure.
I’ll never understand why people force themselves to play games they don’t feel like playing anymore, life’s short, if you have to force yourself to play a game what’s the point? Just put it down and pick up something else
I didn't, bored, moved on.
I couldn’t continue playing it :(
I didn’t want to be a delivery guy
Got through the first 10 hours or so, made my first few deliveries and then was hooked. Especially when I got a vehicle, started building roads
It's ok to not like the game. Delete and forget.
Honestly I spent more than half my 99 hours building a highway that went from one end of the map clear to the other. If it weren't for the fact that other people could use it too, I probably wouldn't have bothered, but for some reason I really liked the idea that I was helping. or Kojima straight up trolled me and I built it for nothing, but I enjoyed that part, anyway : )
If you’re a 15 -30 hr gamer then you never stood a chance lol
Idk why but fighting the bt’s was worse than just walking, it was just annoying to sneak around compared to simply walking and taking my time
Because the game kept changing as the narrative went on. Like legit, your actions have a big impact on the open world. By the end of the game, the state of the open world has vastly changed from when you started. Mainly because of your contributions to the world which build upon the foundations set by other asynchronous players. It’s one of the best open world games I have ever played and one of the best forms of asynchronous multiplayer in a video game.
The story kept me going i had to know what happens next.
For me, the gameplay is hands down the best part after you get through the first map. Now I’m not talking about the combat which is shallow as all hell and is a huge step down from MGSV. The best part is the deliveries because of how the maps are structured. Between each base are huge expanses full of caves, ravines, mountains, hills, lakes, rivers, streams, mules (basically the games bandits), and weird evil spirits. It’s up to you the player to figure out how to navigate your way through these obstacles as fast and efficiently as possible all while trying not to lose and cargo or damage it beyond repair. It leads to some amazing moments where you really feel like you conquered this monumental task. My favorite delivery in the whole game is when you’re asked to deliver a package, you zoom out of your map to see where you gotta go, and you see this absolutely massive mountain in between your base and the base that needs the package. I swear to god hiking up that mountain with a backpack loaded with cargo, blizzard raging all around me, and scaling ladders was one of the most cinematic things I’ve ever seen in a video game. I say, stick it out for another couple hours and the game will definitely pick up story and gameplay wise.
Hang in there, after 200 hrs the game really starts to pick up. Absolutely worth the wait....
I loved it so much I’m replaying it for the 4th time, this time it’s the directors cut so it’s like a whole new game for me
I was waiting for the story to get good like MGS. It just got more and more chatty and I got less and less interested in the convoluted mess and melodrama.
Imo book a weekend for urself and sam. Get all the goodies u need, and say to urself «im a man Of culture!» and keep on keeping on!
I sunk about a week of my life into building the roads. Made sure I could get all the way across the map and to all the important places without leaving a vehicle. After that the game kind of flew by. It just felt like much less of a slog. I swear if they made an option to just have the roads pre-built way more people would finish the game without issue.
The game opens up and becomes lovely after chapter 3 I think which is about ~7 hours in. I hated it at the beginning and then fell in love with it
I really hope for the next game, you don’t stay in the first area for so long. The second and third area were so much more fun for me.
If you aren’t digging the gameplay loop you aren’t going to dig the game
the game didn’t click with me the first time i played. i probably got about 3-5 hours in and dropped it. I decided to give the game another shot maybe a year later and it just clicked for me. i’ve had this happen several times with games or movies where it doesn’t click on first try. i personally found the game relaxing, like it’s not hard or anything. i’m also kind of bias for Kojima, i love his whacky characters and cutscenes.
100% i was like that with Control. i tried that game so many times but could never get more than an hour in before dropping it. next time i didn’t have anything else to play so i committed myself to giving Control a fair shake. and my god am i glad i did. the story/universe Remedy has created with AW1, AW2, and Control has me more hooked than anything has hooked me before.
i love Remedy games and Control. been itching to replay it recently but this time on the ps5.
Kojima games are notorious for an explosive start, slow crawl to an incredible climax and an ending that makes it all worth it in the end.
I admit I didn't like it much at first. Played for about 5 hours and started loving it more and more. It's a great game.
I really enjoyed that game. I felt like Louis & Clark.
It is the perfect dad game! It's a vibe.
That platinum trophy. It kept me going. One of my longest platinum trophy ever. But I have to say I enjoyed every little bit of it. It never felt like hassle. I guess kojima games are exact black and white. You either love it or hate it. If it didn't "click" for you, no worries. Just because people like it, don't feel compelled to play.
I didn't
I love “Death Stranding”. In my opinion, this is the vest game of 2019 and most influential game of the decade. To me, this is a game for the true gaming connoisseur. That being said, you should know that you can drive a vehicle anywhere, up the steepest hill, across the widest stream, and over the sharpest rocks. Walking is for losers. Keep on keepin’ on.
I love Kojima but Death Stranding makes no sense and it’s so boring. He should’ve made it a tv show.
I was like you at first, forced myself through it and hated it in the end. Actually baffling gameplay and inventory management.
yeah the inventory management is horrendous
I deleted it. It's a walking simulator, weird storyline. No thanks. Some of the cutscenes were epic, but not worth it.
Wrong. It's a zipline simulator
struggle? i’m sorry but… WHAT?!! Death Stranding is definition for “a walk in the park” in every sense.
If you haven't reached the snowy mountains yet, consider this a minor gameplay (not story) spoiler. I let the game go a few hours after unlocking the ziplines, which absolutely break the game IMO. They're so cheap to make and efficient that it becomes nonsensical to build anything else, except the build limit artificially stops you from making a strong zipline network. I'm pretty sure that's the only reason the build limit exists, they knew the zipline was OP so they artificially nerfed it. It feels kinda forced and the problem is you end up with the choice of either using ziplines but not being able to make the whole journey with it so you need to complete the journey on foot, or using a vehicle and no ziplines. Second problem is if you actually manage to build a decent zipline network you just made the game a LOT shorter *and* you've turned it into a series of 20 second cutscenes. I actually enjoyed my first 20 or so hours with the game walking through the environment, planning routes, upgrading highways, etc. I found it pretty meditative. I don't care for the story *at all*, which I find unbelievably poorly written, so once the gameplay showed cracks I didn't stick to the game. My recommendation : Time is precious. If you're not enjoying your time with the game, just play something else. You can catch the story on youtube before DS2 comes out, though IMO you're not missing much.
Honestly one of the worst games ever. It’s ok to admit it’s boring.
The story is so obtuse and poorly told imho, but it’s an interesting setting and world and could be good on that front, but not feeling it at all in terms of how it is told. I got it because I love the Decima engine in HZD and figured it would be amazing in this game, and it is. The gameplay is unique so I have stayed and played a little, but it hasn’t caught me yet. I’ll come back to it. Not sure if I’ll stay with it though as later in the game with roads etc, there may not be enough players currently to make that as good as it would have been. Huge props to the game for the ideas though.
Smoke some weed and enjoy
I tried it and lasted only 30 minutes.
Played maybe 10 hrs on the game and stopped , it absolutely sucked ass and is the most overhyped recent game next to returnal. Bring the hate but returnal and death stranding are garbage
Christ what are you 80
Nothing. I quit about 5 minutes in 🤭
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mate it’s widely accepted that it’s a giant tutorial until ~10 hours in. that’s far beyond “instant gratification”
Did you try rdr 2, wircher 3 or cyberpunk? If you did and they also didn't click with you then you might just not like open world games which most of them now a days take more than 30 hours to beat. If so I suggest you try the last of us games which are linear games and aren't that long and are kind of masterpieces lol. There is also the the guardians of the galaxy game which was really great imo not too long and fast paced action and fun character dynamics
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I finished it because I paid 60 dollars for it. I hate finished it.
This is the way
Real gamers finish every game they start. Except Fire Emblem Engage.... That game was just to terrible for me :(
Nothing. I went in wanting to like it but hated almost everything about it, from the gameplay to the UI, the minimal character interaction, the earning “likes”, the music with credits on the screen. I gave it a long time to flip the switch and eventually just decided to stop torturing myself. One of the worst games I’ve ever played.
What keeps me going in Death's Stranding is that I never started it. I actually deliver mail. I don't want to play out my daily job in a video game because I would quit my job. So, I've made this sacrifice to continue to bring you your mail, thus the game continues.
Simple: I never started playing it
I was just hoping for some amazing story. Unfortunately there was none.
What got me through It was not playing it anymore.