We tell in the FAQ how to defeat the Critters, where to get transport, how to use fast travel and other useful tips
It’s easy to get lost in Death Stranding – it’s not only about the route to your next goal, but also about the game mechanics. Hideo Kojima is famous for his love of imposing multiple gameplay layers in his projects, and his new work is no exception.
As part of this guide, we have compiled a list of the most pressing questions that a person may have at the very beginning of the game.
How does Death Stranding’s story mode work?
Death Stranding’s plot is divided into 14 episodes , but not all of them are equally long: some consist almost entirely of cutscenes, others – a couple of dozen orders for delivery.
Within each episode, the hero must complete from one to several tasks. These missions are called ” Orders for Sam, ” and they are the ones that move the story forward. By the way, you can find their passage in our separate guide .
You can also deal with less important orders from a narrative point of view – standard orders. These missions do not affect the development of local history, but they allow you to dig up resources and pump the hero a little.
The world of Death Stranding is divided into several large or plot-important zones, moving between which requires loading, but within one specific location, the gameplay is absolutely seamless.
How does Death Stranding online mode work?
As in any Dark Souls , Death Stranding’s online mode is woven into the story mode. However, users from different “worlds” cannot directly interact with each other.
Death Stranding uses the so-called asynchronous multiplayer – your game will show the tools and buildings of fellow couriers, while the “creators” themselves will remain behind the scenes.
How it is decided with whom exactly you will be “linked” is not completely clear. You can increase the chance of detecting items of a specific user with the help of thread contracts , which are allowed to be made with those whose creations you have already met in your world.
By the third episode, a new layer of social interactions opens up – with joint efforts, gamers can, among other things, restore the transport system of the game world.
Finally, when connected to the Internet, you can get help during boss fights. From time to time, figures will protrude from the “parallel” world and throw useful objects at you.
Do I have to play online?
Nobody obliges you to play Death Stranding in online mode – you can master the game alone. However, with this approach, some of the experience is lost.
Kojima himself in an interview with the Japanese magazine Famitsu did not recommend sitting down to Death Stranding without an Internet connection. This approach has no advantages, only disadvantages. Who are we to argue with a renowned game designer?
Do I need a PS Plus online subscription to play?
Due to the asynchronous nature of the network component, Death Stranding does not require an active PlayStation Plus subscription, which means that all PS4 (and later PC) owners with Internet access will be able to connect to the game’s multiplayer.
How not to lose balance?
Very often you will not travel lightly around the world of Death Stranding: Sam is constantly given tasks to deliver goods, and besides, it is always better to carry spare tools and weapons with you.
Due to the fact that the game is tied to courier duties, the movement system has been thoroughly worked out here – it takes into account the workload of the hero, and the height of the stack of loads, and their placement, and the character’s center of gravity.
Customers want to receive parcels in their original form – without dents from impacts and other damage. The task (though not necessarily obligatory) of the hero is to indulge the client’s desire.
After picking up your load for the task, you will have to decide how Sam is going to carry his load: his suit has two slots for items on the shoulders and hips, a roomy backpack on the back and a tool rack.
The center of gravity of the character depends on how exactly the containers are located. Get too high a stack – and it will be problematic to maintain balance on turns.
One of those cases when auto-placement only harms the package – pizza in Death Stranding must be carried exclusively in a horizontal position
Almost universal (with rare exceptions) solution is the option of automatic cargo placement. It is activated by pressing the “triangle” on the equipment selection screen.
The second rule – do not take more than you can carry. If the indicator of the hero’s workload becomes colored, then you have had enough, and it would be wise to leave some of the luggage for the next run.
In the third episode, the hero will gain access to active circuits that improve Sam’s physical characteristics. The devices attach to your legs, depriving you of two slots for items, but giving you additional load capacity or movement speed.
Another rule is to look under your feet. The relief in Death Stranding is variegated: you can stumble over another stone on the way and, not holding your load, fall to the ground with it, damaging a valuable container.
One final tip – in an emergency, grab the straps of the backpack ( L2 + R2 ) with both hands . In the vast majority of cases, this technique will save you from falls, slow down too fast descent and help restore balance.
What is temporal rain?
Raincoats in Death Stranding are waterproof and temporal rain does not let through
Precipitation plays a big role in Death Stranding’s story and gameplay. The local variation of rain – the so-called temporal rain (Timefall in the English version) – significantly speeds up the time for everything that falls on.
In gameplay terms, temporal rain is, if not a direct danger, then a serious inconvenience. The destructive feature of local precipitation is manifested in the accelerated damage to equipment, vehicles and custom buildings.
At first, you have to either run through the temporal rain or wait for the weather to improve in the shelter. Subsequently, the hero will be able to neutralize the negative effects of precipitation with the help of some tools.
How do I know the weather?
Upon completion of order number 27, the main character will be able to monitor the weather in the region. With the map open, press R3 twice to see the route of the temporal clouds for the next half hour.
How to fix equipment, cargo or vehicles?
With the repair spray in your hand, press the square to direct it towards your backpack, rather than lowering the container to the ground
Items in Death Stranding tend to deteriorate – from temporal rain, falls from great heights, enemy attacks, incorrect positioning (some loads must be carried strictly in a horizontal position).
Upon completion of order number 8 , the hero will have a repair spray. The bad news is that it only restores the integrity of the container of this or that cargo, and not the cargo itself.
After order # 27, the character will learn how to create shelters from the temporal rain – once under the visor of this building, your containers will automatically receive a dose of repair spray.
It is not necessary to build shelters personally, especially if you are playing online. Structures created by other couriers after the same order will begin to appear on the map by themselves.
At the same time, you cannot repair equipment or vehicles with a spray. One way or another, uniforms will have to be changed to new ones, while bikes and trucks can be driven into a shelter and taken down by an elevator to a private room for repairs.
How not to get caught by the Creatures?
Beasts (Beached Things in the English version) are otherworldly creatures invisible to the ordinary eye. They are not averse to eating the main character in order to make a powerful splash, which will leave a huge crater behind.
Make it a rule to move on your haunches near the Critters – this way the hero makes much less noise. Hold your breath ( R1 ) to avoid detection by an enemy nearby .
Sam will not be able to breathe only until he runs out of strength – as soon as you see that the blue scale is about to run out, release the button. Otherwise, the hero reflexively takes a deep breath, which will attract creatures nearby.
Odradek as a Scanner of Critters works only in conjunction with BB
Another stealth tool is odradeck. Pressing R1 will highlight all the Critters within a certain radius. In addition, the scanner behaves differently depending on the location of the monster relative to Sam.
The more often odradek slaps his “petals”, the closer the Creature. Also watch the color of the indicator – blue means that the creature is just nearby, and orange signals a direct threat.
If the hero is found, then resinous hands will rush after him. Catch up – a ring of black slurry forms under the character, and the “oil” people will try to drag you into the quagmire. Poke quickly on the “square” to break out of the environment.
If the escape attempt fails, Sam will be dragged a hundred meters to the side and forced to fight the mini-boss. If you have a weapon, you can defeat him. In the absence of a means of self-defense, it is quite possible to simply run away.
How to defeat the Beasts?
Who would have thought that personal hygiene would be beneficial against otherworldly beings
Due to Sam’s unique trait – he is a so-called returnee – his blood and various secretions can be used against the Beasts. In the early stages, by going to the shower and toilet in your private room, you can get:
- EX-grenade # 0 (souls)– marks the Creatures, making them visible even when the hero moves;
- EX-grenade # 1 (standing toilet)– forces the Creatures to make way, move away from the place of throw;
- EX-grenade # 2 (sitting toilet)– temporarily stuns the Creatures.
The most effective weapons against Critters are those that use Sam’s blood. You should be careful with such weapons (or carry blood bags with you), otherwise you can earn yourself anemia (anemia).
The first Critter eliminator will appear in the second episode. To fulfill order number 14, the hero will be given hematic grenades – they send an ordinary monster back to the “other” side with one hit.
Subsequently, firearms of blood weapons will become available – if you hold down R2 while aiming , the shot will be more powerful, but also more expensive (in terms of consumed blood) than usual.
How to defeat MULE / terrorists?
In addition to the Beasts, there are also hostile people in Death Stranding. MULES hunt for other people’s cargo, and terrorists – for Sam. The fundamental difference between them – the first try to stun you, the second shoot to kill.
Enemies can be eliminated in stealth mode. To do this, sneak up on the enemy from the back and take the rope from your inventory. Hold L2 to aim and then R2 for a stealth attack.
In open combat, to neutralize it is enough to hit the enemy with a fist several times (“square”), but the process can be accelerated and simplified if you take any container in your hand (hold down R2 ) – it will knock out the enemy with one blow.
Death Stranding timings are extremely gentle – this is not Dark Souls for you
An alternative option is the already mentioned rope. Holding L2 , wait for the enemy to attack: time will slow down and you can parry ( R2 ). After dodging the blow, “finish off” the enemy from behind by pressing R2 again .
Another way is to use a bolasgan. This non-lethal long-range weapon is rewarded for completing Order 22 in Episode 3. When the trigger is pulled, the bolasgan releases the girdle rope.
A targeted headshot instantly stuns the victim, while a body shot only temporarily immobilizes the enemy. Run up to the enemy and kick him (“square”) to knock him out.
MULE attacks are non-lethal, but after receiving enough damage, the hero will lose consciousness and lose all the weight he carries. It will subsequently have to be mined from a mailbox on the territory of an enemy camp.
Can you kill enemies?
By the fourth episode, you will begin to have lethal firearms at your disposal. Experience in playing shooters will suggest that killing enemies is the easiest way to complete, but this is not the case.
When a person is killed in Death Stranding, after a while necrosis occurs and the body transforms into a Creature. If she then comes into contact with a person, a splash will occur and a crater will form.
To avoid such a development of events, the corpse must be delivered to the crematorium and incinerated – the corresponding institution can be found in every region of the game world. It’s much easier to just use non-lethal weapons.
What happens after death?
If, having entered into a direct battle with the Creatures, you are not lucky enough to be eaten by a mini-boss, then upon returning from Seam (an underwater location where Sam after death must reunite with his body) in the world of Death Stranding there will be a splash that will leave a huge crater.
Otherworldly creatures may remain around the funnel: they are no longer able to drag the hero to the mini-boss, so you will simply see a warning about the end of the game. The same will happen in the case of total damage to the plot load. In such cases, you will have to load the past save to continue.
How do saves work?
You can save in Death Stranding almost anywhere. The exception is some plot areas and areas of increased danger.
How to interact with BB?
BB (Bridge Baby) in Death Stranding plays the role of a link between the worlds of the living and the dead – thanks to this tiny man in the capsule, Sam is able to distinguish the outlines of the Beasts.
If you do not really follow the BB and do not take into account its needs, the baby will sooner or later develop autotoxemia, in which the baby will not be able to perform its functions. The problem is solved by a visit to a private room or hot spring.
In order not to bring the child to such a state, pay attention to stressful situations for him:
- falling from a great height;
- falling into a river or staying under water for a long time (this factor can be neutralized by the otter hood from order No. 37);
- detection by Creatures;
- attacks by mules or terrorists.
At such moments, BB usually starts crying. Reassuring the baby is simple: hold down L1 , press the down arrow and ” square “, then lightly shake the flask (using the gyroscope or the R2 button ).
To help your baby get upset less often, increase the level of connection with him. This is facilitated by: killing the Critters or sneaking out of their zone, driving fast, relaxing in a hot spring, interacting in a private room and interacting with custom signs.
Why are likes needed?
As the game progresses, Sam will receive likes from everyone: parcel recipients, other gamers, mail senders, and even BB. As it turned out after the release, signs of approval are needed not only to delight your ego, but also to pump the hero.
At the end of each delivery, the game puts all the likes received from the previous completed task into one of five categories. Improving them brings you certain dividends:
- ” Bridge-connection” – increases the number of thread contracts with other players, opens up the ability to send requests for delivery, increases the time period for sending likes;
- ” Delivery time” – increases the maximum stamina;
- ” Load Condition” – facilitates balancing, reducing the risk of falling;
- ” Order volume” – increases the carrying capacity;
- ” Other” – increases the number of likes received.
How to get a lot of likes?
Likes in Death Stranding are an extremely useful thing, which, given all its advantages, you want as much as possible in your Sam’s life. There are many ways to get approval in the game, but, as is usually the case, some methods are much more effective than others.
You will probably collect most of the likes during the passage in a natural way, completing tasks, erecting buildings necessary for yourself and connecting to the online mode.
The fact is that a like is given to a person automatically when someone uses his creation in his world. Especially useful buildings and especially highways bring a lot of likes.
In the third episode, you will have access to road pavers who, with the investment of a certain amount of resources, can restore a small section of the paved area.
The rehabilitated highways lead from one end of the map to the other, making it much easier to deliver goods, allowing you to avoid hazardous areas and not waste your vehicle / circuit power while driving / running along the center line.
The bad news is that the restoration of even one section of the road requires a lot of resources. Some of them will be provided by other players, while the remaining share will already be on Sam’s shoulders.
The good news is that absolutely everyone loves to use a smooth and free of Critters / MULs / Terrorists / uneven terrain, so your investment will be more than paid off with hundreds of likes points.
Where to get resources?
A good life in Death Stranding requires resources – they go to both the manufacture of equipment and the restoration of numerous highways. There will not be enough materials for everything at once, so you have to look for additional sources of income.
The most effective ones are:
- often materials are lying around right on the road in the form of lost cargo – instead of returning resources to the addressee, take them to the nearest road builder;
- Each shelter has its own supply of resources – do not hesitate to take from there, but always leave a little for yourself;
- complete standard orders for the delivery of resources – tasks of this kind will increase the amount of materials available in a particular shelter;
- there is a mailbox in the MUL / terrorist camps – there are usually whole deposits of useful resources in it;
- pick up chiral crystals around the world and in places where Beasts are concentrated – you will have this opportunity after completing order number 8. Especially a lot of materials of this type drop from defeated mini-bosses and bosses.
How to unblock / find a vehicle?
Sam is physically unable to carry all this pile of materials on his back, so he would need some support. Fortunately, Death Stranding has transport – there are only two main types of it, but each is useful in its own way.
Get ready for the lion’s share of a couple of Death Stranding starting episodes on your own two feet – the first reverse tricycle (a motorcycle with two wheels in front) will only become available upon completion of Order # 9 .
After returning from the wind farm, take the PHC with you and build a generator next to the bike at the distributor. The vehicle will recharge and become available for use again.
Already in the third episode, you will get access to the drawings of the reverse tricycle and the truck, which will allow you to make your own transport. Quite a lot of resources are spent on production, but if the wheels are badly needed – do not hesitate.
In online mode, you will bump into vehicles of other players in open locations and in hideout garages. Specifically, trucks are also often parked in MUL camps.
How does fast travel work?
Death Stranding is an open world game, so it’s no surprise that there is a fast travel mechanic here. It opens almost immediately upon reaching the third episode and has a number of features.
First, teleportation is done exclusively from a private room in any Bridges hideout or even a user base. To initiate the process, you need to select the Fragile umbrella on the wall.
Secondly, when moving, all the hero’s equipment remains at the starting point, while the character arrives at a new location only in boots and with an active outline (if any). In other words, the cargo cannot be delivered in this way .
How do I listen to music?
In the course of his journey, Sam will gradually accumulate a collection of musical compositions. You can listen to them in any personal room (use the terminal next to the door) – outside the room the melody will not work.
Sometimes music can be heard while standing next to custom buildings. This means that the structure has been improved to the second level and set to play a particular song.
How do I restore ammo and maximum stamina?
Maximum stamina and ammo for portable weapons are restored automatically when you visit your personal quarters at any of Bridges’ bases.
How to refill a flask?
The tonic bottle refills automatically, even during the temporal rain. It is noteworthy that any water that gets inside the vessel turns into an energy drink.
How long does Death Stranding take?
Death Stranding will take each person a different amount of time, but on average, Sam Porter Bridges’ adventure is designed for at least 35-40 hours.
A significant part of this timing is taken by cutscenes, the lion’s share is the hero’s travels from one point to another in order to deliver the cargo. If you want to complete the game faster, only complete the ” Orders for Sam “.
