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Death Stranding Review Thread

GymWolf

Gold Member
You don't update your character. He has a base line of stats and you improve them by wearing three types of exosceleton and by customizing your backpack to get additional pouches or extra batteries. Not anything sophisticated. I can share screens later to show it.

You get Blueprints for crafting better equipment from some missions and by maximizing your relations with the facilities around the map.
So i can be a slow ass mofo but if i do enough sidequest i can still upgrade my equipment? Good.

Also thanks :messenger_blowing_kiss:
 
So i can be a slow ass mofo but if i do enough sidequest i can still upgrade my equipment? Good.

Also thanks :messenger_blowing_kiss:

One of the exosceletons (three types) is called speed sceleton and makes you run really fast and jump far, it's quite funny to be honest, also BB sometimes laughs when you do silly stuff.
 

Sosokrates

Report me if I continue to console war
I will watch a few hrs of gameplay to Determine if this is for mr, aside from playing it, its the best way to know if you will like a game.
 
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Elios83

Member
If you remove the 3/4's and 10/9+'s it is. Like it has been said a million times in this thread but everyone keeps ignoring, just like below 4 scores, the above 9 are utter shit only because of Kojima. If this was a Konami game it would sit at a 7 average which isn't bad either but you get the point.

Sorry but deciding which scores should be removed and don't count just to fit your own pre-conceived idea about the game even before it's actually released is just bullshit.
The game got a 85/86 average score which is objectively great and makes it a really well received game overall (one of the highest rated this year). There are games with lower metascores (in the 80-85 range) with tons of praise.
The fact that it got some lower scores that created some degree of controversy is only due to the fact that its concept/genre is not for everyone, certainly not for shooter or action games fans. Maybe you just fall in this category.
 
Sorry but deciding which scores should be removed and don't count just to fit your own pre-conceived idea about the game even before it's actually released is just bullshit.
The game got a 85/86 average score which is objectively great and makes it a really well received game overall (one of the highest rated this year). There are games with lower metascores (in the 80-85 range) with tons of praise.
The fact that it got some lower scores that created some degree of controversy is only due to the fact that its concept/genre is not for everyone, certainly not for shooter or action games fans. Maybe you just fall in this category.

If I had any pre-conceived idea I'd just remove all the good scores. It's common sense, at least to me, that it's always best to take fair reviews or critical ones more into consideration than those who praise the game like its Jesus or those who give it a 4 just because they want attention. But sure pal, keep living your pre-conceived dreams that those who see no appeal to the game only love shooter/action games.
 
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ethomaz

Banned
If I had any pre-conceived idea I'd just remove all the good scores. It's common sense, at least to me, that it's always best to take fair reviews or critical ones more into consideration than those who praise the game like its Jesus or those who give it a 4 just because they want attention. But sure pal, keep living your pre-conceived dreams that those who see no appeal to the game only love shooter/action games.
That makes no sense.
You want to ignore half of reviews because they didn't fit your agenda?
 

Elios83

Member
If I had any pre-conceived idea I'd just remove all the good scores. It's common sense, at least to me, that it's always best to take fair reviews or critical ones more into consideration than those who praise the game like its Jesus or those who give it a 4 just because they want attention. But sure pal, keep living your pre-conceived dreams that those who see no appeal to the game only love shooter/action games.

You have a pre-conceived idea and you have already stated it as much.
You haven't even played the game, you have decided which reviews don't count (all those with a 9+ score but those are actually a significant chunk for this game), you want to counter balance all those positive scores with just a few negative reviews the game got so that the game is the 7/10 you have already decided in your mind. That has absolutely no sense.
It's like saying I don't like the gameplay in RDR2 or Zelda BOTW so let's just pretend the 9+ scores don't exist.
But the game actually got an 85 metacritic, not 70, and you have to accept it.
You're still free to disagree with the average score and don't like it (possibly after having at least tried it...) but in that case there are many other titles to look at and play, both with higher and lower average scores.
The fact that a game totally focused on traversal and how to reach point B from point A isn't for everyone is pretty much obvious.
 

ManaByte

Rage Bait Youtuber
You have a pre-conceived idea and you have already stated it as much.
You haven't even played the game, you have decided which reviews don't count (all those with a 9+ score but those are actually a significant chunk for this game), you want to counter balance all those positive scores with just a few negative reviews the game got so that the game is the 7/10 you have already decided in your mind. That has absolutely no sense.
It's like saying I don't like the gameplay in RDR2 or Zelda BOTW so let's just pretend the 9+ scores don't exist.
But the game actually got an 85 metacritic, not 70, and you have to accept it.
You're still free to disagree with the average score and don't like it (possibly after having at least tried it...) but in that case there are many other titles to look at and play, both with higher and lower average scores.
The fact that a game totally focused on traversal and how to reach point B from point A isn't for everyone is pretty much obvious.

Just two months ago Gears 5 got the same Metacritic score and people are calling it a failure and a terrible game. Now Death Stranding gets the same score and it's a flawless masterpiece people have to run out and buy a PS4 immediately to experience.

Why is that?
 

FranXico

Member
Just two months ago Gears 5 got the same Metacritic score and people are calling it a failure and a terrible game. Now Death Stranding gets the same score and it's a flawless masterpiece people have to run out and buy a PS4 immediately to experience.

Why is that?
Who called it a critical failure exactly?
 

Saruhashi

Banned
Shadow of the Colossus is one of my 3 litmus test go-to games to get people's thoughts on. I'm sorry you didn't like one of the best games of a console's generation. But it's objectively NOT hot garbage.

I think that a problem here is that people are not exactly arguing in good faith.

People are trying to objectively "prove" that the game is bad.
So when you say that you liked it they will say that the open world is "empty" or it's just a game about taking things from A to B etc.

I think people misunderstand that the "open world" can be effectively used for world building.
The problem with this is that a player who is in a hurry to finish the game does not want to deal with that.

For Shadow of the Colossus I really feel like the controls are not great, not very responsive, but in the context of building a world and telling a story and providing legitimately surprising and awe-inspiring moments the game is indeed a masterpiece.

Put yourself in the shoes of someone trying to "prove" that the game is bad though.
There's no combat. The world is empty and quiet. It's just a boss-rush game.
The main character is just silent and not cool like Niko Bellic.

I think you can probably do it with any game.

"I think Game X is great"
"yeah, but it doesn't have A, doesn't have B, doesn't have C. Game Y has all of that!"

For me I see the open world as a good vehicle for world building and immersion.
For others they just don't see the point in having a large game if it isn't going to be crammed full of stuff.

It's kind of like reading a book written in a fantasy setting where all the history and locations etc need to be built up over many pages and then comparing to a book that is set in the modern day and just goes from action scene to action scene because the world is set up already.

Some people prefer one and some prefer the other.

What we seem to be dealing with is people, who prefer one particular thing, trying to prove that anything that doesn't fit their preference is bad because of that.

"The open world is dead and empty." Almost sounds like the game takes place in some kind of post apocalyptic setting. :)
 

Elios83

Member
Just two months ago Gears 5 got the same Metacritic score and people are calling it a failure and a terrible game. Now Death Stranding gets the same score and it's a flawless masterpiece people have to run out and buy a PS4 immediately to experience.

Why is that?

What???? I remember the opposite.
Amazing game, congrats to Coalition, return to form for Microsoft Game Studios lol.
But this is not about console wars, this is about accepting the average rating something gets for what it is.
 

molasar

Banned
Just two months ago Gears 5 got the same Metacritic score and people are calling it a failure and a terrible game. Now Death Stranding gets the same score and it's a flawless masterpiece people have to run out and buy a PS4 immediately to experience.

Why is that?
Nobody has to do anything and no game is flawless. The thing is that it is hard to refer to other games whilst talking about DS as it definitely brings a new experience to the table. Either it is good or bad. So the best way is to experience it on one's own to shape a proper subjective opinion. Do what you wish in this matter.
 
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FranXico

Member
You saw it all over, especially on Reeee. 85 is a failure for Gears 5 and shows that the franchise is dead. Now 85 is an excellent score when it comes to a Kojima game.
I hardly care about what happens over at Reeee.

Over here, all of us respect it as a very good game. There was a debate over the technical compromises it needed to maintain excellent performance, but that too is something that Coalition earned respect for.
 

ManaByte

Rage Bait Youtuber
Said that for the franchise it is a drop in quality since Gears 4... Gears used to receive over 90 scores.

What does that mean for Death Stranding as every past Kojima MGS game (NOTE I said Kojima before someone pulls out MGS Survive) got over 90 scores?
 

MiguelItUp

Member
Honestly I read nothing horrible or negative about Gears 5. I read very much the opposite. That being said, I did gaze into the thread here a few times and it was a toxic mess, lmao. But everywhere else, Reeee not included, had positive things to say.

I still think everytime someone brings up Gears 5 it's due to some grudge. That they're wanting to shit all over Death Stranding as it's the closest thing to an a big AAA exclusive (albeit timed) for PS4 since Gears 5.

No one said Death Stranding is perfect, apparently has its quirks and issues. That doesn't bother me at all considering the positive comments certainly outweigh the negative ones in the video reviews I've seen.
 
Shadow of the Colossus is one of my 3 litmus test go-to games to get people's thoughts on. I'm sorry you didn't like one of the best games of a console's generation. But it's objectively NOT hot garbage.
Game was zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz climbing up a massive titan the same thing over and over again, no story to speak of, just terrible. But hey, maybe it was good back then. Dunno, I was playing other stuff back then.
 

ethomaz

Banned
Game was zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz climbing up a massive titan the same thing over and over again, no story to speak of, just terrible. But hey, maybe it was good back then. Dunno, I was playing other stuff back then.
It aged pretty well.
It is still a blast to play it today.
Each boss is unique... the gameplay is more about to find the weakness of each boss after that you just need to do that two or three times (in easy I believe one hit in the weak point kill the bosses).
If you are doing over and over again the same thing it is because you are failing to hit the weak point of the boss.... or you did not discover it or you are really messing something.

I will say the bosses are puzzles you need to resolve.
That is pretty amazing.
There is no repetition in the game... unless you choose to do the triles that are side-missions and not required to beat the game.

The story is a drama... simple and charming but you need to build it... it is not a game based in story-telling... you build the story using the event in your mind... it is really a great story and directly related to how ICO story happens.
 
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Daymos

Member
I feel like video game websites are afraid to admit this game is bad, video game politics. I'm not going to play the game, so you can ignore me and tell me my opinion doesn't matter I suppose. I'm just going to sit back and watch how this one evolves. I'm curious to see what people think of this game in 6 months or so.

I'm still picking this game as game of the year though regardless of scores... not because I'm going to buy it, but because I'm a cynical jerk who likes to pick on the game of the year awards.
 
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Reactions: GHG
Just two months ago Gears 5 got the same Metacritic score and people are calling it a failure and a terrible game. Now Death Stranding gets the same score and it's a flawless masterpiece people have to run out and buy a PS4 immediately to experience.

Why is that?
Gears 5 has had multiple iterations to improve and get their shit right. Death Stranding is a new IP? At least that's my logic. I have higher expectations for an established franchise versus something that has no previous gameplay or world to build on.
 

Wink

Member
If this game wasn't from Kojima... it wouldn't exist. And I do mean that in the most literal sense. I struggle to make sense of the mental gymnastics that have to be going on to explain the "it's because of Kojima that it gets great scores". No shit it's because of Kojima bro, it would literally be a different game that some people might receive differently if the people contributing to it were different or had made wildly different choices. How delusional and sad must one be to simply not grasp that other people might like certain stuff. What world are you living in outside of videogames where everyone is equally responsive to all other kinds of stimuli. How do you arrive at the point where you are so wildly baffled by the concept of taste that the only way to explain it to yourself is in terms of conspiracy that a name might hold such mystic power and not go with the waaaaaay more logical explanation that different people just actually like different shit than you. Is this a form of mental illness? I'm honestly curious.
 
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ethomaz

Banned
I feel like video game websites are afraid to admit this game is bad, video game politics. I'm not going to play the game, so you can ignore me and tell me my opinion doesn't matter I suppose. I'm just going to sit back and watch how this one evolves. I'm curious to see what people think of this game in 6 months or so.

I'm still picking this game as game of the year though regardless of scores... not because I'm going to buy it, but because I'm a cynical jerk who likes to pick on the game of the year awards.
I feel like video game websites are afraid to admit this game is good.

It goes both ways.

It will be like a cult in six months considered GOTY by a lot of gamers... but hey that is me predicting the future... let's see how it turn out.
 
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Javthusiast

Banned
I watched enough reviews and different review talks on podcasts to know what to expect from the gameplay loop and it hasn't scared me away one bit. I am still excited and can't wait to play it on friday. And should the actual playing somehow turn me off, then I will just sell the game and get most of my money back.
 
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HotPocket69

Banned
Trophs


There’s one for taking a piss out in the wild

You replenish your health by drinking Monster Energy. When it rains you hold your cantine out and the rainwater that’s falls into it is converted into Monster fucking Energy drink.

We’re through the looking glass here people

This silly shit has now pushed me to a Day 1 purchase. I need to see this for myself.

KOJIMAAAAAAAA
 

ManaByte

Rage Bait Youtuber
Trophs


There’s one for taking a piss out in the wild

You replenish your health by drinking Monster Energy. When it rains you hold your cantine out and the rainwater that’s falls into it is converted into Monster fucking Energy drink.

We’re through the looking glass here people

This silly shit has now pushed me to a Day 1 purchase. I need to see this for myself.

KOJIMAAAAAAAA

But it’s normal Monster. Not the superior Zero Ultra in the white etched can.
 

FMXVII

Member
If this game wasn't from Kojima... it wouldn't exist. And I do mean that in the most literal sense. I struggle to make sense of the mental gymnastics that have to be going on to explain the "it's because of Kojima that it gets great scores". No shit it's because of Kojima bro, it would literally be a different game that some people might receive differently if the people contributing to it were different or had made wildly different choices. How delusional and sad must one be to simply not grasp that other people might like certain stuff. What world are you living in outside of videogames where everyone is equally responsive to all other kinds stimuli. How do you arrive at the point where you are so wildly baffled by the concept of taste that the only way to explain it to yourself is in terms of conspiracy that a name might hold such mystic power and not go with the waaaaaay more logical explanation that different people just actually like different shit than you. Is this a form of mental illness? I'm honestly curious.

Nobody likes shit.

Much less different shit.

Anyone who says otherwise is trying to sell you a third rate liberal arts degree.

Death Stranding Review Thread:

Apologist Acrobatics, Apoplexy, and Apathy.
 

Wink

Member
Trophs


There’s one for taking a piss out in the wild

You replenish your health by drinking Monster Energy. When it rains you hold your cantine out and the rainwater that’s falls into it is converted into Monster fucking Energy drink.

We’re through the looking glass here people

This silly shit has now pushed me to a Day 1 purchase. I need to see this for myself.

KOJIMAAAAAAAA
Holy crap. Didn't know timefall, the stuff that makes things age rapidly is basis for Monster Energy. That is some wild commentary on this particular piece of product placement if true.
 

vpance

Member
If this game wasn't from Kojima... it wouldn't exist. And I do mean that in the most literal sense. I struggle to make sense of the mental gymnastics that have to be going on to explain the "it's because of Kojima that it gets great scores". No shit it's because of Kojima bro, it would literally be a different game that some people might receive differently if the people contributing to it were different or had made wildly different choices. How delusional and sad must one be to simply not grasp that other people might like certain stuff. What world are you living in outside of videogames where everyone is equally responsive to all other kinds stimuli. How do you arrive at the point where you are so wildly baffled by the concept of taste that the only way to explain it to yourself is in terms of conspiracy that a name might hold such mystic power and not go with the waaaaaay more logical explanation that different people just actually like different shit than you. Is this a form of mental illness? I'm honestly curious.

Just people who only play like 1 or 2 genres of games. Basically the kind that has Halo -> Fallout -> Ass Creed -> GTA on a loop.
 
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DeepEnigma

Gold Member
Just two months ago Gears 5 got the same Metacritic score and people are calling it a failure and a terrible game. Now Death Stranding gets the same score and it's a flawless masterpiece people have to run out and buy a PS4 immediately to experience.

Why is that?

And on here some of the very same people laughing at the 85 for DS, calling that a failure/bomba, were praising Gears 5 score and congratulating MS.

Expectations, perspective, and all that jazz.
 

Kokoloko85

Member
Just two months ago Gears 5 got the same Metacritic score and people are calling it a failure and a terrible game. Now Death Stranding gets the same score and it's a flawless masterpiece people have to run out and buy a PS4 immediately to experience.

Why is that?

Because some are giving Death Stranding 10’s and 100’s. No one said Gears was out of this world or a new experience. Some are saying that for Death Stranding. Some are calling it the game of the year, or a great game they will remember forever, Gears didnt get the same reception even though it was a great game.
Also Death Stranding got more drastic low scores and opinions while gears was all on the same wave length.

No1 includes the game developers ego for the reason to give a lower score. Some people just dont like Kojima like some people love him and it lets them effect their opinion.

As I said before the guy who gave the lowest score to Death stranding (Stevivor): 35 also gave mass effect andromeda a 95. And ign gave imagine party baby a 7.5... is it really a better game that Death Stranding?
This is why people are pissed off, otherwise the game has mostly positive reviews. And would have done alot better on metacritic. Not that it bothers me much, I just find the hate a bit unwarranted from some people.

Ive been following gaf for years but it seems exclusive reviews and exclusive games bring out the worse in people.
Either way Ill play for myself and my taste in games in varied and sometimes weird lol so if the story is interesting and the game has some addictive gameplay ill be happy.
 

FMXVII

Member
I agree a lot of haters trying to acrobatics and spins to turn the game bad without playing it.

I know, right?

It is amazing how it's almost like for every baseless bout of effusive fluff there is an equal and opposite reaction.

Gamers have taken the Dao to a whole other level of metaphysics.

Truly staggering stuff.
 
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Bodatan

Banned
Nobody has to do anything and no game is flawless. The thing is that it is hard to refer to other games whilst talking about DS as it definitely brings a new experience to the table. Either it is good or bad. So the best way is to experience it on one's own to shape a proper subjective opinion. Do what you wish in this matter.
What so new about DS experience in comparison to other open world games? Zelda BOTW free roaming world design already did that with a better execution than DS
 

Evil Calvin

Afraid of Boobs
genuinely had me re-evaluate what really mattered in life, and the connections I had made with people along my own journey. It’s more than art to me, it’s an experience that shows the finality of life, the finite amount of time we have, and what we should intend on doing with the remaining time spent on this earth.

Yeah......we should question the time we have left and not need to spend it on an 80 hour package delivery/ walking simulator!
 

Wink

Member
What so new about DS experience in comparison to other open world games? Zelda BOTW free roaming world design already did that with a better execution than DS
Broadly, yes, Zelda started to go into that direction, DS just goes all the way into the details centering most of its convoluted gameplay mechanics around the open world traversal, including the social system which is itself an extension of the basic idea of the mechanic that Souls introduced. Add to that other elements like the high end engine and scope as well as widely known actors who never were more lifelike and the complete package, even if you'd deny any of the ideas being truly new on a basic conceptual level, is so wildly outside the box of what people expect and detailed in its execution that many would call it a new kind of experience.
 
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thelastword

Banned
The reviewer who gave Death Stranding 35 also gave Mass Effect Andromeda a 9.5!!! Yes a 9.5?

This is a clear indication to why this guy shouldnt have been reviewing anything and why metacritic shouldnt take every reviewer seriously....
Stevivor and IGN are the two reviews which prevented maybe a 87-88 Metacritic......IGN just being IGN random and Stevivor giving the lowest score, a score you give to something like Life of Black Tiger,,,,,,,,,In his mind, people will check out his website and fame will ensue....

Is this officially the most divisive game?
Nope, 15 perfect scores, the majority of scores over 80...…..The lower scores, just drag it down a bit along with IGN's weight...….The few lower scores are outpaced by the better scores by far......I don't think any game has had so many perfect scores this year....So the majority felt the game was good and quite a bit of critics felt it was amazing.....People will be talking about DS for years to come, it will be a classic....The praise it has received outshines the harsh criticism from a few, by far.....
 
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