Death Stranding Kojima Unleashed

I couldn't wait to start Death Stranding, which is childish and unreasonable and I know it will come back to haunt me. Not just because I'm still overwhelmed and hurting from FF VII R, but also because I did bagel on my PhD stuff.

I avoided everything related to this game like the plague. Much like FF VIIR, it's one hell of an experience that I don't want ruined in any way possible, whether I end up liking it or regretting it. I'mma spend that money and putting that time and either regret it or not. But I'mma do it. It's the least I can do for these creators, give them a chance to go fully for what was asked of them by hardcore fans anyway. No one said it will turn out the way we are expecting and there are no guarantees we will enjoy it the way we want, but it's still a bold move by AAA games, and for the sake of seeing more creativity and bold moves, I'd put my money in encouraging them and will tag along on the journey and see for myself.

That being said, there are few obvious points that shouldn't come into the big question of whether to play/keep on playing Death Stranding, at least for me. I'm getting them out of the way after my first 20 hours of play:

-It's a 1000% Kojima game: No Konami, no big boss, no one to put Hideo Kojima in handcuffs, no pun intended (Notice he does that with us though, eh). And after the last few years of drama he's had, I was expecting the inflated ego and overdoing things and uninhibited peculiarities in the game. I don't hold it against him or against the game; though it is annoying at times and frustrating at others, heh, I can indulge him. I can humor that side of him and I can roll with it. What matters is majestic and gigantic in comparison.

-Narrative versus writing: Goddamn, Kojima should have hired editors (typos in a videogame?) and professional writers to help. The guy has a very compelling narrative, in true Kojima fashion, but conveying it is gauche at best and pretty poor. I understood the ideas displayed so far and have connected viscerally with what he is trying to transmit, but it's no thanks to the writing; rather because of the message on its own and my inclinations Kojima wise. If anything, I was saying "bruh." A LOT while shacking my head at the way he has written things so far. And I don't expect it to get any better. The game was rushed in the latest stages so I'm just bracing myself for that part and hoping to discern the narrative without having to rely on Hideo's lack of polished storytelling skills.


-Poor execution in exposition and side quests: Bruh. Bruh. Bruh. Standing and getting the same information hammered into my head is not tight, not tight at all. And the exposition in the most boring ass way is only saved by the weird ass lore it is introducing, and reintroducing, over and over and over and over again. There are much better ways to frame side quests and somehow they fall flat. Even the gratification is absent once the side quest is fulfilled, it just falls flat and the words of praise are hollow.

-Characters are 'toopid or what: So you mean to tell me, Sam is that 'tupid? Die-Hardman is that much of an idiot? And Deadman is so scattered? I couldn't buy the level of oblivious and stupid the characters had to be in order for the plot to advance the way Kojima wanted it to advance. I'm pretty sure, no in fact, I could see ways to tweak it so that it advances to the main conclusions without making a grown ass heavy man like Sam who couldn't have gotten his impeccable reputation as a UPS man by being stupid, like such a cake guy.

-Why padding: This game needs NO PADDING! Why are you padding it? Why would you do that? I WANT to fucking do deliveries and I TAKE my time with them in side quests and standard orders, so why the hell would you pad this shit?

-Hideo is living his movies fantasy: I'm here for it mate, I see you Hideo, I see you and I support it. I like your AMV skills and choices of music and whatnot. But for fucks sake, I DO NOT WANT the names of your actors and music bands on the fucking screen. It totally breaks the fourth wall for me, it fucks it up for me. I hate it. And I groan everytime beautiful music starts playing as I scour the wilderness alone only for the goddamn writing to show up and pull me back in the world where the bands exist and the music is not in my head but rather in a screen. Fucking dick move! When did anyone EVER complain of not being able to find a song or the OST of a videogame they fancied? That was... Rha just thinking about it is bringing up my frustration.

Now that this is out of the way, let me just add that:

And

Take me there right away.

And this

Takes it home.