The best game of 2019 is finally available on iPhone and Mac. Well, at least iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max models, with the release of Death Stranding: Director's Cut on the App Store, and at a great price too.
Death Stranding originally started life as a PS4 exclusive, before coming to PC in 2020, and then a Director's Cut edition in 2021. Now, almost five years later, the game has released on iPhone and Mac, and you can bet that I pulled out the best phone controller to play this masterpiece.
For those unaware of Death Stranding, the game is directed by Metal Gear Solid creator Hideo Kojima, as his first game after leaving Konami. It's hard to explain what happens, but the basic gist of is that the game takes place in the United States after a major extinction event. You play as a courier called Sam Porter, who is tasked with delivering packages and trying to connect the remaining survivors in a broken USA.
It sounds simple, but in classic Kojima style, things quickly get a little weird, and a little meta. However, the various gameplay systems, the amazing soundtrack from Low Roar, and a convoluted plot that becomes clear and engaging throughout keeps this game as one of the best in recent memory. And fortunately, a sequel is coming with Death Stranding 2.
The game became even more meta with the COVID-19 lockdowns, as the world was locked away and broken up. Death Stranding's online features let players see each others structures or help towards building them, and it fit the world climate at the time. So much so, that Death Stranding 2's story was affected by the pandemic too.
But it's been a few years, how does Death Stranding hold up, especially on the smaller iPhone compared to a console or PC? Well, pretty excellent, actually. I've played the version on PS4, PS5, and PC and, so far, the iPhone port is a very playable and engaging experience.
There's obviously been some cuts graphically, but playing through the prologue and part of Episode 1 has been great while using the Gamesir G8 Galileo. Hearing the music from Low Roar slowly build up as you're carrying precious cargo and surviving a dangerous world still makes my goosebumps rise.
Considering it's fairly cheap at £19.99, at least in the UK, I think if you've not played the game before, or you want to play a game all about travelling while on-the-go, Death Stranding on the App Store is an excellent addition to your library.
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