9 Essential Starter Tips For Death Stranding

Death Stranding is finally here. The PlayStation 4 game follows the story of Sam “Porter” Bridges, a man who ferries packages from one location to another. It’s not as simple as it sounds, however. There is a lot to know, and GameSpot has put together a list of nine beginner tips to know to help you deliver packages on time and undamaged like a great UPS employee. The video also covers other important details about survival and success in Death Stranding.

There is a lot of walking at the start of Death Stranding, and you’re doing so over treacherous paths. The simplest and most effective advice is to take is slooooow. Traversing the undulating and slippery slopes can be difficult, so a slow and steady approach is best.

The video also covers the best ways to manage your inventory, knowing your limits of how much is too much cargo to carry, and what to do and know when you face enemy combatants.

Check out the full video above to see our nine most essential beginner tips for Death Stranding.

In GameSpot’s Death Stranding review, Kallie Plagge wrote, “Death Stranding is a hard game to absorb. There are many intertwining threads to its plot, and silly names, corny moments, and heavy exposition belie an otherwise very simple message. That comes through much more clearly in the game’s more mundane moments, when you find a desperately-needed ladder left behind by another player or receive a letter from an NPC thanking you for your efforts. It’s positive without ignoring pain; in fact, it argues in both its story and its gameplay that adversity itself is what makes things worth doing and life worth living. It’s a game that requires patience, compassion, and love, and it’s also one we really need right now.”

Death Stranding – How Timefall And Weather Works

Death Stranding introduces and layers a number of concepts and gameplay mechanics on top of each other, and one of the most important to grasp and manage is the weather systems. Chief among these is Timefall, a dangerous type of rain that degrades items you’re carrying much faster than usual–as if time itself is moving faster.

In the video above, we take a closer look at how the Timefall system works and how to best manage it–from finding shelter in the early game to cargo loading strategies. You can’t ever make yourself totally impervious to Timefall, but as the game progresses you’ll find yourself much more capable at handling yourself in it.

But degrading equipment isn’t the only threat posed by the weather in Death Stranding. In addition to Timefall management strategies, we also go over what it means when you see the clouds turn dark and inky (hint: nothing good) and how to navigate the treacherous snowy mountains to the north. Be ready.

Death Stranding – Opening Cinematic

The time has finally come: Death Stranding is available now and you can finally play Kojima Productions’ mysterious open-world game. By now, you’ve probably seen quite a bit of the game courtesy of the many trailers shown over the years. However, we promise you, that’s just the start of the Death Stranding experience. The journey is full of twists and turns, and you can be sure you won’t see a lot of it coming.

In the video above you can watch the opening moments of Death Stranding–the calm before the storm as it were. You’ll be introduced to main character Sam Porter Bridges and also the weird and wild world of a post-Death Stranding America. You’ll also get a feel for what the game involves and what the overall goal that you, as Sam, will pursue.

GameSpot’s Death Stranding review awarded it a 9/10. “Death Stranding is a hard game to absorb,” said Kallie Plagge. “There are many intertwining threads to its plot, and silly names, corny moments, and heavy exposition belie an otherwise very simple message. That comes through much more clearly in the game’s more mundane moments, when you find a desperately-needed ladder left behind by another player or receive a letter from an NPC thanking you for your efforts.

“It’s positive without ignoring pain; in fact, it argues in both its story and its gameplay that adversity itself is what makes things worth doing and life worth living. It’s a game that requires patience, compassion, and love, and it’s also one we really need right now.”

Death Stranding – What An Explosive Voidout Looks Like

In the world of Death Stranding, dying leaves a lasting impression–it causes an event called Voidout, where the dead body explodes like a bomb and leaves a massive crater. It’s why most weapons are non-lethal.

Of course, the BTs don’t care; they’ll kill you without pause. And if they do, you will explode. Don’t believe us? Check out the video above; it showcases exactly what happens when a BT ends your life and causes a Voidout. Although it looks cool, the crater cannot be traversed–leaving a roadblock on your map that you’ll have to circumnavigate every time you’re travelling in that direction. It’s not that big of a detour, but it’s a little annoying.

In GameSpot’s Death Stranding review, Kallie Plagge wrote, “Death Stranding is a hard game to absorb. There are many intertwining threads to its plot, and silly names, corny moments, and heavy exposition belie an otherwise very simple message. That comes through much more clearly in the game’s more mundane moments, when you find a desperately-needed ladder left behind by another player or receive a letter from an NPC thanking you for your efforts. It’s positive without ignoring pain; in fact, it argues in both its story and its gameplay that adversity itself is what makes things worth doing and life worth living. It’s a game that requires patience, compassion, and love, and it’s also one we really need right now.”

Death Stranding – Trailers VS Game Release Cinematics

Sometimes early teasers and trailers for video games don’t reflect the final product. In extreme cases it’s night and day, but usually the differences are minor–either a small change the studio decided to make in the midst of development or alterations to hide a detail that would spoil the game. There are actually quite a few differences between the trailers and gameplay for Death Stranding–about 10 minutes worth.

In the video above, we showcase several of the key differences between what was shown in Death Stranding’s E3 2016 reveal trailer (our very first look at the game) and the actual cutscenes seen in the final product that was released over three years later. There are graphical differences, obviously, but there are less significant changes between the two as well. In the scene where Sam Bridges wakes up on the beach, crawls to his BB, and begins to cradle it, for example, the handcuff that links him to his infant companion changes arms between the trailer and the game. In the trailer, Sam wears it on his left, while in the game it’s on his right. The scene is longer in the trailer version as well.

In GameSpot’s Death Stranding review, Kallie Plagge wrote, “Death Stranding is a hard game to absorb. There are many intertwining threads to its plot, and silly names, corny moments, and heavy exposition belie an otherwise very simple message. That comes through much more clearly in the game’s more mundane moments, when you find a desperately-needed ladder left behind by another player or receive a letter from an NPC thanking you for your efforts. It’s positive without ignoring pain; in fact, it argues in both its story and its gameplay that adversity itself is what makes things worth doing and life worth living. It’s a game that requires patience, compassion, and love, and it’s also one we really need right now.”

What to Expect From Death Stranding’s First 10 Hours

It is no secret at this point that Death Stranding is a divisive game. Some have found central its cross-country walking and inventory-management mechanics frustrating, some have found them mediative and rewarding. What people seem to agree on, however, is that it takes things slowly in its first 10 hours, to the point that what Death Stranding actually is is still something of a mystery until it settles into more of a rhythm in its third act. If you’re confused as to what to expect during these ten hours, we’ve rounded up our unique experiences with them below to alleviate – or exacerbate! – any concerns.

Having previously never played more than a few hours of a Hideo Kojima game, I really had no idea what to expect of my first 10 hours in Death Stranding. They were a mixture of plenty of cutscenes and much slower-paced gameplay than I was expecting. But I reveled in that slowness, and I think it’s worth setting those expectations for what you might jump into. Because Sam Bridges has relatively few options in his arsenal at the start of Death Stranding, making a package delivery comes down to his ability to walk over rough terrain. The challenge is the journey, but so is the reward — after my first run or two, I loved taking a slow approach to plotting a best path from Point A to B, and then dealing with whatever curveballs the terrain, or BTs, threw my way. It’s slow, meditative, and not something that’s going to thrill you quite from the jump. Sidequest deliveries start to open up pretty early, but I’d advise against jumping on them at first — though I’ve spent most of my subsequent 40 hours with the game on those side deliveries, doing them at the start can be a bit too punishing. Death Stranding offers a slow trickle of new tools and mechanics that make those deliveries easier and, for me, more fun. – Jonathon Dornbush

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The Best Black Friday Gaming Deals on Nintendo, PlayStationn and Xbox

Welcome to IGN’s Black Friday gaming deals page, your source for all the best gaming deals you can get in the UK this month. We will be updating this page with the best Black Friday gaming deals as soon as they come out, so bookmark this page and check back more than once.

Black Friday isn’t far away, and it’s likely this will be the last time either the Xbox One or PS4 will be the centre of attention.

With the anticipated release of the new Xbox and PS5 in late 2020, next year’s Black Friday will have a dramatic shift in focus for retailers. However, we can still expect Nintendo SwitchPS4 and Xbox One to feature heavily in the upcoming sales for this year.

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Nintendo Announces Black Friday 2019 Switch Deals: Games, Joy-Cons, And More

The products discussed here were independently chosen by our editors. GameSpot may get a share of the revenue if you buy anything featured on our site.

Even though Black Friday 2019 is happening quite late in the month this year–November 29–that hasn’t stopped countless retailers from releasing their Black Friday ads already. Stores like Microsoft, Best Buy, and Target have already released full sneak peeks at their selection of deals for Black Friday and Cyber Monday, and now Nintendo has announced its official Black Friday Switch deals–at least, the first round of them. While only four offers have been revealed, Nintendo’s Black Friday page asks visitors to “check back soon for more deals,” implying more limited-time offers will be added closer to the event itself.

First up is an assortment of Nintendo Switch games. Normally sold for $60, the following games will be available for $40 (33% off) at Amazon, Best Buy, GameStop, Target, and Walmart starting Wednesday, November 27:

While Nintendo’s page says these games will be available for $40, Target’s Black Friday ad claims the store will offer The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, Mario Tennis Aces, and Super Mario Odyssey for only $30 each as limited-time doorbuster deals. Also, please note that more games may be on sale as well, but the Nintendo website only confirms the above titles. Finally, if you prefer to buy games digitally, the Nintendo Eshop’s deals will likely be revealed at a later date.

Nintendo Switch Joy-Con controllers are also getting a discount during Black Friday. Normally sold for $80 a pair, you’ll be able to pick up a new pair of either gray or neon red and blue Joy-Cons for $60 (25% off). This offer will be available at Amazon, Best Buy, and Target starting Wednesday, November 27.

For those who play Pokemon Go or the Pokemon: Let’s Go Switch games, the Poke Ball Plus is a handy accessory for storing and catching Pokemon. It also comes with Mew, a mythical Pokemon that you can transfer into Pokemon: Let’s Go, Pikachu or Pokemon: Let’s Go, Eevee. Normally sold for $50, the Poke Ball Plus will be on sale for just $20 (60% off) at Amazon, Best Buy, GameStop, Target, and Walmart starting Thursday, November 28.

Finally, if you were hoping for a price drop on the Nintendo Switch itself, you might be out of luck. Nintendo is offering the Switch bundled with a free digital copy of Mario Kart 8 Deluxe for its full price of $300. If you have a good memory, you might recall this is the exact same bundle offered during Black Friday 2018. The difference this year, however, is that an upgraded Switch model with better battery life has since been released, but this particular bundle includes the original model without that improvement.

That said, if you’re interested in Mario Kart and don’t mind forgoing the extra battery life, this is still a solid deal. While not included in Nintendo’s Black Friday game deals, Mario Kart 8 Deluxe usually goes for around $50 on Amazon and elsewhere, so you’re saving a good wad of cash on this bundle. The console deal will be available at Amazon, Best Buy, GameStop, Target, and Walmart starting Thursday, November 28.

Nintendo’s Black Friday 2019 deals

  • Select Nintendo Switch games — $40 ($60)
  • Joy-Con controllers (Gray, Neon Red and Blue) — $60 ($80)
  • Poke Ball Plus accessory — $20 ($50)
  • Nintendo Switch with free copy of Mario Kart 8 Deluxe — $300

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