How a Pandemic Transformed Death Stranding | Video Essay
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- Опубликовано: 26 сен 2024
- “And though in all lands love is now mingled with grief, it grows perhaps much the greater.” - J.R.R. Tolkien, The Fellowship of the Ring
When it was released in late 2019, Death Stranding was an enigmatic, divisive story about a man delivering packages at the end of the world. Now, after two years of pandemic, the game takes on a radically different message.
Twitter: / cinemasocratic
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A huge thank you goes out to our patrons for making this video possible: Our deepest gratitude goes out to Rachel DeLisio, John DeLisio, Samuel Copeland, Ethan Rudder, Jeanette Clark, Michael & Heather Clark, Peter DeLisio, Mariah Helm, Roger Anderson, Chris Heatherly, Hero, Salvador Reyes, and SkullHammerSmash.
Additional Voice Over work and script feedback provided by:
KaiAfterKai - / kaiafterkai
Max Tohline - / 10oclockdot
Kikikrazed - / kikikrazed
Thumbnail by: / hotcyder
Death Stranding footage from SourceSpy91
Visual Media: Death Stranding (2019), The Fellowship of the Ring (2001), The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn (1939), Parasite (2019), Ferris Bueller's Day Off (1986)
Music Used: Don’t Be So Serious - Low Roar, Chiralium - Death Stranding OST, Main Theme - Death Stranding OST, Infiltration - Firewatch OST, In Memory of Jean Talon - Mini Vandals, An Endless Beach - Death Stranding OST, Exploration (Ruins) - Sable OST
Sources:
Ahuja, Jabir. “Ordering in: The rapid evolution of food delivery.” McKinsey & Company. September 22, 2021
Maiman, Bruce. “I’m a postal worker. In the coronavirus pandemic, I am my customer’s link to the world.” Yahoo Lifestyle, 2020.
Ebert, Roger. “Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring.” Film Review. December 19, 2001.
LaSalle, Mick. “20 Years Later: 9/11 changed everything, including movies.” DateBook. September 8, 2021.
Borrelli, Christopher. “The Evolving Images of 9/11.” Chicago Tribune. September 11, 2011.
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This game saved my life.
When I was cheated on and abandoned by my first strong love, this game released the week after, I decided to pick it up on impulse as a "Okay, fine, I'm gonna treat myself."
I'm glad I did. When I was at my worst, wanting to cease from being a social being. I wanted to isolate and not be a person anymore. I didn't want to get hurt as badly as I already was.
This game's main message of reconnection, alongside Sam's fear of connection, himself, how he didn't open up for many, hated touch, all of it, and seeing him grow, open up through the game, and grow connected to Lou and allowing himself to [be] again.
It helped me believe I could grow and prosper, even if I didn't feel like it at the time I played it.
I played this game back in mid 2020 when the first lockdowns started and it helped me to cope with the loneliness and being stuck home.
People usually say that DS is a walking simulator, but when you can't walk outside, it's what everyone needed.
The whole thing isn't tied together until the very last moment of the game. When the final final credits rolled i just sat back like WOW. This was one of my favorite games of the last gen. Cant wait to play it again
This was my experience too. It’s such a profound emotional experience at the end, I’ve never played anything like it. 🩷
I don't care what people say, Death Stranding is a fantastic game. I can't wait for the sequel to come out
I’m so glad to see this game getting this kind of recognition. It’s hard to define how meaningful death stranding was to me
It’s very hard to describe to people why I liked this game so much but it’s definitely the best game I’ve played since New Vegas, my other favorite game
It was just so cool, so fun, so neat, so moving, I dunno
I was delivering food during the pandemic, and I was only thanked 1 time after my state removed its restrictions. And your video made me remember how USPS was dismantled and defunded to block ballots. I really liked this video, and I like Death Stranding as a story about forming social connections. It just wasn't my experience of the time
after watching this video essay, i am absolutely buying death stranding during the next steam sale. also, it was great to lend my voice to this! amazing work
Thank you! Absolutely wait for a sale - it routinely goes upwards of 75% on either steam or epic games. I think i got it for like 20 bucks and it was massively worth it
Hey it was free on epic. Did you played?
My perspective is that one of the main themes of this game was supposed about isolation and a narrative on how disconnected from we have become by spending way too much time online and being too reliant on the internet. Unintentionally, the post apocalyptic setting is a metaphor of how broken the outside world is and if the issues are not realized sooner only mailmen making physical deliveries would be outside. The pandemic catalyzed our world turning the one in Death Stranding a reality which made the game more profound than what Kojima ever had in mind.
Hearing it described like this makes me realise I'd probably enjoy Death Stranding at least a fair bit. I'll have to check it out at some point. Great video mate, happy to play a small part in it 👍🏽
While playing DS I did find myself finding a lot of parallels to the COVID pandemic to the game. You explained how I felt towards the game and the pandemic perfectly. This was a fantastic video essay on one of my favorite games.
I work at railway construction. For me the only different thing during pandemic was that for few months the shops were open (for non-elderly) at 9, not 7. Oh, and I got almost two months of sick leave, coz half of the men got covid, me included. After a weak I bought a new laptop that got delivered to our quarters. I got free Death Stranding with it.
So glad I found this video. I bought Death Stranding at launch but couldn’t get into it. Picked it back up recently and had a completely different experience and appreciation for it. I even told a friend that it hits different post-pandemic. You did such a great job covering all the reasons why.
love the idea that art can pre-empt a historical moment in this way. in some ways it reminds me of the idea of multiple scientists all coming to the same or similar discoveries despite never meeting each other or knowing about the others' work. like calculus! death stranding and covid both arrived independently at the inevitable rise in human isolation
yes!!! or like how all crustaceans inevitably evolve into crab-forms… carcinisation baby
Damn what a great essay
Thank you!
I bought it during a sale and I thought this topic would be perfect for a video. Too bad I’m not good at those so I’m glad someone I’m subbed to finally did!
I’m glad someone else felt the same thing! During the game’s opening hours there were just too many similarities for me to NOT think about it hahaha
What a fantastic essay! Thank you! It’s been a while since I’ve heard something this profound.
You're writing is excellent. Really enjoyed the video.
Bravo very well done. Started playing death stranding a couple of weeeks ago after seeing the trailer for the second game. And I will say this game feels different playing it after a pandemic.
i had waited for the pc version which was released well into the pandemic. and where i live the lockdowns and countermeasures where immense.
my particular job had been completely shut down for the better half of a year. leaving me with nothing but time to play death stranding and contemplate it.
Kojima himself was so effected by the similarities between his game and the events that happened soon after its release he's publicly apologized for his seeming ability to write the future. promising to re write the sequel even in hopes of a positive influence this time.
Great job refining the script for this video. First video and subbed.
Thank you very much!
i picked up death stranding on sale working my first retail job during the pandemic
i always loved kojima’s weirdness and particularities
but on a whole new level this game resonated to me instantly
i resonated with its uneasy open environment where yeah it’s gren and beautiful, reminiscent of icelands beautiful natural landscape, yet no one to interact with,
which i could see in my own day to day experience, driving to work along the freeway one full of busy vehicles making their way along but now empty
all connections i had just out of high school now we were thrust into a situation where our lives felt lightyears away from each other
the visions of liminal spaces of schools stores absent any people it felt like i may have an aversion to human contact
thank you for helping put some of these thoughts into form
I find your words fascinating.
As I was 9 in 2001 and so I didn't see Fellowship of the Ring as a 9/11 movie.
It was disconnected for me. I just saw it was a fun movie that I got to see after my father made me read the book.
Also with Death Stranding. I bought it on release day and beat it before COVID19 was even known and so I also totally never got the connection their either.
I enjoyed it on its own merits and thought it was fantastic.
I wonder how many other times I've missed historical context from timing.
Great job. You have a lot of potential, and you should focus on interesting scripts and ideas like these :) You made me wanna give this game a shot.
PS: I'd personally advise 2 channels for video essays and podcasts respectively tbh.
Thank you! I appreciate it :) More video essays will be coming absolutely, so stay tuned!
This was great, thank you.
If I could super like, I would
Thank you!!! Means a lot!
Yeah. I mean, I really liked it pre-pandemic, but fell in love when I played it a second time in January 2021
Great work! Definitely made m want to get around to finally playing Death Stranding
give it a try! it’s certainly not for everyone but i really enjoyed it (clearly)
lotr is not a 911 movie, but death stranding it is a pandemic videogame
This was great thank you
Why this video doesnt have more views? Great content and analysis!!!
Please let this blow up algorithm
Love this video man. I played Death Stranding very early in the pandemic and feel very similar.
Yo, next-level visuals! :) great job with this one!
Ayyy thank you Sam! I appreciate it :)
Maybe it's because I'm English and was 9 at the time, but I don't associate Fellowship with 9/11. That's just me I suppose.
Americans think the world revolves around them.
What an awesome essay. Great job!
Underrated work
Death Stranding is my top 2 fav games of all time.. Im hype to the bones when its announced.. I feel like the game is made specifically for me.. I love openworld games not by its freedome or things to do but because of downtime and immersion.. I can't count how many times when I just walk around (not sprinting or jogging, just walking) in games sinking in everything, the world, the people, the environment... in Assassins Creed, I love walking along the NPCs in Boston, London, Paris, Greece etc.. And in the Continent in Witcher 3, Los Santos in GTA V or in Red Dead Redemtion 2, Night City on Cyberpunk..
Its the stuff I enjoy, just walking around, looking at high buildings, feeling how small you are, appreciating the world they made.. instead of doing parkour in top of them or speeding on the highway with cars or horse... I love long journey in-game, so Death Stranding is the match made in heaven game for me, Im even (kinda) disappointed cause I thought deliveries takes days (in game) budgeting your resources, instead it only took minutes... But I'm still happy how the game came out... and the story and music are just a master piece.
Currently playing it and I like it dunno why the gameplay loop is so addictive.
Amazing Game. Critics are wrong
It's by far the best game ever.
Amazing game
4:33 You can run into NPC porters. They'll give likes if they use things you've setup or clear MULE camps in their way. You can even trade items with them!
Not my best pun but PanDamnIt this was a good video
Once I got it, I loved it haha
This is an excellent video.
And about the game, I want to move it, and I do. But the last part is probably some of the worst ending material Ive ever seen in a game. It had SO MUCH going for it. Yet, it decided to throw 2 hours of cutscenes, to just explain things to the player. It made you sit through the credits TWICE, which honestly, I find pretentious and insulting to this day. It explained EVERYTHING for over two hours, so that although some things still didnt make sense, a lot of the sense of wonder was lost for me. I wanted to 100% it, but I had to put it down. Also, the higher difficulties SUCK when it comes to combat. Bosses are uninteresting bullet sponges.
I wish Konima didn't feel the need to simultaneously not explain things to the player, but also give you over 3 movies's worth of pure cutscene exposition. Death Stranding SHOULD have been my dream game.
👍✅🦶
covid 19
It really is insane what occurred mere months after a game with these themes released.
💜💜💜💜
What an incredible essay. It is still surreal that COVID helped me appreciate this game more.
Amo 🎉
Thank you for making this. This game is oddly comforting and lonely, and is almost a time capsule for times that once were. I love remembering it through videos like these.