Death Stranding - Endgame Review - Part 1

 Death Stranding - Endgame Review

Death Stranding is 2019 game from Kojima Production, and one which was eagerly awaited by fans of Metal Gear series largely due to the massive support to Hideo Kojima (who had given us one of the best series in PlayStation 1, 2, 3 and 4 eras which was Metal Gear Series.

When I was about to write this review, I had promised myself not to compare MGS games with Death Stranding as Death Stranding is a fairly new game for Kojima San. Even so Kojima San had "invented" Stealth Game Genre, he had shown disinterest in wanting to continue onward (or more precisely being trapped in) a single game series (MGS) for too long. He had shown an interest in moving away from the MGS saga (or even ending it completely) when Kojima San was involved in another project in 2008 called Silent Hill PT which he worked with Guillermo Del Toro and Norman Reedus. The playable demo which they managed to  produce had peeked the gamers community interest but the project was pulled off by KONAMI and began Kojima San's departure from the game company he devoted nearly twenty years of his life.

So, after Kojima San left KONAMI, the fans were eagerly awaits his return to the game community through a game of his own (and not restricted to what KONAMI wanted him to do). The news of Death Stranding was received with a great cheer for their hero's return. Many believed that Kojima San will use the elements of Stealth which he was familiar with and create a new story which uses Stealth method but was unique to Kojima San. They waited until 2019, for the release of Death Stranding which it did a few months before the COVID19 Pandemic hit the globe. According to Wikipedia, the game sold 5 million copies worldwide (as of July 2021).

The game had some impressive acting talents behind it. Many of the names are recognizable from TV and movie industry (especially Hollywood). They are :

Sam (Norman Reedus)

Cliff (Mads Mikkelsen)

Fragile (Lea Seydoux)

Mama (Margaret Qualley)

Deadman (Guillermo Del Toro)

Heartman (Nicolas Winding Refn)

Die-Hardman (Tommie Earl Jenkins)

Higgs (Troy Baker)

Amelie (Lindsay Wagner)

Most people who had been watching the Walking Dead series which ran for over 9 seasons (that's how far I could stomach it), are familiar with Norman Reedus. He plays the main character in Death Stranding as Sam Porter Bridges (Yeah, silly name). Most people could also be familiar with the name Guillermo Del Toro as he is a famous director but this was the first time I saw him acting (well, in a game, anyway). I really liked his funny and out-of-place character. These two characters are known for some time to be in this project (with Kojima San). 

Those who watched Star War : Rogue One and Marvel's Dr. Strange (2016) could likely to remember the Danish actor, Mads Dittmann Mikkelsen. Frankly speaking, I really liked his performance as Unger. The "alternative reality" stage where his character and Sam could fight it out was one of the most interesting parts of the game which (to me) had become a bit dull after a while. I was expecting something of a challenge but the game did not deliver on that part.

However, of all the names in the list (above), two names jumped out of me, creating a pleasant surprise to me. The first one was Troy Baker (who plays the character Higgs). Troy Baker had been in several of the games which I had played, which included as Jake Muller in Resident Evil 6 (not his best performance), Samual "Sam" Drake in Uncharted 4 : A Thief's End and The Lost Legacy, Pagan Min in Far Cry 4 (which resembles Higgs the closest - in my personal opinion) and as Revolver Ocelot in Metal Gear Solid V : The Phantom Pain. 

However, the role he could likely be remembered for could be as Joel in Last of Us Part 1 and 2. I have no problem with his performance as Higgs but it seems to be a little ... "forced" in my opinion. Like someone out of character but forced to be in the character so he picks up various "personas" he had done before and added it into his performance. Compared to his performance and that of Mads Mikkelsen's, I preferred Mads Mikkelsen's performance to be something more fluid and natural in appearance. 

The second name which surprised me was Lindsay Wagner who played the character(s) - Strand Bridget and Amelie Bridget (Yeah, again weird names). 

Most gamers today may not know who Lindsay Wagner is but at one time, she was one of the most famous actor I have ever seen on TV screen (back in 1970s and 1980s). Most of the old folks could remember the name "Jamie Sommers" quite well, as Lindsay Wagner played the iconic role of the Original Bionic Woman (aired from 1976 to 1978). I was quite surprised to see her in this game and thought (at first) that the name was for someone else who had similar name or maybe I was mistakenly remembering it. 

The scene of her and Sam running on a Beach (near to the end of the game) seems to be a montage to the old (The Bionic Woman) series which I had loved to watched but sadly, many had forgotten about it today. 

PS : She happened to be my first crush, so watching her younger self in this game brought back some nice memories. Thank you for bring back that memory, Hideo Kojima San.  

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