Launched in November 2019, right before the Covid-19 pandemic began, Death Stranding quickly came to represent the isolation and disruption experienced globally. The game’s narrative and characters are emphasized as it embodies the drastic changes brought about by the pandemic. The review of the title before its release highlighted the socially-connected world it presented, now lost to progress wiped prior to the public launch.
The game fosters a sense of communal sabotage and cooperation, reflecting the human hubris and interconnectedness experienced in real life. Death Stranding aims to convey a message of human connection through remnants of human interaction, portraying how every human life is connected in some way. It emphasizes the importance of reliance on one another for survival, even in the face of daunting challenges.
The game offers a unique survival experience, different from the typical genre conventions, with emphasis on spontaneous survival and the uncertainty of each excursion. It encourages players to fail fearlessly and cope with its unforgiving nature. Contrasting with many survival games, Death Stranding does not shy away from making players feel alone but offers the promise of communication and evidence that others have traversed similar paths before, inspiring hope for survival and mutual support.
The game’s message speaks to the idea that going it alone is possible but not the best route forward, highlighting the benefits of communication and cooperation for survival.
