Recent reviews by eckojpeg‹3

(this review is speculative and personal to my objective view of the game and is not intended to come off as the only truth of the theme of the game.)


a game of love, loss, found family, and doing things against all odds. hideo kojima delivers a well thought out story with amazing themes, character tropes, and moral dilemmas that many players can relate to on some level or another, even going as far as making sam bridges, the main protagonist, both a highly developed character with his own growth and choices, but also enough of a blank slate that the player can insert themselves into and find many characteristics and mannerisms that they themselves relate to and can apply to their own life. of course, the duality of such a game as a result of hideo kojima production works as such, where anyone who is looking for a “simple” game to breeze through at the surface level can enjoy it, yet there is still so much story that can be delved into further if the player so wishes; adding so much context and lore that expands on the universe and characters we have come to know and love.


sam is a profound protagonist that, despite at the surface level seeming very withdrawn and lacking depth, holds layers of history, trauma, character building, and growth; although he does not appear that way at first glance. a man with tendencies to withdraw, hold people at a distance, and keep to himself due to certain circumstances of his personal and current history, we get to witness him evolve into someone who works on pushing past his own boundaries whilst standing true to his morals, even if it could cost him something he loves the most. He comes to find that trust and loyalty shouldn’t always be given blindly, and that it is important to question the intentions of who you thought was a close friend, as well as be open to trusting new sources to further decide the best outcome of your situation.

we see this with many characters, including fragile,bridgit/amelie, and die-hardman, who all challenge sam throughout the course of the story but are also given amazing backstories as to why and how they work and operate the way they do. one character, though, that acts as the antagonist of the game but also a mirror character to sam, is higgs monaghan.

higgs is one of the next best thoroughly developed characters after sam, who deals with similar traumas and challenges throughout his life, most of whos lore and world-building can be missed if one does not view his journals that become available as the story progresses/finishes, but can be weaved alongside sam and his story. they both deal with loss of a parental figure(s) at a young age, as well as being groomed in their role by someone important to them, both resulting in similar yet different outcomes based on their morals and growth as a human. it makes for an interesting story to see men with an almost similar upbringing become different in their personalities and morals, based off the choices they make throughout their life and therefore resulting in ending off at different points by the end of the game. whereas sam tries saving an important fragment of his life to avoid what could potentially be the same fate he went through, higgs continuously only thinks of his own personal gain which costs him (presumably) his own life by the end of the game.


the themes explored in this game when actually sought out in depth can be something akin to a life changing experience, most of which many players have come to love and relate to personally. there is so much to this game than just sams personal story that there is bound to be something for every kind of player, even if they don’t dive into the depths of the lore and themes. hideo kojima is a wonderful storyteller that always includes much to relate to and think about as you explore his games through the main characters eyes that can be as objective or as personal as they make it, regardless of the amount of lore they read into.

Death stranding is a great game that has something for everyone and is something that I recommend everyone play through at least once. despite it being chopped up to by many as simply a “walking simulator”, there is much to be seen and loved that gives the player much to think about and gives a profound sense of longing.