Collector’s Review: Death Stranding – Collector’s Edition
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Background of Death Stranding – Collector’s Edition
I love Hideo Kojima ? There. There, I said it! I love how he can hype a game up like no other. He did it with every single Metal Gear Solid main entry and he did it with Death Stranding. From the first trailer featuring Norman Reedus in the nude crying over a vanishing baby to the reveal of Mads Mikkelsen (a fellow Dane) and all the other cameos. Everything helped build up the hype that culminated on November 8th, 2019 in a game that to put it mildly, got a mixed reception. But hey, at least we got Death Stranding Collector’s Edition!
This Collector’s Edition was one of my rare “instant preorders”. I missed a lot of the Metal Gear Solid Collector’s Editions, but to be honest I do not recall many of them releasing in Europe. A few years ago I picked up a Metal Gear Solid: Ground Zeroes Collector’s Edition in Japan, that I might review soon, but besides that my collection was missing something from Hideo Kojima. Death Stranding was my chance. The released teaser image was great, with the replica of this baby in a yellow glass-tank and a mini Ludens figure. So… Let’s delve in and see if the hype was warranted!
*Please note that I live in Denmark and all the prices are based on this. Denmark is VERY expensive with their video games, so keep that in mind.
So this is a big boy box. It might be the biggest box in my collection so far. I had to transport it home on a train, and the shop did not have any bags big enough to contain it.
The front of Death Stranding Collector’s Edition shows off the main character Sam Porter Bridges with his BB (Bridge Baby). Sam is portrayed by actor Norman Reedus of Walking Dead. So why does Norman Reedus have a baby in a bowl of pee strapped to his chest? The answer is… Hideo Kojima.
Build quality
The box of Death Stranding Collector’s Edition is made of sturdy cardboard with a matte surface. The letters “DEATH STRANDING” are, however, made in a more shiny look to pop more. On the front, we have, as mentioned, the main character and his BB. It a pretty cool an iconic motive dominated by the cold dark colors, except for the glowing warm orange baby bowl. On the back of the box, we have this major landscape of the broken world Sam lives in. We see him in the bottom left corner walking along a lake. It’s a really moody motive.
My only real gripe with the quality of this box is that I kinda broke the top of the box pulling the tape off. It simply took the color along. While this might not be a major issue, and more of an I-issue I still feel this is an 8.
Box art
The art of the box is great! The dark colors, the orange tube-baby and the incredible landscape are all really well presented. Even the creepy logo fits well into the artwork. This along with the sheer size of the box makes this a really pretty box, if your shelve is big enough, that is.
I do feel that the text of the back of the box is too much and ruins the look of the landscape view. Too bad, but still a pretty box!
Display quality
The text of the back of the box ruins that side for me. The front is mostly fine, but still has the usual PS4 and PEGI logo. But tbh, I have nowhere to display it. It’s simply too big!
Death Stranding – Collector’s Edition content
Cargo Crate Replica
So this is a real-size 52cm x 36cm x 20cm cargo crate, much similar to the ones Sam is transporting from place to place in Death Stranding. It is made in sturdy dark-blue plastic and contains black security-foam to protect its content – which it has, by the way, done really well. The crate has a un-moving handle and two locks to close it up – you don’t want your baby to fall out and mess up the floor, right?
I can’t help but feel something is missing here. Maybe some paint job, to make it look worn out. Maybe some sort of logo or stickers? Or you could, of course, use one of the other items in the box to decorate the crate. more on that later.
This shipping crate is really close to the ones you see Sam carry in the game. The plastic is sturdy and the locks work really well. It is not perfect, though. The handle does not move, the protective foam is not stuck to the inside of the crate, so you have to put it back in place, every time you open up the crate. Also, I am missing a few details or some wear on the crate – it is way too clean to look authentic…It is a stroke on genius to include the content of a collectors edition, of a game where you deliver crates, inside a shipping crate. I just wish they had worked with it a bit more to include some wear and tear for added storytelling value. Because of this, I can not give the perfect score.
Bridge Baby Replica
Let’s get the obvious out of the way. This is indeed a baby in a jar of piss-colored liquid. There is no denying that. And yes, grown men strap this to their chest and carry it around proudly in Death Stranding. Who is this baby and how does it breathe, you might ask? Well, you should really play the game to learn the details.
This is actually a mighty fine replica as it has many of the details from the game and it is 1:1 in scale. The baby inside, while made of plastic (obviously), looks very realistic. Oh, and did I mention it works as a mood light? Batteries were not included (2x AAA), but when added you can turn it on and off with the button on the front. It gives a warm, yellow glow from the base of the figure.
This is all plastic. That means no liquid, no way of adding liquid and besides the light action, it doesn’t really do anything. But let’s be honest here. You just want this baby (pun totally intended) to grab attention on your shelf. And for that is succeeds with an A+, especially when lit. The reason for not scoring higher is the fairly cheap plastic feel.Oh come on, it’s on the damn cover! We all wanted our very own BB to hug and strap to our chest. Chicks dig it! (no guarantees)
Cargo Tape
How do you review a roll of tape?! I have never done it before, and I doubt it will happen again. As a stand-alone item, this is a fairly odd one. But when combined with the previously mentioned shipping crate you can make a great setup. This is tape. This means it sticks to the material it’s placed upon – for example, the crate. I hate voiding (sorry for this one…) collector’s items, so I have not used it myself. But you can totally go nuts with this.
So yea, this is a combination item to go with your crate. You probably did not buy this collector’s edition to get the yellow tape… If you did, that is totally ok though. So how to rate this?
It’s tape. The color is yellow. And the text is black. It also sticks to things. I guess that makes it a pass? 7 for doing your job just fine.Extra points for making another item in the box better. And I can appreciate the humor in adding a roll of tape to a collector’s edition.
Ludens Mini Figure
So this one is a bit special because it does not have direct ties to Death Stranding. Ludens, the spaceman, is a mascot of Kojima Productions. His face is part of their logo. So in the collector’s edition, we get this small 4cm tall figure/keyring. For his size, he is fairly detailed and you can clearly see his skull-face behind the visor of his helm.
In his little clear plastic box home, he also comes with a small plastic stand and some string to tie him to things. It is not obvious how to attach him to anything, and I had to look closely to figure out what was going on. The top “fin” on his visor would be the obvious place to tie the string. After this, he can go on anything, including the bottom left of the BB Pod. Just like in the game. Oh yea, he is in the game, but only as a cameo of this little Minifigure.
Ludens is very small, so it’s hard to expect a highly detailed figure. But he looks great both in design and execution. The only con is that he does tend to fall over even when being on his stand. And maybe for not having a dedicated loop to hang from. But all in all, I really love this little fella.While he does not have direct relevance to the game, besides the small cameo, he still has his purpose. As the mascot of the newly opened Kojima Productions, it makes sense to include him in their first game. And his weird-ass spooky design fits well with Death Stranding.
Game Case
The disc and DLC come in this really awesome looking steelbook. The outer box shows a tar-greased Sam in all his glory. The inside pictures The Strand with dead sea-creatures all over. While I do not rate game boxes with a grade, this one is up there among the best!
DLC
There was quite a bit of DLC in Death Stranding Collector’s Edition. Who else is tired of the trend, where DLC leaflets do not tell what you get? It’s just a code with information on how to redeem it. Whoever came up with that idea needs to get a slapping with the old fatboy ps3. So, what do you get?
Complete Avatar Set – Receive 10 PSN avatars featuring various characters from the game
Timefall (Original Music from the World Of DEATH STRANDING) – Digital Music Album
Timefall – Behind the Scenes Making Of Digital Video
Special gold versions of in-game items once earned through gameplay:
“Ludens Mask” Sunglasses (Gold)
Power Skeleton (Gold) – Enhances ability to handle heavy cargo
All-Terrain Skeleton (Gold) – Enhances ability to remain upright when traversing uneven surfaces
Armor Plate (Lv. 2) (Gold) – Protects from falls, gunfire, and other damage
Verdict: Death Stranding – Collector’s Edition
While this purchase was a no-brainer and considering my hype, I am still a bit disappointed. There is a lot to like here. The BB is a great collector’s item and the crate is massive. I just feel like there is too much missing here. Where is my art book? Where is my glossy print of Fragile? Where is my golden Higgs mask? <Insert Death Stranding merch wish list>
Ultimately I feel that, considering the price, this is no better than a 7. There are a some great things here, and if you want to use your cargo tape you can make a pretty sweet setup.
