You need to finish the game. I felt everything you felt before episode 3. I have now played about 100 hours and beat the game. It is a surreal and DEEPLY emotional experience. I feel I affected the game world more so than almost any other game I've played. I cant even count how many times I realized I had to cross a really dangerous stretch of terrain again to complete a mission only to realize that a group of people built a literal highway that allowed me to stay safe when I was in danger and had no protection. The theme is about connection in its truest form. You cannot achieve the same experience I had with this game until you commit to completing it. I watch reviews to get information to make sound decisions but if I listened to this review after you played less than 25% of the game I would be depriving myself of an experience that I otherwise would cherish and enjoy. I do like your music creations, keep up the talented work you do.
I really enjoy the perspective on 'thumbing down' a game, you can still respect and appreciate the hard work that goes into games, but sometimes it just doesn't entirely work out
Nothing's for everyone. This is the most addictive game i've played since I picked up that stupid cocaine of a game called rocket league. I love the gameplay of death stranding. It's quite meditative. I'd say if someone enjoyed no mans sky for example, then they'll probably love this.
Ne10 2718 I’ve found it a bit odd these days when you often hear people say that you have to wait x many hours before it gets really good. Why? Why should I have to play through that amount of not as good game until it gets enjoyable?
@Ne10 2718 dude the game wasn't given for free. It has a price of 60$. So i have to wait for 12 hrs to have fun with a game that i solely purchased with the intent of having fun?
This was such a well thought out intricate video. You can tell how much Nick wanted to like this game but just couldn’t get there. I’m sad to see this game not turn out to be a masterpiece. But at least some people may enjoy the story
The game is indeed a masterpiece to people with a different point of view. For me it is simply the most incredible gaming experience I've ever had, and for many, it will be their worst. That's just the nature of this beast.
Im loving the gameplay, its all about balancing and traversing land with sci-fi elements in the story, i love being a UPS/wifi installation guy with a baby in a world i dont completely understand
Now you might not be wrong, but I've seen comments like this on YT a million times, if it's a divisive release, you really gotta play it to decide if it's quality. People put way too much stock in online influencers opinions.
After playing 60+ hours, I do agree this could have been an interesting series/film (If only Kojima allowed an other writter than himself to flesh out the story in a less convoluted and pretentious fashion).
Story sucks (plot is pretty good but the dialogue ruins it) gameplay is at the very least original but is straight up amazing If you dont do everything the most simple and tedious way. The game mechanics actually give you the means to express yourself through the gameplay and it's been funny to see how people, even those who say they like it, reveal that they have a lack of curiosity and playfulness when they play games and then they act like all you do in this game is walk and then you watch a movie. And before you say I'm a kojima fanboy I'll let you know that I wasn't, but I'm incredibly excited to see what he does now.
I had a lot more fun with it When the online part kicked in Seeing all this stuff get put into places And having help when u connect the networks and having stuff build by other player and making moving around a lot more fun help
Loving the game reviews :') Doesn't sound like the game I wanted it to be but I might give it a go. I do enjoy cinematic games to a certain extent and I'm glad I watched your review before getting it cause I feel like I'd be disappointing if I went in expecting it to be more of a game that a cinematic experience.
I'm telling you right now. The game is more of a game than a cinematic experience. Chapter 3 and on is super gameplay heavy and the story kinda takes a backseat.
Have you ever played a metal gear solid game? Kojima is a huge fan of film, and his games tell a story. Long cut scenes of story are pretty much one of his staples. I don't know why you would find it comical for him to add a character name with their voice actor, and for the music. To say you don't care even is a little offputting. It sounds like you have a specific criteria for what you're looking for in a game, and just don't like his style. I give him credit as a creator for going out on a limb and trying to create something different. Rather than cater to the masses and what "Sells".
Zen Zen I think 1 was great I liked 2 just as much (although I know a lot of people don’t) And 3 I think was perfect one of my favorite games of all time. 4 was a slight let down, 5 was fun and I played the hell out of it although even though it wasn’t finished I still thought the story was really lacking
Zen Zen no 😹I clearly just said three was a perfect game. I think the writing in the first three games is just as good if not better than the gameplay. I look forward to the next long cutscene to see what happened next. I won’t argue about 4 and 5 sorry the guy didn’t pump out perfect games 5 out of 5 times but even with 4 and 5s problem they re still great game
At about 6 hours in, it hasn't grabbed me either. I like it. The story is interesting, but the gameplay loop isn't really exciting me. You can backtrack to complete lost cargo deliveries, but I just groan at the thought of it. Supposedly it is supposed to get better after 9 hours.
So don't grab lost cargo, only if it's on the way to your main destination. There will always be lost cargo from other players no matter what, you don't get a lot from delivering it. Focus on Sam's deliveries & the side deliveries you can do, only if they're on the way. Otherwise you're hindering your own progress. You'll be getting gear in a few hours that allow you to carry more, run fast, jump far, new bikes & trucks to help you on your journeys.
To be fair, most of the criticism here seems to stem from you wanting different things out of a game than Death Stranding has to offer, rather than the game actually falling short. In my eyes, it wasn't trying to hit the notes which personally appeal to you in a game. It was made to be niche, and so niche is what it is. I will say that the lack of difficulty is admittedly weird. I've heard that from every reviewer I've watched, and I'm starting to notice it myself, although I am really early in. You can't really say that was the intention with the game, because DS actually has a difficulty setting, so it's clearly supposed to give players a struggle on some level when you have that on hard, which I do. Aside from that, though, I don't know if much of these points can truly be considered flaws so much as personal grievances. Which is fine, I definitely think the game isn't for everyone, and besides, you're reviewing the game, so of course you're going to give your own personal opinion. Duh. Still, I'm around 11 hours in, and I haven't even gotten past the third Knot yet because I've been so engrossed in the gameplay loop and making sure all the scattered cargo in the world ends up where it needs to. It's almost like trimming a Bonsai Tree in that way. Sure, it doesn't sound fun from an outside perspective, but if you take the time to really immerse yourself in it, you'll find yourself transported to this oddly meditative place. If that's your sort of thing, anyway. Honestly, I was really worried about how much this game looked like a walking simulator through the trailers, but now that I actually have it, I've realized I was a bit off. It's a walking simulator, but in the same sense that an FPS is a shooting simulator. And, surprisingly, it's actually a really damn good one in my eyes. I can definitely see how it wouldn't be what everyone wants out of a game though. As for not having any decisions that affect the game... I don't really see how this is an objective downside. This is how a lot of games play out. It's not the only way you can feel connected to a character or a world. Even still, I can understand why you feel that makes it less of a game. However, inversely, I think delivering cargo as Sam actually is a big part of what engrosses you in the characters and the world, and that's entirely gameplay. Even if it isn't conventional gameplay. So, yeah. I can see where you're coming from, but I'm loving my time with the game so far. I just wanted to leave this here in case anyone saw this review and might now be deciding against getting the game solely because of it. I still loved hearing your thoughts though, and I look forward to more reviews!
I was expecting so much more from this game. At least gameplaywise. And a bit of a more diverse landscape. Like more stuff to see or stuff like more deep caves. But i really enjoy it so far. I think it functions very good at what it is and you habe to put some taughts and planning into it. Especially if you consider that death means an explosion that leaves a crate in the ground. I am not disapointet about the game. But i am sad that most people are CASUAL players and dont understand the appeal from games like FIREWATCH, GONE HOME, THE REMAININGS OF EDITH FINCH and so on. And this game is somewhere there i guess. So most people taught it would be something more INTERESTING.
Yeah you hit the nail. I tell everyone, I by no means have never played a Kojima game and was never hyped about getting this game but I was very interested. Once I saw gameplay, I did immediately think I'd get bored and didn't want anything to do with it but once I bought it and played it, I literally can't put it down. It's very immersive and calming, gives you the sense of accomplishment when you've gone through that tough journey. Once yhe online aspect comes into play for me the game gets even better since the theme is about connections, you really feel like other players are on this journey with you and it sort of motivates and encourages you to help out others on their journey. Bottom line, I love this game so much and I'm glad I just kept an open mind while playing it!! So I wouldn't tell everyone to buy it because it isn't for everyone but I would say if you're interested to keep an open mind and just play it for the experience.
i know playing on hard, his complaint that the bts and whatnot didn't damage his cargo considerably is null on hard. i literally lose cargo if i get caught in the tar at all so you have to be more careful and pay attention to danger zones
Auron Silverburgh VGM let me tell you that I loved firewatch, in fact this channel used to be called Firewatch Wyoming lol. But DS is nothing like Firewatch imo. Firewatch engages you while you play the game, the story/mystery unravels while you play, so walking and discovering the environment, clues etc is engaging DS doesn’t do that, it segregates the cinematics and the gameplay, and the gameplay is not well thought out at all. To the person that originally wrote this comment, I’d argue that there are several objective downsides that I haven’t seen countered by DS fans. The mechanics and mission design obviously, are basic. This wouldn’t matter, but every mechanic you encounter as the game unravels is equally lacking in depth. The combat is very poor, you just press square. The driving is poor, the way every tiny rock acts like a brick wall is really poor. If the driving has to be like that, then the map needs less rocks, or alternatively, driving should be realistic, where you can drive over small rocks. Instead, you have this awkward no man’s land for the driving mechanics, where it looks like you should be able to traverse large parts of the landscape in a vehicle, but you can’t due to poor design that delivers unintuitive gameplay. Due to this, I had to abandon my first bike after minutes of getting it - my first real reward after hours of grinding! The weapons seem equally unimaginative. To be fair, I only got up to the first weapons which were grenades, but they function as any other grenade despite the whacky concept behind them. This is a great example of interesting narrative not translating into good gameplay. You shouldn’t have to play hours and hours to unlock standard grenades as a ‘reward’. This is poor pacing. The lack of variety in missions is also made worse by how dead the world is. It doesn’t matter if that’s the point, because the developers knew America is dead in this universe from the get go. Kojima developed this barren universe, but it doesn’t translate into an interesting world for gameplay - this just bolsters what the guy said in the video. Also there are inconsistencies - like there being animals in the original cut scene and yet there aren’t any as the game goes along. A few animals could have added to the atmosphere, especially considering the lack of NPCs to bring variety. On top of all of this, the game doesn’t even do the basic thing it’s all about very well - walking. As he showed at the start of the video, the animations are dreadful. His feet go through mounds and rocks and they haven’t even bothered to make the animations/physics for him walking on small rocks. Instead you have to climb over every tiny rock which is very clunky. If a studio like Naughty Dog did a game like this, Sam would be able to walk over rocks in a realistic fashion, he’d lean on big rocks as he walked past, he’d squeeze between tight gaps. Nathan Drake walking through the desert in Uncharted 3 had better walking physics than DS - and that’s a game from the last generation of consoles! I think if you cast an objective eye over the gameplay in DS, you see that it’s well below the standard for a AAA game. You may like it, but that’s because you’ve got into like watching a soap opera with one of your parents - it doesn’t make it good.
@@debunkingstupidity1335 I just want you to know I do have a response to your comment. Actually, I find your words to be very well thought out. You articulated yourself particularly proficiently too. I also appreciate how respectful you were. Well, up until you equated my enjoyment of DS to liking some soap opera, but I digress. I understand this topic is probably as important to you as it is myself, and it's easy to get heated in such cases, so I'm not upset or anything of the sort. I'm actually very thankful for how calm you were for the rest of your reply. Still, I want to give my own reply the attention and deliberation your comment deserves from it. Unfortunately, right now I have plans with family, and then I sleep shortly thereafter. Only to awaken and immediately head off to work. Needless to say, I won't be able to get back to you straight away, but I wanted to let you know that I will respond as soon as I can. I really appreciate the discussion, and while I have my own thoughts on the topics you bring up, I respect your opinions. I can tell you've given this a lot of consideration. Until I'm able to give my full response, I hope you do well!
Enjoyed your review, I must admit I'm hooked. I love optimising my deliveries and mastering all the systems in place plus it definitely goes in more interesting directions as it goes on adding more challenging elements and conditions to deal with. I can completely see why many if not most people will hate this though but am personally glad to see it myself.
@Gary McMichael Just because you didn't like the game doesn't mean other people don't enjoy it buddy. I'm not a fan of strategy or RTS games doesn't mean they're garbage games, they're just not for me. You don't have to put someone down just for liking something thats just sad.
@Gary McMichael That's a weird way of putting it. Yeah mastering a system in a game is something you do in all games but so is beating it. But it's still a vastly different experience depending on the game. I can see how someone can enjoy this though. It kind of remind me of how some people hate Animal Crossing and others spend several thousand hours on it.
@Gary McMichael Because you clearly disagree with the idea of someone liking the game, you seem to assume that this comment could only come from someone on the developing team. You even go as far to try and make it seem like his point of mastering the game isn't an actual point. Which by the way didn't make any sense like I pointed out.
@Gary McMichael Translation: I have nothing to say regarding the argument so I'm going to make a complete ass of myself in the comments. LMFAO dude just STFU and go back to your little hole.
I'm glad you're honest and don't sugarcoat your judgement of this game. A lot of critics have been pretentious af reviewing this game because they're afraid of the backlash.
I recently picked this game up and I’ve been playing through it thoroughly. I can’t really explain why, but it’s kind of addictive now delivering cargo, especially now that I’m at the point where I can use vehicles and I have weapons and accessories to help me get to my destination unharmed. The challenge is there and unless you adapt you won’t survive. I in turn do feel you, the player, make a difference in the game. Maybe not so much in the story, however, I honestly believe that if it wasn’t for Sam, Bridges would never be able to connect all those places to the chiral network, but in gameplay, as you come and go from distros and shelters where you deliver cargo, each NPC commends your service, and they even send you e-mails in-game after you’ve delivered your stuff to them to tell you how thankful they are for you. It’s all pre-scripted stuff but somehow it does feel personally designated because you really do put all that effort into delivering packages, so it feels earned, especially when you’re rewarded with new gadgets. And speaking of the emails, in the same menu system there’s a tab where you get to read all kinds of logs which unlock throughout the game, and they all delve deeper into the lore of the world of Death Stranding. Of course, not many gamers will be into reading a bunch of walls of texts, so I get how that gets lost on some. Overall, I’m enjoying every facet of the game, even though I have my frustrating moments at times, and I hope you’ve given it a bit more of a chance in the past few years, Nick, because I feel it does get better.
I really enjoy your review videos. You really paint a picture and explore every aspect to a game that any fellow fan would like to hear before a purchase. Once again pogo keep up the good content 👌
Their is a lot of wordplay in this game. The presidents name is Bridget Strand. You know... Bridge and Stranding. Fragile works for Fragile Express. So on and so forth.
Idk why Bridges is their name but the the development of the BB's happened after the Bridges corporation was established but the name I believe isn't related. The terrorists still refer to them as BB's because I think the name states its function rather than its origin. That's the impression I got from the games exposition and from the wiki.
This is the single highest quality review i ever seen yet, not only by speaking professionally but also putting emphasis on what you feel about it. I hope you may one day review one of the Halo games, any you prefer.
@@tiernanstevens117 Well that's great. Having a different opinion is what makes us human. :D I'm defiantly disappointed in Death Stranding because it showed a lot a promise, not that it's a bad game, just a lot more boring than I expected. :\
@@zerotalentstudios4105 No, it is absolutely a masterpiece. POGO wasn't even quarterway done with the game & he's been shoving these game reviews out quick lately. An opinion/discussion is fine saying you're mixed on it, but normally you finish a product before doing a full review of it. You don't watch half a movie & post a review online & then everybody follows Sue.
I think the thing with this game is Kojima intended it for a niche audience. I think it's perfectly fine for people not to like this game. I personally am really enjoying it. But I do understand why Nick doesn't enjoy Death Stranding and that's ok. I think it's a great game in my eyes!
It started way before 2019. I don't know why people are noticing this now. If anything, I'd say it started in 2008 when the Uncharted games were getting popular. I think those games set a very bad precedent for game developers: "Our game doesn't need solid design. It just needs a good story. Players will forgive a half-assed game as long as we write a good story."
Man.............this youtube is attracting more and more quality people. You are just straight to the fact unlike many reviewers just goofing around and cant even formulate a opinion even if its against the tide or dont know why they like this game.
Only honest review I seen on this. Thanks. All the others seem to imply that if you don't enjoy it or give it 10/10 then somehow you just don't "get it" or get "the vision". Just confirms my impression that it looks pretty tedious.
I agree. I've been scrolling through these comments and there seems to be quite a bit of negativity. A lot of them are like this: "You only played 12 hours? The game doesn't get good until like 30 hours." It's like people like having their time wasted. It's very weird to see statements like that, and they are just accepted as normal. It's frustrating because I want to give Death Stranding a chance. It looks like a weird story to get immersed in, but the gameplay just looks so dull. It reminds me of when I played the Last of Us: forced myself to play through its crappy pseudo-stealth TPS mechanics just so I could get to the next cutscene. Personally, for a game to be worth my money, it needs to be doing the exact opposite: making me want to skip all the cutscenes, so I can get to the next gameplay segment.
Hey, loved the review, but something you may not have noticed is every player shares the world you play in - your contributions to improving the world by building roads and ziplines actually help other players in their journey - I think this adds a lot of interactivity and is a really cool concept in a game, doesn't completely save it though
Death Stranding is such a weird game. I found it very addictive I can't explain why. If was to tell myself past self what I'd be doing in the game I'd say: "Wow, that sounds like the most boring thing ever" and yet here I am giving it a 9/10. The desire to 5 star all the camps, run perfect deliveries and build/upgrade structures overshadowed the realisation that I'm just doing the same tedious thing over and over again. This is the one game I can completely understand if anyone were to give it a bad rating.
felt the same thing after 12 hours of game play but when the online feat kicks in, i started enjoying the game.. i created a gun and raided bases,, helping others create a huge bridge...just like the game said, its a game connecting with others... my next target is making a car...
Sad to say, I agree it's a thumbs down. The moment I got to control the character, I was amazed by the terrain, bumps, rocks soft/hard/wet surfaces and my mind was sent back to when I would go on nature walks. Finding the best path, solid footsteps, avoiding rocks and balancing yourself. I pushed forward on the controller, and Sam was stumbling all over the place, falling over stuff I totally saw as good terrain, and totally broke my immersion of hiking in this beautiful scenery... :'( It had potental, but it seems Kojima wanted to make a movie more than a game. :P
While I absolutely loved this game, I really respect your review. I’ve seen a lot of reviews that aren’t fair in their analysis, but you remained objective toward the game itself. Great review! Wish you could have enjoyed it like some of the rest of us.
As someone who stayed till 12am to play the game at midnight when it released i agree a lot with this review. I definitely felt the same way with repetitive gameplay but i'm glad you mentioned how you thought about the sound design. Where i start to disagree is as the game went on i started to enjoy the gameplay a lot more. With different options on how to complete tasks i found it wasn't as difficult as those first hours of frustrations. Alas i thought the story's ending and the overall 2nd part of the game the better half. I hope you finish the game to see the rest of the story, if not, i hope you at least watch it on YT.
I appreciate it so much when people give their honest opinions about games, I get the feeling some people (even if they deep inside know they might not like it as much as they want to) might be defending this game calling it goty/a masterpiece all the way just for the fact that it's made by Kojima so the game can't be anything less that brilliant. I personally don't see the need to involve real actors in games, I play games as an escape from reality, not to see familiar faces from movies/series, it's distracting enough at least for me. I prefer games like Ico/Shadow of the Colossus/The Last Guardian, Okami, Nier etc, that focuses more on telling stories by visual artwork, music and events to trigger emotions. But everyone is different with different tastes :)
Todays gamers?, imagine if shadow of the colossus was realise today, like a new title, i don't tink the game will have the same acceptance than the past decade, sorry for mi English, i love shadow of the colossus but the gamers of today are not the same of before gamers, the mecanic of shadow of the colossus is simple and irritating some times, and empty world whit nothing more that fruits and lizards, but is wonderful, whit a very simple history, bus is one of the best games of ps2 and videogame history, what is the problem whit death stranding?,or the problem is us?
For those who think it’s trash it’s just not your kind of game . But it’s a awesome game to me . The story is just amazing . Okay the gameplay is kind of time consuming. But it’s because of how the story is told so I understand it .
I didn't know you did game review. and I have to thank you for tempering my hatred for this game. I was so frustrated and disappointed with it but I couldn't explain why. you captured most of what I was feeling.
Cut scenes always look good. When sam is sitting in the room where he showers may look amazing...., but isint that a cut scene? You don't have control of the character, it is a qte minus the q. When you take control it looks like red dead or any other current gen game.... Actually some times it looks like a blurry mess.
Whoa whoa you can't and I mean can't review this game until you finish it. This game gets super fun going into chapter 3. The gameplay opens up wide. Every mission introduces a new Mechanic and by chapter 4 and on this game is just incredible. I don't blame people for not liking the first 2 chapters it is a grind but if you embrace the Story and the world the game is building you'll love the experience. (BTW never played a MGS game and didn't even know who Kojima was until this game)
I'm sorry buddy but we just don't agree. No one purchasing a video game for $99AUD should be expected to slog through 12 hours of hiking and cinematics before their purchase actually unfolds into a game. That's like a Ferrari that only opens up at 70mph after you've floored it for 10 seconds. That's crap. I'd have much preferred Death Stranding as a Netflix series -- I'd even buy the Blu-ray set if there was one -- but as a game it doesn't involve the player when it's given more than enough time to do so.
@@Pogomix I'm not arguing against what you said. I do agree that the first 2 chapters are asking wayy to much as gamer but still in just personal belief I don't think anyone should review anything until it's been completed. I wouldn't watch a review of someone who only watched a hour of a movie. I just think that as a gamer you would enjoy the next half of the game.
I also hate how a lot of the missions feel like silly excuses to stretch out the gameplay. I actually wish they would add a feature to skip gameplay entirely for those who just want the story.
Half-Life 2 was an amazing linear game. I have no problem with linear games. I have a problem with games that don't put the player in the driver's seat. If the player isn't a priority and the core game isn't interactive then why am I playing it?
How do you not feel that you are contributing anything to the world? Building roads, bridges, safe houses, timefall shelters, making pathways; the point of the whole game is contributing to the world, and assisting other players in their struggles.
I wanted to give you the benefit of the doubt when you said you just finished playing twelve hours, in that you meant a twelve hour gameplay session; but it seems like that's all that you played of the game. If you think that's all you need to play of a game that is clearly longer than that, then how can anyone trust your reviews?
It looks like a massively pretentious bunch of toss. $60 for a movie is insane, and even if it's walking simulator, the balancing system means that even that simple operation is a total PITA. This is the game equivalent of a sawed in half sheep or a can of poop being displayed as art. So Kojima wants to do art - it doesn't mean anyone should pay for it. Good review.
I felt like DS was pretty immersive in a way that I could feel the agony Sam was in when I played the game. It was an interesting experience to play a game which was not a pleasure to play, but was a pleasure to beat.
I personally think this game is absolute genius, but i understand the flaws people find. I also think it has every intention of feeling like work as you said. Through collective efforts everyone is contributing towards a better world, and its damn addicting. Finishing someones project, or stealing back lost cargo for someone you dont know feels great. Tie this to the visuals sound and story, and it becomes an experience that few games can even compare to. I think every critisism you gave is 100% valid, but if you were to come at this game with your guard down, and delete every expectation of what a game should be. You might find a bit more enjoyment. But thats just me.
Played DMC5? You enjoy it? RDR2? In those game it's a flip book storyline, go ahead tell me how many outcomes RDR2 has. I dare you. Death Stranding is a fun game and the story is fantastic.
*Kojima Fans:* "OMG Kojima's storytelling is so deep!" *Kojima:* Calls a baby a BB. Calls these phantoms 'beach things'. Creates a game that's just one giant fetch quest.
yeah i thought same at first and then the confusion with the word bridge Bridge baby sam porter bridges BRIDGES company the bridge falling and killing a hospital THEN LONDON BRIDGES FALLING DOWN PLAYING AT ROAD PAVERS !!! he is obsessed with bridges!!!
Lol, you accidentally described what the gameplay is all about: you are not empowered, you are not a hero, you are not here to enjoy, you are here to be bored and exhausted. This game is not about fun, in the way the chimera in The Last Guardian is not your pet but a creature with it‘s own will. Death Stranding is a giant meta joke about video games. I respect the notion that gamers want to have fun and I think your review is really good btw. Keep on keepin‘ on.
I like the story but the game reminds me of Assassin's Creed 1. You do a mission that takes you to point B, go back to point A and repeat. I'm mid game and got my first weapon.
12 hours thru this game is just the start , the game starting to get better and better later on, but like you said it's not for everyone to enjoy, but as a gamer this is different , this is a new experiance for all of us. as gamer i think this game deserve a great score.
It's just my opinion but if a game can't get fun in 12 hours then I can't rationalize playing it for 30+. We've got better games to play and better things to do. :)
Consider this man.. You gave a review on a 45-50 hour game at the 12 hour mark, which means you probably around 1/4 done with the game. You just scratched the surface. Please consider completing the game, and then making another review.
Consider this: If a game can't get fun in 12 hours, why are you trying to rationalize playing it for 30+? Don't you have better games to play and better things to do?
@@Pogomix I don't think a good game has to be fun for it to be good. Is a game like Dark Souls fun? No, not really. Fun games are good, but not all good games are fun. Thinking that fun needs to be a requirement for a game to be considered good is very 1-dimensional don't you think? I think Death Stranding is a great game, because it's interesting, immersive, original, and rewarding.
'You don't have any impact on the world' you actually have more than any other game ever.... but you didnt get far enough to see that. You didnt see the boss battles, you didnt even get to the most challenging terrain....
Really loving these game reviews Nick. Your talents give you such an amazing perspective and you articulate exactly what we need as gamers and how the game either delivers or falls short. Please keep doing these!
Tbf I don’t think the game was setting out to be fun. Let’s be real: most walking simulators aren’t that fun. It’s walking around. It’s meant to be like an experience, like most walking simulators are. People over hyped it thinking it was going to be a fun fantastic adventure open world game. You have to know what this game is when you are going in if you really want to enjoy this game
You paid a hundred dollars for it? just go to JB HiFi, they're selling it for 69 dollars. Atm, I reached port knot city and I'm loving it. It's a simple, meditative experience with the goal of giving, unlike 99% of games today, which is mostly killing and taking. I appreciate the message it's trying to tell. The cargo system (including its tools) makes me even more intrigued and motivated to see what happens when I master it, and attain more tools to make traverse easier for myself and others.
This review irritates me. I get you dont like linear story games, but thats just a you thing and its such a huge point throughout your review. The fact the story is linear doesnt make its bad. The fact that it is linear means it can curate it’s engagement and it is engaging. I feel the only real point in this review is delivering is dumb. But everyones heard that a million times over before you.
My gripe isn't with linear games. Linear games can be fantastic. My gripe is with games that don't put the player in the driver's seat. Worse is a game that does but still doesn't let you touch the steering wheel.
Your review is 100% correct I think kojima stretch the gameplay too much.. it's feel so borring after chapter 3.. i lost my interest completely.. but visuals are mindblowing. But then those over techy menus and work as a FedEx is disgusting.. lol 🤦
I know that a lot of people were hyped for Death Stranding's announcement because of the amazingly weird and ambiguous premise that was shown in the launch trailer. But when I was reminded that this game existed only two weeks before its release, and nothing was still really shown about the game itself, you got the feeling that there was going to be a great deal left to be desired. Watching this video gave me more entertainment than your twelve hours playtime from the sounds of it, so thanks for the video Nick :)
Gameplay isn't the be-all and end-all for me, by any stretch. I play and enjoy a lot of visual novels, whose only merit is their storytelling and characters. What I won't put up with, however, is gameplay that is frustrating and tedious-no matter how good the story is.
But its not reality, you wanna know what the common man does in videogames? They play it to DISTRACT AND GET LOST IN A WORLD, if they wanted to get reminded of their daily stress then what the fucks the point
I do find it a bit odd how one can like Red Dead Redemption 2 and not like Death Stranding. The games suffer from the same problem - unnecessary realism.
I don't agree. RDR2 gives you the freedom to essentially live your own life. Death Stranding wants you to drive a Ferrari around a cul-de-sac and only if it can keep a hand on the wheel. The problem with RDR2 is that despite the freedom it gives you the game isn't actually about the character you control. It's about everything else -- the gang, the fall of your leader, etc. That's where I think RDR1 is better, I feel it's more player focused.
@@Pogomix I still feel that RDR2 focuses way too much on presentation than on actual substance. Much like in Death Stranding, there isn't a point to really do anything (you're just along for the ride). Sure, you can go hunting, rob a store, go claim a bounty, but all that has very little affect on the camp that you are supposed to be helping. RDR2 and Death Stranding are better watched rather than played.
Nick, again, really enjoyable content. Maybe MGS review ? Anyway, I could watch 20min of this video. Best review for this game I have seen, and I've been looking.
This is the same reason people like Bioshock: Infinite. They rated it as a movie, not a game. The gameplay itself was awful, it didn't need to be a shooter
I'd like to experience it, but yeah, basically for the reasons you list here i probably wont until the price drops by about 50%. So maybe in 3 years :p but that's fine :)
Not even: Gamer's Little PlayGround is editing the entire game into a movie. Free on RUclips. Just download the video and play it while you're hiking with your own load, will give more realism and exercise than QWOPing it up on an expensive console.
i hate this new trend of using famous real actors to play video game characters...this is the dumbest fad ive ever seen and i hope it dies as soon as possible..that is a huge reason why you cant feel like youre making an impact on the game or the world, because you dont feel like youre playing as YOU, you just feel like youre playing as norman reedus...im supposed to feel like im playing the game as ME, or my version of this character, and if the characters face is immediately recognizable to me it completely destroys any type of immersive potential, and i just think it looks stupid as all hell... the end
Humanity is almost gone but monster energy drinks is still in Business wtf?
Lmao 👍🏾
Must've stocked up beforehand 😂
The only proper bloody monsters in the game
They don’t expire
Trust me he saved them up his ass
You need to finish the game. I felt everything you felt before episode 3. I have now played about 100 hours and beat the game. It is a surreal and DEEPLY emotional experience. I feel I affected the game world more so than almost any other game I've played. I cant even count how many times I realized I had to cross a really dangerous stretch of terrain again to complete a mission only to realize that a group of people built a literal highway that allowed me to stay safe when I was in danger and had no protection. The theme is about connection in its truest form. You cannot achieve the same experience I had with this game until you commit to completing it. I watch reviews to get information to make sound decisions but if I listened to this review after you played less than 25% of the game I would be depriving myself of an experience that I otherwise would cherish and enjoy. I do like your music creations, keep up the talented work you do.
I really enjoy the perspective on 'thumbing down' a game, you can still respect and appreciate the hard work that goes into games, but sometimes it just doesn't entirely work out
Nothing's for everyone. This is the most addictive game i've played since I picked up that stupid cocaine of a game called rocket league. I love the gameplay of death stranding. It's quite meditative. I'd say if someone enjoyed no mans sky for example, then they'll probably love this.
Ne10 2718 I’ve found it a bit odd these days when you often hear people say that you have to wait x many hours before it gets really good. Why? Why should I have to play through that amount of not as good game until it gets enjoyable?
@Ne10 2718 dude the game wasn't given for free. It has a price of 60$. So i have to wait for 12 hrs to have fun with a game that i solely purchased with the intent of having fun?
@Ne10 2718 the tools dont matter, YOUR STILL WALKING, the vehicles dont matter theirs so many fuckinf rocks, YOUR STILL WALKING
Totally agree.
"I know what the people want... A game dynamic where walking is more difficult" Hideo Kojima 2019
This was such a well thought out intricate video. You can tell how much Nick wanted to like this game but just couldn’t get there. I’m sad to see this game not turn out to be a masterpiece. But at least some people may enjoy the story
It's just my opinion so take everything with a pinch of salt. Thanks for watching man. :)
The game is indeed a masterpiece to people with a different point of view. For me it is simply the most incredible gaming experience I've ever had, and for many, it will be their worst. That's just the nature of this beast.
Play IT. The game is genius...this generation just understand shoot+cover and grenade. Oh man....we're lost.
Im loving the gameplay, its all about balancing and traversing land with sci-fi elements in the story, i love being a UPS/wifi installation guy with a baby in a world i dont completely understand
Now you might not be wrong, but I've seen comments like this on YT a million times, if it's a divisive release, you really gotta play it to decide if it's quality. People put way too much stock in online influencers opinions.
On the bright side, we can watch the cutscenes in one video and walk away saying "Huh, that was a damn good movie."
“Deep interesting movie, that struggles to be a deep interesting game.” Exactly my thoughts. Good job on the video.
After playing 60+ hours, I do agree this could have been an interesting series/film (If only Kojima allowed an other writter than himself to flesh out the story in a less convoluted and pretentious fashion).
Story sucks (plot is pretty good but the dialogue ruins it) gameplay is at the very least original but is straight up amazing If you dont do everything the most simple and tedious way. The game mechanics actually give you the means to express yourself through the gameplay and it's been funny to see how people, even those who say they like it, reveal that they have a lack of curiosity and playfulness when they play games and then they act like all you do in this game is walk and then you watch a movie. And before you say I'm a kojima fanboy I'll let you know that I wasn't, but I'm incredibly excited to see what he does now.
The game may be a 6, but the review is a solid 10.
Best review I've seen or read yet.
He forgot to mention America is only 5 miles wide in the future
J. Case hahaha
I had a lot more fun with it
When the online part kicked in
Seeing all this stuff get put into places
And having help when u connect the networks and having stuff build by other player and making moving around a lot more fun help
See minecraft.
@@joegreen5714 na i like the premade stuff
Not THAT big on the create stuff
@@snakekingblues3017......I know there's an Asian joke in there but I will skip it.
@@joegreen5714 do tell😏
Can't wait to get my hands on Kojima's Walking Sim 2019.... Imma take that fetus errwhere!!
WHOAH there Cowboy, you're making sound like fun!
Good daddy
Loving the game reviews :')
Doesn't sound like the game I wanted it to be but I might give it a go.
I do enjoy cinematic games to a certain extent and I'm glad I watched your review before getting it cause I feel like I'd be disappointing if I went in expecting it to be more of a game that a cinematic experience.
Wait until is on discount
I'm telling you right now. The game is more of a game than a cinematic experience. Chapter 3 and on is super gameplay heavy and the story kinda takes a backseat.
Have you ever played a metal gear solid game? Kojima is a huge fan of film, and his games tell a story. Long cut scenes of story are pretty much one of his staples. I don't know why you would find it comical for him to add a character name with their voice actor, and for the music. To say you don't care even is a little offputting. It sounds like you have a specific criteria for what you're looking for in a game, and just don't like his style. I give him credit as a creator for going out on a limb and trying to create something different. Rather than cater to the masses and what "Sells".
Zen Zen to each his own many disagree with you 😹
Zen Zen I think 1 was great I liked 2 just as much (although I know a lot of people don’t) And 3 I think was perfect one of my favorite games of all time. 4 was a slight let down, 5 was fun and I played the hell out of it although even though it wasn’t finished I still thought the story was really lacking
Zen Zen no 😹I clearly just said three was a perfect game. I think the writing in the first three games is just as good if not better than the gameplay. I look forward to the next long cutscene to see what happened next. I won’t argue about 4 and 5 sorry the guy didn’t pump out perfect games 5 out of 5 times but even with 4 and 5s problem they re still great game
Zen Zen if you don’t like it that’s fine people all have different tastes I did and so did many others making it a top selling series.
"This is a game. I'm suppose to be having fun." A lot of people had to rethink what a game really is because of Death Stranding.
At about 6 hours in, it hasn't grabbed me either. I like it. The story is interesting, but the gameplay loop isn't really exciting me. You can backtrack to complete lost cargo deliveries, but I just groan at the thought of it. Supposedly it is supposed to get better after 9 hours.
Well, you are ahead of me. Wish me luck. At least I beat this game I paid for.
So don't grab lost cargo, only if it's on the way to your main destination.
There will always be lost cargo from other players no matter what, you don't get a lot from delivering it. Focus on Sam's deliveries & the side deliveries you can do, only if they're on the way. Otherwise you're hindering your own progress.
You'll be getting gear in a few hours that allow you to carry more, run fast, jump far, new bikes & trucks to help you on your journeys.
@@FrankieKnowhere Oh ok, thanks
@@HotRefuse It also does get better, but a super long game. There's 14 episodes, some shorter than others.
@WaVy Crockett #JizzBoss Have you gotten past that point?
Okay, so fell in love with your music years ago and I've been a gamer my whole life, so just found out you play too, and i'm even more excited.
i love the depth of the review :) keep up the awesome vids
Thank you very much!
To be fair, most of the criticism here seems to stem from you wanting different things out of a game than Death Stranding has to offer, rather than the game actually falling short. In my eyes, it wasn't trying to hit the notes which personally appeal to you in a game. It was made to be niche, and so niche is what it is. I will say that the lack of difficulty is admittedly weird. I've heard that from every reviewer I've watched, and I'm starting to notice it myself, although I am really early in. You can't really say that was the intention with the game, because DS actually has a difficulty setting, so it's clearly supposed to give players a struggle on some level when you have that on hard, which I do. Aside from that, though, I don't know if much of these points can truly be considered flaws so much as personal grievances. Which is fine, I definitely think the game isn't for everyone, and besides, you're reviewing the game, so of course you're going to give your own personal opinion. Duh.
Still, I'm around 11 hours in, and I haven't even gotten past the third Knot yet because I've been so engrossed in the gameplay loop and making sure all the scattered cargo in the world ends up where it needs to. It's almost like trimming a Bonsai Tree in that way. Sure, it doesn't sound fun from an outside perspective, but if you take the time to really immerse yourself in it, you'll find yourself transported to this oddly meditative place. If that's your sort of thing, anyway. Honestly, I was really worried about how much this game looked like a walking simulator through the trailers, but now that I actually have it, I've realized I was a bit off. It's a walking simulator, but in the same sense that an FPS is a shooting simulator. And, surprisingly, it's actually a really damn good one in my eyes. I can definitely see how it wouldn't be what everyone wants out of a game though.
As for not having any decisions that affect the game... I don't really see how this is an objective downside. This is how a lot of games play out. It's not the only way you can feel connected to a character or a world. Even still, I can understand why you feel that makes it less of a game. However, inversely, I think delivering cargo as Sam actually is a big part of what engrosses you in the characters and the world, and that's entirely gameplay. Even if it isn't conventional gameplay. So, yeah. I can see where you're coming from, but I'm loving my time with the game so far. I just wanted to leave this here in case anyone saw this review and might now be deciding against getting the game solely because of it. I still loved hearing your thoughts though, and I look forward to more reviews!
I was expecting so much more from this game. At least gameplaywise. And a bit of a more diverse landscape. Like more stuff to see or stuff like more deep caves. But i really enjoy it so far. I think it functions very good at what it is and you habe to put some taughts and planning into it. Especially if you consider that death means an explosion that leaves a crate in the ground. I am not disapointet about the game. But i am sad that most people are CASUAL players and dont understand the appeal from games like FIREWATCH, GONE HOME, THE REMAININGS OF EDITH FINCH and so on. And this game is somewhere there i guess. So most people taught it would be something more INTERESTING.
Yeah you hit the nail. I tell everyone, I by no means have never played a Kojima game and was never hyped about getting this game but I was very interested. Once I saw gameplay, I did immediately think I'd get bored and didn't want anything to do with it but once I bought it and played it, I literally can't put it down. It's very immersive and calming, gives you the sense of accomplishment when you've gone through that tough journey. Once yhe online aspect comes into play for me the game gets even better since the theme is about connections, you really feel like other players are on this journey with you and it sort of motivates and encourages you to help out others on their journey. Bottom line, I love this game so much and I'm glad I just kept an open mind while playing it!! So I wouldn't tell everyone to buy it because it isn't for everyone but I would say if you're interested to keep an open mind and just play it for the experience.
i know playing on hard, his complaint that the bts and whatnot didn't damage his cargo considerably is null on hard. i literally lose cargo if i get caught in the tar at all so you have to be more careful and pay attention to danger zones
Auron Silverburgh VGM let me tell you that I loved firewatch, in fact this channel used to be called Firewatch Wyoming lol. But DS is nothing like Firewatch imo. Firewatch engages you while you play the game, the story/mystery unravels while you play, so walking and discovering the environment, clues etc is engaging DS doesn’t do that, it segregates the cinematics and the gameplay, and the gameplay is not well thought out at all.
To the person that originally wrote this comment, I’d argue that there are several objective downsides that I haven’t seen countered by DS fans. The mechanics and mission design obviously, are basic. This wouldn’t matter, but every mechanic you encounter as the game unravels is equally lacking in depth. The combat is very poor, you just press square. The driving is poor, the way every tiny rock
acts like a brick wall is really poor. If the driving has to be like that, then the map needs less rocks, or alternatively, driving should be realistic, where you can drive over small rocks. Instead, you have this awkward no man’s land for the driving mechanics, where it looks like you should be able to traverse large parts of the landscape in a vehicle, but you can’t due to poor design that delivers unintuitive gameplay. Due to this, I had to abandon my first bike after minutes of getting it - my first real reward after hours of grinding!
The weapons seem equally unimaginative. To be fair, I only got up to the first weapons which were grenades, but they function as any other grenade despite the whacky concept behind them. This is a great example of interesting narrative not translating into good gameplay. You shouldn’t have to play hours and hours to unlock standard grenades as a ‘reward’. This is poor pacing.
The lack of variety in missions is also made worse by how dead the world is. It doesn’t matter if that’s the point, because the developers knew America is dead in this universe from the get go. Kojima developed this barren universe, but it doesn’t translate into an interesting world for gameplay - this just bolsters what the guy said in the video. Also there are inconsistencies - like there being animals in the original cut scene and yet there aren’t any as the game goes along. A few animals could have added to the atmosphere, especially considering the lack of NPCs to bring variety.
On top of all of this, the game doesn’t even do the basic thing it’s all about very well - walking. As he showed at the start of the video, the animations are dreadful. His feet go through mounds and rocks and they haven’t even bothered to make the animations/physics for him walking on small rocks. Instead you have to climb over every tiny rock which is very clunky. If a studio like Naughty Dog did a game like this, Sam would be able to walk over rocks in a realistic fashion, he’d lean on big rocks as he walked past, he’d squeeze between tight gaps. Nathan Drake walking through the desert in Uncharted 3 had better walking physics than DS - and that’s a game from the last generation of consoles!
I think if you cast an objective eye over the gameplay in DS, you see that it’s well below the standard for a AAA game. You may like it, but that’s because you’ve got into like watching a soap opera with one of your parents - it doesn’t make it good.
@@debunkingstupidity1335
I just want you to know I do have a response to your comment. Actually, I find your words to be very well thought out. You articulated yourself particularly proficiently too. I also appreciate how respectful you were. Well, up until you equated my enjoyment of DS to liking some soap opera, but I digress. I understand this topic is probably as important to you as it is myself, and it's easy to get heated in such cases, so I'm not upset or anything of the sort. I'm actually very thankful for how calm you were for the rest of your reply.
Still, I want to give my own reply the attention and deliberation your comment deserves from it. Unfortunately, right now I have plans with family, and then I sleep shortly thereafter. Only to awaken and immediately head off to work. Needless to say, I won't be able to get back to you straight away, but I wanted to let you know that I will respond as soon as I can. I really appreciate the discussion, and while I have my own thoughts on the topics you bring up, I respect your opinions. I can tell you've given this a lot of consideration. Until I'm able to give my full response, I hope you do well!
First time seeing this channel, love your honesty. Definitely subscribing!
Enjoyed your review, I must admit I'm hooked. I love optimising my deliveries and mastering all the systems in place plus it definitely goes in more interesting directions as it goes on adding more challenging elements and conditions to deal with.
I can completely see why many if not most people will hate this though but am personally glad to see it myself.
@Gary McMichael Just because you didn't like the game doesn't mean other people don't enjoy it buddy. I'm not a fan of strategy or RTS games doesn't mean they're garbage games, they're just not for me. You don't have to put someone down just for liking something thats just sad.
@Gary McMichael That's a weird way of putting it. Yeah mastering a system in a game is something you do in all games but so is beating it. But it's still a vastly different experience depending on the game.
I can see how someone can enjoy this though. It kind of remind me of how some people hate Animal Crossing and others spend several thousand hours on it.
@Gary McMichael Because you clearly disagree with the idea of someone liking the game, you seem to assume that this comment could only come from someone on the developing team.
You even go as far to try and make it seem like his point of mastering the game isn't an actual point. Which by the way didn't make any sense like I pointed out.
@Gary McMichael Are you okay Gary?
@Gary McMichael Translation: I have nothing to say regarding the argument so I'm going to make a complete ass of myself in the comments.
LMFAO dude just STFU and go back to your little hole.
I'm glad you're honest and don't sugarcoat your judgement of this game. A lot of critics have been pretentious af reviewing this game because they're afraid of the backlash.
Its funny though, the general consensus is they are indifferent to disappointed by the game
Nice to see someone who can separate Koajima from the "game".
Thanks so much pogo!
Please keep doing these reviews!
UPS Simulator 2019
L
Stop disrespecting ups men, FedEx men, usps men...... And the Amazon scabs.
I recently picked this game up and I’ve been playing through it thoroughly. I can’t really explain why, but it’s kind of addictive now delivering cargo, especially now that I’m at the point where I can use vehicles and I have weapons and accessories to help me get to my destination unharmed. The challenge is there and unless you adapt you won’t survive. I in turn do feel you, the player, make a difference in the game. Maybe not so much in the story, however, I honestly believe that if it wasn’t for Sam, Bridges would never be able to connect all those places to the chiral network, but in gameplay, as you come and go from distros and shelters where you deliver cargo, each NPC commends your service, and they even send you e-mails in-game after you’ve delivered your stuff to them to tell you how thankful they are for you. It’s all pre-scripted stuff but somehow it does feel personally designated because you really do put all that effort into delivering packages, so it feels earned, especially when you’re rewarded with new gadgets. And speaking of the emails, in the same menu system there’s a tab where you get to read all kinds of logs which unlock throughout the game, and they all delve deeper into the lore of the world of Death Stranding. Of course, not many gamers will be into reading a bunch of walls of texts, so I get how that gets lost on some. Overall, I’m enjoying every facet of the game, even though I have my frustrating moments at times, and I hope you’ve given it a bit more of a chance in the past few years, Nick, because I feel it does get better.
I really enjoy your review videos. You really paint a picture and explore every aspect to a game that any fellow fan would like to hear before a purchase. Once again pogo keep up the good content 👌
Bridge baby is reference to how the baby bridges the gap of the dead and living. Not anything to do with Bridges corporation
Why is the corporation called Bridges?
Their is a lot of wordplay in this game. The presidents name is Bridget Strand. You know... Bridge and Stranding. Fragile works for Fragile Express. So on and so forth.
@@TheCrumpers53 i suspect the word play works better in original japanese as these sorts of puns are pretty popular in their humor still
@@josephgoforth9722 Probably idk lol
Idk why Bridges is their name but the the development of the BB's happened after the Bridges corporation was established but the name I believe isn't related. The terrorists still refer to them as BB's because I think the name states its function rather than its origin. That's the impression I got from the games exposition and from the wiki.
Great review. I don't quite agree on the gameplay I find it strangely addictive in a casual way but that's a good, honest review. Liked and subbed.
Thanks Radley! Glad you're enjoying it.
This is the single highest quality review i ever seen yet, not only by speaking professionally but also putting emphasis on what you feel about it. I hope you may one day review one of the Halo games, any you prefer.
**G A S P**
Pogo Knobbled a game?!
Shame too, it could've been a masterpiece.
He knobbles a few. :) I disagree commonly but that's why I watch it. Completely different perspectives. Love his reviews.
@@tiernanstevens117 Well that's great. Having a different opinion is what makes us human. :D
I'm defiantly disappointed in Death Stranding because it showed a lot a promise, not that it's a bad game, just a lot more boring than I expected. :\
@@zerotalentstudios4105 No, it is absolutely a masterpiece. POGO wasn't even quarterway done with the game & he's been shoving these game reviews out quick lately. An opinion/discussion is fine saying you're mixed on it, but normally you finish a product before doing a full review of it. You don't watch half a movie & post a review online & then everybody follows Sue.
I think the thing with this game is Kojima intended it for a niche audience. I think it's perfectly fine for people not to like this game. I personally am really enjoying it. But I do understand why Nick doesn't enjoy Death Stranding and that's ok. I think it's a great game in my eyes!
Looks like we're getting spoiled with more game reviews.....I'm not complaining.
Any narrator work in the future???
2019......... when games turned into movies somehow.............
It started way before 2019. I don't know why people are noticing this now.
If anything, I'd say it started in 2008 when the Uncharted games were getting popular. I think those games set a very bad precedent for game developers: "Our game doesn't need solid design. It just needs a good story. Players will forgive a half-assed game as long as we write a good story."
Man.............this youtube is attracting more and more quality people. You are just straight to the fact unlike many reviewers just goofing around and cant even formulate a opinion even if its against the tide or dont know why they like this game.
Only honest review I seen on this. Thanks. All the others seem to imply that if you don't enjoy it or give it 10/10 then somehow you just don't "get it" or get "the vision". Just confirms my impression that it looks pretty tedious.
Social media straps a rocket to every bandwagon.
Pogomix very true
I agree. I've been scrolling through these comments and there seems to be quite a bit of negativity. A lot of them are like this: "You only played 12 hours? The game doesn't get good until like 30 hours."
It's like people like having their time wasted. It's very weird to see statements like that, and they are just accepted as normal.
It's frustrating because I want to give Death Stranding a chance. It looks like a weird story to get immersed in, but the gameplay just looks so dull. It reminds me of when I played the Last of Us: forced myself to play through its crappy pseudo-stealth TPS mechanics just so I could get to the next cutscene.
Personally, for a game to be worth my money, it needs to be doing the exact opposite: making me want to skip all the cutscenes, so I can get to the next gameplay segment.
Hey, loved the review, but something you may not have noticed is every player shares the world you play in - your contributions to improving the world by building roads and ziplines actually help other players in their journey - I think this adds a lot of interactivity and is a really cool concept in a game, doesn't completely save it though
Death Stranding is such a weird game. I found it very addictive I can't explain why. If was to tell myself past self what I'd be doing in the game I'd say: "Wow, that sounds like the most boring thing ever" and yet here I am giving it a 9/10. The desire to 5 star all the camps, run perfect deliveries and build/upgrade structures overshadowed the realisation that I'm just doing the same tedious thing over and over again. This is the one game I can completely understand if anyone were to give it a bad rating.
felt the same thing after 12 hours of game play but when the online feat kicks in, i started enjoying the game.. i created a gun and raided bases,, helping others create a huge bridge...just like the game said, its a game connecting with others... my next target is making a car...
Visuals - 10. Everything else - meh. I wanted so much more.
Cut scenes 10 actual in game standard.
Sad to say, I agree it's a thumbs down. The moment I got to control the character, I was amazed by the terrain, bumps, rocks soft/hard/wet surfaces and my mind was sent back to when I would go on nature walks. Finding the best path, solid footsteps, avoiding rocks and balancing yourself. I pushed forward on the controller, and Sam was stumbling all over the place, falling over stuff I totally saw as good terrain, and totally broke my immersion of hiking in this beautiful scenery... :'( It had potental, but it seems Kojima wanted to make a movie more than a game. :P
While I absolutely loved this game, I really respect your review.
I’ve seen a lot of reviews that aren’t fair in their analysis, but you remained objective toward the game itself. Great review! Wish you could have enjoyed it like some of the rest of us.
Thanks for being respectful about your decision to thumb it down btw.
Sponsored by Monster™
Maybe Kojima should switch careers and save Hollywood
He'd do an amazing job. Hollywood should be taking notes!
Kojima already said that Kojima Productions plans to create movies. Not that I am a fan of his style.
I'm late for the party, but damn I never knew about your reviewer side. You're really good at this too!
As someone who stayed till 12am to play the game at midnight when it released i agree a lot with this review. I definitely felt the same way with repetitive gameplay but i'm glad you mentioned how you thought about the sound design. Where i start to disagree is as the game went on i started to enjoy the gameplay a lot more. With different options on how to complete tasks i found it wasn't as difficult as those first hours of frustrations. Alas i thought the story's ending and the overall 2nd part of the game the better half. I hope you finish the game to see the rest of the story, if not, i hope you at least watch it on YT.
I appreciate it so much when people give their honest opinions about games, I get the feeling some people (even if they deep inside know they might not like it as much as they want to) might be defending this game calling it goty/a masterpiece all the way just for the fact that it's made by Kojima so the game can't be anything less that brilliant. I personally don't see the need to involve real actors in games, I play games as an escape from reality, not to see familiar faces from movies/series, it's distracting enough at least for me. I prefer games like Ico/Shadow of the Colossus/The Last Guardian, Okami, Nier etc, that focuses more on telling stories by visual artwork, music and events to trigger emotions. But everyone is different with different tastes :)
Todays gamers?, imagine if shadow of the colossus was realise today, like a new title, i don't tink the game will have the same acceptance than the past decade, sorry for mi English, i love shadow of the colossus but the gamers of today are not the same of before gamers, the mecanic of shadow of the colossus is simple and irritating some times, and empty world whit nothing more that fruits and lizards, but is wonderful, whit a very simple history, bus is one of the best games of ps2 and videogame history, what is the problem whit death stranding?,or the problem is us?
On the bright side, ...fetal pouches could be a new thing!
I'd say watch the story parts on youtube and actually play Breath of the Wild instead.
Your game reviews are great, man. Honest, earnest, thorough and well considered. Well done, thank you for the work!
For those who think it’s trash it’s just not your kind of game . But it’s a awesome game to me . The story is just amazing . Okay the gameplay is kind of time consuming. But it’s because of how the story is told so I understand it .
Good review! Are you going to focus more on reviews in the future?
I didn't know you did game review. and I have to thank you for tempering my hatred for this game. I was so frustrated and disappointed with it but I couldn't explain why. you captured most of what I was feeling.
More reviews!! I love your format!
POGO: "I'll never get into product placement"
Also POGO: **Immediately drinks a Monster™ energy drink**
Thanks, captain obvious! n_n
@@ceilhuicamina1698 You're welcome commander unnecessary. :D
Do I see a DVD collection of ReBoot on your shelf?? You truly are a man of exquisite taste and culture ;)
Cut scenes always look good. When sam is sitting in the room where he showers may look amazing...., but isint that a cut scene? You don't have control of the character, it is a qte minus the q. When you take control it looks like red dead or any other current gen game.... Actually some times it looks like a blurry mess.
Whoa whoa you can't and I mean can't review this game until you finish it. This game gets super fun going into chapter 3. The gameplay opens up wide. Every mission introduces a new Mechanic and by chapter 4 and on this game is just incredible. I don't blame people for not liking the first 2 chapters it is a grind but if you embrace the Story and the world the game is building you'll love the experience. (BTW never played a MGS game and didn't even know who Kojima was until this game)
I'm sorry buddy but we just don't agree. No one purchasing a video game for $99AUD should be expected to slog through 12 hours of hiking and cinematics before their purchase actually unfolds into a game. That's like a Ferrari that only opens up at 70mph after you've floored it for 10 seconds. That's crap. I'd have much preferred Death Stranding as a Netflix series -- I'd even buy the Blu-ray set if there was one -- but as a game it doesn't involve the player when it's given more than enough time to do so.
@@Pogomix I'm not arguing against what you said. I do agree that the first 2 chapters are asking wayy to much as gamer but still in just personal belief I don't think anyone should review anything until it's been completed. I wouldn't watch a review of someone who only watched a hour of a movie. I just think that as a gamer you would enjoy the next half of the game.
I also hate how a lot of the missions feel like silly excuses to stretch out the gameplay. I actually wish they would add a feature to skip gameplay entirely for those who just want the story.
Because a story game is linear it doesnt mean it’s a bad game. Nier;Automata is a linear story game and it’s amazing.
Half-Life 2 was an amazing linear game. I have no problem with linear games. I have a problem with games that don't put the player in the driver's seat. If the player isn't a priority and the core game isn't interactive then why am I playing it?
It's called subsurface scattering Pogo, the phrase to describe light going through the skin
the hair is supernatural
How do you not feel that you are contributing anything to the world? Building roads, bridges, safe houses, timefall shelters, making pathways; the point of the whole game is contributing to the world, and assisting other players in their struggles.
I wanted to give you the benefit of the doubt when you said you just finished playing twelve hours, in that you meant a twelve hour gameplay session; but it seems like that's all that you played of the game. If you think that's all you need to play of a game that is clearly longer than that, then how can anyone trust your reviews?
Game sucks. End of.
It looks like a massively pretentious bunch of toss. $60 for a movie is insane, and even if it's walking simulator, the balancing system means that even that simple operation is a total PITA. This is the game equivalent of a sawed in half sheep or a can of poop being displayed as art. So Kojima wants to do art - it doesn't mean anyone should pay for it. Good review.
I felt like DS was pretty immersive in a way that I could feel the agony Sam was in when I played the game. It was an interesting experience to play a game which was not a pleasure to play, but was a pleasure to beat.
So this is how going to school in the future looks like?
I personally think this game is absolute genius, but i understand the flaws people find. I also think it has every intention of feeling like work as you said. Through collective efforts everyone is contributing towards a better world, and its damn addicting. Finishing someones project, or stealing back lost cargo for someone you dont know feels great. Tie this to the visuals sound and story, and it becomes an experience that few games can even compare to. I think every critisism you gave is 100% valid, but if you were to come at this game with your guard down, and delete every expectation of what a game should be. You might find a bit more enjoyment. But thats just me.
Played DMC5? You enjoy it? RDR2? In those game it's a flip book storyline, go ahead tell me how many outcomes RDR2 has. I dare you. Death Stranding is a fun game and the story is fantastic.
*Kojima Fans:* "OMG Kojima's storytelling is so deep!"
*Kojima:* Calls a baby a BB. Calls these phantoms 'beach things'. Creates a game that's just one giant fetch quest.
yeah i thought same at first and then the confusion with the word bridge
Bridge baby
sam porter bridges
BRIDGES company
the bridge falling and killing a hospital
THEN LONDON BRIDGES FALLING DOWN PLAYING AT ROAD PAVERS !!!
he is obsessed with bridges!!!
Lol, you accidentally described what the gameplay is all about: you are not empowered, you are not a hero, you are not here to enjoy, you are here to be bored and exhausted. This game is not about fun, in the way the chimera in The Last Guardian is not your pet but a creature with it‘s own will. Death Stranding is a giant meta joke about video games. I respect the notion that gamers want to have fun and I think your review is really good btw. Keep on keepin‘ on.
Sam is already obsolete, drones are delivering packages now so there's that.
Bryan Bercier game mentions how this change happens. Play the game 😊
I love your game reviews
I like the story but the game reminds me of Assassin's Creed 1. You do a mission that takes you to point B, go back to point A and repeat. I'm mid game and got my first weapon.
12 hours thru this game is just the start , the game starting to get better and better later on, but like you said it's not for everyone to enjoy, but as a gamer this is different , this is a new experiance for all of us. as gamer i think this game deserve a great score.
It's just my opinion but if a game can't get fun in 12 hours then I can't rationalize playing it for 30+. We've got better games to play and better things to do. :)
Yes! Loving the content Nick.
Consider this man.. You gave a review on a 45-50 hour game at the 12 hour mark, which means you probably around 1/4 done with the game. You just scratched the surface. Please consider completing the game, and then making another review.
@Conan Fair enough.
Consider this: If a game can't get fun in 12 hours, why are you trying to rationalize playing it for 30+? Don't you have better games to play and better things to do?
@@Pogomix
I don't think a good game has to be fun for it to be good. Is a game like Dark Souls fun? No, not really.
Fun games are good, but not all good games are fun. Thinking that fun needs to be a requirement for a game to be considered good is very 1-dimensional don't you think?
I think Death Stranding is a great game, because it's interesting, immersive, original, and rewarding.
@@Axel-vt8no Wait what? If I'm not having fun with a game, I'm out.
@@Ergeniz Out!
'You don't have any impact on the world' you actually have more than any other game ever.... but you didnt get far enough to see that. You didnt see the boss battles, you didnt even get to the most challenging terrain....
Really loving these game reviews Nick. Your talents give you such an amazing perspective and you articulate exactly what we need as gamers and how the game either delivers or falls short. Please keep doing these!
Wonder if Christopher Nolan will ever be swayed into telling a story for a videogame
I just wanted to say Pogo is genius
Tbf I don’t think the game was setting out to be fun. Let’s be real: most walking simulators aren’t that fun. It’s walking around. It’s meant to be like an experience, like most walking simulators are. People over hyped it thinking it was going to be a fun fantastic adventure open world game. You have to know what this game is when you are going in if you really want to enjoy this game
So keep your expectations low?
You paid a hundred dollars for it? just go to JB HiFi, they're selling it for 69 dollars.
Atm, I reached port knot city and I'm loving it. It's a simple, meditative experience with the goal of giving, unlike 99% of games today, which is mostly killing and taking. I appreciate the message it's trying to tell. The cargo system (including its tools) makes me even more intrigued and motivated to see what happens when I master it, and attain more tools to make traverse easier for myself and others.
We need more Radio Pogo soon!
How does one review a game they haven't beaten? Or did I miss him saying that he finished it?
lmao i said the same thing
A game isn't a movie, sorry to break it to you.
This review irritates me. I get you dont like linear story games, but thats just a you thing and its such a huge point throughout your review. The fact the story is linear doesnt make its bad. The fact that it is linear means it can curate it’s engagement and it is engaging. I feel the only real point in this review is delivering is dumb. But everyones heard that a million times over before you.
My gripe isn't with linear games. Linear games can be fantastic. My gripe is with games that don't put the player in the driver's seat. Worse is a game that does but still doesn't let you touch the steering wheel.
The Pogo says “No.”
Finally watching his channel , not simply listening to his music.
Wow. Is it sad that I identified Lindsay Wagner by sight alone in when I first saw her character (before her name was shown)?
Your review is 100% correct
I think kojima stretch the gameplay too much.. it's feel so borring after chapter 3.. i lost my interest completely.. but visuals are mindblowing. But then those over techy menus and work as a FedEx is disgusting.. lol 🤦
I know that a lot of people were hyped for Death Stranding's announcement because of the amazingly weird and ambiguous premise that was shown in the launch trailer. But when I was reminded that this game existed only two weeks before its release, and nothing was still really shown about the game itself, you got the feeling that there was going to be a great deal left to be desired. Watching this video gave me more entertainment than your twelve hours playtime from the sounds of it, so thanks for the video Nick :)
I honestly think this was meant to be a movie by Hideo Kojima, but it didn't get approved so he resorted to just making a game out of it.
Gameplay isn't the be-all and end-all for me, by any stretch. I play and enjoy a lot of visual novels, whose only merit is their storytelling and characters. What I won't put up with, however, is gameplay that is frustrating and tedious-no matter how good the story is.
Another genuine and wonderfully presented review. So happy I found your channel mate^^
Something to point out is that I think it's designed to feel like a "job".
But its not reality, you wanna know what the common man does in videogames? They play it to DISTRACT AND GET LOST IN A WORLD, if they wanted to get reminded of their daily stress then what the fucks the point
I do find it a bit odd how one can like Red Dead Redemption 2 and not like Death Stranding. The games suffer from the same problem - unnecessary realism.
I don't agree. RDR2 gives you the freedom to essentially live your own life. Death Stranding wants you to drive a Ferrari around a cul-de-sac and only if it can keep a hand on the wheel.
The problem with RDR2 is that despite the freedom it gives you the game isn't actually about the character you control. It's about everything else -- the gang, the fall of your leader, etc. That's where I think RDR1 is better, I feel it's more player focused.
@@Pogomix I still feel that RDR2 focuses way too much on presentation than on actual substance.
Much like in Death Stranding, there isn't a point to really do anything (you're just along for the ride). Sure, you can go hunting, rob a store, go claim a bounty, but all that has very little affect on the camp that you are supposed to be helping.
RDR2 and Death Stranding are better watched rather than played.
Nick, again, really enjoyable content. Maybe MGS review ? Anyway, I could watch 20min of this video. Best review for this game I have seen, and I've been looking.
Miran Dilberovic Watch Tim Rogers' review.
This is the same reason people like Bioshock: Infinite. They rated it as a movie, not a game. The gameplay itself was awful, it didn't need to be a shooter
100 Aussie bucks?!
*dollarydoos
I'd like to experience it, but yeah, basically for the reasons you list here i probably wont until the price drops by about 50%. So maybe in 3 years :p but that's fine :)
It’ll be 30 usd by nExt month. It’s the holiday season
Not even: Gamer's Little PlayGround is editing the entire game into a movie. Free on RUclips. Just download the video and play it while you're hiking with your own load, will give more realism and exercise than QWOPing it up on an expensive console.
i hate this new trend of using famous real actors to play video game characters...this is the dumbest fad ive ever seen and i hope it dies as soon as possible..that is a huge reason why you cant feel like youre making an impact on the game or the world, because you dont feel like youre playing as YOU, you just feel like youre playing as norman reedus...im supposed to feel like im playing the game as ME, or my version of this character, and if the characters face is immediately recognizable to me it completely destroys any type of immersive potential, and i just think it looks stupid as all hell... the end