Death Stranding Director's Cut Reviews

Death Stranding Director's Cut is ranked in the 95th percentile of games scored on OpenCritic.
4 / 5.0
Apr 24, 2022

When I was first asked what mark I’d give Death Stranding out of five, I said I would give it a question mark. It’s certainly not conventionally “fun”, at least not for the first several hours. It depends on how much the player is willing to embrace Kojima’s artistic vision and absorb themselves in it. Death Stranding simultaneously tedious and exciting, profound and inane, terrifying and laughable. Like the spectral beings that inhabit this post-apocalyptic America, it’s often shapeless and hard to comprehend. One thing is for sure though: it’s like no game you’ve ever played before. In a world full of pandering pablum and endlessly milked franchises, it’s extraordinary for a big-budget game to be so daringly different. Death Stranding: Director’s Cut doesn’t just re-invent the wheel, it re-invents the whole cart, and that’s why the definitive edition of Hideo Kojima’s opus is well worth playing.

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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.

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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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8 / 10.0
Apr 3, 2022

Let me be clear: if you didn’t like Death Stranding when it first came out, then this Director’s Cut will do basically nothing to fix any of the game’s issues for you. It is still obtuse at times, a bit too long, a bit too confusing for some. However, if you were a fan of the original launch, then there’s just enough new content here to justify the upgrade. It sure gave me the perfect excuse to start a fresh save and enjoy these brand new additions.

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95 / 100
Apr 1, 2022

Death Stranding Director's Cut is a rare game that has no middle ground. It delivers a unique experience that encourages planning and patience but places high action on only rare situations. It falls under the umbrella that if you like this gameplay style, you're going to love Death Stranding, and if you don't, there's nothing for you here.

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5 / 10.0
Mar 31, 2022

Death Stranding: Director’s Cut is better than Death Stranding. Beyond that, there’s not really a lot I can say about it. If you didn’t like Death Stranding, you’ll find this game a little bit more tolerable. If you did like Death Stranding, you’ll enjoy this upgraded version; Or you won’t. Seeing as the point of Death Stranding was to struggle, maybe a less frustrating version of the game isn’t what fans want.

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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

9 / 10.0
Mar 29, 2022

In our review of Death Stranding Director's Cut we put aside the big words because once again we needed to explain, explain and explain again its indecipherable gameplay, as well as the introduction of the new gadgets and tasks released with the Director's Cut. Whether you only discover it now, or you decide to upgrade from the previous version, Death Stranding remains an experience that, regardless of your personal taste, is valid, important and destined to remain lucid in the memories of those who will trust it, for a very long time. Almost as prophetic as the brilliant Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty, Sam Porter Bridges' journey westwards, despite some unnecessarily brainy and drawn-out sequences, remains profound and filled with messages and social themes too powerful to be ignored, which first pass through the gameplay, with the efforts required of the player, and then culminate in a genuinely moving final sequence. We will not begin, as practice would require, to justify at any cost the high rating that will surely be making someone turn up their nose, but if you are tired of the usual experiences, and want to experience on yourself something really new, try Death Stranding ... and trust that never as in this case, a gameplay on YouTube just will not be enough to make you understand what you're about to meet.

Review in Italian | Read full review

9 / 10.0
Mar 29, 2022

With a few of its existing rough edges smoothed out, Death Stranding Director's Cut manages to be a more approachable experience than its previous incarnation, and for those coming back to it, there's just enough new to warrant a second journey across America.

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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.

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GameGrin
Top Critic
5 / 10.0
Mar 29, 2022

An absolutely enjoyable experience gameplay-wise, but a definitely skippable story; you're better off playing Death Stranding like a walking simulator and completing each area as you're introduced to it, rather than rushing to an unfulfilling story conclusion.

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Unscored
Mar 29, 2022

Death Stranding: Director's Cut on PC is the best release of the game to date.

Review in Italian | Read full review

VGChartz
Top Critic
8 / 10.0
Oct 19, 2021

The most polarizing AAA game of 2019 receives a fresh coat of paint, elevating it beyond its 8th generation confines.

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9 / 10.0
Oct 18, 2021

Hideo Kojima has proven to us over and over again that he is a genius when it comes to making games. Death Stranding is not only a great masterpiece, it is a unique experience with an immersive story worthy of a movie. However, its gameplay left us on several occasions pondering it could be much more refined how repetitive the game can become because of it. For those who have never played Death Stranding, the Director's Cut edition is a must. If, on the other hand, you already purchased it for Playstation 4, consider returning to this world if you really liked the game and want more of the same.

Review in Portuguese | Read full review

8 / 10.0
Oct 11, 2021

Death Stranding: Director's Cut guarantees an even more epic adventure in a definitive version that offers new gameplay features and takes full advantage of PS5, especially for those embarking on the experience for the first time. If you've already finished the campaign on PS4, I don't recommend purchasing the upgrade. If you didn't finish the story and will continue in this version, I suggest starting from the beginning to take advantage of everything the director's version has to offer in the form it should be presented.

Review in Portuguese | Read full review

4 / 5.0
Oct 5, 2021

When playing the original version of Death Stranding, I would have described it as lethargic with some horror elements when dealing the monsters.

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9 / 10.0
Oct 5, 2021

Buy this game and savor it with time and dedication because it continues to be, to this day, one of the most unique and special titles that you can find on the market.

Review in Spanish | Read full review

9 / 10.0
Oct 4, 2021

The new release of Death Stranding was scaring for the extras, but every doubt disappeared when taking in arm DualSense

Review in Italian | Read full review

8.5 / 10.0
Oct 4, 2021

Death Stranding: Director's Cut is the most personal work of Hideo Kojima, a game that some will love and others not so much. If after reading the analysis you are interested in what it proposes, it is recommended, but always taking into account what it is. Some of the additions in this edition are interesting, such as the new scenes. On the other hand, some of the objects that facilitate the experience may not be to everyone's liking.

Review in Spanish | 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.

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