IGN gives Death Stranding a 6.8 review score

[DigitalDuck]

At the end of the day, you cannot definitively say you find something good or bad if you haven't engaged with it in the way you're supposed to. An album can't be judged on the artwork and 30 second preview of its lead single, a film cannot be judged on its trailer, and a game cannot be judged on video previews. Hell, I'd even argue that paintings can't be judged on a Google image result.

You mention all of these and then miss the obvious "don't judge a book by its cover".

 

[jsh020]

Rocco from mega64 summed it up best
“Generation defining game” and “disaster” both being yelled about Death Stranding is about 1000% the best scenario I was hoping for and I’m more excited than ever


To be honest I was actually going to be less hyped if it scored like unanimous good will, cause then I'd be worried the game was just being sugar coated, but hearing its actually divisive? Sign me the fuck up now.

The reviewer sounds like he's annoyed @ being trolled by Kojima and the score reflects that aspect.

And yea, people are really divided across this game...maybe I'll just watch a cutscene compilation. Receptions makes gameplay seems tedious and not narrative/contextually meaningful or rewarding.

But, in the end, I hope Kojima can bounce back from this whole ordeal if it doesn't end favorably for him.

I mean its not like the game got bad reception that he needs bouncing back from, the metacitic is still pretty high at an 84, and that ign review in particular is gonna be one people scrutinize not get swayed by most likely cause it parallels the infamous alien isolation review in ignorance.

 

[Mittens2317]

Look you two, I've already made an end of the day point. You'll have to wait til tomorrow before you can do the same.

And just to clarify, I'm not remotely interested in the game, and reckon Kojima's a fucking weirdo.

EDIT: I was actively trying to avoid that phrase @DigitalDuck.

 

[Van Joel Sandwich]

Rocco from mega64 summed it up best
“Generation defining game” and “disaster” both being yelled about Death Stranding is about 1000% the best scenario I was hoping for and I’m more excited than ever


To be honest I was actually going to be less hyped if it scored like unanimous good will, cause then I'd be worried the game was just being sugar coated, but hearing its actually divisive? Sign me the fuck up now.

Good point.
The devisingness in itself might generate a ton of sales!

 

[red]

looks like shenmue3 might get a better review than a kojima game lol

i will eventually play it but it looks terribly boring..like all the worst parts of mgs5.

i really hope kojima gets a shock with these mixed reviews and drops all the boring/repetitive elements in his next game.. he should set himself a goal like making an action/adventure game which is only 8hours long. i bet a creator at his level could knock out a quality game in 1 year.

 

[You Arcade]

What blows my mind about this forum, well that's not fair, some members on this forum - is that here they are using a low review as confirmation bias whilst ignoring all other reviews, calling the game shit, boring and tedious - all things that people have called Shenmue over the years. Not only that, we now have members willing Kojima to change his vision to please mass audiences (drop the boring stuff)... ON A SHENMUE FORUM. Would you say the same to Yu Suzuki about Shenmue? They applaud Yu Suzuki for not changing his vision and making Shenmue exactly how he wants yet don't do the same with Death Stranding.

Not every game is made for you, if it's not your thing that's fine (though the hilarity of calling it shit without playing it is something else). It blows my mind how the same people championing Shenmue - a very divisive game - are the same people shitting on Death Stranding for being divisive, slow-paced and not your typical shooty bang bang action game.

There's no reason to shit on the game or Kojima. If the game doesn't appeal to you, fine. If you don't like Kojima's vision, fine. But it's the vitriol and unwarranted hate directed at him and this game that's completely unnecessary. By doing this you're literally acting like the toxic people who call Yu Suzuki a scammer and shit on Shenmue for being boring, slow and terrible and give awful reasons to justify it.

 

[9dragons]

I still do not get why the Shenmue and DS comparasions are coming from. I am not fond the game but I a m not a die hard critic either. I have watched every video many times of the game because I was curious, but I could not gain any valid information about it. It looks like a boring open world with movie actors. The game seems to be my worst nightmare to honest. A open world game that combines every aspect of open world games that I do not like.

It seems not to be simulator of a real living world like Shenmue did. It has nothing in common with Shenmue.

And I do not mean that in negative way. Not every game has to be like Shenmue to be liked.

I just do not get why You arcade comparies it with Shenmue. It is nothing like Shenmue. It is the Kojima version of a open world game.

Some people are going to like it some people are not going to like it.

 

[Stiz]

I think... I actually will like this game.

If its gaining "boring" and "mudane" chants then as sad as it may be to admit it, that's right up my street. In open world games, I usually do the boring chasing before the main story. I done it with the Witcher 3 by finding every single ? and doing every sidequest. Heck, I am doing it right now in Horizon Zero Dawn. All of the missions in the "main quest" section don't get touched until I have done everything below it. I scaled every longneck, collected every collectable, did every cauldron, found every campfire and even completed all of the hunting grounds, getting the top achievement for each in doing so. Then it was the errands and side missions, before I finally go back to the main story.

If that's what Death Stranding is, then I will give it a go. I will make it a Christmas buy.

Edit: Should also stress that I've never played a Hideo Kojima game before.

Try past mgs series maybe the nes etc ones and current ones. I have never played mgs 4 or 5 yet I would play this game for similar reasons as you.

 

[You Arcade]

I still do not get why the Shenmue and DS comparasions are coming from. I am not fond the game but I a m not a die hard critic either. I have watched every video many times of the game because I was curious, but I could not gain any valid information about it. It looks like a boring open world with movie actors. The game seems to be my worst nightmare to honest. A open world game that combines every aspect of open world games that I do not like.

It seems not to be simulator of a real living world like Shenmue did. It has nothing in common with Shenmue.

And I do not mean that in negative way. Not every game has to be like Shenmue to be liked.

I just do not get why You arcade comparies it with Shenmue. It is nothing like Shenmue. It is the Kojima version of a open world game.

Some people are going to like it some people are not going to like it.

I have never once compared it with Shenmue at all. You're talking about gameplay elements and how they're different and I have never once mentioned gameplay elements or said they're similar in that regard so I'm confused how you came to that conclusion.

What I'm saying is the same words being used to describe Death Stranding are the same words that have been used against Shenmue when being critiqued (boring, tedious). So I'm saying maybe some people should be a bit more open minded and less toxic to a game they don't like and haven't actually played because they're very quick to defend Shenmue when these words are used. What's boring for some isn't boring for everyone. It's the "objective" comments calling DS shit and boring I'm addressing. It's hypocritical.

 

[9dragons]

It is no thypocritical You can use similar words to be critical towards 2 different games for different reasons though.

Some people might consider Shenmue boring before they do not know what to, or they do not like the lack of action and the slow paced progression with a lack of Action orientated gameplay. This people have a point. Not everybody has to like the 90s adventure like gameplay.

The slow pacement of DS is different. You seem to have no highter goal. You just run through a open world map to deliver stuff. According to gameplay materials I have watched so far that is all you do. The story does not matter that much.

I consider that type of gameplay boring and bland, because it is just the open world trope every world game does today. Not my cup of tea. I am not that type of gamer that enjoys reward based exploration.

I like the type of exploration in Shenmue more, were the exploration is story based. I love to learn more about the characters and the world.

For me Shenmue is master piece, while Death Stranding is a nightmare for me. It is the epitome of everything I hate in modern day games. Well played Kojima. Well played.

But that is just me. For the gamers that love random exploration and collecting items DS may be a masterpiece and Shenmue a nightmare.

Tastes are different. Different people play games for different reasons.

 

[Van Joel Sandwich]

Jesus. Is there some kind of law that forbids comparisons?!
People can compare whatever they want even knowing the games are totaly different.

Even in very different games there are certain aspects you can compare, and/or similarities you can relate to.
I don't see nothing wrong with that.

What blows my mind about this forum, well that's not fair, some members on this forum - is that here they are using a low review as confirmation bias whilst ignoring all other reviews, calling the game shit, boring and tedious - all things that people have called Shenmue over the years. Not only that, we now have members willing Kojima to change his vision to please mass audiences (drop the boring stuff)... ON A SHENMUE FORUM. Would you say the same to Yu Suzuki about Shenmue? They applaud Yu Suzuki for not changing his vision and making Shenmue exactly how he wants yet don't do the same with Death Stranding.

Not every game is made for you, if it's not your thing that's fine (though the hilarity of calling it shit without playing it is something else). It blows my mind how the same people championing Shenmue - a very divisive game - are the same people shitting on Death Stranding for being divisive, slow-paced and not your typical shooty bang bang action game.

There's no reason to shit on the game or Kojima. If the game doesn't appeal to you, fine. If you don't like Kojima's vision, fine. But it's the vitriol and unwarranted hate directed at him and this game that's completely unnecessary. By doing this you're literally acting like the toxic people who call Yu Suzuki a scammer and shit on Shenmue for being boring, slow and terrible and give awful reasons to justify it.

Also man. Is worth knowing that some people here are not saying the game is boring.
The boringness aspect was brought up because some reviewrs mentioned it.
Nobody here played the game yet.

Also Nº 2, this is a general gaming forum, I don't get why are you all worked up over what people say or think about ds.

Relax dude. :)

 

[You Arcade]

It is no thypocritical You can use similar words to be critical towards 2 different games for different reasons though.

Some people might consider Shenmue boring before they do not know what to, or they do not like the lack of action and the slow paced progression with a lack of Action orientated gameplay. This people have a point. Not everybody has to like the 90s adventure like gameplay.

The slow pacement of DS is different. You seem to have no highter goal. You just run through a open world map to deliver stuff. According to gameplay materials I have watched so far that is all you do. The story does not matter that much.

I consider that type of gameplay boring and bland, because it is just the open world trope every world game does today. Not my cup of tea. I am not that type of gamer that enjoys reward based exploration.

I like the type of exploration in Shenmue more, were the exploration is story based. I love to learn more about the characters and the world.

For me Shenmue is master piece, while Death Stranding is a nightmare for me. It is the epitome of everything I hate in modern day games. Well played Kojima. Well played.

But that is just me. For the gamers that love random exploration and collecting items DS may be a masterpiece and Shenmue a nightmare.

Tastes are different. Different people play games for different reasons.

Exactly, thanks for proving my point. That is your subjective opinion. You're literally agreeing with everything I said. My only issue is with the narrow minded people who are objectively calling Death Stranding a shit and boring game (without playing it) because of some unfounded hate... or something. If you are not saying Death Stranding is an objectively awful game (you're not) then my post isn't directed at you.

You're a hypocrite if you're going to call DS objectively boring, shit and tedious (which members have done in this thread) and then defend Shenmue when others call Shenmue those things. What is boring for some isn't boring for everyone. There's no such thing as objectively boring. There are members in this thread that can't comprehend why people would like DS and that blows my mind on a Shenmue forum. I understand not liking a game that doesn't appeal to you. I don't understand vitriol and toxicity directed at other developers and games for reasons many people have criticised Shenmue for.

Also man. Is worth knowing that some people here are not saying the game is boring.
The boringness aspect was brought up because some reviewrs mentioned it.
Nobody here played the game yet.

Also Nº 2, this is a general gaming forum, I don't get why are you all worked up over what people say or think about ds.

Relax dude. :)

I'm perfectly relaxed thanks. It just makes me raise an eyebrow when members are allowed to troll threads spouting the same toxicity people direct at Shenmue and somehow get away with it because it happens to be a different game.

The vitriol and hate directed at this game and Kojima by one particular member in this thread is incredibly hypocritical and I'm going to call it out when I see it because it's no better than what you'd expect on the Shenmue 3 Kickstarter comments. Literally go back to the first page and see the shit Zoltor was saying. I just expected better from the members here especially under the circumstances.

 

[mjqjazzbar]

Seeing how fervently you defended sonic forces and now make this statement, you have to be a troll.

Haha, the fuck? I bought that game hoping it'd be a fun disposable experience, and I couldn't even bother with it after an hour. It plays itself.

 

[jsh020]

one of the reviewers that continues to be the one of very few that ever seems to bring up the contrast between thematic intent and the product itself, has probably the most rounded review of them all right now with alot of proper justification for what the game is going for an who its for.

Not just cause its gonna be huber reviewing it so he knows what the franchise is like, but this type of review is a good example of how I feel their review for 3 will go, in many ways death stranding does feel like a modern day shenmue in terms of what its going for, a big budget risk that prides itself on the mundane, an intentionally divisive game that isnt going for all around thrills and from the sounds of it, hits alot of the same notes of the in between moments of excitement feel all the more memorable because of that contrast with the mundane.

 

[danielmann861]

I think...I'm gonna hate the fuck out of Death Stranding.

Based on everything I've read and heard, the game just seems like a system's heavy chore. Not to mention I already had a bit of a raised eyebrow towards the "deep" storyline it's supposedly peddling. But more than that, the fact that I'm hearing it takes 20 hours or so to pick up or reveal itself just screams "thanks but no thanks" for me...I'm so tired of games outstaying their welcome. I felt the same way (a little) towards RDR2 last year (although not as badly).

I don't know, the more I hear, the less I care about this game or even making an effort to play it. Maybe I'll watch some streamers play it or just check out the cut scenes on YT when they inevitably get uploaded just to see what the hell it's all about. But the gameplay loop does absolutely nothing for me. And I don't know if I can justify 20 or 30 hours just to get to a "point" where it might make a hint of sense. Especially when there are other games out there bidding for my time right now. I'd rather play Yakuza 3 and 4 again in this brief in between time before Shenmue III. Or maybe start The Outer Worlds. Or maybe play some more of Catherine Full Body. Or get a start on Persona 5 The Royale when it arrives. There are just other games out there that take my fancy over DS at the moment.

Hate to say it, but I feel like this game is what happens when you let Kojima off the leash in the worst way.

 

[SCQ]

one of the reviewers that continues to be the one of very few that ever seems to bring up the contrast between thematic intent and the product itself, has probably the most rounded review of them all right now with alot of proper justification for what the game is going for an who its for.

Not just cause its gonna be huber reviewing it so he knows what the franchise is like, but this type of review is a good example of how I feel their review for 3 will go, in many ways death stranding does feel like a modern day shenmue in terms of what its going for, a big budget risk that prides itself on the mundane, an intentionally divisive game that isnt going for all around thrills and from the sounds of it, hits alot of the same notes of the in between moments of excitement feel all the more memorable because of that contrast with the mundane.

Easy Allies do great reviews. They're the only channel I go to for them.

 

[Yokosuka]

Digital Foundry made an excellent review too. From the man who reviewed Shenmue 1 and Shenmue 2 in Digital Retro.

 

[Zoltor]

I think...I'm gonna hate the fuck out of Death Stranding.

Based on everything I've read and heard, the game just seems like a system's heavy chore. Not to mention I already had a bit of a raised eyebrow towards the "deep" storyline it's supposedly peddling. But more than that, the fact that I'm hearing it takes 20 hours or so to pick up or reveal itself just screams "thanks but no thanks" for me...I'm so tired of games outstaying their welcome. I felt the same way (a little) towards RDR2 last year (although not as badly).

I don't know, the more I hear, the less I care about this game or even making an effort to play it. Maybe I'll watch some streamers play it or just check out the cut scenes on YT when they inevitably get uploaded just to see what the hell it's all about. But the gameplay loop does absolutely nothing for me. And I don't know if I can justify 20 or 30 hours just to get to a "point" where it might make a hint of sense.

Hate to say it, but I feel like this game is what happens when you let Kojima off the leash in the worst way.

Yea Kojima is someone who "needs" the leash to keep in in check, and atleast somewhat on track.

Some peaople in the industry, especially "ideas men" like Kojika, need someone to rein them in.

Atleast Kojima didn't make tons of BS promises like sean mury, so it could of been worse.

 

[danielmann861]

Well Shenmue is an example of letting Yu Suzuki off the leash...and I love Shenmue. So I don't think it's always a bad idea to let people re invent the wheel. That's the thing with letting people off the leash, you either get genius or mixed results (I mean Shenmue was much the same; some loved it, some hated it at the time.)

I think my problem with DS is more so the fact that it seems so systems heavy that is just looks tedious to play. It looks like a chore and lately I've been in a bit of a head space where I've come to the realisation that if I'm not enjoying playing a game I'm not gonna bother putting the effort into finishing it. For instance, I still haven't finished Control because quite frankly it did nothing for me and I couldn't justify the game loop waiting for it to click. I didn't bother finishing RAGE 2 because it again, it did nothing for me. I didn't even bother finishing Devil May Cry 5 because I found parts of it to be a chore.

I used to be all about trying to finish everything I played. But lately, I find I just don't have the patience. Based on everything I've seen, DS looks like it's gonna test my patience in every way.

Watching some of the Giant Bomb Quick Look footage earlier and seeing the load out screens pre delivery was enough to make me say "oh fuck, really?" Then the game play loop of traverse empty waste land delivering packages...I'm so fucking tired of copy/paste open worlds as is, so now you're gonna give me a vast empty dreary wasteland and have me traverse it for 20 hours waiting for your point to emerge? Fuck that, I've got better games to play that will give me more joy in the 20 hours it takes for DS to warm up. I can supposedly play through The Outer Worlds in that time and get a complete experience.

But I think the final nail in the coffin for me actually came from the Easy Allies review...the one thing I was holding out hope for was that the boss battles looked semi interesting and I thought "okay, maybe that could be the saving grace to me" but to hear Easy Allies describe them as the weakest part of the game killed it for me. The one hope I was clutching onto is supposedly the weakest element of the game? Great! So this really is just Kevin Costner's The Postman in Video Game form.

So I think I will wait for DS to go on sale before jumping in. But it's freed up November considerably. Now I've only got Shenmue III to worry about since Doom Eternal got delayed and DS looks like a "skip for now."

That's great, I want more time free to spend with Shenmue III above all else.

 

[Stiz]

JorRaptor skill up gamingbolt all youtube reviews for the game.