Death Stranding

 PlayStation 4
User Score
7.4

Mixed or average reviews- based on 18537 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 13,013 out of 18537
  2. Mixed: 1,182 out of 18537
  3. Negative: 4,342 out of 18537
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  1. FGama
    Nov 9, 2019
    10
    Beautiful and well made; it is indeed a diferent kind of game, can be slow for some but for me is an emersive experience full of surprises.
    Great acting, pacing, graphics, sound, music and controls.
    Congrats again, mr. Kojima - you still have a fan!
  2. MrWonderful32
    Nov 8, 2019
    10
    I just finished the game, and I can say its the best game I ever played in years, its certainty the most unique game this generation and kojima's best game to date, the world Is vast and beautiful, the gameplay is unique it even makes walking and running fun by adding a balance mechanic which in itself is a Sort of mini game, definitely not a game for everyone, it takes time to learnI just finished the game, and I can say its the best game I ever played in years, its certainty the most unique game this generation and kojima's best game to date, the world Is vast and beautiful, the gameplay is unique it even makes walking and running fun by adding a balance mechanic which in itself is a Sort of mini game, definitely not a game for everyone, it takes time to learn the mechanics, it's not a game you can just pick up and play, it takes time and dedication to learn the mechanics, this game requires patience and it's not for the weak, the story is amazing...one of the most thought out and compelling story since The last of us, the soundtrack is orgasmic and the voice acting is solid, the cast members all work in tandem beautifully... they actually complement eachother it's a heck of a cast, you never seen so much talent in a video game ever, the visual effects and camera work is that of a AAA Hollywood movie, and the graphics are probably the best I've seen this generation, its the most photo realistic game I ever seen, this game is a Slam Dunk and it's a musty play that shouldn't be missed by anyone.… Expand
  3. jgedak
    Nov 9, 2019
    10
    I almost didn't buy this game because the reviews seem to be all over the place, but I'm really glad I decided to get it. Absolutely loving it.
  4. emmanuelrar
    Nov 9, 2019
    10
    Balancing those 0 useless rating. People did not even play it and they just rated with 0. Please be serious...
  5. Burunduk01
    Nov 10, 2019
    10
    One of the best generation games. Not a revolution as Kojima promised, but close.
  6. JSpotOpinion
    Nov 10, 2019
    10
    I've spent over 10 Hrs. in DS on my livestream Da J spot and enjoyed every minute of it. I Love the cut scenes, Beautiful atmospheric graphics. The grind doesn't Bother me. I Really enjoy the Like system and deliveries are a pain in the butt. But i love a challenge to overcome all obstacles with ladders and ropes and the story i've become very engaged with the story so far i'm on chapter 3I've spent over 10 Hrs. in DS on my livestream Da J spot and enjoyed every minute of it. I Love the cut scenes, Beautiful atmospheric graphics. The grind doesn't Bother me. I Really enjoy the Like system and deliveries are a pain in the butt. But i love a challenge to overcome all obstacles with ladders and ropes and the story i've become very engaged with the story so far i'm on chapter 3 now. I really enjoy Hideo Kojima games from MGS to now. I'm just sad and laughing about all the negative backlash that these HATERS AND LAZY CRITICS are giving DS. People are so used to Shooters and others BS. So When a new game comes in that makes you think and is a comfort to the mind and ears it scares people and they're SALTY AF that DS isn't on their consoles. STOP HATING THE GAME AND ACCEPT IT. MIDDLE FINGER TO ALL THE HATERS !!! BTW. The music is beautiful too love Low Roar.… Expand
  7. Sickalb3rt
    Nov 18, 2019
    10
    Que jogo, brutal. Uma experiência diferente, os momentos entre a calma e a tensão são excelentes, uma overdose de paisagens extremamente bem feitas, jogabilidade gratificante. História está muito bem escrita e o facto de ter PT-PT ainda torna o jogo mais apetecível. É um jogo para se amar ou odiar, mas para quem o ama fica para sempre....
  8. Ajaybelfast
    Nov 25, 2019
    9
    Just finished the game.
    48 hours to complete, and I have been hooked the entire game.
    It's brilliant. It's crazy. There is no other game like this. Completely original, and if you love story driven games....This has it all. It makes me sad to read all th Is hate online, but you need to play it and get lost in the story. The porter gameplay is cool and you don't have to actually    Just finished the game.
    48 hours to complete, and I have been hooked the entire game.

    It's brilliant. It's crazy. There is no other game like this. Completely original, and if you love story driven games....This has it all. It makes me sad to read all th Is hate online, but you need to play it and get lost in the story.

    The porter gameplay is cool and you don't have to actually manage cargo you just press triangle and it does it for you.

    I just sat through 2 hours of interactive story telling at the end and I'm sitting here blown away.

    The acting...the music....the landscapes ...the story.......

    Brilliant. I need my friends to play this so I can talk to them about it lol.    … Expand
  9. DJKaboom
    Nov 14, 2019
    7
    It's disappointing to see how polarizing these reviews are trending. I find few things less useful in this world than one-star and five-star reviews; it's the shades of gray analysis that actually offers anything of value to me. I'm not interested in the Kojima fanboy hype, the marketing onslaught or the blanket detractors. At the end of the day, games need to stand on their own merit.It's disappointing to see how polarizing these reviews are trending. I find few things less useful in this world than one-star and five-star reviews; it's the shades of gray analysis that actually offers anything of value to me. I'm not interested in the Kojima fanboy hype, the marketing onslaught or the blanket detractors. At the end of the day, games need to stand on their own merit. Art direction is, not surprisingly, gorgeous, and the score is predictably immersive and emotive. While the story arc is intriguing, the writing itself seems stale in places and lost my interest over time. The cutscenes, well, it's Kojima so yes, there are more cutscenes than can be counted. I do appreciate the potential of cutscenes to further the story, but for me, they don't compliment the game as much as they compete with it. The rhythm of the gameplay simply doesn't match the rhythm of the scenes and I feel like they interrupt my experience more than enhance it. The core game mechanics seem to be the single biggest gripe to casual passerby, and though it does often feel like a glorified walking simulator, I do enjoy the slow pace and exploration factor. All in all, I think far too many of us are using the pre-launch hype as a measuring stick, but in and of itself, I found DS to be a fairly solid gaming experience. Not a strikeout or a homerun, but maybe a stand-up double.… Expand
  10. Terragon
    Dec 15, 2019
    0
    There is a reason why Kojima was let go from Konami. And the reason is quite apparent - he is full of himself and thinks whatever he makes is gold. Well as someone who "votes with his wallet" this was the last time I ever spent a penny on anything Kojima produced. This is an absolute travesty of a "game" - quotation marks because it's not a game. It's a pseudo art dressed as a walkingThere is a reason why Kojima was let go from Konami. And the reason is quite apparent - he is full of himself and thinks whatever he makes is gold. Well as someone who "votes with his wallet" this was the last time I ever spent a penny on anything Kojima produced. This is an absolute travesty of a "game" - quotation marks because it's not a game. It's a pseudo art dressed as a walking simulator.
    The only thing that makes it stand out is the capture technology used to make the world and character seem more alive, yet even there Kojima managed to screw up, creating some of the cringiest and most unrealistic movements in certain scenes. Ignore this game, ignore all Kojima games. He's reached the same status as Peter Molyneux and Richard Gariott - maybe they were great once upon a time, but all of their modern creation is complete nonsense because they are too full of themselves.
    Worst game of the year    … Expand
  11. maxyps
    Dec 11, 2019
    4
    Extremadamente repetitivo y aburrido. Cinematicas muy largas que no tienen coherencia con el gameplay.
  12. lolorik
    Dec 6, 2019
    0
    UPS simulator 2019. A very disappointing game imo. Very repetitive, boring combat, weird ads placement... Wish it had more to it.
  13. Niko74
    Dec 4, 2019
    7
    OK so everyone who giving this game a 0 OR a 10 are lying and full of S***. One camp is the COD generation who just cant fathom anything but mindless action, and the other camp are kojima fanboys who are just detached from reality.

    This game “while not for everyone” has some areas which we can objectively judge. Pros: The story and world building are superb, with some well realised    OK so everyone who giving this game a 0 OR a 10 are lying and full of S***. One camp is the COD generation who just cant fathom anything but mindless action, and the other camp are kojima fanboys who are just detached from reality.

    This game “while not for everyone” has some areas which we can objectively judge.

    Pros: The story and world building are superb, with some well realised characters. There are some genuinely emotional moments in the story, together with some great surprises and twists along the way. The voice acting and motion capture are probably the best in any video game so far, and the direction is overall magnificent. The graphics also are worthy of praise, with some scenes, especially in that opening and some vistas nearing photorealism. Finally, the score and the soundtrack are beautiful and genuinely evoke a sense of wonder and really added to the daunting atmosphere the environment creates.

    Cons: This game has one of the best opening sequences in recent memory, and then follows this up with 10 hours of slow and tedious fetch quests. The core gameplay loop is repetitive and completely unsatisfying, and slowly degrades into a test of the player’s patience. Even players who are looking for a calming experience while traversing the vibrant landscape will be disappointed as the cavalcade of elements that need to be micromanaged are overwhelming. Boot health, feet health, baby happiness, balance, package health etc. Certain obstacles are included purely for annoyance, and the required frequent backtracking makes this game extremely frustrating to play.

    Why I gave this game a 7: From a gameplay perspective this game is a failure, however the story, world and characters were engrossing enough to keep me playing for the 50+ hours of the main campaign. Every time I turned off the PS4 out of frustration, I was back a few hours later, because I was so desperate to find out what happens in the story and figure out what is going on. I understand this won't be enough for everyone, but it was for me. However, that doesn't mean I had FUN with the gameplay, just that the story was enough for me to tolerate it.

    Should YOU buy this game? The answer depends on how interesting you find the post-apocalyptic Sci-Fi setting and Kojima's narrative style. If it appeals to you, you will be able to overlook the awful gameplay loop. If it doesn’t then I wouldn’t recommend this game.    … Expand
  14. linkhidalgogato
    Dec 9, 2019
    0
    this is the antithesis of a game its would be better described as an office job its not worth ur money and your time even less.
  15. Andrewarrrr
    Nov 10, 2019
    4
    Jogo mediocre, muita cutscene, fisica escrota, história chata, falta de ação e entrosamento na gameplay.
  16. AmazinGamer
    Nov 9, 2019
    1
    Nice graphics, period! the game doesn't offer any fun, I understand that all games are repetitive but this game has nothing different, the whole game is too boring, has too many cinematics, mediocre combat mechanics, basic shooting system, any part of inventory has menus with lots for reading and it is nothing intuitive. Conclusion: A very boring game with mediocre gameplay and way tooNice graphics, period! the game doesn't offer any fun, I understand that all games are repetitive but this game has nothing different, the whole game is too boring, has too many cinematics, mediocre combat mechanics, basic shooting system, any part of inventory has menus with lots for reading and it is nothing intuitive. Conclusion: A very boring game with mediocre gameplay and way too many cinematics, pretty sure most people won't keep playing beyond 10 hours...… Expand
  17. Hitokage_Tamash
    Dec 17, 2019
    8
    Story: 8.5/10

    It has a slow start, and frankly some of the actual dialogue is not that good, but the story itself is intriguing, the characters are quite solid, and the worldbuilding/lore is some of my favorite in a game yet. If story-based games are your thing/you primarily play games for the story, I'd say it's worth checking out on that merit alone. Gameplay: 6.5/10 I    Story: 8.5/10

    It has a slow start, and frankly some of the actual dialogue is not that good, but the story itself is intriguing, the characters are quite solid, and the worldbuilding/lore is some of my favorite in a game yet. If story-based games are your thing/you primarily play games for the story, I'd say it's worth checking out on that merit alone.

    Gameplay: 6.5/10

    I admittedly found the base gameplay enjoyable, but by no means perfect. I found it similar to Breath of the Wild; you largely walk from empty landscape to empty landscape, and the environment is often your biggest adversary. I personally quite enjoyed the walking sim aspects, but found the combat rather lacking, the boss fights underwhelming, and some of the missions too tedious; the challenge often lies in either having to cover far more ground in one stretch than Sam is comfortably able to do, or cover ground without being able to fabricate new equipment before setting out. I felt it was at its strongest when you could properly prepare, and at its weakest when you couldn't. While the boss fights themselves were underwhelming, they at least had a lot of spectacle; they have a grand sense of scale, and almost look like things straight out of some type of scifi or fantasy movie. Looking cinematic doesn't fix the fact they, for the most part, present little challenge and feel more like filler.

    Visuals: 9/10

    The game is, for the most part, visually stunning. Its geometry, texture quality (in most cases), animations, and character models are among the best I've seen across any platform, and it has a very nice implementation of tessellation on snow. With that said, it can drop frames very periodically, it has just okay texture filtering, and its anti-aliasing solution leaves a lot to be desired; small details, such as fences or staircases, shimmer and appear jagged as you move.

    Sound Design: 9/10

    The sound design in this game is very on point, and lends a lot to the overall experience. The choice of music is generally solid in my eyes, while the sound effects and audio cues/"ambient" music add a LOT to the game. For example, when in a BY area, an ominous high pitched pulse continually plays, and the BTs themselves make sounds.

    Overall: 8/10

    Overall, this is a game I greatly enjoyed despite some missteps in the combat, writing of dialogue, and tedium in some of the later missions. If the concept of a walking simulator with a good story appeals to you, I highly recommend it; the description of a walking sim frankly isn't very far off from the truth, and it's those moments in which I feel the game is at its strongest. I'd probably have enjoyed the gameplay more as a whole if the combat was either given even less focus, or enhanced to a significant degree, particularly when the boss fights already nailed the spectacle; the systems in place simply did not make those parts enjoyable to me at all. This has easily been one of the most unique games I've played, and despite some glaring issues with it I rank it quite highly. I went in not expecting great things due to how controversial/polarizing it's been, but I walked away quite impressed overall, and I'm looking forward to what Kojima puts out next.    … Expand
  18. Ryo777
    Nov 9, 2019
    2
    A pieces of garbage of Kojima productions, literally is a walk simulador, 29,99$ in a walk simulator?!!! Refunded
  19. mismikka
    Nov 14, 2019
    5
    I paid 70$ not for that to look at product placement and monster energy drink. Why restoration of America why not restoration of whole world. Cutscenes could be more interactive. I like the gameplay, generally the game is interesting.
  20. Cut_Throat_Jake
    Dec 4, 2019
    9
    An emotional and strangely captivating game. This isn't for everyone but saying all you do is deliver parcels is like saying in Gran Turismo all you do is drive in circles.
  21. UniPrince
    Nov 18, 2019
    10
    IЛучшая игра в 2019 году , сюжет , смысл очень тонкий который не каждый может понять , не каждый сможет после прохождения игры ценить окружающий мир вокруг
  22. gilbi3
    Nov 27, 2019
    7
    My feelings about the game are complex, and this, perhaps, is what has made it worth experiencing. The first night after playing it, I had no choice but rant to a friend for the better part of an hour in trying to understand just how I had actually received it. I'll start with the positives. While the game isn't for everybody, it's not necessarily only for those of any profound "artisticMy feelings about the game are complex, and this, perhaps, is what has made it worth experiencing. The first night after playing it, I had no choice but rant to a friend for the better part of an hour in trying to understand just how I had actually received it. I'll start with the positives. While the game isn't for everybody, it's not necessarily only for those of any profound "artistic sensitivity", to semi-quote a rather tasteless comment Kojima made in denigration to Americans and our supposed lack thereof. It is rather, I believe, more geared towards those who might enjoy a game like Harvest Moon, Stardew Valley, or maybe Truck Simulator. Along those lines. While much of the gameplay is rather mundane, I have actually taken great satisfaction in just navigating the landscape and managing my supplies. The whole "strand" thing has been neat too; it's fun to see others building things around and with you, and it's neat to know others are there, even if only in a kind of ethereal way. The game is generally beautiful, and a lot of the aesthetic is pretty cool, though some does come across as pointless and "artsy" to the point of maybe trying a bit too hard, a la Fragile's umbrella. In any case, there is a lot to appreciate here, but once again, the actual game part of the game seems more niche than would probably be ideal for a blockbuster game. It shouldn't be blamed for that, however. I'm genuinely happy to see something so bold executed at such a high level of production. Even if the game were to be a total failure, it would still be a cultural touchstone, more or less.
    Now for the bad. The script. My God, the script is overwrought, self-indulgent, forced, and has made me cringe to the point I've thought of just hanging up my controller. Don't get me wrong, I generally love weird, obtuse things in general, often strangeness for its own sake, but much of this just feels contrived. The metaphors are almost not even metaphors for want of subtlety, and much of what might be profound in the game is obscured by what I can only describe as "off". It feels like a case of something trying to appear profound by means of obfuscation rather than any real meaning, and this coming from a huge fan of John Ashbery's poetry. I can digest weirdness well enough, but when it is clobbered up with things that are, to me, tastelessly stupid, I have a hard time. Take, for example, the name of one of the NPCs, "Die-Hardman". I can't get over how awkward and try-hard this feels to me. This kind of off-kilter, B-movie stuff might work in Metal Gear games, but this game takes itself far too seriously to pull it off, and it often comes across as just plain bad. This is all subjective, of course, but I am not into it. At all. Throw in some mind-bendingly out of place product placement, and now I'm just confused. It doesn't seem like the vision of an auteur as much as it feels like somebody trying to impress all his arthouse friends with a kind of manufactured esotericism. If it were only a movie, I'd just feel sick for having watched it. Most fortunately, the cutscenes can be skipped. I should say though, that the premise isn't entirely terrible. There are some really neat things that have been done in the game, and some of the concepts are generally pretty interesting. I personally think the intertwining of the worlds of the dead and the living and some of how that ties into the technology is actually pretty awesome. My problem is with the implementation, plain and simple. Altogether, I like the game. It has made me think, and the actual gameplay scratches a particular itch I have as a gamer. However, the game isn't for everybody, and the story framing it is for far, far fewer. Certainly for Kojima himself. It is beautiful, it is strange, it is provocative, but it is not well-written, it is not subtle, and its themes don't go any deeper than any like-minded platitude. There are beautiful moments in the game, moments that might actually border on the profound, if only it didn't get in its own way.    … Expand
  23. craig0
    Dec 6, 2019
    0
    "A game is fun. If the game is not fun, why bother?" Reggie fils-aime

    This game articulates itself on the concept of being boring and tedious. It is therefore not fun and subsequentially is not a "game". So if death stranding had to be rated as a game, it would logically deserve the minimum mark, that is: 0/10. A lot has to be said as well on the cult of personality surrounding    "A game is fun. If the game is not fun, why bother?" Reggie fils-aime

    This game articulates itself on the concept of being boring and tedious. It is therefore not fun and subsequentially is not a "game".

    So if death stranding had to be rated as a game, it would logically deserve the minimum mark, that is: 0/10.

    A lot has to be said as well on the cult of personality surrounding Kojima and the astounding bias of the professional press towards this "game". This could actually be the only merit that death stranding deserves in the end: it has brought the total corruption of the video game media in broad daylight.

    The overnight deletion of 6400 negative user reviews by metacritic under the fallacious reasons that they were not constructive enough (although all the other 10/10 were kept - double standards) is yet another illustration of what is happening here and on the will to suppress freedom of speech about this "game". Do not hold your breath on this year's GOTY.    … Expand
  24. Marksman937
    Dec 17, 2019
    10
    The story had me craving to play more and more. The scenery in the game was top notch making your feel like you were actually in the world. 10/10. Kojima made a masterpiece with this game. Yes the combat was a bit klunky but the store made up for it
  25. Sidx13
    Nov 9, 2019
    10
    Amazing game. Beautiful graphics, insane story, awesome characters, uniqe gameplay... This game will change the gamers life
  26. m4rc05j
    Nov 9, 2019
    10
    Beautiful graphics, insane story, awesome characters and performance, fun and different gameplay... very unique game.
  27. asdsalon246
    Nov 9, 2019
    10
    This game reminds me of the last guardian, a game with unique mechanics and a slow but magnificent plot. the casual player will not understand anything but eventually the game will become cult
  28. jorgin
    Nov 8, 2019
    1
    juego aburridisimo con una jugabilidad que consiste en repartir paquetes del punto A al punto B , mundo abierto vació sin nada que hacer y cinemáticas eternas, con una historia sin sentido.
  29. Kurama9
    Nov 9, 2019
    10
    Amazing game absolutely incredible is different so insane the a lot people don't see it that way kojima try something different . people don't understand the don't have open mind they want the same gameplay over and over that is boring .this is new , and amazing .i love this game .i give 10 for sure
  30. makelover
    Nov 9, 2019
    10
    Best experience, best storyline. Best casts and music! Thank you mister Kojima for game.
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Awards & Rankings

33
#33 Best PS4 Game of 2019
1
#1 Most Discussed PS4 Game of 2019

Critic Reviews

All reviews »
Metascore
82

Generally favorable reviews - based on 111 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 86 out of 111
  2. Mixed: 22 out of 111
  3. Negative: 3 out of 111
  1. LEVEL (Czech Republic)
    Mar 18, 2020
    100
    Death Stranding is creating a new game genre and therefore paves its own path towards more interactive experiences. It is a brave work thanks to its novelty, which fortunately is not a bragging right for its creators, as it may have seemed, but an exceptional title that will reward the brave who play it. [Issue#299]
  2. New York Daily News
    Mar 18, 2020
    80
    This game does manage to be fun, even if it is one of the heaviest experiences of 2019. Everything from story to gameplay is begging to be dissected, filled with imagery and symbolism -- just like so many Kojima games before this one. Entering Death Stranding, it’s likely that we all thought Kojima’s calling card was lengthy cutscenes and stealth and action gameplay.
    Read full review
  3. Carole Quintaine
    Jan 29, 2020
    100
    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.
    Read full review
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