Death Stranding – WISE Score & Parent Review | Screenwise

Death Stranding

Name: Screenwise
Author: Screenwise

game2019

82%

WISE Score

86%

IGDB

A surreal, high-stakes delivery simulator about reconnecting a broken world, one heavy backpack at a time.

Death Stranding

game

2019

82%

WISE Score

86%

IGDB

A surreal, high-stakes delivery simulator about reconnecting a broken world, one heavy backpack at a time.

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Where to Play

PlayStation

PC/Steam

Screenwise Verdict

Death Stranding is a masterpiece of 'weird' art, but it's definitely not for everyone. It’s a game where you spend 80% of your time managing the weight in your backpack and trying not to trip over rocks. For a certain type of player, that's meditative and brilliant; for others, it’s a chore.

Parents should know that while the message is one of hope and connection, the packaging is pure Hideo Kojima: bizarre, occasionally gross, and very long. If your teen is into high-concept sci-fi and has the attention span for a 50-hour slow burn, it’s an incredible experience. If they just want to shoot things, steer clear.

Age Fit

This is strictly for older teens (15+) and adults. The mechanics are too tedious for most kids, and the imagery—while artistic—is often too macabre and disturbing for younger audiences.

WISE Breakdown

Wholesome

The core mechanic is literally helping people and building infrastructure for the common good, though the tone is often bleak and solitary.

Imaginative

Hideo Kojima's world-building is peerless. It turns the mundane act of walking into a high-stakes, surrealist science fiction epic unlike anything else.

Safe

Rated M for mature. Features intense violence, blood, body horror (umbilical cords, tar-monsters), and some partial nudity and strong language.

Enriching

Deeply philosophical. It explores the necessity of human connection, the weight of responsibility, and the environmental impact of our choices.

Parent Info

✓

Why It Might Be Great

Altruistic multiplayer allows players to build roads and bridges that actually help other real-world players, fostering a unique sense of community.
Stunning visuals and a haunting soundtrack create one of the most atmospheric and immersive worlds in modern gaming.
Unique gameplay that rewards patience, planning, and careful movement rather than just twitch reflexes.
Compelling sci-fi that tackles big ideas about isolation, life after death, and how technology both connects and divides us.

⚠

What to Watch For

The BB (Bridge Baby) is a central plot point—a fetus in a jar used as a ghost detector—which can be deeply unsettling for some players.
Body horror and 'BT' encounters are genuinely creepy, involving shadowy figures, black oil, and intense, suspenseful stealth sequences.
The pacing is glacial; the first ten hours are mostly walking and inventory management, which will bore many younger or more action-oriented players.
Mature themes including suicide, mass death, and complex political allegories require a high level of emotional maturity.

Conversation Starters

"Why does Sam choose to keep helping people even when it's exhausting and dangerous?"
"How did it feel when you found a ladder or a bridge left behind by another player you've never met?"
"Does technology like the 'Chiral Network' make us feel more connected or more alone in real life?"
"What do you think the 'Death Stranding' event represents in terms of our relationship with nature?"

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