Hideo Kojima, a well-known figure in the global gaming industry, returned to the spotlight after his tragic split from Konami. Thanks to several connections and Sony’s support, he was given a new chance to shine. This comeback resulted in a game unlike any other, one that brought him together with acclaimed film director Guillermo del Toro, and actors Norman Reedus and Léa Seydoux collaborations that helped the title gain even more fame.
It might seem a little late to write about this game, considering it was released back in 2019. But with Death Stranding 2 on the way (and PC players still waiting for its release), plus the announcement of Kojima Productions’ new project OD, now feels like the right time to revisit Death Stranding 1. More importantly, I recently experienced it myself for the first time, which makes this review a fresh look at the game.
In this article, I’m not trying to retell the story scene by scene or spoil every detail. Instead, I want to talk about Kojima’s mind, the world he built for each character, and finally, the technical and experiential sides of the game beyond its story.
Death has always been one of the most debated and mysterious aspects of nature, a question humanity has never truly solved. For every living, thinking person on this planet, there exists a different vision or interpretation of what lies beyond. Yet somehow, the idea of portraying death on screen never loses its allure, especially when a creative mind like Hideo Kojima is the one behind the story.
Kojima doesn’t just talk about dying, nor does he simply question what might exist beyond this world. What he does is try to create a tangible experience of how death touches the living. This experience takes many forms: sometimes it’s the quiet sorrow of loss, and sometimes it’s a looming sense of fear. In Kojima’s vision, fear is born from the collision of these two worlds, the living and the dead, a place where nothing feels right anymore. The villains of this story are born from that chaos, feeding on the power of death itself to torment the living.
Of course, Kojima’s vision of the afterlife is anything but comforting. It’s chaotic, dark, and bitter. Yet within that bitterness lies a strange sense of peace, one he chose to symbolize through the image of the beach. If you asked me what could be both terrifying and soothing at the same time, I’d say the sea. The sea is restless; when you don’t know what lies at its end, it becomes deeply frightening. But hidden within that fear, there’s a quiet calm. I believe Kojima sees the ocean the same way. It wouldn’t be surprising, after all, since Japan is an island nation that has witnessed both the gentleness of the sea and the devastation of its tsunamis.
Does the end justify the means?
But in this story, death isn’t Kojima’s only concern. It becomes a means to explore a far more complex idea, life itself: The life of Sam, a man whose very existence is owed to Amelie, a woman trapped somewhere between life and death. Amelie isn’t evil by nature, but her actions are born from a belief that “The end justifies the means” That same belief led to her father’s eternal suffering and to Sam’s own death. Yet when she brings him back to the world of the living, she returns the very gift she once took away. The question is, was that an act of mercy or a crueler form of punishment? Either way, Sam becomes the last hope to reconnect a fractured America.
Higgs and Fragile are two sides of the same coin: power or honor?
Both Higgs and Fragile were moving toward the same goal, the very task that now rests on Sam’s shoulders, though on a much larger scale. But Higgs eventually reached a point where he believed that serving death might grant him a higher form of power than serving life. And since death, in Kojima’s world, is a symbol of corruption, it consumed Higgs with evil. Fragile, on the other hand, chose to sacrifice herself in service of life, even if it meant walking that path completely alone.
Everything is about life and death
Almost every subplot in the game, from the main characters we’ve already mentioned to figures like Cliff and Die-Hardman who shape Sam’s and Bridges’ backstory, as well as Deadman, Heartman, and Mama, all revolve around two words: life and death. Each of these characters, in their own way, is caught between the two.
In my view, the characters’ struggle against the tangled state of life and death in a broken America is, in fact, a way of honoring life itself. Kojima’s vision of this tribute lies in human connection. His manifesto seems clear: if those who fight to survive manage to stay connected, they can give meaning to life and endure the chaos born from the overlap of life and death. This doesn’t mean they’ve conquered death; the game never claims that death can be defeated. Instead, it reminds us that life, even in the shadow of death, can still be made better.
In short, he sees connection as the key to a better life
And then, hope!
Perhaps in the very moment we feel life has ended, a spark of it returns, a breath, a flicker of hope for an uncertain future. And how is that shown? Through a perfect ending.
The child who once felt forced upon Sam is now the one he has grown emotionally attached to, and then loses. Now it’s Sam’s turn to fight to bring that child back to life. For the first time throughout the game, he cries not for himself, but for a life that never had the chance to truly live, a child who was treated as nothing more than a tool. His tears are for life itself, for the struggle to breathe again, and that struggle works. The child and Sam are both given a new chance, a glimpse of hope. Hope means fighting for life; it means crying out of love, not selfishness. That is Sam’s reward for reconnecting the world, the child, the hope.
From My Experience as a Player
Death Stranding 1 knows well that it wasn’t made to be like other games. It wasn’t made to be just another shooter. It was made to draw you in, to make you walk alongside Sam as you try to reconnect the world. In Kojima’s philosophical view, even killing isn’t a true solution in this world. That’s why you’re encouraged to use non-lethal weapons, even though the choice is ultimately yours.
Of course, this vision is admirable, but personally, I would have preferred my role as a player to feel a bit more tangible than just performing repetitive tasks. Unfortunately, the constant cargo deliveries between two main points, combined with the long hours needed to finish the game and the slow, drop-by-drop storytelling in the first two acts, can become exhausting. At times, you might keep playing only because of the game’s atmosphere and world-building. Even statistically, a significant number of players quit halfway through for exactly these reasons.
That being said, the delivery mechanics themselves are impressively detailed. From planning how to carry large amounts of cargo to dealing with the challenges of rough terrain, it can be genuinely engaging during the early hours. However, because of collision issues, clunky vehicle physics, and the lack of flexibility when navigating obstacles, the experience can quickly turn frustrating, especially when you’re passing through areas haunted by the dead. These technical problems make progression even harder. Still, encounters with the spirits are, in their own way, thrilling. The tension and variety they bring keep the player engaged, though in the wrong moments, they can also become downright irritating.
Final Thoughts
Death Stranding 1 is an admirable effort by Kojima and his studio, Kojima Productions. Once again, he proves that video games are no less capable than cinema when it comes to storytelling, and that they can be just as artistic, if not more. The game is rich in narrative and carries an important philosophical message. Its gameplay, too, is built to serve that narrative. However, in my opinion, the balance between the game’s length and the variety of activities available to the player isn’t quite right. When you add that to the minor but significant technical issues mentioned earlier, the result is a game that, while deeply impressive, can still feel exhausting for some players.
Even with its flaws, I believe this game is art, and it’s absolutely worth playing.
A deep story and great attention to detail in crafting, but the gameplay doesn’t stay balanced with its long playtime.
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