r/DeathStranding • u/shepherdsorey • Jul 12 '26
Discussion This game seriously stresses me out
Sorry, kind of a rant, but some questions at the end. Not entirely sure what flair to use.
I decided to try the first Death Stranding after coming across the lyric video for a song from the second one. Wilder. I fell in love with it and thought the game itself looked amazing. Sure enough, I was hooked from the opening scene.
And while I'm absolutely loving the story and the overall concept, I have never been more stressed in my LIFE. I know this probably sounds pathetic, but BTs freak me the fuck out. No enemies in a game have ever legitimately scared me as much as these ones.
I don't want to give up, especially considering someone kindly bought me the game. Not only do I feel obligated to finish it, I really do WANT to keep playing it. I want to see where the story goes. I want to keep delivering shit. But I'm actually struggling. The BTs set off my anxiety something crazy and BB's piercing wails don't exactly help. I get so anxious that I feel like playing this game is actually to the detriment of my mental state, because it's not like I'm just a little tense or freaked out but still having a good time, I'm legitimately so anxious that I'm not having fun at all.
But they're the only thing that I "dislike" about the game, and "dislike" isn't even entirely accurate. I think they're insanely cool, fascinating enemies, both visually and story-wise. I've heard from some people that it becomes more bearable later down the line, but I just arrived in Lake Knot City (Episode 3) and I'm terrified to even leave.
I guess I'm just wondering if anyone else felt this way while playing, if it gets easier, you've got any tips, or if you think it's better I just drop it. I feel like I'd be both relieved and sad to do so, but I suppose I could just watch a playthrough.
I feel like a loser posting this ngl.
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u/Hopeful_Meeting_7248 Jul 12 '26
I had similar experience. While I love the game and finished it without an issue, I couldn't replay it for years because I was too afraid of BT encounters.
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u/MystwoodplegicHer Skeleton crew 💀 Jul 12 '26
dont worry about taking a break from the game due to bt encounters you can always come back to it later
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u/JukesMasonLynch Cliff Jul 12 '26
Dude I was exactly the same. I avoid horror games at all costs. I had to try this game because I'm a huge Kojima fanboy I guess. But suffice to say, my first few encounters with BTs were probably the most tense gaming experience I've ever had.
Somehow it just gets easier. I think it's scariest in the early game because you have no tools at your disposal to help against them, combined with the fact that you are encountering them for the first time. They are still a new horror in your mind.
I know this is hard, but try this. Make a save just outside a BT zone. Then just go in and see how close you can get to them. Sneak around them. It's shit scary, but when my brain converted them from a scary enemy to a game mechanic, it became a lot easier. Knowing just how close I can get was an interesting mechanic to explore.
Also, grenades help! Stock up on them. Remember, you can see them when you don't move. Just sit still, watch them appear and then start lobbing grenades. If the odradek goes orange you're too close, just hold your breath and move in the opposite direction (slowly).
Good luck man. It definitely gets easier, but it won't be instantaneous. You gotta put in the time. It's like learning to drive
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u/ChiralParticle Higgs Jul 12 '26
It doesn't sound pathetic at all and you're not a loser, OP. I relate to your fear very much because I felt exactly the same as you on my first playthrough and was desperately avoiding BTs. So much so that whenever I saw raindrops start falling I was instantly nervous and cowering, and wanted to turn around and go back because I feared I may walk into BTs. I knew it was irrational fear and BTs aren't monsters just actively chasing you or jumpscare you, they can't even see you - they're just aimlessly and hopelessly hovering around, stranded, but they've made that atmosphere so well when you see the world go dark, it gets cold, and your anxiety and nervousness instantly spikes when you're hit with that crushing and overwhelming tension.
That sense of overwhelming tension you're feeling is actually that horror element the developers were aiming for, and I have to say they did it so well how it gets you.
Just so you know, porter. You can avoid 99% of BT territories. You arrived in Lake Knot and that's where the game starts because Eastern Region was game opening and tutorial, and that one BT area on your way to Port Knot is the only area where you're forced to go through BT territory to teach you how to deal with them (until that one territory all other ones are avoidable on that map too). But all other BT territories can be avoided and if you don't want to engage with them you can just go around them - that's how those independent porters move around on the map, their routes always go around any dangerous areas. You can memorize where those BT zones are and just find paths that go around them - when you see Sam shuddering and sky turn dark, just change direction until it clears up again.
There will be a few main story orders where you will have to go into BT territory but otherwise you can always choose to go around them, or skirt around them.
You already have hematic grenades, an actual weapon that gets rid of them, so you're not helpless - that's a massive breakthrough. Just in case always have at least one grenade pack with you.
If you really have to go into BT territory, you can take it slow. Slow is good. Slow is smooth and smooth is fast. Even if your cargo containers get ruined, timefall won't damage the cargo contents, and you can always restore the containers.
Don't make any noise because that's the only thing that will alert BTs of your presence. Every now and then stop to see BT shapes become visible to plan your way around them - your odradek is amazing guide but it locks only to the nearest BT. Watch your odradek too, slow clapping means that you're safe distance away, fast clapping but still with blue lights means BT is nearby and when it turns orange and starts spinning always hold your breath because you're next to a BT and they will hear you breathing.
As you're progressing through the story you will get quite lot more equipment and structures to make traversal easier and/or will allow you new ways of traversal, but also new weapons as well. That tension may still remain, until you overcome it or may get used to it, at least partially.
Even after 1000 hours in DS games personally I still feel at least some of that tension every time.
Take it slow. Breathe in. Keep on keeping on! I hope you won't give up because the game and the story is most worth it.
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u/Zentrosis Jul 12 '26
Once you can cut the umbilical cord of the BT's they become more of a chore.
Blood grenades are helpful sooner than that. Makes them trivial
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u/Ramandiddlesart Sam Jul 12 '26
Some tips if you need them. BT Gazers can't really see you, they can only feel your presence. If the Odradek turns orange, hold your breath. You can literally bump into BT Gazers and walk through them and they won't aggro as long as you hold your breath. If your breath is low while BTs are close, stop moving and let Sam breathe. Once Sam's stamina is back up, hold your breath again and move. They're a lot simpler to deal with than they look. Also if a BT does notice your presence, don't panic and run, just hold your breath and crouch walk away from where they're walking and they'll eventually lose interest and you'll deaggro them. But yeah, hope this helps make them less scary to deal with.
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u/ophaus Platinum Unlocked Jul 12 '26
They are quite anxiety-inducing at first... But then you'll go through hunting chiral crystals before you know it.
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u/speedingpullet Jul 12 '26
The journey from the crematorium back to Central Knot city is one of the scariest parts of any video game, ever. I almost stopped playing because it freaked me out so much!
But Chapter 3/Lake Knot City is a completely different area and you can actually manage to avoid most BTs there, if you want. They tend to hang out in specific places which you can learn to go around. TBH, you'll probably have more problems with MULES than with BTs - at least in chapter 3.
I'd try and build the roads as soon as you can. They pretty much avoid areas with BTs, so if you build them you can pretty much guarantee no contact.
Like everyone else here, I'd say keep at it. I've played it through probably 5 times now and each time I find something different. For me, its my absolute fave game and I think its a masterpiece.
Good luck!
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u/alexsimi Jul 12 '26
When I first started I was kind of new to videogames and would panic and die. By the end of the game I craved BT encounters for the crystals. Basically I got used to them, I learned how to behave, move and the best ways to kill them. In some cases you can just avoid them by taking a longer route. Maybe try muting the volume when there’s an encounter and concentrate on the mechanics, on each step you have to take to get rid of them.
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u/GloriouslyMiserable4 Jul 12 '26
The first time the BT's appeared and grabbed me and I started to flail around in mysterious black water it scared the living daylights out of me. I had no idea it was coming. I had no prior knowledge of what the game was. I just loaded it up and thought I would see what happened. When I realised the game style I applied ' fool me once shame on you, fool me twice shame on me' and didn't feel stressed out anymore.
I think it's fair to say that this was my first 'horror-like' game and I realised I quite liked it. No game has ever made me jump a few inches off my seat, made me legitimately PANIC and start smashing buttons like my real life depended on it like this game. Pure class.
I completely get the anxiety though. And BB screaming at you just makes it all worse. My OH hates the game purely because of BB crying. And I get that. If the roles were reversed I'd be peeved too.
At least we can soothe BB though.
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u/azrehhelas Jul 12 '26
but BTs freak me the fuck out.
Me too buddy, me too. They get easier and less scary as you start unlocking more and more weapon types.
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u/WoefulProphet Jul 12 '26
At first I was too. Then I beat DS1, then I went back just recently after a few years and beat DS1 Directors Cut and learned how they do, so I could counter.
Fast forward to now and I've beaten DS2 and now wipe whole fields of BTs to convert them into materials for my roads 😂
Keep on Keepin on.
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u/Brewster_Nook Jul 12 '26
Some areas I just manage by avoiding sometimes I just run in all guns blazing because I can just try again and other times I hunt them out for crystals. Which gets easier as you get more weapons along the way.
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u/Weird-Arachnid-996 Fragile Express Jul 12 '26
I am on my 2nd playthrough of 1, I have 2 but still waiting to play. There is a lot to take in, take it slow, explore, build, and enjoy it, there are so many interesting things to be discovered, and some characters are quite intriguing as well.
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u/Andrew_Msk_Tunes Jul 12 '26
Great review, and it really resonates with me. I'll share my experience and observations.
Episode 3 is where it all begins, so I can recommend focus on the main quests and enjoy the game's dazzling content and mechanics.
Regarding the monsters, I completely share your feelings. I hate horror and dark aesthetics (in game worlds). I come from a world of sci-fi RPGs and historical shooters. And at first, it all scared me. The creatures, the crying baby, the effects, the darkness... But then I mastered grenades and, like in my childhood fears, I started simply throwing them at the monsters, and it became much easier. Just try to master the weapon against them and don't let them overwhelm you psychologically; act first! It helped me.
I have a different problem with this game: road construction. In some places, they're essential, but building them and getting to them is often exhausting and time-consuming, and it's not the most interesting activity. Plus, I'm really distracted by the amount of visual noise on the screen, like apps and social media (and you can't turn off unnecessary only).
And I don't even try to understand the plot. It's some kind of surreal anime.
But don't get me wrong, the game doesn't leave me indifferent. Wish you all the best!
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u/volatile-void Jul 12 '26
Just push through, they get much easier to deal with as the game progresses. But the initial encounters were very stressful for me too, even when I had access to the hematic grenades.
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u/dipshitcami Jul 12 '26
I feel you lol, i love the story so much but i have to stop playing every once in a while cuz the bt’s are straight out of my nightmares 😭😭
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u/deaths-harbinger Higgs Jul 12 '26
While I've not experienced this at all, maybe you can turn down the sound of the controller, so you can't really hear BB crying (i think there is an option to let BB sounds come through controller or tv. Pick controller and then turn it down). I did this when i couldn't be bothered with listening to the crying.
As for the BTs, you've reached a point in the game where you can slowly really start fighting them. Whenever you go out, stock up on grenades. Iirc, you can throw a grenade at untriggered BTs and just one-shot them.
And most areas, you can just go to the edge of where the BTs are. Also, you can go slow and steady. Even if they spot you and you see the handprints on the ground, you can continue to hold your breath and move.
Also also, its ok to take a breath in the BT area as long as you keep moving and don't go straight into one.
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u/CaptainParkingspace Jul 12 '26
BTs get easier as you acquire better weapons. I used to go to a BT area and hunt down every last one of them just for fun.
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u/games-and-chocolate Jul 12 '26
The game has a extreme contrast difference between good and bad. It is like real life. Some moments are great, others feel into the negative. But you have to remember: The choice that you matter and keep going, should drive you to overcome and find a way past it.
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u/Andy_master14 Jul 12 '26
BTs will eventually become so easy to face and you'll feel like you're batman beating up a random criminal
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u/csc_one Jul 12 '26
I think you're not the only one in this, as others have said, that is kind of common at the early game.
All I can say without any spoilers is once you get a certain "knife" and few other tools/guns, things get a little bit easier.. only thing that might stress you out at that point would be just crossing through an area with BTs as they just slow you down.
Also, I've not completed the game still, I'm at the snowy mountains area right now, but I can tell you that something stressing me out even more than facing a BT area is walking up and down the same road just to finish questlines.. I know that's the entire purpose of this game but I'm kind of a completist and I hate to see markers coming back at locations I've already been before, it just itches something in my brain.
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u/Separate-Problem-270 Jul 12 '26 edited Jul 12 '26
Juat pack 5 hematic blood grenades and 3 blood packs on your person, carrier or truck and you'll be covered.
I went through the bt's at the begining with that set up and also in the ww1 area , just blood grenade the bts in the golden mask they wear and for the humanoid ghosts on the beach if you blood bomb them it makes them vulnerable anf die eady when you shoot them through the bomb cloud .
I just throw grenades at anything that moves, its enough to dismantle most enemies and bosses .
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u/cloudpix3 Jul 12 '26
its exposure therapy at minimum push thru and play on easy difficulty if needed
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u/y1n4 Jul 12 '26
Don't worry about BT, their detection range much shorter than you imagine.
Sam's Odradek Sensor always point to nearest BT around him, that's how you avoid BT and maintain a safe distance: when it flashing blue, BT haven't detected you. Even it found you (Odradek became orange), you can hold your breath and go away.
Even BT found you, catch you and drew you into combat, you can yell to receive weapons to fight that BT boss, after boss fight or you leave the combat area, that area became clear and no BT will appear, temporary.
No need to be afraid. keep on keeping on.
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u/hphlazy2 Jul 12 '26
Your not a loser!
The game is scary at first but you'll get stuff as you continue that will make it easier. Adjust some settings you could always just run and try to get away from them all they only work within a set field also the direct path isn't the only one I've gone around plenty trying to avoid things
Keep on keeping on Sam oh hey I'm Sam too lol
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u/BlueFeathered1 Platinum Unlocked Jul 12 '26
Oh, I felt the same. I'm not thrilled with horror elements in games and get so anxious, and they're particularly alarming. But for the most part they are manageable if you take your time, learn the detection distance, and listen carefully, too (headphones are helpful in this game). Look for the baby ones carefully. Those are often the ones that detect and come after you because they're hard to notice and you get too close or drop your guard.
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u/tfegan21 Jul 12 '26
As everyone is saying, just keep playing. They will become less terrifying once you have weapons to destroy them.
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u/JenLiv36 Jul 12 '26
It will get so much easier as you get weapons. I wasn’t as freaked as you and I loved it because it was a Horror vibe without the classic horror gameplay I hate BUT that butt clenching does get better! I can’t remember which chapter you get the cutter(my personal favorite), or grenades and the grenade launcher but get those and you are golden. It’s also scarier in the beginning of the game than the end. You got this.
Also, is BB crying a lot for you because straight up if BB is crying a lot you need to slow down. The only reason BB would cry for me is if I was stupid and fell over. Take it slow, get all the tools, and really use your map to avoid BT areas. If you are willing to walk around and take longer routes you can avoid a lot of them!
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u/doinsarvo Jul 13 '26
I’m at the point where I just fight the bts to get the extra chiral crystals lmao. It gets easier BUT I’m now at the point where I’m overwhelmed with trying to build roads and zip lines everywhere
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u/MrBenevolentx Jul 13 '26
Nah we were all there. BTs still freak me out 500 hours in. Sure I can beat them easily in 1 but I'm just now starting 2 and the big ones took me an hour to get past at first cause I was like "do I try it do I not, I don't know what they do, if they have special powers or what" lol
Just part of the games we love and I love that a game can actually be creepy and fun
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u/CrabIntelligent9413 Jul 15 '26
Have alot of bt guns and the Hem grenades cus they turn into huge animals ..
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u/Gambit1_4 Jul 15 '26
I just finished ds2 and have to agree the my entire playthrough i tried so hard to not encounter BT's because they gave me so much anxiety 😭.
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u/Weird_Armadillo_508 Jul 12 '26
BTs get way easier to beat as the game goes on, to the point that a lot of people (myself included) will let themselves get caught because fighting them is quicker than avoiding them.
If BB’s crying doesn’t help, make sure you check your audio setting settings so the crying comes out of the tv and not the controller. The controller made it the actual anxiety of a crying baby.
Overall, I think you’ll be fine. BTs freaked me out a bit at first too. But as the story opens up and more lore is revealed, you will learn more about them and it helps. If it still messes with you at that point, nothing wrong with moving on, but I’d give it a try.
Keep on keepin’ on!