Death Stranding works to make BTs, Homo Demens, and Mules out to be terrifying things. However, in practice, players don’t really have anything to worry about. While the prospect of cargo being ruined or stolen or a voidout causing a crater on the map is a terrifying thing and some of these opponents might seem intimidating, in practice, they’re actually easy to deal with. In fact, purposely sending Sam after BTs and Mules can be quite lucrative.
The first thing to know about BTs is that an encounter isn’t as intimidating as it might seem. Once Sam enters an area with one and BB lets you start seeing and sensing them, it is a good time to start crouching if you are on foot. If you’re on a vehicle, looking for a good path and being ready to run and gun it also works. Gradually move forward and, if you see the arm start flashing and spinning, stop. If the screen is shaking, you see handprints, and you aren’t in a position to fight back, hold Sam’s breath and slowly move away. If you do get caught, then be ready to run to the edges of the black tar away from the slowly-moving sea creature-shaped BT.
If you do have some grenades made of Sam’s bodily fluids and excretions, then it is a good time to fight. Dropping cargo and letting BTs catch you can honestly be a pretty great experience. If you have been loading up on the 01 grenades made in the Private Room after Sam has drank three cans of Monster and peed, then you could wait until that “boss” fight comes up and chuck the grenades at it. After a few hits, you’ll beat it, the area will be cleared of BTs for a while, you’ll have plenty of Chiral Crystals to collect, and all will be well. It’s an especially great strategy if you know you are going to be taking a time-sensitive delivery mission or carrying a lot of cargo, since you can clear the way of a major threat.
When you’re making these deliveries, Mules can be another “issue.” Except, they’re really not. Letting Sam go in to beat these bad guys up with his fists is a very viable strategy. Once you have entered their territory, you could go ahead and walk right up to one or leave a single package that isn’t terribly important on the ground. Once the Mules have been lured in, you can go ahead and fight back. Using your fists will only knock them unconscious, removing the threat of a possible voidout. It will also let you steal any helpful items, like boots, metals or resins, they might be holding and let you take back stolen cargo without any hassle.
Basically, most of the “everyday” threats you face in Death Stranding aren’t that intimidating. The BTs and Mules are rather easily handled, once Sam is in a position to start taking them on in the second chapter. People might even want to seek them out to clear out an area ahead of a mission or load up on extra supplies.
Death Stranding is available for the PlayStation 4. It will come to the PC in early 2020.
