Games of July – The Best Releases of Summer 2020

The beginning of summer is usually boring in terms of new release. This year is different. First, Sony will release a big, PS4 game – Ghost of Tsushima. PC players will finally get a chance to try Kojima's latest hit, the unforgettable Death Stranding. There also will be something interesting for fans of racers and users of PlayStation VR and Nintendo Switch.

Death Stranding (PC)

Release date: July 14, 2020

What is Death Stranding?

The most recent game from Kojima Productions, a team founded by Japanese visionary Hideo Kojima, creator of the Metal Gear Solid series. After a high-profile break-up with his longtime employer, Konami, the Japanese creator set up a new studio from ground-up, and will release Death Stranding for PlayStation 4 in 2019. The title reaped excellent reviews from critics, who particularly praised the game's bold and original mechanics, and the unusual setting. In July, owners of PC will be able to try it themselves.

What is the plot of Death Stranding?

Death Stranding presents a grim vision of a future in which, as a result of a mysterious cataclysm known as "Death Stranding," the civilization was decimated and the world was forever altered. The few who survived the apocalypse face new challenges – the Timefall, which dramatically accelerates the aging organisms it comes into contact with, and of invisible, dangerous creatures called the BTs. As a result, humanity began to isolate itself, choosing to live in remote bunkers. The only connection between them is in maintained by couriers who deliver supplies to the survivors. During the game, we play as Sam Bridges, one of these couriers, who reluctantly agrees to take part in a mission to rebuild the bonds that hold humanity together.

What's gameplay like in Death Stranding?

The essence of Death Stranding is moving parcels between remote locations. These simple premises are realized in a novel way, and the game offers a unique movement system, which is much more realistic than anything we've ever seen: there's momentum, there's leg physics, and you can trip over small rocks. Although the world in the game is mostly empty, there are some human enemies waiting to ambush us and steal our cargo. An important aspect of gameplay is also the extraordinary social module. During the journey, we can build simple structures and leave behind objects such as ladders, which can be used by other players later, making their deliveries easier. Similarly, we can also come across such objects left by other couriers.

1. More about Death Stranding
2. Review of the console version of Death Stranding

OUR EXPECTATIONS

The review of Death Stranding was one of the toughest I've ever done in my life. The game is so novel it was hard for me to find good points of reference. I was also aware that the polarization of scores was such that awarding the game pretty much any rating was sure to cause a shitstorm. So, I finally decided – according to my feelings – to rate it a 9. Which, considering that Kojima's latest game is a cryptic, hermetic experiment that many (as we know it today) have rejected. It's going to be interesting to see what happens to Death Stranding on PC. Well, Kojima's expensive, quirky work may just become a one-of-a-kind experiment that will never be repeated, so it's even more advisable to experience it first-hand. Death Stranding on PC is a must-play for me. I'll certainly revisit the world and see what it looks like in ultra HD. Because it's a really bizarre universe, a weird idea for the game and an even weirder execution.

Matthias Pawlikowski

The release of Death Stranding on PC is probably not a big surprise. The game was a bit too quaint to remain a PlayStation 4 exclusive the like of Uncharted 4 and God of War. The game will certainly feel at home among the PC's many indie games and walking simulators. And Death Stranding is sort of like that, though in a slightly different way and on a larger scale. Balancing Sam Bridges with a mouse and keyboard will be interesting. It's been a long wait, but the PC Death Stranding is sure worth it.

Dar "DM" Matusiak