Death Stranding has lots of good. It kept my attention for over sixty hours. Here’s a quick list of what I liked most and will include spoilers.

I like the weird story and crazy sci-fi concepts:

  • The internet is routed through the afterlife with babies in pods connected to comatose mothers as the edge routers, that’s pretty nuts.
  • “Deadman” is literally frankenstein’s monster - who’s frankesntein though?
  • “Heartman” forever wandering beaches. Although I don’t really like how it doesn’t explain or show him going from beach to beach, why didn’t we get to go on some crazy mission jumping through beaches with him?
  • Mama with her baby was good, but I wasn’t sold on the Lockne connection at the end, expecially when it started so strong, building on the basic concepts of the game.
  • I think Higgs was great, his brand of crazy was scary and good, his aesthetics are awesome with the golden mask and different BB pod/arm set up.

I like the facial animations and just watching the stories unfold in the cutscenes. I like the beautiful environments the rocky mountains, plains and rivers are incredible, the snowy mountains are great. I like the async multiplayer, slamming the like button over and over, getting likes from BB for doing things, getting them in person from other people, and especially getting a like from a BT when you cut their umbilical cord.

I like the weird combat, taking a non-lethal approac. I like trying to sneak up on guys to take them down witht a strand and pulling out the bola gun when things go south, wrapping dudes up then sprinting over to them to make sure they’re knocked out with a swift boot the head.

I do like filling those dumb connection levels and especially getting the trinkets for your backpack. Those are the best awards. I like getting blueprints for new things from someone and knowing that if I keep delivering more stuff to them I’ll get better blueprints.

Finally, I love when the music cuts in, that is the best part of the game. The most impactful one for me was on my way to port knot city. It’s the longest hike you’ve done and it’s pretty challenging and you crest the top of the mountain and see it in the distance and “Asylums For The Feeling feat. Leila Adu” by Silent Poets comes on and it’s incredible. The soundtrack is perfect for the game–haunting and lonely and sad.