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Death Stranding Review Thread

Kagey K

Banned
Hmm I still don't know if I'm going to enjoy this game, even after reading and watching a fair bit of coverage and reviews.

That being said I will happily pay for it, if for nothing else than to support a company that is willing to fund projects like this.

This has to be the most backwards thought in gaming today.
I’m going to buy a game I don’t like, because I hope they will make more games I don’t like, someday maybe they will make a game I do like,
 
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mortal

Gold Member
I mean the name Hideo Kojima and all the aura surrounding him and people considering him as some kind of genius are helping keeping scores higher.
I disagree. I believe the bigger a creator often becomes, the more critical audiences often become in turn because their expectations of that creator are higher.
Many of the reviews have been critical in the execution of some of the ideas and elements within Death Stranding due to Kojima's past accomplishments in the MGS series.

So the idea that people won't be as critical because they think he's genius who can do no wrong is disingenuous.
 

GHG

Gold Member
Meanwhile games with the same score and lower include Gears 5, Halo 5, Red Alert 2, Borderlands 3, Modern Warfare 2019, Resident Evil 0, Beyond Good & Evil, Assassin's Creed Black Flag, Halo ODST, Resident Evil 5, Deus Ex: Mankind Divided, nearly all Yakuza games... To name a few.

So I guess they're all shit.

Don't you dare badmouth my boy Yakuza like that.

yakuza-slap.gif
 

Inviusx

Member
This has to be the most backwards thought in gaming today.
I’m going to buy a game I don’t like, because I hope they will make more games I don’t like, someday maybe they will make a game I do like,

I might love it, impressions are all over the place. I will buy it and make that decision myself. If I dislike it however I won't feel bad for purchasing as I want Sony to give more freedom and financing to creators to make weird shit.
 

bigol

Member
I disagree. I believe the bigger a creator often becomes, the more critical audiences often become in turn because their expectations of that creator are higher.
Many of the reviews have been critical in the execution of some of the ideas and elements within Death Stranding due to Kojima's past accomplishments in the MGS series.

So the idea that people won't be as critical because they think he's genius who can do no wrong is disingenuous.

I don't think so.
Many reviewers are literally twisting their words in a way that the game appears to be some sort of intended boring game, like some sort of meta commentary about boredom.

If the game was really great everybody would have praised it despite the past games. Nobody between reviewers expected elements from Metal Gear Solid returning in a completely different game.

Anyways all this discussion will be forgotten in a week time. I'm extremely confident people playing it will be even more harsh, and not because they want Metal Gear Solid in Death Stranding but because of the game's own flaws.

I think it's extremely unlikely that a game 30 hours long with fetch quests being 70% of its gameplay will be well received.
 
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Virex

Banned
Konami was right in the end.

But seriously the user score will be so much fucking lower, especially for the ones that buys it a week or two in, when this piece of shit ""strand game"" has materialized and people have put bridges and ladders EVERYWHERE so you can just ride you bike to make deliveries 90% of the times, the game will almost exclusivly be cutscenes then. Thats the shitty part, if you want to experience it the best way you have to buy it at launch or else you will play with ladders and bridges to every delivery point. It will be piss easy.

I dont want to buy it at full price, but i dont want to buy it for 30 either and play in a world where people has allready built everything for me.
Hopefully there is an option to turn all of that off and experience the game without that stuff. That would be pretty cool. I'm getting it at launch but I hope there is such an option to turn all that stuff off that people leave, bridges, ladders, baby bum cream etc. It will be the 1st thing I turn off.
 

mortal

Gold Member
Meanwhile games with the same score and lower include Gears 5, Halo 5, Red Alert 2, Borderlands 3, Modern Warfare 2019, Resident Evil 0, Beyond Good & Evil, Assassin's Creed Black Flag, Halo ODST, Resident Evil 5, Deus Ex: Mankind Divided, nearly all Yakuza games... To name a few.

So I guess they're all shit.
This.

Gaming experiences cannot ultimately be defined by a fucking score. You play them, and form your own opinion ultimately. I would've missed out on some amazing gems with that mindset, considering many games I've enjoyed don't have a 90+ metacritic score.

The logic behind some of the response in this thread are baffling to me.
-If the game reviews relatively well: critics are pretty much sucking Kojima's cock
-If the game reviews poorly: 'ha Kojima is a hack see I told you!!1!!1!'
 
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Virex

Banned
Confused by some of the comments on here. Game is sitting at a strong 84 metascore with mostly positive reviews and people be like “lmao i knew it was shit”. Wat?
Remember that in current year, everything that's not between 90 - 100 is rated utter shit. Even if a game get 89 / 100 it will still be considered shit. That is how thing sadly are in current year
 

Geki-D

Banned
The logic behind some of the response in this thread are baffling to me.
-If the game reviews relatively well: critics are pretty much sucking Kojima's cock
-If the game reviews poorly: 'ha Kojima was is a hack see I told you!!1!!1!'
Fanboyism. A lot of the people here dancing in joy over the game's apparent "low" scores were already clearly hoping the game would fail ever since it was announced. If the game got a 97 average they'd be saying it's shit because it didn't get a 98.
 

ROMhack

Member
Same. Imperfection is one of the core tenets of Wabi Sabi :messenger_beaming:

Not to toot my own horn here but I just stumbled on this line in one of the reviews:

We’re used to some games not realising their full potential but the strange thing about Death Stranding is that it ignores the story implications of its lack of violence in favour of vague pontificating about not being a loner and the impermanence of existence

Sounds like my comparison to Wabi Sabi, and ergo Buddhist tenets, weren't entirely wrong.

But then again, I am a genius so...
 
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Northeastmonk

Gold Member
I’m going to take it in like everyone enjoyed it, right? Because one 10/10 and one 6/10 doesn't mean anything Except “I (myself) haven’t played this game yet” and it’s from Kojima’s new studio.
I’m excited and ready. I paid for my ticket before these reviews. Ready to get my feet wet.
 

Ogbert

Member
Not really sure I would call this a failure, it's average score is 84 / 85 on Meta & Opencritic, so it seems like Kojima and his team have made a really good game, it's just not going to be everyone's cup of tea because it's different to most other games.

Let's be honest. If this didn't have Kojima's name against it, it would be sitting at mid 60s. Then again, if it didn't have his name against it, I guess it never would have been made.
 
Hopefully there is an option to turn all of that off and experience the game without that stuff. That would be pretty cool. I'm getting it at launch but I hope there is such an option to turn all that stuff off that people leave, bridges, ladders, baby bum cream etc. It will be the 1st thing I turn off.

But then you cant experience the strand game, the "new genre" that mr kojima created, would he willingly put in such an option? :pie_thinking:
 
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Hendrick's

If only my penis was as big as my GamerScore!
"delivery is most of the game, countless stretches where there's little other than the quiet and an objective marker, it's a sort of intentional boredom that can be off putting which seems to be the point"

Easy skip.
Intentional boredom is one hell of a ballsy move. Also the reason I will never play this game.
 

Xaero Gravity

NEXT LEVEL lame™
Kojima has put out some of my favorite games of all time, but the gameplay in this sounds absolutely terrible. I'll probably pick the game up anyway because I have a copy preordered for $49 as opposed to $79, but I have a feeling I'm going to regret it. Hopefully it ends up clicking with me.
 

Northeastmonk

Gold Member
Kojima has put out some of my favorite games of all time, but the gameplay in this sounds absolutely terrible. I'll probably pick the game up anyway because I have a copy preordered for $49 as opposed to $79, but I have a feeling I'm going to regret it. Hopefully it ends up clicking with me.

Sometimes game(s) have ways of speaking to you in ways that other game(s) can’t. Expecting to hate something may in doubt cause you to have a completely different experience. Possibly?
 

Xaero Gravity

NEXT LEVEL lame™
Sometimes game(s) have ways of speaking to you in ways that other game(s) can’t. Expecting to hate something may in doubt cause you to have a completely different experience. Possibly?
I'm not necessarily expecting to hate it and I always go into games with an open mind. I'm just a little nervous that what seems to be a super repetitive gameplay loop will end up souring me on the whole experience. I favor story over gameplay, which is why Kojima is my favorite Director in the games industry, so hopefully the narrative will grab me by the balls and not let go.
 
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bigol

Member
Fanboyism. A lot of the people here dancing in joy over the game's apparent "low" scores were already clearly hoping the game would fail ever since it was announced. If the game got a 97 average they'd be saying it's shit because it didn't get a 98.

I don't say the game will fail and an 84 on MC is absolutely not a fail. The game clearly looks like an interesting experiment, but it's far from the masterpiece many were talking about without even caring to discuss. More than the gameplay videos i disliked everyone trying to completely block criticism because "hey, it's Hideo Kojima", "Godjima" and other nonsense like that.

And i think that's what most people dancing in joy, as you say, despise most.
 

bosnianpie

Member
I just can't pull the trigger on this game. I'm a big fan of MGS and I don't really mind Kojima's weirdness so it should suit me well but there's just something about it that screams time consuming chore with pretentious story.

I don't know. I'll read what you guys think when it's out.
 

Roni

Gold Member
This has to be the most backwards thought in gaming today.
I’m going to buy a game I don’t like, because I hope they will make more games I don’t like, someday maybe they will make a game I do like,

Variety is good, supporting variety is better. Nice try, troll...
 
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Saber

Gold Member
Sounds like someone at IGN met a resetera member lmao.

Anyway, scores seems pretty damn good. Gameplay must be something different to trigger some apples.

Looking foward to it.
 
Let's be honest. If this didn't have Kojima's name against it, it would be sitting at mid 60s. Then again, if it didn't have his name against it, I guess it never would have been made.

Maybe but only because Kojima and his team have applied their experience and added their own unique style to it, that raises it above being a 60 rated game.

I love the fact that the game is different, this is definitely my type of game and it's fine that it's not for everyone.
 

Tripolygon

Banned
This has to be the most backwards thought in gaming today.
I’m going to buy a game I don’t like, because I hope they will make more games I don’t like, someday maybe they will make a game I do like,
Well this is a stupid take. Let me rephrase it, i'm going to watch this movie in the theater even though i'm not sure if i'll like it but it is from a director who has made many movies i love. I'm going to try this new food on the menu even though i'm not sure i'll enjoy it because it is from my favorite restaurant. It is not backwards, it is looking beyond superficial appeal and hoping to find deeper engagement beyond first impression.

And there are people who just support artists for the love of the medium.

This is a fucking video game forum where people pre-order games sight unseen. People buy unfinished games and help fund games just because they like the developers of the game and want to support them.

There is something seriously wrong in your head if you think this game reviewed poorly at an 84-5 MC and OC score. You are tacitly admitting Crackdown 3 and Borderlands 3 are trash even though you seemed to enjoy those games.
 
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Fake

Member
I mean the name Hideo Kojima and all the aura surrounding him and people considering him as some kind of genius are helping keeping scores higher.
Like Miyamoto, or Izuka or Masuda?

Because I think Shigeru Miyamoto from Nintendo is a genius too.
 
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kraspkibble

Permabanned.
Confused by some of the comments on here. Game is sitting at a strong 84 metascore with mostly positive reviews and people be like “lmao i knew it was shit”. Wat?
it's a good score. i wouldn't argue that.

it's just that a lot of people had this game hyped up because Kojima the auteur, the genius, etc. it's not as good as people hoped. his fans will now be saying he's being let down by reviewers, that it's underrated, and misunderstood.
 
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Sounds like someone at IGN met a resetera member lmao.

Anyway, scores seems pretty damn good. Gameplay must be something different to trigger some apples.

Looking foward to it.

Looks like someone didn't bother reading that review and assumed the dumbest thing lmao. It may come as a shock but people have different tastes and not every reviewer working for IGN is going to have the same opinion. If they gave the game to someone else it could have an entirely different outcome. I swear people bashing other peoples opinions is so childish and this is coming from someone who hates critics. These scores, this fucking thread is a joke from all sides and it's sad how these critics, again and again, trigger people.
 

mortal

Gold Member
Many reviewers are literally twisting their words in a way that the game appears to be some sort of intended boring game, like some sort of meta commentary about boredom.
I think you're projecting that. I understand the point some of them are making in this regard. The experience of being Sam in game elicits many genuine human emotions.
The feeling of isolation, of anxiety, of relief, of determination, of frustration, the feeling of fear, and of course the feeling of boredom. Boredom is a real human emotion, and something many people playing this game will relate to. I believe the game is using that in conjunction with many other states when playing as Sam. As a way to immerse the player with the moment to moment experience of being a deliveryman for Bridges. There's nothing being "twisted" here, at least in my opinion. Maybe it is a sort of meta commentary on boredom, but you say that as if it's inherently a negative thing.
If the game was really great everybody would have praised it despite the past games. Nobody between reviewers expected elements from Metal Gear Solid returning in a completely different game.
What? How do you even reach such a conclusion? Why would people familiar with Kojima's past games or people that are fans of his games not expect to recognize his design philosophy in a game he worked on? Why would a game designer and director with certain sensibilities unique to him not apply them to game he's worked on?


Anyways all this discussion will be forgotten in a week time. I'm extremely confident people playing it will be even more harsh, and not because they want Metal Gear Solid in Death Stranding but because of the game's own flaws.
I disagree because your assessment is an oversimplification. For one, some people have already played the game, unless you're under the impression that the reviewers aren't people and are actually really advanced robots. Or that they're all sucking the teat of Sony.

More people will get a chance to play game for themselves soon enough. Some people playing it will certainly be harsh for various reasons. Some of it will be from the faults of they see in the game, there's no denying that this is a possibility. Some of it will be influenced in one way or another from their expectations from playing Kojima's previous MGS games.

I think referring to the core experience as "fetch quests" is reductive, so we'll just have to agree to disagree in that regard,
 
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kraspkibble

Permabanned.
Like Miamoto, or Izuka or Masuda?

Because I think Miamoto from Nintendo is a genius too.
Miyamoto should not even be compared to any of those people! for goodness sake he is responsible for games like Donkey Kong, Mario, Zelda! he has shaped the gaming industry and created classics that millions of people love.

what has Kojima done? metal gear. policenauts, P.T, death stranding.

policenauts most people probably have never even heard of. P.T was cancelled. death stranding isn't reviewing as well as hoped. metal gear is all he has been good for.
 
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Aceofspades

Banned
So the game basically is taking packages from one point to another? Kojima YOU Genius! /s

On a serious thought, the game is scoring good actually. I just feel like the score is inflated a little by being a "Hideo Kojima game" and I really wish Kojima would make up his mind and choose between the movie industry or the game industry. His obsession with Hollywood is the beginning of his downfall.
There is no point to shoehorn Hollywood stars and inflate your "amazon delivery" game budget unnecessarily just so they can describe you as genius among their Hollywood peers.
 
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