Not So MMO: Death Stranding PC Review

System · August 2020

Not So MMO: Death Stranding PC Review

Where do I even begin? I've been wrestling with this question for days now on how I should approach my review of Death Stranding for PC. This game, as much a symbolic rise-from-the-ashes for Hideo Kojima as it is an actual one, has been in my head for nigh on a full month.

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GlacianNex · August 2020

LOL

Scot · August 2020

I was in two minds about Death Stranding after playing the playing the brilliant Metal Gear Solid 5. Poorna Shankar has convinced me I will not get it; it is an arty walking simulator with a lot of story and characterisation along the way.

As much as a fan of story as I am, I do not get visual novels or "games" that are really just that. There has to be better gameplay than learning how to walk when carrying a backpack.

P.S. Poorna really has no idea what "no spoilers" means.

xpsync · August 2020

worldsbestdad said:

a 10? I mean the game wasn't terrible but 10?

I'm here due to noticing a 1...0... yes it is a TEN, 10, yep not seeing chit. Never played it so have no real say or opinion.

I wonder if Hideo Kojima will be on netflix's High Score seems every developer from Japan has been so far. Was playing my DK last night, and put on High Score to check it out, and well quickly noticed wasn't plying at all anymore, oh my character is dying, that's nice lmao, got so engrossed into the show. Binge out the rest this weekend.

Cuddleheart · August 2020

I really like this game and I don't like Metal Gear Solid or puzzle games, in general. For some reason the stacking puzzles and sneaking are more enjoyable gameplay loops in this one.

I mean, yeah, you walk but calling it a "walking simulator" is kind of dismissive and as shitty as if I called the games these people play "LARPing as non-beta simulators".

Can we talk about the game engine's performance too? Nothing that's come out in the past five years looks better and runs smoother on my setup than this. Decima and DLSS2.0 are for real!

Sovrath · August 2020

Again, people put too much stock in a number. Just read what he says and compare it to your tastes.

If he thinks the game is a 10, for him, then it's a 10.

xpsync · August 2020

Sovrath said:

Again, people put too much stock in a number. Just read what he says and compare it to your tastes.

If he thinks the game is a 10, for him, then it's a 10.

100% agree, i was shocked to read a 10, doubt i'd seen one anywhere, so controversial, and as mentioned never played it so no say/opinion. I'm not playing atm, but i've loved fallout 76 since it launched, the negative feedback was like a feeding frenzy for trolls. sure there was some missteps but my gawd people.

[Deleted User] · August 2020

The user and all related content has been deleted.

winghaven1 · August 2020

Now we can never trust this reviewer ever again.

What a great way to make the stellar 10 out of 10 rating appear weak and unimpressive. What was he thinking?

Sovrath · August 2020

winghaven1 said:

Now we can never trust this reviewer ever again.

What a great way to make the stellar 10 out of 10 rating appear weak and unimpressive. What was he thinking?

He was thinking that, for him, despite flaws and issues, the game is a 10. Luckily he included the method to his madness so you can decide whether or not, depending on what you find important, the game is also a 10. Or a 1. Or whatever rating you feel is appropriate.

Scot · August 2020

Sovrath said:

winghaven1 said:

Now we can never trust this reviewer ever again.

What a great way to make the stellar 10 out of 10 rating appear weak and unimpressive. What was he thinking?

He was thinking that, for him, despite flaws and issues, the game is a 10. Luckily he included the method to his madness so you can decide whether or not, depending on what you find important, the game is also a 10. Or a 1. Or whatever rating you feel is appropriate.

I agree with you Sovrath; but in life its not just about what you think, it is about how something is perceived. As a game reviewer a ten should be something universally recognised as beyond outstanding. This is saying that gaming does not get better than this, I wonder how many would agree?

There comes a point when your rating puts you in such a minority that it does not represent players anymore. Other reviewers have given DS a ten, so I don't think that's the case here, but it is pushing it for me.

silentfury007 · August 2020

GlacianNex said:

LOL

?

silentfury007 · August 2020

winghaven1 said:

Now we can never trust this reviewer ever again.

What a great way to make the stellar 10 out of 10 rating appear weak and unimpressive. What was he thinking?

Let's be honest - you never trusted him to begin with.

Viper482 · August 2020

GlacianNex said:

LOL

Where's your review?

Viterzgir · August 2020

Those who say it's a walking sim haven't played a game because some of the zones are so dense with mobs you wish to be able to just chill through them because you have fragile stuff on your back. The levels on WW1, WW2 and Vietnam are especially awesome. And don't even start on BTs - The last one was sooo epic! Fights aren't too complicated with tactics but definitely epic, cool looking and simply awesome.
The story is superb, nothing to add. If you didn't get it - it doesn't mean that game is bad, rather probably you just cheesed through game without reading all the stuff.
I agree on 10/10.

cheyane · August 2020

Poorna you have outdone yourself. Such a beautifully written review. While reading it I wanted to rush out and buy a Nvidia RTX card since mine is a 1070 GTX only and to also purchase the game.

I have not really given much thought to this game thinking it is like Solid Snake and a Metal Gear Solid thing which I cannot play even when I tried so hard because I wanted to so badly. My hands just defied my attempts and I just couldn't do the action thing.

However what you wrote does not really sound like my inability to play action games will be a handicap. I sincerely hope not because you have raised my interest to "must buy now" state.

I really enjoyed what you wrote and I felt like I was voyeur watching from the shadows as you played.

Sovrath · August 2020

Scot said:

I agree with you Sovrath; but in life its not just about what you think, it is about how something is perceived. As a game reviewer a ten should be something universally recognised as beyond outstanding. This is saying that gaming does not get better than this, I wonder how many would agree?

There comes a point when your rating puts you in such a minority that it does not represent players anymore. Other reviewers have given DS a ten, so I don't think that's the case here, but it is pushing it for me.

But that's the thing, it's not possible to perceive a 10 the same for an fps compared to a point and click adventure, compared to a side scroller, etc.

I've brought this up before but in my training we look at what a work is trying to accomplish not whether "I like it or not."

And I guess that's how a lot of people look at things. If I like it it's good. If I don't, it's not.

Except that means a game can never really have any number. If I think a point and click adventure is an 8 and someone thinks they are "all" crap then they are just going to "not trust this reviewer ... "

For him it's a 10 and he believes the game accomplishes what it set out to do. THAT'S what people should be looking at. And whether or not a game that is trying to do what death Stranding is trying to do is good for them.

So for the type of game this is and what it set out to do it's a 10. I can buy that.

Still not going to play it.

edit: I should add, to the bolded bit above, isn't that essentially giving in to "public opinion" or selling out? Because that feels like it leans toward the idea that as long as something is recognized by the majority of people as "x" then it is.

So, does the majority opinion ever really like something that you think is absolute crap? And are they all in the right.

laserit · August 2020

winghaven1 said:

Now we can never trust this reviewer ever again.

What a great way to make the stellar 10 out of 10 rating appear weak and unimpressive. What was he thinking?

There are many categories of tech and art (not to mention business models

)in which to judge games by. You can read how the reviewer came to their 'opinion' and we all can agree to disagree.

I haven't played and I'm not sure if I want to play this game. It seems like one of those interactive movie type games that is not really my thing, but that doesn't mean that it is not a masterpiece in other peoples opinion.

This review was an interesting read imho.

Solar_Prophet · August 2020

Oh please. If this game didn't have Hideo Kojima's name on it, it would've been a 7 at BEST.

ohioastro · August 2020

Calling this game a walking simulator is a total mis-characterization. You face a wide variety of obstacles, which absolutely can include fighting in various ways. There are boss fights that are compelling and challenging. You don't just engage in mass slaughter; there are excellent lore reasons why Killing Is Bad. But you can choose to go around problems by scaling almost sheer cliffs, sneak by some foes, barrel through them on vehicles, fight them, incapacitate them, or literally build anything from ziplines to highways to bypass them. You can just employ a remarkable array of tactics to solve problems, with an amazing degree of flexibility. It really is an excellent game that does some things that I just haven't otherwise seen in a long gaming lifetime, and it does so while looking stunning.

jimmywolf · August 2020

the game does lot things good, then it has it's forced PoV narrative that you either enjoy or don't , that hurts the game overall.

forced locked music that plays only during key moments but can cut off early if you wonder to much into mobs and you can never hear again unless you sit in a room and do nothing else, delivering goods is rewarding for awhile and unlocking things can be fun but get repetitive and annoying in snowy mountain area. yes the world is harsh but they took that too it's extreme and got stale. add to that vehicles handle like crap on anything but flat roads and battery life on them can be way to short their gimmicks to cut that nuance away so it a moot point having it, the story is interesting but drawn out so you tend to lose some of the drama and depth the more you deliver random packages vs only doing story.

despite my nitpicks, i love the concept of what was made and the world, i would also love a deep more expand version of these ideas in a new game right now it feel like a prototype. is the game 10/10 ? no, i don't care if anyone say it " their " opinion, so my comment is now a 10/10 best ever said because i think so?

the game a solid 7 maybe 8 if you enjoy it, if you only care about something you feel changes your life and ignore anything else? sure a 10/10 but i would not slap it as a review and believe it true. the game is more then worthy of been played least once but at $60 ? no, i paid $25 and happy to experiences it, if it ever goes on game pass or bundled i hope other can enjoy it too.

Tokken · August 2020

Wow! a 10! Never seen that score before.

Wizardry · August 2020

No...WRONG,SOME numbers are subjective,a 10 is defining yourself as GOD,you being the ONLY one that understands what perfection is and YOU have deemed this is it.

This means there is no better game alive and unless the score giver has played every single game,he /she has no business giving ANY number.

Reviews are BS anyway,what is the point of a number if it is SUPPOSED to be YOUR personal opinion?Well if you decide to share that number there is obviously an agenda behind it and no longer JUST an opinion.

So there is too much wrong with giving scores in general,even funnier,how can there be ANY cons if it is a perfect game?

The funny thing is that this very topic came up when IGN reviewers were caught giving out fraudulent ratings.So of course you can't simply admit your a scummy business,they came up with an EXCUSE.Their excuse is that they themselves redefined what a 10 is ...lmao,it is in their new definition not a perfect score.

So then i would ask WHY would you feel the NEED to rearrange what a perfect score obviously means,hence>>AGENDA>>SHILLS>sponsored>just downright total bullshit.Yet again MORE bs from a former IGN employee who put out a YouTube video on the matter,STILL trying to defend her former co workers/friends.Even after being caught and ADMITTING they were handing out fraudulent scores ,this you tuber still try to state "i trust all their scores".She said it in a longer way than that by explaining how passionate and enthusiastic they are abotu gaming,how about NO,caught red handed,LIES ,BS IGN=SCUM.

Samhael · August 2020

Thanks for this review -- I'll save my money. I don't want to have to think about just walking in a game. I'd rather just do it and enjoy the rest.

Margrave · August 2020

I can't talk myself into buying it to play since everything I've read about this game makes it sound and look like an apocalyptic FedEx delivery sim.

Does not sound fun at all.

Sovrath · August 2020

Wizardry said:

No...WRONG,SOME numbers are subjective,a 10 is defining yourself as GOD,you being the ONLY one that understands what perfection is and YOU have deemed this is it.

This means there is no better game alive and unless the score giver has played every single game,he /she has no business giving ANY number.

To "you." Do you understand that? To "you."

To you that is what it means.

In any case, read Zegaloth's post and learn something new.

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