Death Stranding is the free Epic Games Store game of the week | WIRED

In order to attract more users to the Epic Games Storefrequently the company gives away video games. Until May 26, the free title of the week is Death Strandingthe first work of Kojima Productions after becoming “independent” of Konami.

You can add it to your game library at no cost this week and play it whenever you want. The free version is the version of the base game that came out on PlayStation 4 in 2019 and on PC in 2020.

In this game, which its own director Hideo Kojima calls “strand game” Referring to the strands that make up a connection, you have the task of linking a country that has become isolated. Taking advantage of his contacts in Hollywood, several of his friends appear, such as the Mexican Guillermo del Toro, Nicolas Winding Refn or Lindsay Wagner, as well as the versatile Troy Baker.

Trying to explain the game’s story in more detail is a bit tricky, but a movie will try soon. As is customary in Kojima’s works, there are many cinematics and some quite long ones to explain his plot, plus some text you can find during the game that gives more context to the world he built with his study.

The gameplay is a bit divisive; some called it a “delivery simulator”. It’s true, much of the time the player will be forced to carry things from one place to another. To emphasize the fact that this is a tricky odyssey, movement can get tricky depending on the terrain. You have to keep your balance and it is not always an easy task to find vehicles that will work.

Added to the difficulty of the terrain are the enemies, some human and others with a supernatural touch, which will complicate everything.

The connectivity issue goes further with the online component. The structures and vehicles you make can be shared with other players (as long as you are playing online). They can be thanked and leveled up. You can also leave symbols to warn of danger or to show that someone else was there, even if you can’t see it.

In 2021 a Director’s Cut with more content and mobility options. It slightly changes the original experience thanks to the new tools. That edition does have a cost, although it is discounted these days, from $768.99 to $461.39 Mexican pesos.

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The direct sequel, known until now as Death Stranding 2. So far we have only seen a trailer and there is no release date or official title yet.

It was presented at the end of last year, during the Game Awards. Among the new personalities involved in this sequel is actress Elle Fanning, whose performance has been acclaimed ever since. They will return Norman Reedus in the title role, Léa Seydoux as Fragile and Mads Mikkelsen as Cliff.