Death Stranding Director's Cut Reviews

Death Stranding Director's Cut is ranked in the 95th percentile of games scored on OpenCritic.
IGN
Top Critic
7 / 10.0
Sep 23, 2021

Death Stranding Director's Cut is more accessible than the original, but feels like a compromised version of the director's vision.

Read full review

Metro GameCentral
GameCentral
Top Critic
6 / 10
Sep 28, 2021

It's hard to believe this is Hideo Kojima's preferred version of the game, considering it side lines so much of the core gameplay and adds little else of any substance.

Read full review

Unscored
Sep 23, 2021

"I love how quiet Death Stranding can be in these moments; a game soundtracked by the sounds of nature"

Read full review

Unscored
Sep 23, 2021

If you've never played Death Stranding, I think you should. Whether it's the original release or the new Director's Cut, the game is worth experiencing. Not to say it's perfect by any means (read Game Informer's review for a second opinion). But there's nothing like Death Stranding. And there may never be again; I struggle to think Sony or any other publisher will ever let Kojima be this free a second time – at least not with this kind of budget. That's what makes Death Stranding worth experiencing. Gravity Gloves, race tracks, and cargo catapults are just icing on the cake.

Read full review

9 / 10
Sep 23, 2021

While the new features and missions are nice, the world around us has made Death Stranding better.

Read full review

Polygon
Top Critic
Unscored
Sep 23, 2021

Death Stranding is replete with questions of whether any of this is worth it - the solidarity and togetherness of it all. If catastrophes will keep piling up, and humans will continue to isolate, and communities will continue to fracture, then what's the point of ever coming together? For all of its preaching, the game doesn't end with tidy answers. To tie a bow on these questions in a final cutscene would undercut all of the work its gameplay has already done more elegantly than its thousands of words.

Read full review

Unscored
Sep 23, 2021

Brand-new players, by all means. Tear into this poignant, artisanal, off-the-rails hiking video game, even if it’s slow at first. And don’t forget to smash that “like” button.

Read full review

10 / 10.0
Sep 23, 2021

‎The same game we saw on PS4 but taken to the next level thanks to the graphic power of PS5 and some interesting additions that bring even more to Kojima's work.‎

Review in Spanish | Read full review

TheSixthAxis
Top Critic
Unscored
Sep 23, 2021

Strap a baby to your chest, lob some grenades made of out your own urine, deliver a pizza, zipline across America, laugh, cry, die, and then take a nice dip in a hot spring that helps your bowel movements. It’s nuts and it’s still brilliant, but with 60fps and a new gun or two.

Read full review

93 / 100
Sep 23, 2021

Two years after its original release, Death Stranding is still a masterpiece, with a moving story, unforgettable characters and impressive visuals. New gameplay mechanics, missions and minigames don´t add much to a game that already felt as a director´s cut.

Review in Spanish | Read full review

Unscored
Sep 23, 2021

The Death Stranding Director’s Cut adds enough new tools and toys for players to utilize to make the experience worth replaying for those diehard fans. And for those that were unsure about getting in, the shuffling and redistribution of tools ensures that the early game is more approachable, while still retaining the sense of scale and progression offered at launch. The other features, like the firing range, racing track, and new location elevate an already rich experience. So collect your order and tie up your laces, because you’ll want to walk another 500 miles or more to experience what’s on offer here.

Read full review

Ars Technica
Steve Haske
Top Critic
Unscored
Sep 24, 2021

I could go on, but it's more fun if don't spoil all the fun uses KojiPro has found for these categories. Let's just say this is definitely the most comprehensive and smart use of the tech I've come across since the PS5 launched with Astro's Playroom, and that's a high bar to clear.

Read full review

9.5 / 10.0
Mar 29, 2022

The Death Stranding Director's Cut on PC is well worth it for fans and for those who missed it first time around.

Read full review

9.5 / 10.0
Sep 23, 2021

Death Stranding Director's Cut is a magnificent game, bringing in plenty of new stuff that genuinely improves the overall experience.

Read full review

Sep 23, 2021

Overall, Death Stranding Director’s Cut is solid as a PS5 port, but underwhelming as a Director’s Cut. If you were expecting a big new story expansion akin to Iki Island, then you’ll be disappointed by this Director’s Cut. If you just want to jump back into Death Stranding for a few hours in 60 FPS, then you’ll have a decent time. I wish more could have been done on the story front, but Death Stranding Director’s Cut is still a solid experience on PS5.

Read full review

80 / 100
Apr 19, 2022

Death Stranding: Director's Cut provides the best Strand experience without changing too much. This version offers new content and features making an overall good experience even better.

Read full review

80 / 100
Sep 23, 2021

Death Standing: Director's Cut is the definitive version of the game. It's gorgeous and runs at 60 frames per second, while including everything from the PC version. The new missions are a bit too light on content, but they round out the experience nicely.

Read full review

Guardian
Top Critic
Sep 30, 2021

The superstar developer's latest is still a post-apocalyptic folly – but is now available in photorealistic splendour with quirky haptic feedback features

Read full review

TheGamer
Top Critic
Sep 23, 2021

Death Stranding remains a bizarre masterpiece on PS5, and the director’s cut only further cements that reputation with a number of worthwhile new ideas that enhance the act of delivering packages across a picturesque landscape of nothingness. The story of Sam Porter Bridges is overblown and wondrous, taking hold of you and refusing to let go as you’re dragged into an adventure that takes the medium to places it has never been before. It’s mindless self-indulgence of the highest order, and it’s rare to see a game deliver upon its overarching ambition in such a bold, uncompromising way in the modern era. For that very reason, it deserves to be celebrated.

Read full review

Oct 2, 2021

Death Stranding Director's cut is far more accessible than the original game, and maybe a bit too easy when compared with what it was before. If you haven't played or didn't enjoy it the first time around, then these new additions, which are mostly optional, certainly push towards a more action-oriented experience, that might not necessarily be an improvement but definitely adds a bit more fun into the gameplay.

Read full review