DEATH STRANDING DIRECTOR'S CUT

This is a great game that isn't for everyone. Not in the sense you need to have a master brain or transcended human condition to appreciate it, but because it's a slow burn, has a repetitive gamplay loot that will be interesting for *some* people and mostly because it wants to be played a certain way and much of the online discourse around it comes from people who were unwilling do to so. It's a very Japanese game in the sense that it invites you to find joy in a tedious job and the mastering of it. You're a porter, someone who delivers cargo to often isolated survivors. This is in part inspired by the real world profession of 'bokka', masters of the same traversal and backpack tetris you're required to do in the game. The Japanese concept of 'Ikigai' also plays a huge role in the game and it's about finding purpose not only in your job, but in life in general, something that happens with both protagonist and player during the game. It's not a walking simulator in the sense most use it. It simulates walking (and climbing) with the obsession of a hyperfocused ADHDer, but it's not really that complicated. People complaining of falling down and dropping cargo all the time are simply not paying attention to the game prompts and haven't learned its systems. The Director's Cut in special is very accomodating in terms of quality of life and not over-burdening those players who don't want to engage with its various mechanics, but it's in playing on the hardest difficulty that most of those mechanics and systems coalesce into something that has meaning and use. If you're on the fence on trying this game my advice is to clean your head of the negative comments you've read about it and try to keep an open mind. Engage with the game in its own terms. Trust that the initial friction will be adressed. Stick to the main story until you get to Chapter 3. If by Chapter 5 you don't like then it really isn't for you, I guess. All I can say is that I was one of those that scoffed at Kojima's walking simulator and now I've been completely obsessed, playing more than 300h in less than a month.

I really see why people don't like this game. I absolutely see why people cannot get into it, find it boring, find the story is nonsense. I completely see all of it... but if you're a certain type of gamer, this will be an amazing and unique experience that you likely will not see again for a looong time. Thank you Kojima. From all the weirdos that love this game. Hopefully DS2 gets PC release soon.

this game is like the last boss for delivery guys, i feel so sorry for them now. and me thinking Fallout and The Elder Scroll was annoying when the limit weight is full, i was so wrong.

Death Stranding is 50's French Art Film but in a video-game form. It's an experience that takes some effort to get into and isn't really for everyone. But if it's for you - it's a magical unforgettable story that'll stay with you forever. It's one of the few games that wouldn't work as a movie or a book. It's hard and frustrating at start but unlike many games where frustration is a result of Developer incompetence or a scheme to get you to pay money to skip it - in Death Stranding it exist for a clear reason. Not to make you "git gud" like the Souls-like games but to make you appreciate what comes after and to appreciate the help of other people around you. In the game and in real life. After 90 hours and one hell of a story I can say that it's one of the few games I can safely recommend at full price and double-recommend while it's on sale! You recieve +1 Like frome me.

Death Stranding is a game which accurately emulates the life of a delivery person, where in you get a maximum of 2.5 stars rating for the delivery even if you delivered life saving medicine to the customer. Jokes aside, the graphics, the acting by actors, the voice acting, the lore, the music used are fantastic. The story of the game is a bit convoluted but good. However I feel like this game is not recommended for most players. I enjoyed the first 30 hours of gameplay, trying to maximize overall delivery ratings for each npc before I got tired of it. There are some complaints about the game that I feel is justified according to me at least. 1. Too much repeating dialogues by npc 2. Vehicle control is really bad unless you are on the constructed road and even then its passable. 3. Cover shooting didn't work correctly and then I figured out you would get two cross hairs when in cover. The closer cross hair should not point towards the cover and the farthest cross hair should be red when pointing at enemy to hit them. This make the cover pretty much useless as you have to move away from cover, which would allow the enemy to hit you. 4. There are two types of enemies. Human enemies and BTs. If you kill Human enemies, voidout (games definition of a nuke) is caused and the area is now a crater (which possibly resets, however I didn't test this). So you need to take the humans bodies to the incinerator if you don't want to cause a voidout. Thankfully, there are weapons to incapacitate them. BTs are another story. The first few times they are alright to fight. But then it becomes just annoying. Also the rewards are not that great for killing BTs. Going to a BT area and getting caught is nice way to summon a boss, kill it and clear the area temporarily, but this never worked for me. The BT area would get refreshed within 1-2 mins as far as I observed. 5. Construction takes a lot of materials. But other players can help you build structures as the structures are shared across worlds. Easy way to get materials is to raid human enemy camps. Just incapacitate them and then loot the area. Downside is it takes a while for the enemies to wake up and the area to get refreshed for loot. So building things alone is a sure way to play this game for hundreds of hours. 6. There are gameplay sections in some chapters after reaching the snowy mountains where you are forced to explore that region. Those missions are mandatory. Walking is a pain in that region and takes a lot of time and as I have said previously vehicles are jank outside the roads. This is not just 1 or 2 missions but a whole lot of them. On top of that there is a mandatory mission where you have to take a fragile anti matter bomb to a far location through the snow mountains. Vehicles cant be used because the container can be easily damaged. Lots of damage to the container can cause the bomb to explode. So you are forced to walk here. 7. Vehicles freeze when reaching BT which was the highest cause of me being forced to fight across the region. Reloading the save and moving around the area is time saving. This wouldn't have been a problem if the fight was fun or rewarding. 8. Lots of times you are forced to stop what you are doing and listen to npcs talking through a call. It would have been better if the dialogue was in background. 9. You get lots of emails from npcs that you have connected. Most of them felt like fillers when I read them which might have caused me to miss some important lore when I stopped reading emails mid way through. 10. Lots of cutscenes. I mean lots. Some are way too long too. Most of the time its characters just repeating things already said previously by other characters. 11. Unskippable end game credit sections. This is by far the worst thing in the game. You are required to walk around for a long time to progress with the story. 12. I wont complain about the UI but its only ...acceptable 13. The Higgs boss fight was downright bad 14. The gameplay section where you had to go one end of the map to another end without fast travel. Thank god I got a vehicle some one left there. Otherwise I would have just quit right there. 15. The character loses his balance really easily. No idea how he became a porter. 16. The access violation error that prevents the game from even starting. 17. The needless exposition dumps and transition cutscenes everywhere. 18. Mindless amount of clicking required while accepting and making deliveries. There are so many other things that are downright annoying or bad decision as gameplay perspective and I think listing them all will make the reader lose interest in the review just like what happened for me with regards to the game. I feel that this game is not for an average gamer or to someone who doesn't have lots of time. It would be better to just watch youtube videos if you want to know the story and that too will take up around 8 hours of your time with needless bullshit. I think Kojima has some good ideas. But what he really needs is someone to manage him and not a yes man who agrees to everything he says. If you still want to play the game, I recommend doing the bare minimum to progress the story, then come back after the end of the game to do the rest if you are interested.. So I am not recommending the game even though the first few hours were fun. The gameplay loop is not fun after the novelty of it passes in a few hours.

DEATH STRANDING is a strange yet undeniably addictive experience. The story starts off with a simple yet strong premise, but becomes increasingly convoluted, ultimately diminishing the emotional weight of its final arc. The cutscenes and soundtrack were excellent, and the voice acting/motion capture was also a real highlight. The gameplay was intricate and enjoyable, often therapeutic at times. Deliveries never felt repetitive, despite the objective hardly changing throughout the course of the game. The combat was basic, and the ‘hub’ areas all felt too similar. The spacing between cutscenes/story progression and deliveries was also weighed too heavily at the front end of the game, something that is hopefully balanced in the second entry into the series. For all its flaws, DEATH STRANDING remains an experience I’d recommend to anyone. There is just something about it. Hideo Kojima is a mastermind. 8/10.

"A delivery game ? How is this not boring ?" You ask ? Well, you see ... this is not a walking simulator, or a stealth game, nor an action game either even though it does have forced combat sprinkled in from time to time, I think these are actually done well. It's actually a management game that lets you choose how you approach each scenario with a surprising balance in viability in each angle. If you played through MGS5 before, this game shares ALOT of its DNA, but at least this one is finished :v Sure, if you're looking for a game as action-packed as Ultrakill and the like ... just look elsewhere okay ? It's an extremely story-driven and contemplative game, and as such, you'll be watching ALOT of cutscenes and watching Sam's back as he walks through wastelands alot. BUT it's not like you never have something happening either ! I vaguely recall playing through MGS4 in comparison and being SO BORED before even the end of the first act that beating it was a chore, only to learn the hard way that the best rank can only be achieved on the max difficulty, which is locked behind beating the game to begin with. This game however ? I played through it once on the regular version (now gone from steam, but more on that later) where I got all achievements, a second playthrough on the Director's Cut where I mostly dashed through the game to see the new content, and I just started a third, offline playthrough this time. "Offline ? How could a single-player delivery game have online elements ?" Well I hate doing that comparison, but see the message system from Dark Souls, Elden Ring and the like ? Well not only does it have something similar with signs, but any structure placed by an online player can be shared with you ! a ladder someone placed on their mountainside can show up in other people's game as long as they progressed the story in that area. Using that item rewards the player who placed it with "likes" the game's half-satyrical experience system, if one is particularily helpful too ? you can send as many likes as you want in a short time frame. So alot of the game relies on online indirect cooperation, with players leaving ressources, signs, roads and structures around that can help other players overcome the many obstacles the game has to offer ! And oh boy does this game have obstacles ! Starting with even just the environment, where something as small as a rock or moss on the ground can make the ground unstable and leave you tumbling down, all the way up to mountains, rivers and more you have to figure out how to cross, go around etc, all being able to lead to mistakes taking the risk of damaging your cargo, and even yourself should you blunder hard enough ! But if you thought only the geography would want your death, the few animate things still out there could be after your hide - or your cargo ! Some cargo bandits have set up base around some well-traveled areas and would love nothing more than to beat you up and leave you unconcious, empty-handed and sometimes even without your boots. Notice how I didn't say "living things" previously ? Well that's because this game also has a ghostly post-apocalypse it's gotta deal with, and as such, leaving you to sneak past the spirits of the dead, taking the risk of leaving a crater the size of a major city (or even a state, in some cases) on the already Swiss-cheesed surface of the north-american continent. And both of these threats can be snuck past or fought through with enough skill and/or equipment. said equipment being rewarded to you as you progress through the story, which ranges from structures, vehicles, weapons, and various other tools of the trade I will not spoil here, but every person you help brings you help back toward the big journey ahead. Said big journey involving the main character trying to reconnect the survivors of a former USA under a new banner, network and infrastructure, one delivered package at a time. and although I have to say some parts of the story outstays its welcome, it's still a very well thought-out universe filled with heartwarming and touching moments, from the simple emphasis of a customer thanking you for a package delivered well all the way to helping the country as a whole. In general ? I really like this game, I don't like how pompous it gets at times, and some parts of it gets boring/ridiculous around the last quarter of the game, and some physics interactions being weird (mostly around slopes and vehicles) but is still an overall thoroughly enjoyable experience. Now as I mentioned before, the game is now only available as the Director's Cut, which adds a mixed bag of new features to the game, both in variety and quality. First is all the collaborative content that was added through updates to the original game is now all available in a single package. its rewards range from something as silly as a red Valve sticking out the back of your head all the way to a very useful upgrade to your compass - Cyberpunk 2077 style. All of it is very good in my opinion, doesn't break the game but still adds some depth to it. Then there's brand-new hand-to-hand combat moves -jumping attacks to be specific- which is the greatest way to make use of the already-complex movement system under the hood, and letting the player use their speed to knock out a hostile with a drop-kick is always satisfying. The game now also has a bunch of brand new structures for players to use and leave around the map. None of them feel too game-breaking (especially compared to some late-game stuff), but a couple of them are rather silly. A Firing Range where you can test out weapons and do legally-distinct VR Training missions. Also a very good addition, since you don't get to try out weapons very often outside of combat encounters, so giving you a sandbox of sort to experiment with them adds a welcome stepping stone to the game's learning curve. Now there's also new things I have mixed feelings about, like new weapons and tools introduced way too early, essentially breaking the progression of the game, a whole new quest line that has you sneaking into the same stronghold ...3 or 4 times ? I don't recall, but it's essentially baby's first stealth mission, which is supposed to serve as an introduction to combat but it's trivialised by the new tools at your disposal, and the added story doesn't add much to the already bloated lore. I never used it, but apparently the new DLSS is great. I enabled it once then disabled it instantly when I noticed some terrible ghosting around my screen, and all the other AA options are still just as terrible as before. This game and Monster Hunter World made me switch to 4k just so I wouldn't have to use their dogwater anti-aliasing and I'm never going back. The new road is a curse in disguise since it gives you so much more to grind through in order to build it, even though the parts it connects are nice, the effort you have to go through to build it is such that you're so far into the game you've already unlocked everything to make travel faster. Then there's a racing track hidden off somewhere that you have to rebuild, but honestly the driving is just so meh, adding a racing track only shows how much the game could have benefited from a proper vehicle physics system. And of course, all the cool scoring parts of racing, firing range and replaying bosses has already been cheated to hell and back so there's no way for you to get a worthwile scoreboard except with friends. In the end, the Director's Cut is nice, but it could have improved on a bit more than what it currently does, and I'm grateful the upgrade from the base game was rather inexpensive (I'm looking at you, Dark Souls Remastered's 20€ downgrade !)

I was sold on this game by the positive reviews. I won't lie. Many writing about their experiences did a good job. Ultimately, this game is a disaster. It is a convoluted mess, and while some players have taken it upon themselves to defend it, there is nothing they can do to change the player experience. Kojima's claim to fame, as most know, is the MGS series. The first few were great, and if everyone is being honest they scale down pretty hard after those. On top of that, the MGS mechanic is outdated. I'm sorry. It just is. It was fun in the 90s and early 00s. Instead of developing new, interesting mechanics, Kojima has doubled down on them, and given more attention to creating pretentious stories full of melodrama and inconsistencies. Death Stranding requires a lot of walking. That's not the problem. It also requires planning. That's also not the problem. The problem is that the main source of conflict for the gaming experience, what is supposed to grip you, the challenge, is the mundane, redundant, and inconsistent shit you put up with on the way. Losing your balance? A crying baby that can be consoled by flicking the joystick, which works sometimes, and other times it does not. You deal with music randomly turning on, songs that are in some cases totally out of place for the scenario you find yourself in, so much so that it's annoying. Now, at the outset, the game suggests you will develop certain devices and secure certain technologies that will make life easier. But what you quickly find, like with a vehicle, is that you're constantly bumping into every little rock, every little seam in the map that creates minor slope, anything. Guns? Sure, you'll get plenty. Can you carry ammo? Well, no of course not. You just have to throw your gun away and make an entirely new one. Makes perfect sense. How about large vehicles, like trucks? You damage them, sure. And of course the time-fall (aka weird, convoluted acid rain that slowly destroys everything it touches) damages them fairly quickly. Can you repair them? Well yes, but you have to put into the garage, then take it back out of the garage- why? Sorry, you can't use the device that repairs things (this also includes repairing guns, because, while you can't get additional ammo for them, you also can't repair them). None of this makes sense. It's lazy. Lazy writing around a world that is so overly complicated that they had to introduce these elements to make the game challenging, which just means they are making this a very tedious experience and hoping you'll be satisfied with it. Once I began feeling like this, around the second, central area of the game, I found myself spending all my time building the main road that runs through the map as an act of defiance to Kojima and this game. I refused to walk. I wouldn't do it. No more driving through a gazillion rocks. The whole world is just rocks everywhere. And so, my whole reason for playing was finding ways to overcome the way the game was intended to be played. The funny thing is. Roads don't seem to deteriorate due to rain. If they do, I didn't see it. The distribution centres you deliver packages to, they also don't deteriorate with rain. Why? WHY! The inconsistencies started driving me crazy. But I had to see this through. The story was going to be the payoff. So, I make it to Mountain Knot City, after once again, the game forces you walk by giving you a delicate bomb that will explode if you fart the wrong way. No way to drive. No way to really even run. You're walking. And while I am walking, I realise I hate this. It's not fun. Not because the walking itself. But because the game feels like its designed for Kojima to tell his ridiculous story and the game play itself is just something peripheral. The enemies - MULES or the ghosts (aka "BTs") quickly become a nuisance, they are not hard to deal with, and it's just an another element of mediocrity on this developers part. Because the game is about avoiding things, about "planning your routes" on a map that is a nightmare for a person with ADHD, while using a menu and UI that is rage inducing. Once I get to my destination, I'm told I need to go back and talk to a main character. Wait. What? I have to walk all the way back to talk to someone who has literally been talking to me through a device on my wrist THE ENTIRE GAME? The laziest freaking writing I have EVER witnessed in game. "No", I say. "I'm not walking back". I elect to use the fast travel option and just leave my gear behind. Oh, but wait. I can't use it here at this distribution center. Every other distribution center has that option. But of course this time, you can't use your private room. BECAUSE THE GAME WANTS YOU TO WALK. Even after you've advanced your tech and progressed the story to have access to certain privileges, Kojima WANTS you to walk, so you can see this beautiful world that is empty. Empty of anything interesting to interact with. With only two types of enemies, both of which are no more than a nusiance in your path. All so he can tell you a story. It was here I quit. I'm glad I got this game on sale. I will watch the cutscenes on Youtube and be done with this - thankfully. Good riddance to this pile of trash.

Most accurate representation of Iceland's nature in a video game.

Beautiful game but incredibly boring. This is supposed to be a "walking simulator"? You walk like a drunk baby half the time. I love the avant-garde nature of the story but it does cross the line of being weird for the sake of weird. I guess it's just not for me.

Kojima's overzealously misrepresented masterpiece: the collectivist hiking sim with tactical infrastructure action. A hokey allegorical epic delivering traversal-heavy gameplay across a gorgeous Icelandic vision of post-collapse USA. The deceptively simple gameplay loop soon opens up to more systems than you can shoot a rope or shake a stick at. Its unconventional structure truly embodies "journey, not destination" design in how all of the action happens between waypoints versus being segmented by them. Gaming rarely gets more blissfully meditative than this. An unforgettable reemergence-cum-victory lap for the industry's most prolific game designer and his team of hypercompetent artists and developers. The haters have gone catatonic. Rope beats stick.

Death Stranding is one of the most unique games I’ve ever played. The gameplay is unlike anything else—it’s strangely satisfying, almost meditative, and keeps you thinking the whole time. It’s not about fast action or constant combat, but about connection, endurance, and the journey itself. The story is eerie, emotional, and deeply captivating. You’ll probably be confused at first, but it all comes together in a way that’s surprisingly impactful. The atmosphere, music, and world design are incredible—quiet, haunting, and beautiful. Not for everyone, but if you're open to something different, this game will stick with you long after the credits roll.

It's a walking sim. A damn walking sim. There's a SEQUEL to the walking game. And yet it's fun. Kojima really IS god.

The Metal Gear saga unfolds over decades, weaving a dense and emotional tale of war, loyalty, betrayal, and control. At its heart lies the story of legendary soldiers and the world they helped shape—sometimes for good, often for worse. It all begins during the Cold War, in the 1960s, when a soldier known as Naked Snake is sent on a mission to stop his mentor, The Boss, who appears to have defected to the Soviet Union. Their bond is deep and complex, forged through years of service. In the end, Snake defeats her, only to discover her betrayal was part of a secret U.S. government plan. She was never a traitor, just a pawn. This devastating truth plants the seeds of Snake’s growing distrust in governments and ideologies. He becomes Big Boss, a title earned but laced with sorrow. Over the next few years, Big Boss becomes disillusioned with the way nations use soldiers like tools. He starts building his own army, a force without borders, called Militaires Sans Frontières, aiming to protect the powerless and operate outside national control. But his dream is repeatedly shattered—first when his base is destroyed, and later as he slips into a coma from a devastating attack. When he awakens nearly a decade later, it is not actually Big Boss, but a body double—Venom Snake—created to serve as his stand-in and take the heat while the real Big Boss operates from the shadows. This twist becomes a key moment in the series: the idea that identity can be shaped, manipulated, and ultimately weaponized. Meanwhile, Big Boss continues his long-term goal of creating a nation for soldiers, a haven known as Outer Heaven. In the late '90s, a young operative named Solid Snake is sent to infiltrate Outer Heaven and unknowingly battles Big Boss himself. Snake wins, and again a few years later when Big Boss resurfaces with a new army and another Metal Gear. But Solid Snake begins to question who the real enemy is: the man, or the system that created him. What follows is a downward spiral into global conspiracies. In the early 2000s, Snake confronts his brother, Liquid Snake, another clone of Big Boss. Liquid attempts to launch a nuclear strike using a bipedal weapon called Metal Gear REX, but Snake thwarts him. He also learns the truth about his origins—he is one of several clones created from Big Boss’s DNA under a secret government project called Les Enfants Terribles. Soon after, a new player enters the scene: Raiden, a child soldier trained by the U.S. and used as a proxy in a twisted simulation of Snake’s past missions. Through Raiden, we see how the world has been overtaken not just by weapons, but by control—of information, of history, of thought itself. This control is exercised by the Patriots, an invisible network of AI systems that manipulate everything from behind the scenes, all in the name of global stability. As time passes, Solid Snake ages rapidly due to his genetic modifications. In his final mission, he confronts Liquid Ocelot, a fusion of Liquid Snake’s will and Revolver Ocelot’s cunning. The two face off in one last, symbolic battle. Snake wins—but it’s not about victory anymore. It's about ending the cycle. With the Patriots destroyed, the world is finally free from their grip.

Yes, it's a walking simulator but also yes, the story is awesome and engaging!

Pros: +The graphics, cutscenes, world building and OST are all god-tier Cons: -The game is tedium incarnate. Everything is designed around maxed out tedium and nothing else -The amount of exposition dump you have to sit through every time between missions is quite honestly insane -Navigating the bloated UI is even more tedium -The gameplay is just objectively not fun and the only way you get anything out of it is by committing to the literal heaviest slog in the gaming industry =Not fun, and barely engaging.

Well, it is a YES and NO. The game is boring, and this is a fact. The story is ok, but to be honest the only part that i was interest in was in the last 20 minutes after the credits. Controls are Hideous, delivering packages is not interesting and even if I play it on easy (because i am old and tired working) it has its challenges. To be honest the cast is superb, but the game is not fun, and also is not chilling.. I had constantly to avoid BTs and all these stop motion screens..Where is the fun in this? After credits, which were the most annoying credits in game history, for real, I am playing it only to built roads, which are expensive , way too expensive, but i see nothing interesting to do.. I suppose its me, i cant hate it , but i cant love it .. it is a game made with sth particular in mind , I hope you enjoy it, I just wanted this suffering to end.. If you have OCD jut stay away, trust me. p.s. I don't know about Kojima's genius but seriously, a man who calls himself legend or legendary if i recall in a cosmetic item description has some serious issues. I don't know how to make games, I am a physicist teaching science, but seriously if I go to work and say i am The most Brilliant physicist they ll mock me until the eternity's' end..

I'm on the fence about this game, but since Steam still hasn't added a neutral selection like they should I am going to go with not recommended. I'll keep it short and sweet as to why: -Unrealistic collision physics on steep slopes have intentionally made rocks magnetic to attract your vehicle off course and then propel it down the slope -Literal "post-apocalypse Amazon delivery man" simulator -Walking simulator -Constructs placed by other players always changing, and thus ruining delivery lines and routes -Constantly managing a battery is a pain -You can spawn almost anything you want anywhere, except where it would be most beneficial as if we aren't making entire homes appear from a tiny little mechanical box -Being forced to sit through credits three times at the end-game with no option to skip really bugs me, maybe not others but it's enough for me to mention having to sit for fifteen minutes staring at names I could care less about while the end of the story is drip-fed to me Now, I cannot outright say the game is bad, because it isn't. However, it is just lacking in so many ways that I actually had to drop this game for a year before I came back to it. Having a little more freedom to customize buildings, and even being able to build and maintain my own individual knot (something that would make some sense considering the main character's skills and aphenphosmphobia) would have me playing this game for months. Alas, I've managed to slog my way through a second playthrough, and I've nearly finished the entire Paver network, but the boredom of rinse and repeat is setting in again. The foundation for an amazing game is there, the story though slow at points is worth coming back to every so often, but this game just isn't worth it except on a heavy sale.

Played the first time on the ps4 and had tons of fun there BUT at the time I didn't experience the most satisfying thing to do here which is of course deliveries and helping others, back then I went straight to the story part. I'm glad that I came back, this is one of the games that is just UNIQUE. hyped for the 2nd entry! The only thing that I didn't like tho was the ending, WAYY TOO LONG. I know that the game has a lot to explain as it is confusing as shit but c'mon Hideo, even the gameplay parts become too much, you could had made this ending shorter. Guess they solved this in the next one. Apart from that It's definately one of the most satisfying games to play out there and btw, Hideo HAS to be on the GOLDEN GRASS to be able to have ideas like this, holyy.

Death Stranding comes in two parts: the game, and the story. They have little in common and feel completely different. The game is being a delivery man - delivering parcels for no money. To make it more interesting, sometimes you get to pick things up from the floor as well. The outdoor scenery is lifeless, bleak and boring. Indoors is boring as well. During your delivery run, you get attacked by black ghosts or glowing orange people. Run away or fight, it makes no difference because they cannot kill you. The story is ludicrous nonsense from start to finish. You will want to see what happens in the end, but it is still nonsense and goes on far too long. I looked forward to playing this game, and it was such a disappointment.

Gameplay itself is perfectly fine. Eurotruck simulator on foot with non-friendy roadblocks. Scratched my itch to zone out, build infrastructure and see numbers go up. The story however unfolds like a fever dream. So much open for interpretation, which isn´t stricktly bad mind you. However a lot simply requires interpretation to make the slightest amount of sense. The "main" protagonist is a puddle, every "main" NPC is just weird and cringy. The dialogue doesn`t help. Norman Reedus as stoic protagonist is all well, but everyone else vomits purpose, unity and "Murica" on him. The entire games worldbuilding feels like Hideo trying to prove he is good at scrabble. Some day he noticed "strand" has multiple meanings and has to do with rope, and webs. A "Strand" is german for beach/shore. And thats the entire games premise. Every. Single. Thing. Is some analogy or methaphorical connection to wire/rope/thread/...strands. Yes, yes, very nice. But this is trying so hard to pretent to be deep and artistic, I´d rather go to an actual museum than play Death Stranding 2. I only finished it out of spite. Unfinished games im my steam library could cause me to replay in an attempt to finish them. I didnt want this for Death Stranding.

This game is an absolute [b]trip[/b] so far, not sure what Kojima has been smoking but I'd love to have some. I've played a lot of Sci-Fi games as it's my favorite genre and this has to be one of the craziest stories right out of the gate. I'v probably experienced gameplay/cutscenes from a [i]baby/fetus[/i] [b]POV[/b] at least [b]15[/b] times in the first [u]5 hours[/u] of gameplay. I'll update my review once I finish the story if there is a satisfying conclusion to all the questions I have then I would be impressed.

This is literally Forrest Gump. Story and everything.

Bro what is this game. i’ve been walking for like 5 hours and tripped over the same rock at least 12 times. fell face first into a river and my cargo floated away like my hopes and dreams. 10/10 physics tho. Sam’s ankles are built like twigs and the rain hates me. Norman Reedus is out here delivering amazon prime packages in post-apocalyptic ghostland and for SOME REASON i’m into it?? the terrain is my worst enemy. Also, i peed a mushroom into existence and people started liking it. like social media but for urine. the story? absolutely bonkers. Its like a Christopher Nolan movie. It’s beautiful tho. Makes me wanna hike IRL until i remember i’m lazy and there’s no BB strapped to my chest crying when i fall down a cliff. strangely therapeutic. weirdly lonely. occasionally terrifying. 90% walking, 10% existential crisis, 100% a masterpiece. not sure if it’s a game or a spiritual experience but i’m def playing more.

Just finished Death Stranding: Director’s Cut, aka UPS Simulator: Kojima Edition, and honestly? I’ve never been so emotionally attached to a jar baby and a backpack full of expired Funko Pops. I walked. I tripped. I fell off a cliff. I delivered a pizza 4,000 meters without tilting it. I crossed rivers, scaled mountains, and punched ghosts in the face with a briefcase. Peak gaming. The story? Oh, it’s all there. Kojima didn’t just spoon-feed it—he backed up a narrative dump truck and unloaded existential metaphors straight into my skull. I understood everything and simultaneously nothing. That’s art, baby. Graphics? So good I tried licking a rock thinking it was real. PC port runs smoother than Higgs monologuing in slow-mo. 11/10. Would trip on a pebble and cry about America again.

Felt like throwing this up as Death Stranding 2 is about to drop and I've been playing through this again beforehand. A real landmark game. One of the few truly original games in the last decade. Definitely worth a go if you're into a game that's something really different and new. There's no other game you can like that would make me recommend this to you. If you like the madman Kojima, try it, and enjoy the ride. There's nothing more to say. And for the sake of posterity, I have 10 hours in the DC, I played through the entirety of the base game on PC *and* I played the entire game on PS4. A really unique experience. Try it if you like something different.

It has never felt this good to deliver packages before. Kojimas masterpiece after transitioning from Konami, a new scenario for games called "Strand" Games, where you are a delivery man overcoming obstacles to ensure the re-connection of mankind through deliverers of terminals across America. With over 100 hours of gameplay and repeatability with endgame awards and customization, this game is a worth game for its price for a game about delivering packages.

this is my favorite game. it's not going to be for everyone but if you're a fan of david lynch or just interesting stories, and you can handle experimental gameplay, this game is going to be for you :))

I tried to enjoy this game, I really did. I played it for 36 hours, thinking I could get through the slog and even though I had many upgrades and even the ziplines (which made the game very easy) the gameplay loop is simply not fun, at least in my opinion. :(

This game and the upcoming sequel are an acquired taste. It's not that bad, but it's not that good. Just eh. You have to have the patience of a saint, cuz this game will test it aggressively. I think Sony was hoping that this game and the next would sell based on Kojima's reputation alone, and it shows. Like i said, it's not bad, but the cutscenes are wayyy too long in this game. 30+40 minutes worth of cutscenes each, and that's just at the start of this game. It takes its time before actually getting better, but it's a bit of a slog to get there. I can understand Kojima's attempt at creating something unique, boy did he do that, but I dont think that this game is it. I would say, test it out, and get a feel for it yourself, then come up with your own opinions on it. I wouldn't recommend it to anyone, unless they really enjoy games like trucking simulators, or something along the lines of that. This game does feel like Kojima's imagination going a bit too far, like he was trying to create a movie, but I think he forgot that this was a video game. Other than that though, I don't recommend this game.

It has a nice upgrade purchase from the original. If it was full price to upgrade I probably wouldn't have picked it up. I do think it is worth its full value if you do not own it at all. There are some cozy parts about this game. It is like truckin simulator but with a human truck.

Not what I expected. I knew nothing about this before I saw it on Steam. I'm a huge Reedus fan. The graphics are amazing and the gameplay is very different from anything I've played before. So far, it's very interesting. As a 45yo former avid high ranking FPS, stealth and survival horror gamer, I lost interest in most modern games starting maybe 10 years ago. I despise open world games... normally. This one is different. It's open world but with a clear objective, not 100 side-missions that leave me without a sense of accomplishment. I'm not far into it but I don't feel like I will get bored of it anytime soon.

I finally finished this game after trying it twice over the course of the past few years. This time I really gave it a chance and it really got its hooks into me. While its not perfect, its a very cool and strangely engaging game. By the time I was in chapter 5 or 6 I was really having a blast with all the tools and building roads. This also felt like when the story really kicked in for me and I loved seeing where things were going. Its hard to recommend this game because there's not another game like it and thats what makes it so cool. Try to stick with it for awhile and you can find a very special game underneath the weirdness.

Enjoyable gameplay, and the story is quite Evangelion coded is that is your thing.

Chiral network connector is my name and connecting chiral networks is my game

Just bought the game and played it for almost 9 hours, and i have to say, i'm really enjoying it! Hideo Kojima never cease to surprise me... I never thought this game would be so fun and exciting to play! I've been avoiding this game throughout all these years cuz, I thought it was filled with boredom... never thought I'd be so wrong! What made me buy this game today? simple, I've watched a Death Stranding 2 gameplay, the new DS2 looked really cool, so I thought it would be a good idea to give this franchise a chance, lucky me i got it on sale and I'm 100% happy because I'm loving it!. No wonder Hideo Kojima is considered a Legend! People say this game is nothing more than a boring courier simulator... that is wrong, what makes Death Stranding fun are the dynamics that the game developers added to it, in order to succeed in each delivery you gotta make good decisions, such as: 1 Planning the route: You can plan any type of route but you gotta analyze the terrain you're gonna go through, some paths could be shorter and more dangerous, other paths can be longer but safer and vice versa, each route you create feels like an adventure because you're constantly facing terrain challanges, so you have to be constantly checking where you're gonna step your foot otherwise you might fall and damage the merchandise. 2- Planning the weight you can carry Sometimes there will be Mulles (robbers) that will try to steal your delivery and you're gonna need to move quickly cuz they can track your stuff so, becarful on carrying too much weight. Sometimes there will be BTs areas on the way and you're gonna have to avoid them by crouching and stop breathing and then move, dont hold your breath for too long, you might pass out!. 3- Equipment You need to bring some equipment in order to progress through the paths u choose (the equipment will also increase your weight, making the delivery harder.) There are equipment crafting + upgrades that gives us a constant felling of progress. You also need to pay attention to your boots, if it is too worn, you will hurt your foot and lose blood, so it is always good to have a boot in good condition with you and a spare in your gear. 4- Stay Hidrated 5- The online mode while you play the campaign Other players are also connected throughout the world while you're playing the game, they might leave some ladders placed to reach higher levels or to cross rivers, they can also make a bridge to make you cross bigger rivers more easily, they leave ropes to make easier to go down montains or or very steep places that will make you fall easily, you can do all of that to help other players, they can leave a like at your constructions. you can also leave resources and equipments to other players too, they can do the same for you. You have all of that combined followed by some exciting cutscenes + game plot, it's a perfect match imo, it really feels like a fun courier adventure lulz. Death Stranding plot is something that is getting my attention as I proceed in the game, I got sad/emotional with the second or third mission you do in the prologue... it made me remember the worst fear I have... It's so sad when there's conflict in a family... and the way how everything ends in that mission made kinda depressed for a moment (That is also another reason I'm loving this game so much!) Game's graphics is very good but, it could be even better on PCs (i mean come on, pc can do a better job with image quality) The sfx is amazing! it gives me a pretty good immersion Level design is very awesome, it really adds more fun to the gameplay The controls are good and easy to understand I believe I'll probably say this game is a masterpiece once i finish it, i hope i do. God, if there is a good way to demonstrate why we shouldn't judge a book by it's cover, that way is Death Stranding. Can't wait for Death Stranding 2 for pc!

Its a very the unique game. It can be a bit slow at times but it pulls you in and you get lost in the world. Blink and 4hrs have gone as you make your way across Icelandic America! The story makes you want to keep going and the map is the active puzzles of the game. If your on the fence about this game and its on sale defo give it a good. Go in with an open mind!

noooooo guys you wont like it...its nasty..ill take your copy if you dont want it, woudlnt want you to suffer

I never thought i would like the game . But it was 15$ on steam today . I decided to give it a chance . 5.2 hours later i am actually find game more than just walking simulator . The story is so good . I enjoy reading all the stuff. ya i cant believe i avoided this game . But at least now i can enjoy this game until they port DS2 to PC :) the game visually looks next level

Kojima has done it again, what a game! It might not be for everyone, but it's worth trying to see if it is your thing, a real adventure if it is. 10/10 and +1 like from me! Update: Completed the story, hands down a masterpiece 200/10!

Every step I take is for Kojima. Everytime I stumble, its for Kojima. Everytime I get up, it's for Kojima. Everytime I hold my breath, it's for Kojima. When I say thank you Kojima for this game, it's for Kojima

Jogo diferenciado, bem bom, no começo o jogo não te da muitas dicas e ferramentas, mas conforme você vai seguindo a jornada o jogo e a historia vai ficando mais interessante

Absolutely mesmerised by this game. Yes some of the deliveries are tedious but they are counter balanced with such a stunning landscape, beautiful atmosphere and a fantastic soundtrack. The story, the lore, the mysteries everything keeps u intrigued and the details in the game are mind blowing. Highly recommend to anyone who has a lil bit of patience and perseverance, you won't be disappointed!

The experience of the game is unique and very good to cure your ADHD for a while, you might find often troublesome to drive vehicles especially if you are stubborn like me and want to bring them literally everywhere, but apart that I have no complaints story or gameplay wise. 9/10

Death Stranding 2 is great, but could we add Monster Energy or another energy drink into the game. Btw if you're in Canada it's the perfect time to play, because it feels like you're actually in Australia -Shout out Aussies

Hideo Kojimas euro truck simulator alternate universe is nothing short of phenomenal.

This game is very autistic (perfect for me) Very weird and artistic, but in a good way. I forgive it all the story holes because the gameplay is just something else 👍👍👍👍👍👍👍

So far, the production values and game play are very engaging. Norman Reedus and Guillermo Del Toro give entertaining performances; the premise is intriguing.

You deliver packages from one location to another, while unlocking new tools/buildings to do this faster. If you're online, you use other players tools/buildings which are placed by them. It is effectively a walking/deliveryman simulator in a near future post apoc sci-fi setting. This game is in my top 10 favourite games of all time. although I'm aware that It's extremely niche. For you to enjoy it, You must check these boxes 1. You enjoy immersing yourself in beautifully rainy natural vistas as that is basically what this gameplay loop is all about. 2. Enjoy extremely confusing slow burning stories that require you to piece together parts of characters dialogues and journal entries to get a firm idea of what's going on 3. You're not looking for an action game (Combat/bosses do exist but they're a minor part of the game) 4. You're fine with pretty minor horror themes and some heavy topics such as death and the afterlife If you check all those boxes, buy this game immediately. Speaking anymore on it would be delving close to spoilers and you need to experience this one blind.

ONE WORD: MASTERPIECE. TOO MANY WORDS: Death Stranding is not just a game. It’s a genre-defying experience. Hideo Kojima’s bold vision gave birth to something unlike anything before it: a game about connection, isolation, rebirth, and the fragile threads that bind us as a society. Beneath its unconventional gameplay lies a deeply emotional narrative wrapped in layers of symbolism, lore, and philosophical undertones. At its core, Death Stranding presents a post-apocalyptic United States shattered by a mysterious event known as the Death Stranding. Players step into the shoes of Sam Porter Bridges, a courier tasked with reconnecting scattered survivors and rebuilding the Chiral Network. But this is no simple fetch quest walking simulator. What unfolds is an intricate tale involving the afterlife, multidimensional space, extinction events, and the human soul. The lore is immense, drawing inspiration from mythology, science, quantum physics, and social theory. From the Beach —a limbo-like realm tied to each person’s consciousness—to the BTs (Beached Things) that blur the line between the living and the dead, Kojima has crafted a world that demands—and rewards—curiosity and patience. Each email, memory chip, and interview you uncover reveals a fragment of a much larger tapestry. When it launched, Death Stranding was underrated by many. Some dismissed its slow pace and "walking simulator" gameplay, but those critiques often missed the point. Death Stranding is a meditative experience. It challenges traditional notions of action and engagement, asking you to feel the weight of each step, to care about delivering that package across treacherous terrain not just for loot—but because someone on the other end is counting on you. It was a risky gamble by Kojima, especially as his first independent title after parting ways with Konami. Yet that very freedom allowed him to explore themes that are often ignored in gaming—loneliness, empathy, hope, and human resilience. And then there’s the story—layered, emotional, and mind-bending. It features stellar performances by Norman Reedus, Mads Mikkelsen, Léa Seydoux, and Troy Baker. The characters are not just well-written—they're haunting. Higgs is one of the most charismatic antagonists in recent memory, and Clifford Unger’s arc is a tragic masterpiece in itself. If you’re patient, Death Stranding offers so many strengths: An innovative online system where players indirectly help each other by building structures and roads. A stunning soundtrack, led by Low Roar and Ludvig Forssell’s compositions, that perfectly elevates key moments. Cutting-edge visuals and breathtaking landscapes rendered by the Decima engine. A world that rewards exploration and reflection, with every delivery carrying emotional weight. It’s a game that dares to be different, and for those who embrace it, Death Stranding becomes unforgettable. In hindsight, it deserved far more recognition at launch—but as time passes, more players are discovering its brilliance. Death Stranding is not for everyone, but for those willing to walk the path, it is a profound journey that stays with you long after the final credits roll. MASTERPIECE. Not despite its strangeness— but because of it.