Death Stranding Director's Cut Reviews

Death Stranding Director's Cut is ranked in the 95th percentile of games scored on OpenCritic.
Ken McKown
Top Critic
8 / 10.0
Sep 29, 2021

Death Stranding: Director’s Cut is easily the best version of Kojima’s latest game. The new features and additions are more than worth the $10 upgrade for existing owners. Visually the game always looked amazing, but the new higher resolution just showcases the details even better. For anyone who enjoyed the original this upgrade is easy to recommend. For those that never played it, this is the version to get. I continue to think about this game on a weekly basis and enjoyed revisiting it with the new content.

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JVL
L_sK
Top Critic
19 / 20
Sep 23, 2021

In 2019 as in 2021, death Stranding remains an essential for the curious who are looking for something else in their PlayStation 5 game library.

Review in French | Read full review

90 / 100
Sep 23, 2021

Hideo Kojima is the physical manifestation of the Director’s Cut. Often times his idea of a nice neat package is like having a 6 hour version of 2001: A Space Odyssey, but I’m ever so grateful for his presence in our industry. He’s not scared to take chances and make something people don’t like, and more often than not, he makes things I like or can at least appreciate. Death Stranding is some combination of all those things. I appreciate it, enjoy playing it, and on this third playthrough became more convinced than ever that there’s something really special here for those willing to take the time to stare at their boots.

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8.8 / 10.0
Sep 23, 2021

On the PS5 Death Stranding is as beautiful as ever and this Director's Cut gives players a bunch of new and (quite) interesting content, but not enough to make it feel really new and fresh.

Review in Italian | Read full review

GameMAG
Top Critic
9 / 10
Sep 23, 2021

Death Stranding: Director's Cut is great way to revisit the game, especially if you enjoyed your first playthrough. And now it's time to go back to the roads most taken with your fellow BB in hands. Unity always beats isolation, you only need to make the first step.

Review in Russian | Read full review

Wccftech
Top Critic
8.6 / 10.0
Sep 23, 2021

Easily the best way to experience building bridges across America, Death Stranding Director's Cut is less of the final cut one might expect from Kojima himself and moreso a collection of novel enhancements to make this the best looking and best feeling way to experience this unique title.

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8.5 / 10.0
Sep 23, 2021

Though the additions to this newly reinvigorated version of Death Stranding might be considered to be superfluous by die-hard Kojima fans, there's no denying that Death Stranding Director's Cut is the definitive version to play Kojima's most recent opus on console, thanks to an opulent visual makeover and a wealth of quality of life improvements. Though still remaining divisive at its core, Death Stranding Director's Cut is absolutely the best way to see the hype surrounding Kojima's most esoteric work.

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9 / 10
Sep 23, 2021

Death Stranding Director's Cut is a fantastic port of a fascinating game. It introduces lots of new features that enrich the experience, the graphics and performance get a big boost, and PS5's bells and whistles are all put through their paces. It all adds up to make this the best way to play Kojima Productions' insane adventure, whether you're new to the experience or want to pick up where you left off. It's not going to change anyone's mind one way or the other - it's still Death Stranding, like it or not - but Director's Cut certainly presents the game in the best light.

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8.5 / 10.0
Mar 29, 2022

‎Death Stranding Director's Cut is the extended version of the game, with new missions and an organic expansion of the story. Not to forget the new objects, locations and the considerable improvements in their combat, with new animations and combos. I assure you that, if you go beyond the first stage, where the game is much rougher with the player, you will no longer be able to stop. An outstanding graphic and artistic level that leaves no one indifferent, a spectacular and expanded soundtrack for the occasion, with a perfect song for every moment. Human characters with whom you will connect, for their stories and strength to overcome and, others, you will simply hate them. In part, thanks to the large cast of actors and voices.‎

Review in Spanish | Read full review

PCMag
Top Critic
Sep 27, 2021

Featuring 4K textures, smooth frame rates, and new content that complements the core story, Death Stranding: Director's Cut tops the vanilla game in nearly every way.

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Sep 23, 2021

New Director's Cut content - including the Maser Gun, Firing Range, Racing Track, Cargo Catapult, and more - offer new experiences and tools for those who have played Death Stranding before, but are spread across the course of the game to accompany the steady inundation of items and activities the game already had. For new players, this means the Director's Cut is the definitive version of Kojima Productions' masterpiece. It delivers an incredibly pertinent story, with more content than ever before, to be experienced through ingenious integration of the PlayStation 5's DualSense.

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9 / 10.0
Sep 23, 2021

Death Stranding makes its debut on PlayStation 5 with a Director's Cut that, while offering players a good dose of unpublished content, does not consistently alter the quality balance of Hideo Kojima's latest work. The ludonarrative essence of the production has therefore remained the same as two years ago, with all its merits, its defects and its overflowing expressive power.

Review in Italian | Read full review

80 / 100
Sep 23, 2021

‎Who is this new version of Death Stranding for? The answer is extremely simple: for those who enjoyed and appreciated the work of metal Gear's father. Of course, it is also a product designed for those who at the time, overlooked it for whatever reason. If you are in this situation and you are already the proud owner of a PS5, I would tell you that this is the best opportunity to try one of the best titles of the last generation of consoles and discover for yourself, why it is that we say it is so special. I repeat, as someone who spent several tens of hours two years ago with the game, I would have loved to have an expansion the size of Iki Island that allowed me to know more about the lives of all these characters who made me go through such good times, even so, it was a delight to go back through these desolate landscapes with Sam Porter Bridges.‎

Review in Spanish | Read full review

GameXplain
GameXplain
Top Critic
Loved
Sep 23, 2021
Will Death Stranding: Director's Cut Change Your Mind? - REVIEW (PlayStation 5) video thumbnail
Sep 23, 2021

Death Stranding Director’s Cut is an oddly named excuse to get addicted to delivering all over again. The visuals are stunning, but the haptics and new gadgets take things to even greater heights. Its themes have never been more relevant, and its gameplay never more fun.

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4.5 / 5.0
Sep 23, 2021

Death Stranding Director’s Cut continues to impress with its fearless commitment to fetch quests on top of fetch quests, and again, it’s not going to change your mind if you didn’t already buy into what it was selling back in 2019. But if you did, the Director’s Cut enhances and enriches that original experience, and you’ll be happy you jumped back into this one.

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Gameblog
Top Critic
8 / 10
Sep 23, 2021

Death Stranding Director's Cut comes to rekindle the flame for this extraordinary epic. The new additions allow you to see this adventure from a new angle. And innovative by the addition of new features targeting neophytes. It is above all to them that this title is addressed.

Review in French | Read full review

8 / 10.0
Sep 23, 2021

The improvements to the early part of the game really help you feel ready for the rest of your adventure. Although it shares elements of lots of games it also does a great job in feeling unique. There isn’t much else like Death Stranding and the Director’s Cut helps refine an intriguing game to be the best it can be.

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10 / 10.0
Sep 23, 2021

Every new line of code written enhances the original experience, bringing new ways for existing players to enjoy Death Stranding again. Whether you're here for exploring the factory and playing with the new toys like I am or want to challenge friends for top spot on the racing and firing range leaderboards, odds are there is a reason for you to come back. Reworked missions will aid new players into the world more smoothly than the original release, too. I definitely felt as though the difficulty spike wasn't nearly as harsh thanks to this. Keep in mind that while the Director's Cut expands and adds delicate touches here and there, this is still a game that requires patience and time for the best results.

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10 / 10.0
Apr 14, 2022

At its core, Death Stranding: Director's Cut is an inventory management game. The more you play, the more freedom you have to do things with that inventory. You can help others. You can hurt others. You can save citizens. You can kill them. You can grow your world. You can destroy it. Regardless of your decision, DSDC is a game unlike others in that your assumptions about core gameplay loops and storytelling are pushed aside in favor of exploring a disconnected future. For those who have yet to play DS, DSDC is clearly the iteration of DS that is worthy of your time given its iterations that are increasingly respectful of your time and patience while also giving you additional creative outlets to muck about. For those of you who were unable to get hooked into this game, then DSDC may not be the answer you seek in a cinematic experience. Give it a shot, though; I'd love to be proven wrong.

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