A Story Analysis of Death Stranding

[@JohnLozo]

I say this for everyone that played this game but there is absolutely no better feeling than when someone else’s zipline connects perfectly within your network. The fact the game even lets you create proper infrastructure is incredible

[@raresi2916]

Hear hear

[@122josh]

I got so addicted to setting up a zip line network in the mountains I loved maintaining them as well so they were always good to use for people just such a fun and addictive gameplay loop man what a strange but brilliant game.

[@morgannyan2738]

Really thats the best part about this game? The only way you'd know that someone used your zipline is by some text on the side of the screen and for all you know it couldve been a bot, unless you 100% trust the developers to run a dedicated server that will keep running in +10 years time. But i guess that must be some really exciting text huh. Also as far as i know you cant 3d print ziplines and roads, let alone the other things that make up infrastructure like electric poles, pipelines, seweres, railways and water supplies. But maybe thats just me.

[@JohnLozo]

​@@morgannyan2738 ok

[@JohnLozo]

@@morgannyan2738 what it really sounds like is you watched the Death Stranding review from Matthewmatosis and are just regurgitating points he made there, but that's just me

[@cremonster]

One day I saw a guy with a Bridges sticker on his notebook and all I said to him was "Keep on keeping on". He instantly knew what I meant and it was cool sharing a moment where we both had this shared understanding of a different world and all the hazards in it

[@arielle452]

I have a Keep on Keepin on hoodie ❤️ no one has recognized it yet tho lol

[@samuelharrison7867]

Haha my forklift at work says keep on keeping on because of this game

[@ishitrealbad3039]

nerd

[@TheCollapse410]

​@@arielle452yea me and my wife share a thing about this game. I try to touch her and she doesn't let me and blames her haphephobia and I go to bed alone 😢.

[@ixxxxxxx]

sick lol

[@Khalith]

I like to think Die Hardman was named that way because he was named after the greatest romance, drama, action, intrigue, thriller, and Christmas movie of all time, Die Hard.

[@IamtheLexx]

His real name is literally John McClane in the game, so yes :P

[@bluexco]

My favorite Christmas movie!

[@FumblsTheSniper]

Actually the name is a protect of his death.

[@flyinjz]

@@FumblsTheSniper that's the in game explanation but his name is confirmed to literally be john mcclane. (protagonist of die hard)

[@alec304]

deadman says something like some men "die harder" lol

[@connortwall]

Another impressive coincidence is that in Danish “strand” literally means beach. And considering Mads Mikkelsen is Danish, I can’t imagine that coincidence being lost on Kojima… making strand essentially have at least three meanings: stranded alone, connected by a strand, and a beach/bridgeway.

[@robertsorensen7650]

Strand also means beach in English. Like the term "stranded" specifically means to wash up on a beach though we use it more freely now. It is just a verb that came from the English noun "strand"

[@Broxyc]

Same meaning in German

[@aduckofsomesort]

In English the title means dead are stranded on a beach. A very literal title. And Germanic languages tend to have such “coincidences” where words mean the same thing, as they all have the same base.

[@Nagad420]

I thought it was strönd I could be totally wrong tho so dont come at me Googled it, was totally wrong. Strönd is old English lmao

[@SonOfSparda03]

​@@Nagad420that's the Saxon word I'm pretty sure, which were the Vikings given a part of France, who later invaded england with William the conqueror. So I guess it is kinda the Danish word since they were originally from Denmark

[@Fenrir_Aus]

Can i just point out that this game was release just as the world was gripped in COVID. The message of this game hit me harder during those times. The lock downs, the social distancing everything. Kojima has the timing of a saint.

[@nellkellino-miller7673]

Yes it was incredibly surreal playing both Pathologic 2 AND Death Stranding alongside each other right in the eye of the covid storm. Synchronicity at its best.

[@homeoffice3524]

I'm happy I never had lockdown. I was still working every day. And partying every Friday 😂 Still never get any vaccine and not planning to. But i know some people was in worst countries and was actually believing this show and lost a lot.

[@vatatheoanonymous3705]

.

[@krustykrabpizza4328]

​@homeoffice3524 you spitting in the face of people who lost cherished family members due to it is truly the duality of man. We can be so good and yet so bad without even getting how we are affecting people around us

[@Sharticus94]

​@@homeoffice3524same here, never stopped working, never stopped going out small town ftw

[@dr.strange1300]

All im saying is that the second they started playing Low Roar as you're walking during the intro i was hooked forever

[@SmokeyChipOatley]

I just started playing this a few weeks ago (literally just beat it a few hours ago) and I also fell head over heels at the exact same moment. New number 1 favorite game. Can't wait for DS2 next year

[@SmokeyChipOatley]

I was totally shocked when I found out the lead singer recently passed away from pneumonia a few years ago. Their music is spectacular

[@Monti1999]

Its pure magic

[@nathanclemmons7426]

I would purposely walk slow as I could to listen all the way through the song❤️ made the game even better

[@NaturallyNavi]

Same! And when ‘Asylum for the feeling’ started I knew this was going to be my favorite game.

[@wagz781]

The reason the drawn heart is important for the voidouts and heartman is because it's originally the symbol for a couple or "two hearts conjoining". Meaning, it's another symbol for connections.

[@Weiswolfe]

and teh shape the egyptians give to the heart while being tested in the after life

[@SnailHatan]

No, it isn’t originally a symbol of that. Google exists. Learn to use it

[@evanthatcher5374]

Ashen Hollow put out an hour long video, Wendigoon released a 5 hour analysis and now Gingy comes in with a massive death stranding video?! What a lovely week.

[@Gingy]

Still trying to finish that Wendigoon video myself. Mans really doesn't miss.

[@natethebass-man2869]

a fellow Wendigoon enjoyer, I see

[@122josh]

@@Gingy are you too a Blood Meridian enjoyer hahaha I can't wait to watch the video by the way dude love Death Stranding

[@kephalai]

thanks for the recomendations :D always on the lookout for more video essayists.. too bad there is no common terminology which helps searching them out!

[@andreykasyanov1063]

Whitelight released a 7 hour video a while ago, I fall asleep to it, I might learn what happened finally

[@Luodai235]

Never played the game but the part where you said people can help each other really intrigues me. It almost seems like it subconsciously brings out the best side in you that just want to help others. That is genius, nice kojima

[@p_booth_fan]

Oh it definitely encourages you to help complete strangers online. You'll find yourself actively fabricating equipment with the sole intention of putting it in share lockers for someone to benefit from. From my own experience, I had it myself early on when I got to an online postbox and someone had left a pair of high end boots just as I needed to replace mine. Boots which wouldn't be available to me for another while. So in return, I went out of my way to complete 51 sections of road and a zip line system that covers both sections of the world. Make a point of leaving non lethal weapons, and floating carriers outside of the MULE areas to help other players clear the camp and collect material. I genuinely love the way it's built up it's community.

[@Masamatt90]

I like how during the Higgs fight, it's really easy to take him out with just the rope and standing out in the open. "Stick vs. Rope" was pretty much a hint on how to make the fight easier instead of trying to match him in typical combat

[@Ezdine_G8261]

Oh I thought I was a genius for figuring out I could throw shit at him

[@JohnSmith-tk7nt]

Doesn't he shoot you dead if you stand out in the open? I literally just did that fight on Very Hard and the only way I could survive was to sneak up on him over and over

[@Masamatt90]

@JohnSmith-tk7nt when I walked out into the open he would run up to me and I would just keep doing rope counters. Been a while since I last played but I did 100% it. Maybe he has fazes during the fight where he changes his tactics

[@haydenrhead7692]

@@Masamatt90I think your talking about his 2nd phase when he puts the gun down and use a knife

[@MoosenOggen4343]

Like how re4 keeps showing krauser with the knife! Never even FUCKIN thought of that

[@muttipi]

i think the goofy names are reasonable if you consider the whole premise of the game being rebuilding america using historical means like courier services and such, like there were many civilizations and cultures that only used last names to differentiate who had which role, like smith or brewer or archer.

[@hithere5553]

Also Sam’s last name, Porter, means package carrier

[@Eyecyou64]

Nothing you can say can convince me dieHardman was a good name

[@muttipi]

@@Eyecyou64 maybe he just really liked die hard did you ever think about that jeez

[@crimsonking440]

​@@muttipi That'd be almost valid, if they didn't have the character basically stare into the camera and scream at the audience why he was called that towards the end of the story.

[@cozyboyroy]

@@crimsonking440 damn I really enjoyed that moment like it’s a bit goofy but at least the name got a reason 😂😂

[@OverdramaticAngel]

It's only just now occurring to me that while I heard plenty of criticisms and complaints about this game, I've literally never heard anything about the story of this game, which so far I find absolutely fascinating.

[@morgannyan2738]

maybe because the gameplay is the thing you''ll be doing the most, you know the entire reason you buy a game? the story is just some pretentious nonsense, not even Kojumbo himslef knows what it is about.

[@OverdramaticAngel]

@@morgannyan2738 Plenty of us actually buy games for multiple reasons, a big one being the story. Even if Kojima doesn't "really" know what it's about, that doesn't take away the value and entertainment of the way people interpret and analyze a story- I certainly enjoyed this video, which is doing just that.

[@Genasidal]

​​@@morgannyan2738 what an overly generalized, self-assured take. You'll be surprised to know, there are MANY reasons people come to games, and whether someone agrees with you or not, the fact still stands that many people do not also. I buy games for an experience. Many games with "solid gameplay" become a weak experience, as they're just following the mold of other games almost to an exact script. It's boring, it's monotonous. As pretentious as Hideo Kojima often comes off in his visions, and deliveries of said visions, I can respect a man who genuinely tries to do something different, whether I end up liking said game or not. THAT is an experience, and Death Stranding certainly gives the player a unique one. It's also why the indie scene has become so beloved. Devs that aren't following a mold, prop out constantly from the Indie scene, and are doing things for the love of the medium, probably one they themselves grew up on. Again, a solid gameplay loop is fundamental to a game, yes, it wouldn't be a game I'd consider "good" without that, but having a good gameplay loop doesn't make the game itself good, if everything is just a pale immitation of something that came before it, with no intention of being interesting. See practically any recent Ubisoft title since Far Cry 3/4's era of their titles, or 90% of these "Open-World, Mechanics Checklist Sanboxes" that are constantly being churned out by tonedeaf developers/publishers, who forget that games are more than just "a quantity of content". THAT'S why I respect Death Stranding as a title, despite having my own grievances with it. It's going for something new, even if it doesn't always stick the landing. In many ways, Metal Gear Solid was doing the same, back in the late 90s when it released.

[@morgannyan2738]

@@Roarke231 if i put a toilet bowl in a museum and call it art, what are people supposed to interpret from it?

[@morgannyan2738]

@@Genasidal Why do you think games are an interactive medium? To have hours of cutscenes where you litteraly dont interact with the medium? Why not just watch a movie, heck thats what Kojima really wants to make, he even said so himself. Ive played plenty of walking simulators similair to Death stranding, its not trying to do anything new. If i call something a strand game and say its a new genre it doesnt help if you make it a generic walking simulator in an open world with lots of third person shooting. ''indie devs arent following a mold'', is that why there are so many dark souls imitators coming from indie devs? Youre the one whos paying 70 bucks for a walking simulator with 50% cutscenes. but hey i supposed thats something worthy of respect.

[@SiggokART]

Honestly this game coming out during the pandemic was such a wild thing. The game came out during a time where these messages of connection were most important, and I am so curious as to where the sequel will go with these ideas. Death Stranding is a fantastic game, and while I can understand people not liking it and even hating it for the issues it does have, it is still an unforgettable experience and honestly one of my favorite games of all time.

[@GRTakerTh]

It’s almost as impressive as MGS2 coming out one month after 9/11… that’s Kojima for ya

[@dec6p]

Kojima capitalizes on World Events for the release of his games. I’m scared for what happens next close to the release of DS2 😂

[@dewaeryadi7776]

Death stranding inital release date november 8, 2019 and first case of covid november 17 2019

[@nicosimioni7363]

It came out before. Plus, it had been in development for years.

[@danilooliveira6580]

no no, you guys are not getting it, Kojima caused 9/11 and the pandemic to complement the theme of his games.

[@viridian_nights]

This is the most incredible game I've played in the last 20 years of gaming. It moved me, shocked me, and stayed with me. Death Stranding changed me. It's left a permanent mark on me. I'll always remember the importance and intricacy of connection. And how connections affect the world.

[@Mrs.Magix58]

you seem like you have very low standards

[@FreestateofOkondor]

Did everyone just miss that Amelie's name is the most egregious play on words in the game? In her final credit monologue on the beach she says that her name comes from French "Ame" meaning soul and "Lie" because she doesn't exist.

[@PsycheTrance65]

to be fair i was still reeling from the "Princess Beach" pun that I don't think I properly absorbed a good chunk of the last hour of the game

[@randam1005]

Also how you need Bridges to continue walking past Cliffs or something like that. Ironically the only "main" characters name in the whole game that means nothing afaik is Sam

[@FreestateofOkondor]

@@randam1005 DS2 big reveal: Sam is called Sam because he's a samulation!

[@karpi00]

​@@randam1005 "Sam" means "alone" in polish, which might be relevant considering his reluctance to work with Bridges

[@LeRoskal]

In the french version she explains it like it's just "Am e lie" (I am a lie) Why did they translated that idk 😅

[@alexanderneumann960]

I love Kojima's naming conventions. CIA Director Hot Coldman is a legendary name and I will die on that hill.

[@colingaul9579]

What game is that from?

[@esalinas116]

@@colingaul9579 Metal Gear Solid - Peace Walker!! 🤯🤯🤯🤯🤯

[@Between_Scylla_and_Kharybdis]

I mean, Senator Steven Armstrong - even if you never played that game, you know EXACTLY who he is, what he looks like and what he does

[@SSD_Penumbra]

@@Between_Scylla_and_Kharybdis That wasn't produced by Kojima though, and it's not a patch on Hot Coldman, or even better, Fatman, the demo expert.

[@thrillainthemanilla1409]

I will die on THIS hill* you were using present tense during that declaration and it’s also something that you actively believe in. For example if a soldier were actively standing on a hill before their death they wouldn’t say “I will die on that hill” while referencing the hill they are currently standing on. In addition if a soldier was standing on a hill they knew a battle would be on in the future they still would not say “that” when referencing the hill that they believe they will die on in the future.

[@eragonauditore7886]

i think one of my favorite bits of this game was about a week after i finished it i went around the mountain (i planned on platniuming it) with the ziplines and connected as many together as possible as to almost make a spider web across the whole thing, made it so you can get from a small outcropping behind the mountain base all the way to the evo-devo biologist then back to the timefall farm all with ziplines and then i spent a couple days making myself my own little outpost and upgrading all that stuff to level 3, it was all a great time imo

[@angelovromanov3165]

Bro did a whole engineering project

[@Jodiwho22]

I spent days just building and connecting roads lol just gathering materials and building and never felt bored or annoyed.

[@xmanreturn]

​@@Jodiwho22 Yes and why is building road so satisfying and addictive??? I never knew!!

[@HombreGato]

I've always feel that this game in reality is about Kojima after his fallout with Konami and how he could his life back together thanks to all the connections and friendships he made during his career. Is a love letter to his friends, to thank them for their support, and that's why all of them they show up one way or another in the game.

[@eden20111]

THIS

[@purplegh0st311]

This is a beautiful insight. Well put.

[@eden20111]

In the directors cut where you discover the Abandoned Factory. I can't believe no one is talking about this, but the flowers at the end of that scene are called Blue Birds - acronym: BB, which is also the one used in the game to define Bridge Babies ! They're an indirect reference to the dramatic Boss' sacrifice in Metal Gear Solid 3. Those were white lilies though, shaped similarly, but different flowers. And it was still an almost maternal sacrifice for her pupil, Naked Snake. Within the Death Stranding universe, as you know, Coffin (Fragile's mother ) formed a rebel group opposing to Bridge's cruel BB research and actual children sacrifices. She also revealed in the hologram record that she urged Peter Englert (a.k.a. Higgs) to protect her daughter, as she considered him as a son, Fragile's brother! This is a quite shocking revelation, as neither Fragile nor Higgs ever saw this message it all grows even more dramatic. Fragile and Higgs thought that Coffin left, suddenly and selfishly. They didn't know she was trying to save the BBs. Higgs, unaware of this fraternal duty, and defied by Amelie, will nuke Middle Knot city. He will betray Coffin's will forcing Fragile to sacrifice herself and heroically save South Knot City. In the final message left for Fragile, Coffin said: "My daughter. My sole remaining glimmer of hope. Our future may be broken, but it's not beyond repair. Futures are fragile things, but my daughter's made of stronger stuff. She has what it takes to pick up the pieces and put them back together again. I hope. I pray” Fragile's uniform also became a lot more blue at the end of the game. You already know that the inverted rainbow in Death Stranding is missing the colour blue because its reality is fragile and cracked, missing the tranquillity of the blue to create harmony in the world. You've also seen that the game is filled with references to America's origins and spiritual Native American themes (e.g., the dream catcher). Another prominent Native American symbol (e.g., in Navajo, Cherokee, and Iroquois) is the bluebird totem, considered a symbol of HOPE, LOVE, and RENEWAL, announcing the Spring season, a new hopeful future through familiar love. Thus, I confidently believe this was the reason why the delicate / "fragile" Blue Bird flowers were chosen by Kojima for that colossal cutscene at the end of the Ruined Factory! May you all keep on keeping those radiant connections, porters! Peace ✌🏼💙🐦

[@HexEssence]

Okay Kojima, keep your secrets :) (no please tell me everything I love you)

[@BriarPatchNyra]

Thank you for this info!

[@FumblsTheSniper]

This is one of my “retirement” games. In 70 years when I’m allowed to retire, I’m going to have at least three or four years to catch up with cool games like these before I die. Going to be so much fun.

[@nobobonobo]

Just go on welfare and you can play as much as you want

[@obsidian7644]

Don't wait bro you never know when you kick the bucket. Even if you can only play from time to time it's worth it to experience.

[@katiekaliber]

'In 70 years when I’m allowed to retire' is so grim holy shit. What a crazy world we live in. But ye, it might sounds dark but i would recommend not waiting to do things for 70 years in case something happens, you never know o.o Live life now before the choice gets made for you.

[@denish-themenace]

Yesterday is a memory. TODAY IS A GIFT! TOMORROW IS A MYSTERY. So sit on your vergil chair and DO IT TODAY. I say this as a person who nearly could've died, got crashed and fell off the bridge. Broke both my arms and left shoulder, and crashed the back of my head, lost some memories because of this. It was a miracle i survived 2 and a half years ago. I've recovered well now and living life to the fullest as I can everyday, helping others, loving myself, appreciating life, gaming. Please do not wait for tomorrow. If you can, do it today.

[@The_Sharktocrab]

There is no tomorrow, do it today

[@118halospartan]

It’s very rare these days for modern games to actually make me FEEL something In this case Death Stranding made me feel gratified, scared, thrilled, confused, deeply-saddened, nostalgic, exhilarated, relaxed, heartbroken, and seen.. amongst many other emotions. I completed the game 3 times over and yet I still find myself coming back. I wonder what’s in store for DS2…

[@sky12108]

try outer wilds bro, reviews on it don’t lie :)

[@hereticalpaintjobs]

I feel you, I had to personally stop the game cause it sent me spiraling over NY own humanity and mortality. But I loves the way the story plays out

[@tiagoviana263]

​@@sky12108i fr tried outer wilds. I knew it wasn't my type of game, so I struggle with it. I didn't honestly engage with me. So I got annoyed quick by it

[@beerbaron105]

@@sky12108 Outer Wilds and Death Stranding are my top games for hitting me in the feels, hard.

[@beerbaron105]

@@tiagoviana263 the story is unreal, you have to complete it, minimal online spoilers too, you can only play it once.

[@wollins7244]

Been waiting for this one. Kojima has such an interesting mind with creating stories and even just game concepts in general. Death Stranding and MGS are both some of the most batshit crazy stories of any game series I’ve ever played and it’s both hilarious and amazing

[@arthuredington6171]

Have you ever played Nier or nier automata

[@legitplayin6977]

@@arthuredington6171Not even close to Kojima imo

[@usernameRika]

@@arthuredington6171 those are incredibly tame in comparison.

[@Menuki]

@@usernameRika you aren’t aware of the greater Drakengaard universe The weirdest things about Kojima is his stuff get surrealistically true. Death Stranding started calling out a lot of the themes brought up in Covid

[@reyhugo4879]

@@Menukilike the mgs themes of war being a means for economy or more like a natural disaster, or the more times goes by the less actual humans are involved in these wars, those theme brought by kojima aren’t new by any means, but the way he choose to talk about it through video games is brillant, Kojima’s games are what made me interested in geopolitics, movies and try to think a little more « outside the box » !

[@RoshDroz]

You did a great job with this entire video. One tiny nitpick is you breezed over the end when Lou comes out of its pod, cuz that sh*t was so damn emotional. That was the heaviest moment for me, I thought Lou was actually dead, and could not believe it when she came back. It was beautifully paced

[@Megirly-kq9wh]

and the music as you made your way there like omg the emotions i was feeling

[@Ezdine_G8261]

Lou was actually dead, but you can tell by the fact that she's holding that thing when she comes back that amelie revived her

[@Piddypng]

​@@Ezdine_G8261so Lou also has abilities like Sam and Higgs. Should be interesting to see in the next game

[@namelessking111]

I'm just gonna say this, i didn't know Lou was a girl before watching this video lol. Maybe because i'm not American, but i thought Lou could be a boy's name. 😅

[@ferro_nimo]

I've always love how i feel not alone in a single player games I've always dislike multiplayer games especially competitive one since i feel awkward and it's just not my thing, but Dark Souls messaging and Death Stranding _strand-type_ mechanics really fits right in my heart. Like those moment you shout and other Sams would shout back. Snowy mountains feel so lonely at times and shouting always reminds me how i'm not alone there. Also shout out to Low Roar, RIP Ryan Karazija, you'll be missed.

[@bcfb21]

Regarding the question of why fragile didn’t die in time fall. She was wearing a tank top which covered her organs and if time fall returns to water after hitting something then her core body and organs are all probably the same age as her face. Only her legs and arms would be aged.

[@namechanged3044]

the weather station is worse than you think, the weather never changes. when playing a story mission no-matter what you do there will be a storm blocking your path, and if you are doing side quests the weather just never moves. I once hid under a rock for a storm to pass and waited a real life hour and the weather never changed.

[@rich925cal1]

should have hid under a shelter lol or just went around it, I’ve found sometimes even when the game wants you to go thru BT, you can still just avoid them altogether

[@biggusotongus1121]

Yeah it's bad, it only "works" like 10% of the time, I find most of the time the areas weather are story or progress locked.

[@ScareCrowShow]

I've played this game during quarantine and I really felt the connection, I had a lot of time obviously so I really appreciated most of the details. It felt refreshing in the beginning and I enjoyed the gameplay loop

[@alexandersolodovnikov4840]

I love this game so freaking much. This is probably the only game I've ever played that made me cry at the end. The BB theme is still in my playlist and I occasionally return to it.

[@nicosimioni7363]

Played it twice, platinumed it twice, read the books, and I still think about this game all the time. It obsessed me just as much as Bloodborne did, which is saying a lot. I understand why many people don't find this game attractive at all, but to me it's almost perfection.

[@TheBigNicko]

nice to hear I'll do that same. I've got the books. I was thinking of reading them as I played it as well. How did you do it?

[@douglas2437]

Totally agree. It's so incredibly exotic in its plot and scope

[@robk79]

I have played through this twice. Love it. Especially the way music cues start in certain areas. And both times, I made sure to get my highways built and lay down some useful ziplines for others.

[@Yeshua_is-Cool]

Fuck yeah your that guy thanks

[@johannfunn6962]

1:09:10 given how Amelie seems to innately understand her purpose as an EE, maybe the previous EE’s also had an understanding of death and what they were to do despite being animals

[@AluminumFusion22]

So Amelie is the only EE cognitively aware of her true purpose, as opposed to the previous EE's that operated entirely on instinct. At least, that's my interpretation.

[@dem4xed]

Yes, of course, but the problem still stays. How could they do it without a beach, when animals are not having beaches in the lore.

[@randam1005]

​@@dem4xedBut then again, we have no concrete evidence against it. Maybe the animal beach is different to the human beach and when the Death Stranding occured there was the animal version of Heartman's cutscene where all the cats, dogs etc run into the water. Or it could be a formless thing of pure energy since animals wouldn't have a concept of what death looks like

[@DemonLordSparda]

​@dem4xed EE's are their own beach. I theorize the first 5 Extinction Events were caused to spark evolution. Once enough humans had beaches the final EE could cause the final steanding.

[@jimmuthedeath1215]

It was a bit surprising to hear this as a plot hole. I always just assumed animals have a different form of consciousness and so what they conceptualize as a “Beach” is completely different from humans, but pretty much acts the same in terms of extinction. I mean animals die, so they still have to interact with the Land of the Dead. Most animals have an awareness of death as well, even if it’s instinctual rather than sapient. Given the umbilical cords present on animal EEs it’s undeniable they have a relationship with the afterlife, but it’s degree is also undeniably different than beings with higher consciousness like ourselves which is why we don’t know it. The hypothesis that they are except from Beaches and the afterlife entirely was speculative and not a definitive fact in the story as well.

[@davidhong1934]

It's happened He's actually made a "strand-type" story analysis In all seriousness, this game benefited heavily from hindsight. In the years after the game came out, I think we've come to more deeply value the connections we've made, and that makes the game's themes resonate more.

[@falsemessiah4811]

I feel like it’s also worth mentioning that DS2’s reveal was during the perfect time. It’s as if Kojima intended to reveal the next game once people started understanding death stranding for what it is.

[@Yume10605]

I think part of the problem was that at the start of the game those who played the game first where kind of doomed to not fully understand nor like it as their was almost no other player builds for you to interact with so you really couldn't see the community part of the game till years latter

[@morgannyan2738]

i played The Tomorrow Children that game did the theme of connection better than Death stranding did, and you didnt need to understand a convulated story to truly ''get it''

[@stalewasabi8143]

@@morgannyan2738 comparison is the thief of joy, let people enjoy things without you bringing something completely different into the picture to point at where it may or may not excel

[@saulcraft200]

Actually the controversy around the game made multiple reviewers, like act man, straight up lie about the game and make it look a lot worse than it actually is.

[@genevievecooley9641]

This is a great video. I just finished the game and wanted a bit more context/analysis to make sure I really understood everything I had just played. Thanks for all the effort you put into making this

[@mahdihosseini6361]

Man watching this made me realise how different my play through was from you. I almost had none of the frustrations you had with missions except the last mission where you have to travel from one edge of the map to the other

[@froderickalabaster]

this game is definitely a mixed bag gameplay wise but it was relaxing and pretty meditative at times, although i preferred the deliveries/traversal to the combat. the story was very engrossing and i really loved the characters, world and lore. even sam with his fear of being touched was interesting. the moment where “don’t be so serious” plays was one of the most memorable moments in a game for me, much like the first ride through mexico in the best red dead redemption game. i am a sucker for music sequences like that i guess

[@garrettkujo26]

I find it interesting that Higgs during his boss fight, in one of his moves, he hugs Sam. Is that since he's borrowing Amalie's power is that she took brief control of him to hug Sam? I know I might be reaching but this game is interesting to dissect and look at all the thing it offers.

[@jacobbowlby5957]

I’m so glad to hear that you ended up liking the game. It was such a unique experience, and it makes the sequel even more enticing for me. You summed it up so well, especially some of the tricker aspects that might stump others. Great work!

[@tomatoslav]

It's been like 2-3 years since I watched a similar recap, and boy did I need to watch this one today. Great video.

[@clamtree511]

Gingy, I’d like to inform you that you have inspired me to experience Death Stranding for myself. And it was the first game in a long time that a game had me glued to it until 100% completion(seriously it took like 2 weeks, I’d play all day sometimes without even noticing). It gives me hope for death standing 2 and I hope Kojima and his team can hook me again! Thanks for the content man, look forward to new vids!

[@mdwesquire]

I had a different experience with the trek back across the country after the “boss fight” I had built a nice network of roads and zip lines on the way, and the trip back made me so glad i had.

[@xmanreturn]

Exactly!

[@Tarmax94]

This game had some weird timing, I was playing it during the pandemic, when "connections" gained more meaning and I could see these connections having an impact during my playthrough. Loved it from start to finish.

[@tophrii]

This was a great breakdown and analysis of the story. I've watched so many of these kinds of videos, but your pacing, voice, and insight felt fresh and unique. Specifically as you dove into the more real-life similarities or analogies like the egyptian callbacks.

[@Arcelux]

Mama and Lockne, basically one being in two bodies ( small correction there ) and the one handing the baby back to Mama wasn't her soul ( technically yes ) it was Lockne. Also one cool detail that was subtle and im glad you touched on is that when they become one, her eye color changes!

[@its_renren7292]

I have an immense respect for Hideo Kojima and his works. I call him the most insane game developer as he creates stories and experiences that nobody would dare to try in this age of hands on, 60-100 gigabyte goliath gaming experiences. He breaks the mold that we've grown accustomed to with the most batshit, feverish yet unforgettable concepts in different ways. Anyways uh, I hyperfixation rambled on enough 😅. Great video Gingy!

[@Buffaloguy1991]

I played this game during the height of lockdown. Playing a game about isolation of humanity hits PRETTY HARD when you yourself are isolated and wanting to contact your best friend but can't because of a world ending event.

[@Doggo-frencton]

World ending lol cmon bring the melodrama slider down a little bit

[@Buffaloguy1991]

@@Doggo-frencton we live in an entirely different world now. Much like now 9/11 "ended the world" too

[@Safewoood]

​@@Buffaloguy1991 we live in a more controlled world nothing else

[@FA-nd9uk]

The world didnt end, so it wasnt a world ending event. I would go as far and say it wasnt even an event that warranted the extreme actions that were taken.

[@KaneMeadowsGaming]

@@Buffaloguy1991 No, not really. infact, things are basically exactly the same as they were before at this point. The economy has suffered, but overall nah. You're being extremely melodramatic, the black plauge was a "world changing event"

[@joshmclovin]

The Igor death scene will always be one of my favorite cutscenes. It's just such a cool intro, all the worldbuilding and terminology reminded me so much of "The Matrix" and why I fell in love with that franchise too. Stoked for the sequel. This game also dropping months before COVID was such a fucking trip, Kojima is a prophet disguised as a game dev lol. I fell in love with the soundtrack so much I started using it during my runs and lowkey pretended I'm Sam making a delivery. This game legitimately is a masterpiece even though people think that's someone being sarcastic whenever it's said. Haven't played a game this immersive since, what an experience. Great video!

[@p_booth_fan]

Also the fact that at the very end with Lou, you use the gear Igor left in place to traverse the environment at the start of the game to get to the incinerator. You use his ladders and climbing anchors to get there. It's a nice little reminder.

[@joshmclovin]

@@p_booth_fan thanks for the reminder, I don't know if I even noticed originally, I appreciate you for pointing that out. Absolutely brilliant 👏

[@p_booth_fan]

@@joshmclovin to be honest, I only just got around to finishing it so it was fresh in my memory. With so little gameplay at the end, the little bits there was, were memorable 😅

[@wraith313]

From what I recall about the weather, it was either always the same in certain areas or it was inevitably pre planned to trigger for certain parts of missions. This was without fail, if I remember. I remember spending a lot of time trying to figure out what the point of the menu etc was since it was always the same regardless.

[@IamtheLexx]

Basically this. Also the weather only really mattered if you played on the hardest difficulty, and even then, nothing a can of spray or a timefall shelter couldn't fix.

[@forrestdorman4870]

A lot of this game feels…partially finished. Like the ideas are there they’re cool but almost like they ran out of time to complete them to their fullest. I’m hopping the sequel will be a more complete version of this one.

[@zzxp1]

Death stranding feel like the brief moment after you wake up from a fever dream and you try to remember what you were dreaming about.

[@Lokis_roommate]

After just playing through the director’s cut for the first time and absolutely loving every second I have 1 regret about the time I spent playing and it is that I didn’t help more with construction. I was so thankful and felt so satisfied when someone else’s construct directly helped me but I got so caught up that I didn’t leave enough around for the next person to feel the same about mine.

[@AnkhOmega]

I'm pretty sure the reason why Fragile didn't die in the Timefall is the same reason why only some of Sam's hair turned white instead of all of it. The Timefall effect only seems to apply to whatever it comes into contact with, and doesn't seem to penetrate super deep before the Timefall turns back into regular water...Or else machines would break immediately when timefall touches them and effects more delicate components, rather than rapidly rusting before breaking. My interpretation of it was always that Fragile had just extremely old skin from that situation, maybe some very aged muscles. Hence why she can still walk around without moving like she has arthritis. The reason she acts like she's not got much time left might just be that she doesn't have long before her skin will die, or become riddled with cancer, due to localised extremely advanced ageing.

[@SeffyRoth]

An amazing video with some insightful information on the world and details of it. Having played through it a couple of times I knew most of this, but the Higgs pizza delivery and his Pharaoh cloak design was actually new to me. All in all, I quite enjoyed your analysis of the story.

[@brmawe]

I LOVE this game, when I first got it I was excited like never before...it wasn't what u expected it to be but what I got was still incredible and such an EXPERIENCE that you'll won't find anywhere else on any game exclusive. This will go down as one of my favorite games of all time.

[@morgannyan2738]

theres plenty of walking simulators on the market before and after death stranding

[@Dragon-sk4ye]

@@morgannyan2738 and none of those have the brilliant story, or hit as hard as death stranding did for many

[@MrLolMachine11]

@@morgannyan2738I find it so funny that you were so offended by death stranding you had to reply to almost every comment. Brother go something else, i promise you with my entire soul and heart not a single entity in this universe cares about YOUR opinion on games. You really overestimate your own taste and importance

[@morgannyan2738]

@@MrLolMachine11 and yet here you are commenting on my opinion, seems like you do care and got offended for someone else having a different opinion. Also learn how to speak English.

[@amongersus2893]

The fact that this game is never discussed in the best dads in gaming is criminal. God of war is great and all but I never felt that the boy was in danger. This game you and bb go through hell in back and the fact that I would try to find somewhere to hide in combat to calm him down is insane. It adds so much extra stress in already tense moment. I also love the fact he starts laughing at random moments like saving yourself from falling over or peeing off the side of the mountain. It’s was a blast to have they adventure with the lil man.

[@chixla]

first game in a while that made me actually not get bored, people say they find it boring and what now but for whatever reason but this game gave me the most fun, im now currently playing it for the first time and man am I loving it.

[@falsemessiah4811]

About damn time we get a video about death stranding.

[@SushiElemental]

You mean like this 7 hour one? kzbin.info/www/bejne/sJiVimiordGaY68

[@snowbear163]

Great video. Hope you'll do one on Returnal. Story was very impactful and one of the more deep meaning stories I've seen in a game.

[@Gingy]

Been playing Returnal in my free time on PC. The gameplay alone sold me but the story is quite good too. Very mysterious, might be worth talking about it.

[@TheQwaigon]

@@Gingy Please do. I haven't heard any good interpretations after DLC came out and your way of storytelling is really enjoyable to listen to.

[@claudejones3451]

​@Gingy I agree. You should do a full analysis of Returnal. I was just playing it earlier. That is is a very tough one. Gameplay wise.

[@thepocketclock2412]

Thank you so much for brining this game to light! It was absolutely amazing and there aren't enough videos that explain how complex and unusual this story is, keep up the great work!

[@GrandPorpoise]

So glad to have found someone who summarized this story and helped fill in some of the blanks I made.. amazing work, I'm going to have to check out more of yours lol...

[@8bitdee]

That part where you talk about Lucy and Higgs's backstories was a mindblown moment for me. As someone who played through this game without reading any of the emails or text material you picked up, hearing you talk about all this backstory while being 50mgs of edibles high I thought I losing my goddamn mind and made me wonder if I completely missed an entire sections of the game that explained that if I had wiped them out of memory.

[@sirdteddy2191]

I've been a fan of your content for a little while now and I'm beginning to appreciate your videos more and more. Getting insight into these games that I would never be able to complete myself (I get bored) and learning about the stories behind them in this format is quality.

[@GnightPunpun]

I really liked the strange goofy naming conventions in this game. The world is supposed to be scattered and disconnected so everyone using these weird pseudonym names fits perfectly. Using your own name is an opening for personal connection and it makes sense that people in the narrative want to keep it to themselves. Also cause Kojima is a goofball lmao. God I need to replay this game before 2 comes out

[@Jacket_off]

I did enjoy my time playing this game. I found the gameplay to be relaxing in a way. I loved creating new routes to get from A to B. It was cool how people could contribute to creating routes together too. I do understand this game isn't for everyone but I really liked it

[@TheScripflipNetwork]

I just finished the part yesterday where Mama shows us her ghost baby and talks about being trapped under rubble for days surviving off of rain water and the cries of her newborn. (😿) Thank you for the cliff notes. I started this game a long time ago and recently got back into it so I needed some background to flesh out missing information. Like I told my wife about fragile being old from the neck down and she told me we already knew this. I was like, wait... I don't even remember anything about the beginning of this game. Thank you

[@ryanfriscia1132]

Not sure if anyone explained this, but the implication is that only EEs have Beaches. Amelie broke the laws of nature by granting Repatriation to Sam, which in turn caused access to the Beach across spacetime. Her actions, motivated by guilt, rewrote the way the universe works which accelerated her role in bringing the Stranding. It's why her beach is likened to the heart, fueling the other beaches.

[@Erowid13]

the moment between Sam and Cliff was great. Cliff and his story made the whole ridiculousness of the game worth it.

[@Idontknowwhat2type]

I spent like 8 hours building an elaborate zip line system through the mountains and I know only 1 or 2 would have gotten it on their side but I tried to make each on optimal and easily connectable to another person without the others. I was basically done. I know I had a few things with a tons of limes and I really felt good knowing I helped. Especially charging stations that played songs I thought would be good in the area. Game only got better in my mind the further away I got from playing it. (I won’t play it again other than to see if people voted up my stuff)

[@IAmNumber4000]

In my opinion, the delivery missions were the best part of the game. Yeah this is what divides people, but they are why I still play the game even after beating the story and maxing out every prepper star rating. I love the feeling of getting kitted up, loading cargo and setting out on my own into the frontier to deliver stuff. Especially in the mountains, where pathfinding becomes a lot more difficult and you need to be creative about it. You do need to get into the role playing aspect of it to get something out of the deliveries, I think.

[@MightyShakaZulu]

I cannot emphasis how UNEXPECTED it was for me to fall in love with this game. I was avoiding it when it first came out, echoing other people saying, "It's just a walking sim", until finally trying it about four years after its launch when at the time I had zero games to play. I Loaded it up, made it past the first hour and and decided to keep going. After hour 3, it was needless to say that I was completely hooked.

[@RaccoonCityPD]

Wow Gingy, this just showed up in my algorithm. What a competent and in-depth analysis. It's criminal that you don't have more subs, you now have one more in me. I hope your videos find their way to others too.

[@GTTB-227]

Storywise, all I can say is that Kojima does what Kojima does best in a true Kojima fashion, lmao I always like his way of storytelling. He make a convoluted story, scrambling it like an egg, scatter them all over the place for us to piece them all back together at the end to make sense, but JUST when we think it's the end, he twist our ankles with a small but impactful details. Dude's weird I tell ya, he don't play by the book, but in a good way, lmao.

[@ekrei1150]

I like the game enough to get the platinum on PS. Although the gameplay is put to debate if you like it or not, the story is good. and don't forget the music. one part of the game when you on a delivery walk the camera is zoom out and the music start to play feels epic to me. I appreciate this story video because i can recall the story again. Since, to be honest Death, Stranding is not a game you might want to play multiple time. So thank you.

[@WhyHowNow]

in the first few hours of the game, there was a giant hill you had to climb up, when you hit the top one of the many amazing sound tracks kicked in. this game is truly one of a kind.

[@morgannyan2738]

Death stranding is the only game where you climb up a hill and a soundtrack plays? Because i can name a few.

[@WhyHowNow]

@@morgannyan2738 I'm talking about the over all aesthetic in the game world. it's stands on its own.

[@WhyHowNow]

@@Roarke231 he must be truly amazing at parties

[@order60000000000]

​@@morgannyan2738 silence, troll.

[@Sshodan]

I'm in "love this game" boat - thank you for the recap! Will be very handy when we get part two :)

[@AFoxInFlames]

I loved this game, I'm a HUGE sci-fi fan and this story was so interesting and it could of been a movie but being able to play it instead of just watching. This game is an experience, it has its flaws, but all around I've never played anything like it and I don't think there will ever be anything like it again. Building all the roads collectively on my server was awesome. I started it by making the first 2 but once I started asking for the materials by the next day the entire highway stretched across the entire country and that was so awesome to have done, did it on the 2nd playthrough though. Thanks for covering this one!❤

[@ivory_bc935]

"..it could of been a movie.." Watch the last hideo tube I think you will like one of kojima announcements

[@EspyMelly]

Kojima may be an oddball with a lot of unusual ways to convey his ideas, but people often forget how intelligent he is. 22 years ago MGS2 nearly perfectly predicted the absolute mess of misinformation the modern internet has become long before most people could even imagine such concepts. The man has a thorough understanding of humanity, both its virtues and deep flaws, and isn't afraid to try new things.

[@myk_3D]

I heard a theory that the reason why people always repeat instructions to the player was because they don't have any one else to talk to

[@Sci-Fi_Freak_YT]

I played this game twice, love all 60 hours between both runs. Can’t wait for DS2.

[@IamtheLexx]

Great vid! I really liked how you explained the function of the Princess Beach part in the story. I could never put into words why despite it being cringy, it was clearly fully intentional and was there for a reason but I was never able to articulate why.

[@Cheatmaster60]

As someone that just finished the main story and read every single interview. thank you for clarifying SOOOO many things. cool video

[@maskingtables]

39:29 people don't realize this is a callback to Metal Gear Solid 1, where a bomb is placed in your inventory without any notification. If you don't see it and get rid of it, you will just randomly explode with no explanation.

[@aarondon6880]

"one of my biggest pet peeves in general is wasting time" What a weird thing to say considering this game is all about patience, planning, management, and experiencing the environment and atmosphere. While the core gameplay is certainly not time-wasting, it's not exactly meant for people who wouldn't be able to stand taking the extra time for instance to take a longer, safer route or spend an extra minute or two in the menus checking gear and cargo loadout. How strange to think that someone could play manage to play through the entire game and yet not have the patience to watch even the Q-pid cutscenes. Personally I enjoyed the brief moments the various short cutscenes and animations provided to relax after every successful trip or delivery. That's not to say I never skipped anything- I did plenty of times. But you make it sound like in your experience these animations were such an annoyance that it warrants, in your own words: "...definitely a discussion to be had about how much time this game wastes of yours..."

[@edwardteach1992]

Yeah he really sounds whiny on that part, a bit annoying tbh.

[@yadayada_yada]

0:52 sowithoutfurtherbadoo

[@bobk7218]

Mikkelsen and Seydoux are such great actors, i want 2 more games about each one of them!

[@ElliOji]

I stopped my playthrough of Death Stranding in favour of other games just because the characters and the cutscenes would not stop talking, despite the core gameplay interesting me. This video, and the analysis of the plot has inspired me to pick it back up again, so thank you! I love getting to hear people be genuinely passionate about video games!

[@samdurfee6093]

47:41 As a RPG nut who suffers from World-Building Bloat. It was at this point in the video when I began thinking, how much exposition is in this game? It’s an encyclopedia’s worth of knowledge that is required to use what is even happening, and it is explained at a snails pace, and often very poorly. Other Sci-Fi games like Mass Effect, Halo, and recently Armored Core VI that have mountains of lore and world building to their names. But their core games have stories that do not need you to understand all of it to get what is happening. That’s honestly how Halo 4, 5 and to a lesser degree ME3 fell off their wagon. The required amount of information needed to understand the story grew immensely and in the worst scenario the information isn’t even in the game but external material. Death stranding at least has all the information in the game but suffers from the previously explained issues. I’m glad you liked it but I honestly think you give the game far too much credit.

[@quizzicalsmudge877]

In heartmans flashback it also shows his family going into the water from the beach where he loses them. So I think its safe to say they are not on any of the beaches anymore.

[@anasshahid224]

Death Stranding is absolutely amazing! It is so fresh, creative, the world is so detailed, amazing performances from the cast, the story, vibe, truly no other game quite like it, Hideo Kojima is a true creative genius.

[@unblessedcoffee1457]

I liked Heartman a lot because when I got to his lab was when the story really started to click with me, and I liked him as a character. He has some comment about mankind and fire or something that made sense to me.

[@GoGonzeaux]

Oxytocin is also released when you hug somebody. In a world where people are stranded, one of the first missions is to deliver chemicals that produced during physical contact. I think that's super cool.

[@anibarukyouran1145]

death stranding is one of those games I'm super interested in knowing what's going on but not interested in the slightlest to play, thanks for the vid.

[@FoNgThOnG]

Never did finish the game but the time I spent on it, I did enjoy it. Rebuilding things is just an addictive grind.

[@nicholasbrooks3997]

Welp, time to stop whatever I was doing and watch this entire video. Thanks Gingy 😎

[@esebertie8109]

Well now I found the video I'm going to play while working late at night.

[@RDR911]

wow, what an opening statement, you sure drew me! "Death Stranding is an unforgettable game because I simply cannot forget about it"... 🤣

[@MIKlLLA]

Playing this game on release was an entirely unique experience to playing it now. I had highly anticipated this game as a Kojima fan. I played with the goal of not dying a single time, which I succeeded in, other than two scripted deaths. This made for a more intense experience at times but also more slow paced, like walking on eggshells, in others. As one of the "first" players in this game, the structures made by players were few and far between. Not many ramps, Bridges, or highways. I had to fight the terrain tooth and nail. I took THREE real hours in order to deliver Mama after the bt fight mission, along with a bug that did not allow me to store Mama cargo on vehicles. At the time, it was a chore, but I got it done. I believe this is a perfect summary of the game, more specifically, the role a porter really plays in the game world.

[@emilio568]

I have to disagree, Abby did not get over her grief. She killed Joel anyway - BRUTALLY even, no questions asked.

[@gergonyaka8842]

Im only 15 minutes into the video and Im kinda speechless. Idk much about the game other then its gameplay (haha funny uber eats delivery simulator) so I genuinely didnt expect its lore to be so cool.

[@CandidCartoon12]

I’d honestly recommend picking it up yourself, there’s a lot about the game that’s hard to appreciate without actually playing it

[@xKindle]

This is what happens when people listen to influencers rather than experiencing something for themselves

[@FoxBatinaHat]

Its crazy to me this came out before Covid19 happened. And the fear of (other people) spreading the sickness and the isolation experienced is eerilly similar.

[@ryCicala]

this game came at a chapter of my life i will never be able to recreate, meaning my experience with this game cannot be replicated. i was able to physically and emotionally put my time into it and appreciate everything it offered and i wouldn’t have it any other way. i walked away with a great appreciation for Hideo Kojima

[@ColonelVirus]

This game is actually probably one of my favourite games of all time. Was great re-living this story, well done!