Death Stranding Reviews
Death Stranding is largely just, for better or worse, more Kojima. So, if you’re a fan of everything he does, odds are you’ll find enough to get through it and likely be happy, whereas if you questioned some of his choices or simply hate the trailers, I’d bet on you not liking this experience.
Death Stranding is a game that has a lot of moving parts, and most of the time, those parts create a machine that runs pretty well. Even though the grimy in-game product placement and heavy-handed writing can cause things to grind and come to a halt, its innovative gameplay mixed with its unique online elements are what really keep the machine running.
Even after completing Death Stranding twice I've been conflicted about how I feel about this title. On one hand, the narrative, presentation, lore, and soundtrack are outstanding. On the other hand, the game's core gameplay teetered between tiresome and exceptional. Death Stranding's world-building featured an incredible landscape teeming with interesting lore but surrounding that is a delivery simulator.
Death Stranding's attention to the real may make it difficult to enjoy, but it is undeniably an experience that will both scourge and soothe the heart.
Kojima's new open-world adventure delivers heavily on story, crafting a journey that is impeccably directed, with a story that will stay with you for a while. However, the game leaves a lot to desired when it comes to its gameplay and that's where it falters the most.
Review in Arabic | Read full review
Praise aside, I don’t think Death Stranding is a game that I will repeatedly come back to...That said, I am immensely grateful for playing it and I am much more motivated now to play Kojima’s colorful history, especially the Metal Gear Solid series.
I enjoyed discovering the world in Death Stranding and although the gameplay didn’t seem ‘special’ at first, it ended up being much more complex than I initially thought. Sadly, the story does take a while to pick up, however, as soon as my confusion got untangled it became more enjoyable for me. My favourite thing about this game is the stunning environmental and character graphics which made it a joy for me to traverse through the areas, even if I was mostly simply delivering cargo. That being said, Death Stranding is an entertaining game, with an interesting premise, which I recommend to anyone who is looking for something more unique to experience.
There’s a lot of things I think Death Stranding gets wrong. Many of them I’ve not even mentioned here because they’re small things, but things that add up. And yet I found myself thinking about playing Death Stranding even when I was doing other things. Despite everything, I was perfectly happy to fire the game up and spend a few hours building roads, dragging boxes up hills, delivering a pile of stuff in a truck and riding ziplines around. Along the way I thought about life and death, my own health and the state of the world, the people I love and my plans and so much more. Above all else, I thought about how crazy Kojima is and how I’m really glad he’s crazy and has the clout to make games like Death Stranding, games that would never otherwise get to see the light of release because publishers would be terrified of it. Because Death Stranding is like nothing else you’ve ever played. It’s unique, and that’s not an easy thing to be these days.
The idea of running back and forth across a large area may not be appealing to everyone. However, after setting aside the weirdly, and wonderfully confusing story and a few tense BT encounters, I found my time with Death Stranding to often be a more relaxing, chill, experience that I would recommend you check out.
As a whole, Death Stranding is an extremely captivating yet polarising experience. It’s an ambitious title that dares to do something different in a sea of safe bets and genre clones, and for the most part, it actually does succeed. However, those minor annoyances and long stretches where nothing happens can bring the experience down a notch for some players.
Death Stranding is a very complex game and definitely different from any other experience you've had before in any other game.
Review in Spanish | Read full review
It’s not without its faults, but there’s no doubt in my mind that Death Stranding was well worth the wait.
It's hard to avoid the cliché "This game is not for everyone" when reviewing Death Stranding. It's equally hard to recommend it to anyone who doesn't like to walk a lot in video games. Even so, if you're open to new experiences in AAA games, you might be surprised, as long as you don't expect good writing and short cutscenes. Finishing the game after about 40 hours, I can say that it was mostly a solid experience with engaging, polished gameplay, excellent sountrack and stunning visuals.
Review in Portuguese | Read full review
Though it won't be for everyone, Death Stranding is an unconventional yet satisfying game with top-tier storytelling, wonderful acting, and a fantastic, off-the-wall story.
Death Stranding is a breathtaking experience only marred by some unnecessary combat and a story that is often more complex than it should be.
Death Stranding is a game with a fantastic and uniquely interesting story. Backed with a strong cast of experienced actors, the game manages to tell the story flawlessly. The gameplay doesn’t quite live up to the same level. The delivery aspects are fun and in its own, tells a story. It just gets quite repetitive over time and leaves you wanting a bit more diversity to the delivery missions. Overall, Death Stranding should be seen as a very successful first project for Kojima productions and is hopefully a sign of many more to come.
Death Stranding is undoubtedly one of the most unique experiences of this generation, and maybe one of the most unique video games of all time. The story is Intriguing and well Written and because of Presence of amazing actors like Mads Mikkelsen and Norman Reedus, the Cinematics feel like a Great Movie. You will actually fell that you've Accomplished something in the end. This is the feeling I've been missing for a long time. Unfortunately gameplay doesn't live up to the expectation and there is a lot lacking in gameplay. Also there is no variety in side quests so the game may gets repetative. Still, Death Stranding is one of the best games of this year and if you are a fan of Hideo Kojima games or in love with amazing stories, Death Stranding is a game you should absolutely play.
Review in Persian | Read full review
Death Stranding might be the most unique AAA game of the generation, with an addictive core gameplay loop that manages to combine a new concept with tried-and-true design philosophies, and a story that - while messy - has a sweet emotional core that's likely to stick with players long after the credits roll.
Is it a new genre of games? Perhaps, but it definitely succeeds in presenting polished and novel, even revolutionary, ideas even if the overall experience can drag on and feel monotonous at times due to uneven story and set-piece pacing.
Review in Arabic | Read full review