Death Stranding Critic Reviews

Death Stranding is the most unique big-budget game I’ve ever played, a socially-minded injection of inventive ideas into a genre that has long survived by being lazy and brutish. This ambitious formula-flipper is brimming with empathy and carefully courts cinematic influences, an ensemble cast and a world of eye-watering scale, delivering a sticky gameplay loop to tie it all together and create a console generation-defining experience.

In the end, Death Stranding’s biggest mystery isn’t any of the elements we’ve had teased in three-plus years of trailers—it’s what people are going to think of it. Even from a man known for making love-them-or-hate-them projects, this may end up being one of the most divisive games ever created. For me, it was an experience that I can truly say was unlike any other I remember. And, if nothing else, Death Stranding makes me respect Hideo Kojima for convincing Sony to invest millions into a game that’s about a man delivering packages to holograms.

Death Stranding does belong in an art gallery more than it does sitting on consoles next to more traditional "games". As I sit here to write this, I am fully convinced that there are going to be plenty of reviews from my peers that veer to the other extreme as far as their scores go. And fair enough, because as a “game” Death Stranding doesn’t do much. But as a work of art, Death Stranding is something mesmerising, intelligent, and powerful, and we never see this kind of work within the big budget, blockbuster space. This was a rare treat to play, and I rather like this new-look, independent Kojima.

Death Stranding is a story of rebuilding America by connecting people far and wide. Stealth, exploration, combat, and inventory management are all necessary in order to succeed. With a fantastic cast, incredible set pieces, an engaging story, and Kojima's brand of incredibly enjoyable crazy, you won't want to put your controller down.

Death Stranding is like nothing I have ever played; beautiful, heart racing, heart breaking, frustrating, epic, stunning, and utterly nuts. I laughed, I cried, I cursed, and I went to the toilet an awful lot. Death Stranding isn't just my Game of the Year, it's a contender for Game of the Generation too.

Death Stranding is dizzying, unshakable in its belief it is doing something worthwhile, and it's one of the most important games of this decade.

Like any genre-pushing work of art, Death Stranding is sure to be divisive. That said, the unflinching vision of its director is a breath of fresh air in an industry increasingly unwilling to swing for the fences.

Following years of mysterious anticipation, Death Stranding delivers on all fronts. An accomplished, fascinating set of gameplay mechanics allow you to make deliveries the way you want to, while social features let the game live on once you've put the controller down. It may become slightly tiresome as you hit the halfway mark, but the phenomenal narrative is on hand to pick things back up again and its outstanding visuals are the cherry on top. Death Stranding doesn’t raise the bar for any particular genre, it creates an entirely new one.

If there’s one game you should play this year, it’s Death Stranding. It’s a system seller, and I love it.

Death Stranding is unlike anything else out there right now. It's huge, innovative and utterly unashamed in what it wants to be. Kojima Productions is heavy-handed in its implementation of modern political themes, but they tie into the narrative and involve the player in ways that feel compelling.

Death Stranding is a game about connection, and it connects not only every character of the game but also every gamer together. It's a masterpiece with great philosophy thoughts and combines great storytelling with innovative gameplay.

While Death Stranding will surely be the most divisive game of this generation, there is no arguing that it offers new ideas on pushing the medium forward and shows that games don't always typically have to be "fun". The story is beautifully presented and is surprisingly restrained and focused for a Kojima title. All of the actors put on amazing performances and while its gameplay will be too slow for many, those willing to peel back the layers will discover a thoughtfully designed experience that will leave you ruminating for weeks after finishing.

I was hooked from the first time I saw the title screen until the credits rolled 72 hours later. Death Stranding is immensely satisfying, and everything I could have hoped for and more from Kojima Productions.

Death Stranding is the birth of a new genre. Death Stranding is a masterpiece that can only be generated by a mind like the one that Hideo Kojima has.

Death Stranding reinvents how video game design can work. It takes you through an experience you didn’t expect, doesn’t hold back with its design intentions and execution, and takes the gamer through a journey like no other. This is a masterpiece that only Kojima could pull off.

Death Stranding lives up to its towering expectations, if it does not exceed them. That does not automatically mean that the game is perfect. For example, the story and the actual gameplay are very unrelated, and the game has a rough edge. And yet Death Stranding is extraordinary. The complex and layered story, the serious gameplay full of comic notes, the deserted and oppressive world and the subtle connection with other players create extreme contrasts and a range of emotions.

Hideo Kojima’s latest creation might not be his best ever, although some may argue, but it is definitely his most unique work yet. Death Stranding requires time to show you what it has to offer, and no matter if you love them or hate them, you’ll see many other developers use them in the next generation of video games.

It is easily the most ambitious and utterly crazy thing I’ve ever experienced, one that is rich with potential for emergent gameplay and unique, lasting experiences, with a star-studded cast delivering a compelling story that unfolds like a fever dream.

Death Stranding is a bold and artistic vision that is not compromised in its design. It is a video game that encourages the player to be a good person, and to care for the fellow man. There have been anti-war themes in games before, but these inevitably become standard shooters that wear a mask of morality. Kojima Productions (with a little help from Guerrilla Games) may not have created a new "genre," but it did make a 3D action title that is unlike anything else. It is so rare to play a triple-A, 3D game that does not treat the player like a child, and is steeped with exploration and discovery. This is a contemplative odyssey that is ultimately a story about the triumph of the human spirit in spite of entropy.

Death Stranding stands as a powerful author’s game which drives a strong message of how our over-connected society is evolving, and how we can help other players. Unlike many AAA games, it shines on a truly spiritual level. Well written, engaging and visually magnificent, it offers, despite some pacing flaws, an astonishing solo game with elegant multiplayer elements. A unique representation of Hideo Kojima’s talent.