Ever since Hideo Kojima revealed his first next post-Metal Gear project, it became apparent that Death Stranding would stack up to be an interesting and unconventional experience. The years of hype behind the game have certainly emboldened this idea, assembling a cast of well-known actors, crafting a stunning visual atmosphere, and presenting unique “stranding” gameplay–all of which proceeding to make a puzzling amount of sense (in typical Kojima fashion). So, how is Death Stranding stacking up with critics? By the looks of reviews, the experience is proving to be a profound one, though its artistic offerings aren’t entirely hitting home with everyone.

GameSpot – 90/100

“Death Stranding is a hard game to absorb. There are many intertwining threads to its plot, and silly names, corny moments, and heavy exposition belie an otherwise very simple message. That comes through much more clearly in the game’s more mundane moments, when you find a desperately-needed ladder left behind by another player or receive a letter from an NPC thanking you for your efforts. It’s positive without ignoring pain; in fact, it argues in both its story and its gameplay that adversity itself is what makes things worth doing and life worth living. It’s a game that requires patience, compassion, and love, and it’s also one we really need right now.”

IGN – 68/100

“There is a fascinating, fleshed-out world of supernatural science fiction to enjoy across its sprawling and spectacular map, so it’s a real shame that it’s all been saddled on a gameplay backbone that struggles to adequately support its weight over the full course of the journey.”

PlayStation LifeStyle – 95/100

“Death Stranding is not a “fun” game, but it’s an important and meaningful experience that earns its payoff through every bit of frustration and slog. Its a look at life and death, connection and solitude; a game about building up what matters most and supporting each other selflessly. You’ll be bored at times and downright frustrated at others, but it comes with a great reward at the end that is made sweeter by the trials that precede it. It’s brilliantly unique in its design and implementation of online elements.”

Polygon – “Two games in one”

“Death Stranding feels like two games in one, designed for seemingly opposite audiences. One is a wholly unique open-world adventure with asynchronous cooperative multiplayer that allows me to feel like I’m part of a community, building a world from scratch. And the other is a long, confusing, deeply strange movie. The former is pulling most of the weight, but they share equal screen time. And, like a steamer trunk full of sperm, it’s impossible to separate the good from the bad. It’s all in the same box.”

The Verge – “Worth the effort”

“To fully embrace Death Stranding, you have to let go of that desire to know everything. Much like watching Lost or playing pretty much any JRPG, the overall narrative is just a means to an end. It’s a setup for creating dramatic, emotional moments. It’s not always easy to get to those moments, and you’ll have to suspend your disbelief quite often to fully enjoy them, but for a certain kind of player, that long, exhausting journey will be worth the effort.”

Death Stranding releases for PlayStation 4 on November 7th. A PC version is also confirmed for release in 2020. What do you think? Are you looking forward to checking out Death Stranding, or are you waiting for the eventual PC release instead? Let us know in the comments below and be sure to follow Don’t Feed the Gamers on Twitter and Facebook to be informed of the latest gaming and entertainment news as soon as it goes live!