Trying to Untangle Death Stranding [Full Spoilers]

This is a video critique of Kojima Production's first major release, Death Stranding. It looks at the strange creative choices the game makes and tries to consider what they mean and how they might've come about. It ties Death Stranding into a number of other pieces of media in different genres with which it resonates. If you want an analysis or a full-spoiler review, this is your video.
========================================
If you enjoyed this video and want to contribute to the production of others like it, please consider donating through the crowdfunding website Patreon: / noahcaldwellgervais

[@_mason_s]

"Sam, I have something to tell you. I'm a zombie. It does me tremendous sadness. Anyway you can now construct ziplines" Gets me eveytime lmao

[@ThomasGiles]

So good! XD

[@xBrakit]

1:11:01 for anyone wanting to relive the glory

[@nomadjensen8276]

That's one of the biggest aspects of why I love listening to Noah's ruminations and thoughts

[@EggBastion]

@@xBrakit ta!

[@arknark]

I found that a particularly funny line.

[@tanngrisnr5076]

as a postal worker myself I found this game very true to the feeling of delivering the mail. It's often ardous, annoying, and anonymous. But there's a great deal of satisfaction to the work.

[@PassiveNights]

Tanngrisnr have you read The Postman? I like that book

[@PassiveNights]

Tanngrisnr wait he talks about it...this is the second game based on it

[@MegaVidFan1]

@@PassiveNights what was the first game?

[@PassiveNights]

MegaVidFan1 Fallout: New Vegas

[@PassiveNights]

MegaVidFan1 which he also did a video on

[@MikeZach]

You know Noah is on another level when your reaction is: "Oh. 90 minutes. Kinda short."

[@PassiveNights]

MikeZach that’s the length of one MGS cutscene

[@amysteriousviewer3772]

You should check out "Mauler". He doesn't review games but he's done quite few multiple hour critiques on movies. Also "Whitelight" has done a 7 hour critique on Death Stranding if you're interested.

[@majik5194]

Not really. That's kinda his normal length

[@Sodiumman123]

@@amysteriousviewer3772 Yeah but Mauler doesn't make nearly as insightful content as Noah, he spends most of his time nitpicking rather than actually making solid points.

[@amysteriousviewer3772]

colin cooke I think he does make quite a few solid points but Noah is on another level definitely.

[@JohnLozo]

But Noah, don't you see? When you untangle knots, you're left with STRANDS

[@FlameQwert]

oh my god

[@windowsxpabuser]

l m a o

[@4T3hM4kr0n]

ohhhhhhhh my gaaaawd -________-

[@Flow86767]

😳

[@gilgameshkingofkings1288]

Nein!

[@kharyrobertson3579]

President Die hard man's melodrama was perfect, it's the byproduct of encountering someone who has been going through a huge amount of mental distress on the inside, and when it comes out, it boils over, completely incomprehensible to those who weren't present in the persons head to experience the mental distress that was present. Amazing on Kojima's part

[@thelegalsystem]

As to WHY this would be done and put in the game, I think it completely rounds out Die Hardman's character. The guilt he has felt for years finally comes out because he knows that Sam knows the truth now. It probably could have happened on the beach the first time, but for me it didn't feel out of place. The mission was done, Sam had no reasons to stay with the new government, so it was probably Die Hardman's last shot to own up to his guilt and grief about killing Unger.

[@anonony9081]

Also what he did was pretty horrible, so why shouldn't his reaction be equally as strong?

[@grunklestan8464]

President die hard man is just too funny of a name of me to take seriously

[@Tw0DrunkGuys]

@@grunklestan8464 would it make you more or less angry to know that DieHardMan is just his codename? His real name is.... John McClane 😂

[@delta_moon3364]

I agree that Die Hardman's breakdown was jarring but also - felt purposeful in how jarring it was. I feel like a lot of people that are questioning why Die Hardman so randomly broke down in front of Sam, forget that he is talking TO CLIFF'S ACTUAL SON. He is confessing to the murder of HIS FATHER. At that time us as players and Sam himself haven't connected that final strand yet - that comes at the very end of the chapter. But Die Hardman always knew where Sam came from and probably thought Sam already connected that he is Cliff's son because of him talking about the flashbacks and such. So Die Hardman's melodramatic breakdown makes more sense in retrospect. And IRL I have been subjected to people randomly steering the conversation off the deep end and revealing some random and deep hurting things about themselves when it would be too much to bear. That breakdown felt to me like that. An overspilling of suffering and heart-breaking confession of guilt to the son of the man you loved and murdered. Only Sam wasn't ready to hear it yet.

[@Hagashager]

"Let's skip over the questions you have about this scene to talk about..." "Let's bypass this revelation for a while and focus on..." That is Kojima in a nutshell.

[@roonbare2769]

Cause the guy is a fukin loon .... For better or worse. I think lots just pretend to "get " him to look cool. The guy is a surrealist , I don't think its ever supposed to "makes sense".

[@JacobGrim]

@@roonbare2769 doesn't make him bad though, just a different kind of creater

[@CoercedJab]

Roon Bare infinitely more creative than many “aritists” out there

[@billyalarie929]

LMFAO

[@MegaCygnusX1]

I've been playung videogames since the early eighties, and I've never been a disciple of Kojima. What I can say with absolute certainty is I've never played a game like Death Stranding before, and I doubt I will again. That in itself is tremendously valuable. No publisher would have touched this game without Kojima's involvement. I still don't consider him a genius, but if he can bring singular gaming experiences like Death Stranding to market in future, then I can safely say Kojima represents an oasis amidst a stagnant AAA landscape. And I'm grateful to him for that.

[@adamplentl5588]

Please go back and play MGS 1-3 and you'll understand why everyone rides Kojima's dick.

[@AveSicarius]

I think Kojima definitely sees video games as an art medium, and he often seems to focus more on making specific points than making an entirely enjoyable game, but it does make for a strangely unique experience. But I absolutely agree no company would have made this without Kojima behind it, and while I also don't have the strange deification some people lay at his feet, but I do think it is a good thing for the industry to have people who are willing to make games like this, unique experiences no matter the entertainment value. It sure beats the whole AAA microtransaction laden garbage the industry is churning out currently regardless.

[@oldsnake9520]

If you appreciated death stranding in any capacity i highly recommend the metal gear solid franchise to you. The artistic core of death stranding, the surrealism, and nearly post-modern approach to presentation is still in those games, but they’re more regimented, structured, and purposefully laid out to make more specific points about particular issues rather than being existential prose. (I also think the writing of the first 3 metal gear games tend to be the best of his work because there were other writers around to help him ground his ideas a bit more, and implement them in more impactful ways.) The moment to moment gameplay is also more satisfying in the short term since quite frankly you do more, but still requires a level of mid to long term planning that other games don’t due to the nature of them being tactical stealth games. That said death stranding 100% has metal gear beat in the satisfaction that comes from mid to long term planning of your strategy.

[@heyitsmort7744]

Play animal well

[@yeahbuthow2005]

​​@@oldsnake9520 nah, you're lying

[@nickprezzo]

Heather Alexandra wrote this following excerpt about Death Stranding for Kotaku and it just sold me on this game instantly: "During my time reviewing Death Stranding, I had a relationship fall into disrepair. That my most valued personal connection frayed while playing a game that is ultimately about the bonds we make was not lost to me. Time and time again in Death Stranding, I wandered through harsh red deserts and snow-capped peaks with the mission of bringing people together. I crossed bridges left by strangers, trusting that the paths they had laid would bring me where I needed to go. Outside of the game, I was lost. What does it mean for a connection to unravel, like an old rope bridge across a ravine? What does it take to rebuild one? I don’t have answers to this. Death Stranding didn’t provide them. Instead, it insisted on a simple idea: that we are made strong by the grace and, more beautifully, the chance of others. That we travel on the roads of those who went before us, leaving our own marks that ultimately affect the path those behind us take. We walk alone more often than we walk together, losing ineffable things along the way like so much fumbled luggage. And yet, we sometimes see signs of care. In life, they’re small. A random text message from an old friend, a free drink at the neighborhood bar, an enthusiastic conversation with a co-worker about nothing important, the sound of your roommate playing his guitar. In Death Stranding, these things are literal. A generator powering our car in the middle of nowhere, a glowing thumbs up emblem at the city gates, a ladder crossing a flowing stream, a structure protecting us from the acid rain. “I brought you a metaphor.” "

[@GreebusBleeb]

Wow, that's beautiful!

[@DishonoredSkull]

I'm more surprised this is from Kotaku, that person deserves a raise

[@GreebusBleeb]

@@DishonoredSkull they've made some new hires recently, there's usually a couple of decent articles every week within the normal online fluff

[@a.g.m8790]

Well it’s definitely a game for a certain type of person

[@colinclement2752]

I find it annoying as shit when my roommate plays guitar

[@parkerdixon-word6295]

"There's also a cameo of Conan O'Brian in an otter costume" I love that this isn't even top-10 weirdest things in this game, and I love that Noah's attempts to make sense of this game dissolve into "Okay, put a pin in all that weird shit I just mentioned, we'll get back to it if I have time" on more than one occasion, and it's amazing. Edit: Also I never realized how much I wanted to hear Noah chew the scenery and quote Moby Dick until I got it.

[@zcritten]

I'm amazed, I saw in this footage you add to one of my roads that I helped, as the point right after I made. That made me feel so happy, I helped people and that's an amazing feeling

[@soma8756]

for someone who’s never played a kojima game, that good place analogy was damn near a revelation

[@michaelodeon]

haven't finished the series yet... does this video spoil the final season?

[@soma8756]

@@michaelodeon it only spoils one of the jokes in the first season, u good

[@giverdend1416]

Somehow, Kojima caught on to 2020 faster than 2020.

[@todd3143]

he caught onto 2020 ever since sons of liberty

[@DensetsuVII]

"Ugh I'm not sure I wanna start Death Stranding - I mean even if I finish I don't know who's ever going to be able to explain what I just hypothetically played...." Noah: You rang?

[@SuperGhettoBob]

My thoughts exactly.

[@ocarinalover1214]

whitelight made a 7 hour video on this

[@VashdaCrash]

@@ocarinalover1214 Then this is more concise, haha

[@theramblingbard]

For someone who doesn't have the resources to get the game, and who loves Noah's work, would you say this is a good way to learn about/experience the game or should I watch a Let's Play first?

[@ocarinalover1214]

@@theramblingbard It's a Kojima game, so it's bound to have lots of intricacies. Whitelight made a 7 hour video on this where he pretty much just talked about his experience from start to finish, if Noah's video makes you want to know more.

[@alexparadise91]

“Like a stranger handing you a bottle of water at an EDM concert” lmao

[@PassiveNights]

The Shotgun Shogun or a joint at a Ziggy Marley gig

[@FinneousPJ1]

Laced with lsd no doubt

[@gonelivin3357]

@@FinneousPJ1 lsd breaks down under heat, which is why it cannot be smoked.

[@FinneousPJ1]

@@gonelivin3357 What? How is that relevant?

[@kevinwillems8720]

@@gonelivin3357 huh, good to know

[@Schizo_Souls]

I remember last Christmas, while visiting family, being enthralled with this game. To the point where my father would ignore everyone and watch me play. It had dawned on me in a way, the game was reflecting us, a father and a child building a connection based on the monotony of me delivering packages. I would play, and he would comment or suggest things while I played the game. Although roles had flipped I the child delivering and my father observing, it still held the basic fundamentals of the BB and Sam. Where as Sam climbs the mountains and valleys to deliver packages; the baby to observe and look out for BTs, in a sense making comments and suggestions through the detection mechanic and even to when the BB likes things.

[@TheSoulHarvester]

awesome

[@derfette7148]

here the other way around, I'm watching my father play. he is nearly finished. I usually mimic BBs crying when my dad falls, lmao (I'm a 32 year old woman.with a more high pitched voice). also, I make a lot of suggestions where to go and what to do, but I'm the more experienced gamer in this pair (and a terrible backseat gamer). I also asked him a few times if he missed having a crying baby in his life.

[@Dirty0o0Jester]

I am so pleased to hear you had this experience. That's amazing!!

[@benwasserman8223]

If Noah ever covers the Metal Gear titles, we’d probably exceed the length of even the Red Dead Redemption video.

[@hariman7727]

...maybe. mgs4 was the game that saw me watch 14 hours of movie, and play 8 to 10 hours of game.

[@shootinbruin3614]

Yes and I would savor every minute of it

[@hariman7727]

@@shootinbruin3614 every hour of it. I think it would hit 2 or three hours, minimum.

[@PleasantLeech]

I really hope he does mgs2 one day

[@RyugaHidekiOrRyuzaki]

MAKE IT HAPPEN

[@NenaWednesdays]

"I will never know you" me: 😭😭😭

[@Falchieyan]

I just finished Death Stranding and there are a lot of themes and elements that are especially poignant post-COVID. There are times when people outright talk about how it's bad that everyone is self-isolating and afraid to touch each other that seem almost portentous now. It certainly gave me a different experience than people who played closer to release may have had. Regarding the character Name Backstory Speeches, I think that it almost seems like Kojima forgot that characters can talk to people other than the main character. Imagine if Die-Hardman had his breakdown speech to Cliff on the Beach instead of to an apathetic Sam in the hallway. Or if Deadman instead gave his speech to Fragile when he first was able to see her Beach. Mama's is the only one that feels tied into Sam's + Player's experience because the very thing she personally develops for you, the "handcuff dagger," is immediately used to bring her story to its conclusion and kick off the next major gameplay/story challenge.

[@shredjward]

1000% agree with you, on both the game being much more proverbial in a post-covid world, but also that Die-hardman breaking down to Clifford, or Deadman to Fragile on her beach, would make these scenes much more resonant

[@nico6143]

Hopefully in DS2, this could be a legit improvement made

[@DetectiveOlivaw]

Absolutely agreed, a lot of the revelations at the end of the story especially felt… well, oddly placed, partially I think because they had to be heard by Sam specifically because the player never leaves Sam’s perspective. I think if the game’s story-heavy final chapters had been spaced out more through the whole game, that would have seriously helped the pacing at the end.

[@NemoyYehaw]

I actually gasped when I saw the words "Noah Caldwell" and "Death Stranding" together in my sub box omg

[@habadasheryjones]

I'm interested in your perspective on this game because of your time spent traveling America.

[@Aaron-mj9ie]

I'm interested in his opinion on it because he's intellectually RIPPED

[@habadasheryjones]

@@Aaron-mj9ie That's common knowledge at this point, though.

[@KarolaTea]

Super Bunnyhop also made a video on the game, relating it to his experience cycling America. Sounds like that might interest you too, if you haven't already seen it.

[@habadasheryjones]

@@KarolaTea Enjoyed that video too. Didn't know Bunnyhop biked around the country before he made it.

[@kduhtdkzrt]

Habadashery Jones Understandable. He only mentions it a good half dozen times lenthily in the video. Srslytho, you seem to be talking about another video.

[@nucleargypsy9470]

Noah: You can't carry 200 lbs of suitcases. Me: You underestimate my power.

[@4T3hM4kr0n]

"no Anakin don't do it!"

[@nomadjensen8276]

Im dying over here whilst listening to all the Schwarzenegger's out here acting like carrying 200 pounds on your back is easy. Even with that ridiculous suit case rack on sams back. This is all breaking my suspension of disbelief to the point where im just shaking my head.

[@nickcagebuthesinabanana]

@@nomadjensen8276 most high school males I went to school with squatted 300+ pounds on their back... not that ridiculous

[@alexanderstraight2604]

@MrZekeBlowstein Good luck hiking over uneven while carrying more than your own bodyweight. you might be able to lift it, but you won't be able to stay upright.

[@Robocopnik]

The "Princess Beach" line is amazing, it's entirely deliberate.

[@manijahannama6894]

My favorite dialouge

[@eviloatmeal]

A fascinating reading of Higgs, as the giving in to, and placating of, the supposed masses who wish for more action and violence. To me, he was the chiral opposite of this - the embodiment of those masses, constantly intruding into my peaceful negotiation with the environment to complain and project his desires for game overs and boss fights onto my experience. A schoolyard bully, looking over my shoulder on the playground, loudly proclaiming "oh, you're playing your little *walking simulator* again? Don't you know that *real* games have guns and boss fights in them?" before pushing me off the bench. All this, strengthened in my mind by his arc's eventual conclusion that he was wrong. He was powerless. He wasn't even good enough at his own game to win.

[@delta_moon3364]

As much as I tried to understand Noah's point about Higgs ^ this interpretation speaks a lot more to me. He really is this obsessive bully trying to wreck your shit. Throwing a childish tantrum against the work other people are trying to do with self-perceived higher importance. The conclusion to his story really exposed just how pathetic he and his efforts were (And I still love his character for it all) So I don't agree with the conclusion that he was "unnecesary" or "pandering"🤔There is duality to our world and for every selfless altruist out there, you will find an unstable bully that will ruin things for others. For us, that's Higgs xd

[@eviloatmeal]

@@delta_moon3364 Yes!

[@rottensquid]

Lindsay Wagner was cast most likely because of Kojima's personal affection for her, due to her starring role in "The Bionic Woman" TV series, spun off from "The Six Million Dollar Man," which is referenced occasionally in Metal Gear games. The effect she has on older players (like myself) is to be eerily familiar, a distant memory from a show I was too young to recall in any detail. Her appearance in the first game trailers definitely had that effect. Beyond that, of course, she's not the most amazing actress, though I'd say she compares well to Lynda Carter, star of a similarly forgotten TV show from the same era, whose career has also enjoyed a resurgence thanks to superhero nostalgia. But I doubt Carter could carry the load Wagner is carrying in this show. She's not amazing, but she handles the melodrama and strange, surreal material well enough. As for the Princess "Beach" joke, I think it's fair to say that Kojima jokes are often funny for being so bad. Metal Gear has an ongoing gag around hiding in cardboard boxes, that one could write a whole video-essay about. The TV show advertisement pasted over Sam's toilet stall is another perfect example. I think also it's a very Japanese sense of humor, of the sort found in anime and Japanese television shows like, say, Midnight Diner. It doesn't always translate well. And because it's an auteur driven project, things that don't work often find their way in anyway. But also, there's a deeper subtext at work. Death Stranding seems full of criticisms of gaming tropes, and this particular bad pun was one of those. In Death Stranding, after saving Princess Peach (or Zelda, or whoever) you learn she's a cosmic personification of ultimate extinction. From a game culture perspective, that's blackly humorous. Sam's bossfight with Higgs is also clearly a parody of bossfights, taking what should be heroic and making it just pathetic, ugly, cruel. There's no triumph in beating this sad, broken man. And it proves not to be the final, deciding fight in any case. If he personifies toxic gamer culture, which think is his point, he is to be pitied for the emptiness of his existence that drove him to elevate meaninglessness as the highest truth, and nihilism as the highest virtue. Okay, that's all I got for now. back to watching. Great, great, great video, by the way! Likes and subscribes!

[@BudBonkerson]

These are some lovely words about tropes. Nicely put!

[@cantburppete]

"a stranger handing you a bottle of water at an EDM festival" aka one of the most wonderful things a person can experience and if this game can create that feeling then it is worth it

[@EstimatedProphet92]

CantBurpPete I feel like that line and Noah’s van living cross country trip speak volume about his life outside of playing games, all of them positive and just more of why I love him

[@nickprezzo]

"During my time reviewing Death Stranding, I had a relationship fall into disrepair. That my most valued personal connection frayed while playing a game that is ultimately about the bonds we make was not lost to me. Time and time again in Death Stranding, I wandered through harsh red deserts and snow-capped peaks with the mission of bringing people together. I crossed bridges left by strangers, trusting that the paths they had laid would bring me where I needed to go. Outside of the game, I was lost. What does it mean for a connection to unravel, like an old rope bridge across a ravine? What does it take to rebuild one? I don’t have answers to this. Death Stranding didn’t provide them. Instead, it insisted on a simple idea: that we are made strong by the grace and, more beautifully, the chance of others. That we travel on the roads of those who went before us, leaving our own marks that ultimately affect the path those behind us take. We walk alone more often than we walk together, losing ineffable things along the way like so much fumbled luggage. And yet, we sometimes see signs of care. In life, they’re small. A random text message from an old friend, a free drink at the neighborhood bar, an enthusiastic conversation with a co-worker about nothing important, the sound of your roommate playing his guitar. In Death Stranding, these things are literal. A generator powering our car in the middle of nowhere, a glowing thumbs up emblem at the city gates, a ladder crossing a flowing stream, a structure protecting us from the acid rain. “I brought you a metaphor.”" Heather Alexander wrote this about Death Stranding for Kotaku and it's just the most magical thing I had ever seen written about a video game, it sold me instantly.

[@JohnDoe-in9xc]

@@nickprezzo Thank you for sharing this. Maybe you'll see my comment as one of those little signs of care. I hope you're okay and have a great day!

[@MrBallstothewall007]

I swear to God... if you do a series retrospective of Metal Gear Solid... that would make my year

[@lysander1]

Yup-yup-yup!!!!!!!

[@hollandscottthomas]

It'd take him like 3 years just to explain the plot from the cutscenes, let alone analyse the whole games XD

[@MajorCinnamonBuns]

Yeah that would be epic.

[@timcosgrove707]

Super Bunnyhop does a great one

[@theespatier4456]

Tristan Madden The videos would literally be a year though.

[@sotothankyouidied]

"Death stranding is tightly designed, every element more or less harmonious and working toward the same goals, it doesn't really need assault rifles, rocket launchers and boss fights" I couldn't agree more, as a fan of the metal gear series I felt like the inclusion of those element in DS felt completely out of place in the game. I especially hated how having guns completely changed the dynamic with the death stranding. What started out as a slow intense crawl through a mine field turned into a fuckin shooting gallery, seriously crossing a river felt more intimidating then dealing with the Death stranding.

[@rottensquid]

And yet, i feel like it was included for a reason, to contrast the peaceful delivery gameplay. In the same way, Bridget's delivery imperative contrasts Cliff's battle imperative. And in the end, she was the extinction entity, and he was sort of a survival entity, representing the primal instinct to endure, to pass a future on to his child. The whole game is about the balance between life and death. So contrasting peaceful and warlike game-play seems apropos.

[@OrgaNik_Music]

The obligatory gun battles were my least favourite part of the game, they just did not feel right.

[@VDAband]

This video was always a masterpiece, but coming back to it after the passing of Low Roar front man Ryan Karazija, really makes some parts of it hit different.

[@wusashicat1]

The monster energy drinks in the suitcase was excellent! Been watching these since you were on the kotaku reader blog. Keep doing great work man.

[@atortarr]

Best intro clip yet!

[@cobra29935]

I knew noah would enjoy this one purely based on his love of road trips

[@vzerby]

Sup Cobra

[@cobra29935]

@@vzerby ayyy zerby

[@vzerby]

@@cobra29935 *strand connection made*

[@z3bra_f0untain36]

Thank you Noah for covering this game. I never was able to finish it, I found the material cost of building roads too tedious, but having it shown in depth like this helps me a lot. This game came out at a time in my life when I lost the majority of major personal connection. I had a falling out with my friend group and 3 months later covid hit. The depression I've felt since then has been crippling for lack of a better word. The relevance this game has to my life is off-putting, but I probably wouldn't have known to what degree it speaks to me without this video. So thank you and keep doing what you do

[@Andi-yi7yh]

And David Cage wasn't mentioned once. This is brilliant

[@brightdrake_9992]

In regards to feeling pleasure in building “Viral Structures”, I was the only person in my region that build the first three roads in Central Region. A day after building them from then on, my play-through got shit-tons of like notifications every hour. XD

[@lollipophugo]

I'm about half an hour in and a little bit drunk and you probably won't read this, but here goes. Thanks for your work man. I've watched pretty much all your videos and I feel like if we'd been born in close proximity to each other we would have been pretty good friends, and your personal anecdotes that you litter through your commentaries have helped me relate to my own depression and given me a better understanding of myself (coming to mind particularly your video on planescape torment). You seem like a genuinely good guy and the care and thought you put into your critiques make them top of my queue for recent uploads when I see you've put something out. I'm really glad you are able to make a living off doing this, and your work has impacted my life in a way I didn't think would be possible for a youtuber who analyses video games. If you're ever in Brisbane Australia, I would love to buy you a beer. Thanks for your efforts. Alright, cheese over with, back to weird Kojima antics. Can't wait to see what you have to say about princess beach and monster haha.

[@Seamonkey96]

Hey man, I relate so much to this comment to the point I had to leave my own. I coincidentally live very close to Brisvegas.

[@sotothankyouidied]

yep stopped everything, got my snacks and my drink im ready

[@CatCheshireThe]

Having just finished the game and coming back to this video just because I was curious what Noah had to say about it, I did find it funny that one of his few complaints about the game was about the characters with extremely unsubtle symbolic names taking time to awkwardly explain why they have that name and then that not really going anywhere, because it's probably one of the most "Kojima" parts of the game. There is a weird clash of symbolic and literal in his stories where the characters tend to be very symbolic, but the narrative itself is literal, and this creates an odd feeling where you get these characters who exist mostly to represent a single idea engaging with a story as if they are real people in a real world. I don't know why he does that but I think it basically boils down to Kojima, as a writer, does not want to be misunderstood. His writing is not subtle to begin with, but he will go out of his way to explain his unsubtle metaphors just in case people didn't get it.

[@SledTillDead]

I must say it was painful watching Noah just keep trying to force his way over the river and fail consistently, ignoring the stamina bar and the TEXT TIP right next to him

[@olsten44]

I was thinking the same thing like please just stand still sir just for 1 moment and it'll be fine lol

[@vladimirvparfenov3935]

how are you THIS consistently right on the money? you can squeeze into just a minute a point so complete and insightful, so thoroughly true that i would be lucky if it took me a week to be graced by that realization on my own… and there’s 90 such minutes… every few weeks… how???

[@richardthompson3798]

I gotta say, this is one of your all time greatest works. The editing and recording are almost flawless, and you made so many good points about the game and it’s intentions and captured in words how I felt about this strange and wonderful game. Thank you for all the work you’ve done over the years, I love every minute!

[@Aaron-mj9ie]

This is the only commentary I've seen on this game that actually matters.

[@walrusman86808]

You should check out White lights vid on it

[@FrederickGuese]

The bunnyhop one is also interesting with him biking through America.

[@fiercephiltv5314]

The 7 hour one is top notch

[@TheSoulHarvester]

yeah the bunnyhop one is Necessary Discourse imo

[@nicholasbrooks3997]

While that's hard argue, I'd like to also recommend Girl Friend reviews take. I don't mean to advertise on Noah's page, but I found it equally as charming and sincere.

[@SYLRMHA]

Noah did mdma at a rave and almost died of dehydration... Classic

[@nicholasbrooks3997]

It's funny I was thinking that this game reminds me of a festival. At least back my day everyone at a festie was so helpful. If we saw someone thirsty, we buy em water ^.^

[@logansvideos95]

This was one of the most touching videos I've ever seen and the mention of Cat Stevens and his music was amazing... Thank you so much for making this!

[@TheHighLandur]

Noah's intro skits usually drive me to add another song to my playlist, this one made me chuckle a good one.

[@roberthaveman4726]

I have been continually captivated by your statement of the theme: "...Be excellent to each other." I cannot think of a more beautiful message or of any way to improve upon that formulation of it. I remind myself of it often; even small actions matter.

[@broadcaststsatic]

It brings me great sorrow to have to tell you that it's lifted from / in reference to "Bill & Ted's Excellent Adventure"

[@roberthaveman4726]

@@broadcaststsatic Glorious! I've not seen that movie in years. I wonder which is better illustrated: my catastrophic failure to recognize a pop-culture reference or the profound impact that (perceived) tone has on the interpretation of a phrase? Regardless I think I will continue with the rather more sincere understanding, because it is more beautiful and useful. Thank you, by the way, Noah for your years of work in essay writing: they are valuable and enriching.

[@TrivialPunk]

It's always a wonderful treat when a Noah video pops up

[@Chopstewie]

I've heard it been said that kojima ought to just make movies. It seems however, that the medium for which Kojima was meant to direct has not been yet been invented. And video games offer the closest simulacra.

[@mmm-mmm]

well, if he did make a movie, hopefully people would be honest and tell him it was shit... but we do have the star wars prequels. ugh... kojima can only be "successful" by making video games. which he has no idea how to do. (if i want to skip a cutscene, i don't want to skip a single line of shitty sophomoric dialog; I WANT TO SKIP THE WHOLE THING!!!) he's a shitty writer, has no international sense about anything, plasters his name all over shit that other people actually make, and apparently is surrounded by sycophantic ass-lickers who like their jobs more than telling kojima the truth about how shitty his ideas are.

[@Marshy50]

Also DeadMan not having a beach himself (and thus not fully being alive) allowed him to be able to rescue sam at the end of the game by being able to something he wasn't able to do but wanted to, visit sam's beach and be able to come back from death.

[@sunnydelight7252]

Thanks to KZbin recommendations for giving me access to this incredible video, I love seeing different people's experience of things I enjoy Thank you for your vid!

[@Narokkurai]

Noah, yours are the only videos to actually make me hit that bell icon to get notifications, and I have to stop what I'm doing and watch every time they come up. Keep on keepin' on.

[@clancybundy4887]

I stepped away from my office desk for literally one minute. That minute contained the Ahab bit.

[@ambypez185]

Ive been listening to this video for like 5 mins and i already love the way you talk.

[@Melissa-tw2gp]

Thanks Noah. I always find your takes thoughtful, useful, and compelling. Great video.

[@zeubersandvitch8882]

Oh my god, Noah covering a Kojima game? Christmas came early, fellas

[@trfsphone8509]

Nah man its been like 4 weeks

[@leathery420]

lol a thorough look at MGS would be like a 10-12 hour video.

[@fictionmyth]

@@trfsphone8509 You're never further away from Christmas morning than Christmas night.

[@leathery420]

@@erin6802 Watch out. Under taking that task could kill the man. Instead monsters, the case would probably need to be filled with meth.

[@CSM100MK2]

technically late you idiot

[@Lyesmyth777]

I think higgs is important he is the stick when you are the rope he represents the other part of human contact and the entirty of of plot is a conflict betwen open palm (sam)and closed fist (higgs)

[@hariman7727]

And Clifford represents miscommunication between people, alongside the need to reconnect with people who were friends/family... and creepy awesome boss characters.

[@qinlongfei]

@Danisz Szwed Not sure if you already watched it, but Whitelight has a 7 hours (no I'm not kidding) long commentary on Death Stranding where near the end he critics how Higgs isn't a very well written contract to Sam, because despite his charisma and flamboyant presentation he does not logically and methodically challenge the idea of why isolation is better than forging connection. Highly recommend you check his video out if you haven't already.

[@kakanangk4263]

I think that the only purpose of Higgs being here is to be a villain. I mean Amelie need to create the negative thing to push people (or encourage people) to reunite the country, to have something to fight for so she choose Higgs. The reason why him I think because of his psychological state (the detail in his journal acquired when you complete his quest).

[@Lyesmyth777]

@@qinlongfei i sure will

[@lindasiltakoski4900]

Yep, this is a really good point. Higgs' obsession with Sam also shows how it's fundamentally self-destructive to try to connect with the world through violence, and also an object lesson by Amelie for Sam to not try it himself.

[@SebastienDelfino]

I've been enjoying this channel for a couple of years now, and I'm intensely pleased by the quality the last few videos have reached. Thanks for this.

[@ProperZen]

Good as always to hear your take Noah. Appreciate the time and thought you put into these. You almost always have a unique angle.

[@kaleidoscopickait]

Wow, I have to say, you explained this game better than anyone else. I feel like I finally understand. The way you tied the game to the postman story- I never thought of that. I love how you explain the game with what it was inspired by in reality, as it makes it so clear what the game was trying to get across! Great video.

[@mattryan1999]

Can we all just take a moment to appreciate the adjective "Zoidbergian?"

[@insertnamehere3363]

Thank you for your always interesting and well spoken game reviews. And your introduction to so much music I’d of never listened to or heard of.

[@thinkstoomuch4445]

This is why I strive to be like Noah Gervais in my own videos. The amount of thought he puts into these videos is admirable and his passion is as clear as a beautiful hot Chicago Summer Day!!!!

[@kenankorucu7272]

Yay!! Noah is going to talk about Death stranding, having just finished that game I can't wait to hear his thoughts on this rather unique experience

[@MThead911]

That was your best intro yet! Legit laughed out loud.

[@matthewt5573]

Just want to say thank you for your reviews, been stuck inside while this whole COVID scary has been going on since I'm high risk of complications and your reviews have been excellent background while trying to stay busy inside. So keep on keeping on Sir!!

[@sparklesparklesparkle6318]

Noah I dare say this is my favourite review by you yet, and the best critique of Death Stranding yet produced. You did an amazing thing here and are an amazing critique and am so excited to see what you tackle next! Congratulations!

[@Titan360]

17:32 I do believe you've hit a record for your loudest sudden mid-review shout...

[@xponen]

When you explained that the nuke explosion in the game is actually a game mechanic to stop player from killing other character I remembered an old RTS game called Total Annihilation which if you sent your 1st ever unit to destroy the enemy's 1st ever unit they'll both explode in a giant explosion together, so each player had to kill each other indirectly without getting close to each other.

[@DanaTheLateBloomingFruitLoop]

So that's the inspiration for the huge commander death explosions in the Supreme Commander games and Planetary Annihilation.

[@willhart2188]

I'm happy that I found this channel again. I missed some uploads.

[@FandangoJon]

Just want to say that I hadn't seen your work before... and I appreciate you. Thank you. My play through left me feeling much the same way, but this helped put some things in focus to better appreciate it.

[@arturoaguilar6002]

Talk about the impact of delivering the mother’s dead body to the incinerator, and no talk about the last delivery!?

[@dudestep]

I feel pretty stupid but I cant remember what the contents of the delivery were, just the route.

[@groovysnake6664]

Yeah I also thought the video stopped just short of being complete. There's a lot to unpack in that final scene, I was really hoping to get his take on it

[@Yoshimitsu4prez]

Ugh this was such a 10/10 experience despite not featuring anything resembling what I’d usually like a game to be.. it just.. is. And is beautiful

[@nicholasbrooks3997]

I feel the SAME WAY. I'm a fan of Kojima's work, but I thought this time he had finally gone up his own ass.. But no.. This is something special. Now to level random people's structures ^.^v

[@nupinoop296]

I've been waiting for someone else to compare this game's basic concept to The Postman since it came out! Great video! I love your analysis.

[@bleachitwhite]

one of my favorite videos of yours. wonderful work.

[@DodderingOldMan]

Woo! I've got a nasty case of the flu... hopefully not that novel coronavirus... and all I can really do at the moment is sit still, joints aching, head about to explode, brain being fried by a fever, and watch stuff on KZbin. And this is gonna make the next hour and a half of my recuperation a damn sight more pleasant. I'm not sure how much of it I'll be able to comprehend, like I said my brain is being fried and it's not working at maximum efficiency, but just listening to Noah talk at length is a pleasure in itself.

[@RebekahSolWest]

I’ve been looking forward to your video on this game ever since it was revealed that it’s about walking across America.

[@newtsears423]

Haven't watched this yet but I know it's gonna be fantastic. Noah, bless us.

[@disissenpai665]

I admire so much that you handwrite each name in a notebook and read them outloud, such respect for your supporters

[@zeikjt]

26:25 Ahahaha, I remember the first time I ran headfirst into a energy barrier. I was shocked and a bit sad that some of my cargo got damaged! :D

[@m.g1797]

Just what I needed at work thank you BasedNoah

[@Raccoozs]

So many death stranding critiques this month. I cant wait to watch them all :)

[@Andreoflight]

Magnificent video mate. Really. Thank you for these essays.

[@johnoneil9188]

This is one hell of a start into the morning. I find it interesting to look at the two games that resulted from Kojima leaving Konami after much frustration and cancelled projects. Konami, holding onto the Metal Gear Solid IP, made MGS Survive, the probably most uninspired and tired game I have seen in forever, or until Contra: Rogue Corps. It is a game that feels like it should have been published five to six years before it actually came out, treading the most common denominator from that time with base building, zombies and survival mechanics in a world that is too big for the little content it offers. Kojima, having to come up with a new IP but now given way more creative freedom, made a game that is only possible to be made now in terms of presentation, concept and technology. Death Stranding may not be the best game ever but it is a game that makes you think, that divides opinions and looks like nothing you have seen before. MGS Survive looks like every other game of its kind and is a game that you just want to forget about.

[@Mr.Rotmound]

Me: I’m gonna five star everything and take my time with death stranding. Noah: posts a spoiler filled video before I’m done Me: TIME FOR A SPEED RUN

[@fraundakelmbrilpondaprost90]

Basically what happened to me with RDR2. I'd spent an entire year biding my time to get as far as chapter 4. Then Noah posted his breakdown and it was full speed ahead.

[@Countgreenhorn]

You can still complete orders and get all the five stars after the game is done

[@sevbait]

@@Countgreenhorn I decided to do this after completing the entire road and seeing that there was no achievement. It was so much work that it made me think, “why do I even want to 5 star these places anyway?”, so I just finished the story and was glad to see that I could just revisit this later and get completion if I feel inclined. Been trying to convince my friend who got me into the game to do the same as there’s really nothing lost, but it’s tough to not be able to talk about the ending while they plod around the map for e-points when the story ties up so satisfyingly.

[@kambion]

Wonderful video. Next to Torment, this was my favorite. Thanks man, and way to improve with every video.

[@jckpth]

That Moby Dick joke let me get 50 points in a college class when the teacher showed a Star Trek scene where the villain quotes the book and asked where the quote came from! Thank you for that!

[@SarahHxC]

I love you Noah, you are the best Parasocial stuff aside, you do the best and most in-depth reviews and analysis on KZbin. There aren't enough words in the English language to describe how good your works are

[@Morgan.Farkind]

Oh my god, the Monsters in the case made me spit my drink.

[@automaticocelot452]

Love you Noah and your essays.

[@Nodfollower]

A new Noah video, just what I needed.

[@FBH991]

I thought when I saw this "Wow, Noah's gonna love this one."

[@flopus7]

Noah: You can't go hiking with 200 lbs strapped to you the military: Hold my beer

[@amonisacat]

Oh wonderful, I have something to listen to tonight. Love your stuff as usual :)

[@dergutemann68]

Noah I'm not sure why your last 10 videos [legitimately] did not appear in my subscription box, but I'm happy to see this video.

[@krovarus1911]

Well...just watched Whitelight's 7 hour review on this so I might as well watch yours too. Sure will make the shift at work go by

[@jeffwilkins4236]

I know that it would be a large undertaking, and that you are busy enough as it is, but I would love to watch and rewatch you breaking down the Metal Gear series.

[@TrashBonanza]

I was legitimately excited to see a new video in my sub box!

[@ColbyWanShinobi]

Jesus Christ man, you are really good at this. Thank you so much, that was thought provoking and interesting. I haven’t even played this game yet but I feel like I understand it so much more now.

[@GreatistheWorld]

For having no prior Kojima experience, I think you grok here what makes A Kojima Game- particularly, that unique cocktail of carefully-confined absurdity & disarming earnestness. This is superb essay, man.

[@Inressa]

44:30 This made me laugh and also made me so upset lmao, the struggle of getting onto the damn ladder when you place it in a tricky area is so immense that I wonder why they didn't give a Grab button for locking your feet to it when you walk across. The little shuffling struggle to get on and the inertia carrying you over the edge and down a waterfall is so funny.

[@danielcadia641]

After watching this video, I am inspired to return to this game with a new lens, informed by your analysis. You had me at Cat Stevens.

[@RatKillCat]

Thank you for this video. It shows you put a lot of work and thought into it. If was an interesting watch.