7 DAYS TO GO! — PORTERS ADVICE FOR NEWCOMERS

With DEATH STRANDING DIRECTOR’S CUT launching on the App Store on January 30, we thought it might be a good idea to reach out to our experienced Porters to see if they have any wise words of wisdom to share with those who will be joining us for the very first time. Our initial plan, with 7 days to go until launch, was to highlight 7 top tips! However, we received over 500 responses from players, so we just couldn’t narrow it down to just 7.

A big thank you to our incredible community contributors who continue to be incredibly welcoming and supportive of new Porters coming on board. Here are a selection of our favourite responses.

Head over to Reddit and Steam for more advice.

Keep on keeping on!

PORTERS ADVICE FOR NEWCOMERS

Focus on rebuilding! Contribute to roads whenever and wherever you can, and failing that, build zip-lines! It can be tons of fun to trudge through the muck and dirt, but if you want the best delivery times, you’re going to need your buildings! — Parboleum Loyce

Patience is key, as the game progressively rewards you with cool gadgets and skills that will make a lot of tasks easier and more fun. These gadgets also offer substantial freedom to creatively engage with the gameplay, especially the various skeletons and backpack attachments, which are among the most useful and enjoyable features in the game. Also don’t stress out too much about resources, later on you can play ranked modes and be rewarded with more than you will need. — OOO

Use the sticky gun. It’s an overlooked tool that I wish I had used more early on getting cargo from cliffs, bumpy terrain, etc. Is much easier than attempting to walk to it. — Imperious

Don’t be afraid to give yourself a pat on the back when you manage to overcome that difficult route. Leave a message for other porters to show you’ve done it. Trust your fellow Porters! I saw so many signs telling me which way is safe or easy, but looking at the map, it seemed like they were lying as a joke. Little did I know, they were pointing me in the easier, safer direction. — Slotthman

(Credit:「OWL」)

Try to contribute or interact with as many player structures as possible. It opens strand links and allows you to see even more structures. That one random time fall shelter in the middle of nowhere may save your life and most importantly your cargo. — LyfeIn2D

Don’t cheap out on equipment. A pair of gloves and an exoskeleton go a long way to ensure efficiency and your safety. — MustNotMust

Later on in the game, you’ll earn an ability, called «Fragile Jump.» It allows you to teleport from a private room to any other one that you’re able to use. The only downside is that you’ll leave behind your tools and cargo you were carrying. equipped things like boots or exoskeletons will stay with you. This is a very helpful tool, if you’re willing to use it, but you should never over-use this luxury you’ve been given. At some point, you’ll have to walk to your destinations. Plus, If you use the jump you’ll miss out on all the nice scenery! — Tetrimis

(Credit: Nerdlife)

A Porter’s job is never done, but that’s only because he really is the glue that’s keeping us together. Treat yourself right, rest easy rest often, and don’t count on those boots lasting another trip. You’ll forget all about it when you scan a particularly juicy piece of cargo three cliffs away and end up coming home barefoot. Speaking of crafting new boots, don’t let those materials go to waste! Outpost resources accumulate to a maximum amount, forfeiting what exceeds it, and wouldn’t those wasted metals shine all the better inside your fellow porters’ generators? You can also be a star by helping your fellow man. Leave a nice fresh pair of boots and any other spares in that strange post-box you came across at the top of the world. Who knows who made the trek without a care in the world and are now stuck there? Did you know that’s how I got my first pair of coveted Chiral Boots? They were waiting for me between a BT and a hard place, obviously placed there by a Saint clad in porter’s uniform. Final tip! Make sure to always have a healthy amount of chiral crystals on your person for an unexpected pick-me-up. — Vladu24

Remember to frequently auto-sort your carried cargo (always at outposts/cities after picking up orders, occasionally in the field if you’ve accumulated a lot of lost cargo). Sorted cargo tries to keep your weight balanced, so you’re less likely to fall over! Even on hard difficulties it’s rare that you need to be specific about where you place cargo on your self. — JRockPSU

No matter how impossible it looks, no matter how dangerous it seems, no matter how exhausted you are, just remember: Keep on keeping on! — styllfemme

(Credit: mike)

Remember, take your rests when needed and if you want to smell the roses, don’t forget to use your touchpad! So many players I’ve seen on stream rarely utilize Sam’s voice and hidden gems therein, whatever the situation. Hope to see your lost cargo sometime! I also highly recommend playing this DEATH STRANDING DIRECTOR’S CUT with a DualSense Edge™ wireless controller. Makes a WORLD of difference! There’s nothing better. — ahigherlev3l

Don’t rush through your deliveries and missions. Take time to really take a feel in for the world. Once you get out and about, go explore if you want a break from the deliveries. Do the missions that seem fun to you, and challenge yourself by taking different paths each time. There’s no right or wrong way to play Death Stranding, just take it at your own pace. Connect with other porters and help them out. As someone who has played this game multiple times, I can’t say there is another experience like this. It’s a game you wish you could wipe your brain of and play it again for the first time. I also recommend going for all the Memory Chips, as you learn more about the characters and the world itself. And of course, last but not least, keep on keeping on. No matter what. — colleen_norris

You know, DEATH STRANDING is the kind of game that you can go through on your own without any advice. Yeah, there are probably some optimization moments that can be advised, but I don’t think it’s necessary. Because the second time you will understand it yourself, or this advice will kill the interest of the exploration. So my friends, play for your own pleasure, be «first» in your worlds and enjoy this feeling of exploration, importance and belonging to something bigger, to the community. — Yuriy

(Credit: S-W-I-F-T-Y)

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