Overcrowding Game - Review (Part I): Death Stranding

After all the conspiracy theories, speculation, and sheer hype, Death Stranding ultimately boils down to one thing - carrying boxes from point A to point B. And often back to A again. That's it. That's the game.

Let's be clear - this is a spoiler-free review when it comes to the story, but when it comes to mechanics, it's hard not to mention that you spend most of your time carrying stuff. You stumble across uneven terrain with a backpack loaded to the breaking point, from underwear to medical supplies. Sometimes you fall. Occasionally ghosts appear. But mostly you deliver. And deliver. And deliver.

The world after the end

Post-apocalypse has never looked so poetic. “Death Stranding,” a cataclysmic event, has reduced the world to bunkers and fortified cities. The surviving “preppers” live in isolation while outside reigns a rocky hell, rains of Timefall and “Beached Things” (BTs) - ghosts tied to this world by an umbilical cord. Creepy and touching at the same time.

Visually, the game is breathtaking. Kojima's America is a mix of Icelandic landscapes and surreal ruins, with spectacular lighting and superb character animation. But beneath that photorealistic surface lies a mechanics that are astonishingly stripped down.

Load as a foundation

Travel is the core mechanic, and delivery is the main interaction. Just as a shooter allows you to view the world solely through a scope, here your only way of communicating with the world becomes carrying cargo.

And there's something contemplative about that, the planning of the route, the preparation of the equipment, the silence as you step into the unknown. But the vocabulary of the game is limited: fragile or explosive packaging, or particularly difficult terrain, present a whole range of variations. Later, the tension is attempted through long, exhausting walks. (Fast transport exists, but it only carries you, not your cargo.)

Low risk, high effort

There is combat, both against BTs and against “Mules” obsessed with stealing packages, but it’s all incidental. Most conflicts are easily avoided or resolved with a single button on the keyboard. Even BTs, as intimidating as they may seem, are rarely a real threat. And when you are caught, there is a “boss” fight that you can easily survive or escape from, which is often the best tactic.

The real enemy is logistics. With every task, you ask yourself: take on everything and risk falls and damage? Or walk the same route over and over again, in endless circles? The game could be called “Overcrowding: The Game.” Even basic equipment like ladders, ropes, and sprays take up the same space as a pack, so everything quickly becomes a heavy, unbalanced mess on your back.

The game offers aids in the form of exoskeletons, hovercraft, and vehicles, but often for every solution there is a new problem. You only get a motorbike after many hours and on terrain that is almost impossible to drive. Batteries run out, wheels get stuck, and soon you are back on your feet, struggling on foot with terrain, fatigue, and falls that sometimes seem pre-scripted.

Alone, but together

And then, the magic happens: asymmetric multiplayer. The bridge you need is already there. Built by a player you don't know. The ladder over the chasm? It's there. Your one "like" means more than you think. The world is slowly being built collectively, silent acts of solidarity that you'll never see in person, but you feel them all the time.

The names are repeated. You walk the world alone, but you share it with others. An elegant metaphor for connection in isolation.

Sound, snow, silence

When landscape, music, and movement come together, Death Stranding knows how to captivate. Climbing to the top of a mountain as “Low Roar” starts playing is an experience. If nothing else, this is the most expensive interactive music video ever made, and I’m now a fan of the band.

Kojima released from the chain

Of course, this is Hideo Kojima. The exposition is endless, the names are often literal (Mom is a mother, Heartman's heart stops every 21 minutes), and the story dances between pseudoscience and philosophical chaos.

The characters are likable, but the story drags on. Frame by frame, the grain of mystery is drowned out by a tirade of explanation. The pacing can be killer, especially if you get caught up in side stories that offer little reward and a lot of drawn-out silence between narrative moments.

Conclusion

Death Stranding is a strange, melancholic march. Part meditative journey, part tedious hike. The ideas are grand, the mechanics frustrating. But if you persevere, there are moments of true beauty and connection. Is it genius or pretentiousness? Depth or bluff? It's all up to you. But one thing is for sure, you won't forget this game. The only question is: is the message of the walk itself, or something deeper hidden in every step?

6+ ratings for Death Stranding

The text was prepared by the GL team in cooperation with the Vijesti portal. For more reviews, news and gaming analysis, visit https://gamerslife.me