Death Stranding
"The Only Limits Are The Ones We Impose Upon Ourselves."
Welcome back. We're back at it again with the 3rd collector's edition, and that's Death Stranding. I wasn't kidding when I said I have a lot of collector items for video games. It's not like I get them all at once but rather collecting these gaming curiosities over the span of 10 years. I was really interested in Death Stranding because it was weird (lol) but had this sense of a mysterious feel to it. Also this was Hideo Kojima's first game that he developed after the fall out he had with Konami. I think the last game he was developing was P.T. or should I call it Silent Hills. It's so unfortunate that the game didn't come into fruition all of those years ago. I remembered that it was also being developed along side with Guillermo del Toro. I wouldn't have a doubt that the game would've turned out great. But we got Death Stranding which Guillermo del Toro also worked on with Kojima. I just wanted to ramble a little bit on the history of that whole saga. So, with that being said, let's move right on to the first ever strand like collector's edition! 👻
I know the photo's I've taken don't really do it much justice but this box is actually quite huge. Bigger than the Uncharted 4 and Ghost Of Tsushima collector boxes combined! For the front of the box, we have Norman Reedus (Sam), the legend!!! He's the main protagonist for the game along side with BB, the one that's inside the yellow pod. On the back of the box we have this beautiful scenery where Sam is walking along the river. This is probably one of the most prettiest boxes I got, and it's pretty straight forward. The contents for this collector's edition comes with, a steel book case, bridges cargo case, mini Ludens figure, BB pod statue, digital music album, a behind the scenes video, and DLC cosmetics for Sam's exoskeleton. This collector's edition comes packing with a whole bunch of stuff, but I was slightly bummed out that there was no art book, because I really enjoy looking at concept art and just the process when it comes to putting a project together.
The front of the steel case is quite captivating. We have a nice render of Sam looking off into the distance with a face full of BT juices. Just the whole composition of the case and the logo looks really good. Makes you wonder what kind of adventure is in store for the player. The back of the case doesn't really have much besides Kojima's gaming company logo. Inside the case, we see aquatic life on a beach which is referred to as stranding. I didn't find out about this until I actually started playing the game. I thought that Kojima was just being weird again in his games (lol) but this is actually a real thing that happens. We also have DLC codes and music for the game.
As you can see, this was why the box was so big. It has a whole ass cargo case in it, It's plastic but nicely packaged. When you open the case, you're presented with the BB statue, damage sensor tape, and Ludens mini figure. I feel like some sort of secret agent opening up this case haha 😂
Here we have PP tape, sounds a bit weird but that's what it's called. On the side of the tape it reads, "The sensor is always active & will instantly develop color if damage is received. Match the tape's color with the reference chart to estimate damage. To extend the service life keep cold when not in use. Avoid prolonged exposure to heat and sunlight." On the bottom of the tape It also says, "Expires one year from the issue date or when the color of the area surrounding the central dot of the hex indicator turns white. The damage calibration is invalid if the hex indicator is red." So basically in the game, when you accidentally drop a package, it flashes red. I never actually read what was on the tape, so I think this is pretty interesting. I wouldn't be surprised if this technology came out today. But this isn't the only time where Kojima predicted something about the future.
Damn, this is a really good camera. 📷 Anyway this is Ludens. Basically the mascot for Kojima's gaming company which was designed by Yoji Shinkawa. I've always had this fascination for mini figure's ever since I was a kid, so when I saw this my heart skipped a beat. I had bought another one because I didn't want to use the one that came with the collector's editions. If you missed out on the collector’s, you can get one from the official Kojima productions store but as of now, they're out of stock. And on Ebay, they range from $30 to $50. So, I don't know when they'll come back. 😯 Now, lets get to the main item of the collector's. My BB.
This is probably the weirdest and coolest statue I've ever had. When I first received this collector's editions, I showed it to my grandmother and she thought it was super strange. She said that they will never have babies and pods like that. I just kinda laughed, but the way how things are going, I wouldn't be surprised if we started seeing babies in these weird contraption in the near future. As shown in the photos, it's a one-to-one replica model from the game. It also light's up, just like the game! Batteries aren't included of course. I can always appreciate Kojima's vision when it comes to video games. He's one of the few that thinks out side the box when it comes to developing these projects.
Just letting you guys know that I recently purchased the Death Stranding 2 collector's edition, which is coming out on June 24th, 2025. I just had to get it because I got the first one. So, it only makes sense. Unfortunately, I saw that the game only comes with a digital version, it doesn’t come with a physical edition which is really sad. 😔 I don't know why more and more companies are doing this. I may just have to get a physical game because I hate the idea of not owning something, ugh but it looks really good though. Especially the Dollman figurine. 😫
Art By Yoji Shinkawa
I had a fun time playing Death Stranding during the covid 19 days and I even 100% the game. It took me about 140 hours, but it was money well spent. Remember when I said that Kojima seems to predict future events in his games? Well, when I was stuck in the house playing the game at the time. Sam had to deliver packages to people who were also stuck in their homes due to time fall. I found it pretty ironic and mind blowing because he did the same thing with Metal Gear Solid 2 Sons Of Liberty with the whole Ai thing. I have newfound respect for people who deliver packages now. I know that this could be labeled as a "Fedex" or "UPS" simulator but it's more than that. I just very much enjoyed the game, especially when I'm walking out in the fields and the music starts to kick in. It's such a surreal experience and it's therapy to me. I honestly can't wait for the sequel to come out. I'm quite excited for the next story. I know the game isn't for everyone, but it's worth a try. It's an acquired taste, as I would say.
Silent Poets - Asylums for the feeling
Death Stranding also introduced me to a whole new genre of music. This is just one of the many music tracks you'll experience in the game. It's a slow burn, yes. But if you stick with it, you'll be rewarded with amazing moments.
And as always, have a good one guys,
until next time, peace, love, and positivity. I'm out.
Programs Used:
Photoshop
