I think it's a textbook Your Mileage May Vary game (pun mildly intended if you've played it). You have to have the tolerance for Kojima running wild and doing his thing, and it only works if you are engaged in the core gameplay loop, but if both are true, it's easily a 70+ hour game. The Director's Cut was the second game I ever took the time to Platinum.

I don't think this trailer will sell many new players on the experience if they weren't down for the first one, but I'm excited to play the sequel. Seems like it's going to land some real gut punches.

Really? I I couldn't make sense of it till I played it myself. It's pretty grounded for the most part. There's a lot of exposition that explains everything.

His stories are mostly over the top nonsense, but sometimes that's fun. Also, for a "AAA" studio director, he's willing to take some VERY big experimental swings when it comes to gameplay. Death Stranding has it's problems, but it's very unique. That's worth some points.

He's a completely insane horny man that loves action movies. His games tend to be high quality and even when they aren't good they are at least entertaining and try something new.

He may have gone full George Lucas at this point though where he's so overhyped that no one second guesses him at all. Death Stranding had some weird shit even for Kojima. I wonder what he could make if his personality wasn't so dominant in a game and it had some input from other creative visions to reign in his weirder ideas.

It’s like Euro Truck Simulator, but with a weird story involving ghosts and babies.

Ultimately it’s a logistics simulator, like Euro/ American truck simulator or Snowrunner, but instead of hauling things around in trucks, you do it on foot, via motorcycle, and even sometimes trucks. In the beginning you grab a couple packages and hoof it in foot from A to B. The further you get, the more you can transport at once, and the more complicated the routes get, more difficult the terrain gets, and the more you have to strategize your overall route. A big portion of the game is exploring alternate routes and laying down tools to assist yourself in future deliveries or even other players like ladders, bridges, ropes, rain shelters, ziplines, canons, and more. It’s post apocalyptic, and so in addition to harsh weather and unforgiving terrain, you also frequently have to haul your goods through hostile enemy zones who will attack you and steal your cargo, or areas where you must sneak by the games primary antagonists, the ghosts/monsters known as BTs. A secondary focus of the game is the Dark Souls-esque “multiplayer” where the things you put down in the world can be used by other players or vice versa. You can make an entire side game out of DS by simply finding other players lost cargo in the world and recovering it/ delivering it for them, leaving helpful and informative messages and motivations, or even using stealth combat to sneak into enemy encampments and liberating other players stolen cargo for them.

If I had to distill it down into a single distinct vibe, think about post apocalyptic/ zombie type movies, I am Legend for example, where a lonely survivor/ wanderer has become accustomed to their new world and despite the hostile conditions is able to move around freely via the use of various tools and structures they’ve built up around the area to cleverly outwit the elements and whatever monster ended the world. Thats who you play in the game. You’re Will Smith in I am Legend but instead of being a lonely drunk locked away in a compound, you’re the neighborhood mail man.

What really sold me was the building part. Building roads and maxing out all contacts was the caveat that really made me stick with it. After all that was done I found the game to be very relaxing, just taking a nice walk in nature. It might have been due to covid but walking and driving is what made me finish the game.

I've been told it's a game that's horribly boring to spectate but much better when played

I was I. The same position and dropped it. Then a friend told me to play through the first area and then judge the game. It took a long time to get there but eventually the game really comes together. But this was in a COVID game drought so I was willing to put the time in. That may not be everyone’s idea of fun which I totally get. However I still think about the gameplay and wanna pull it up to run some deliveries and fight some bt’s even years later.

Believe me it wasn't any less jarring playing through it

To this day it is the game that I'm the least sure about whether I enjoyed it or not

I did play it to completion so that's gotta count for something... right...?

It hides the best part behind the trailers. Trailers - walking simulator.

Real game. Hiking, offloading, mountain climbing, base building, rocket launches powered by human blood, sci fi/fantasy global events

Dude, there's no way Death Stranding is real. I refuse to believe it. There is no way a AAA game has a "Mario and Princess Beach" line. 0% chance

Not really sure how you can roll your eyes at the dialogue from the trailer, but not from Death Stranding 1 or the Metal Gear games. This isn't any more ridiculous than any other game he's made.

Edit: for the record, I very much enjoy kojima games. I liked MGS games and Death Stranding 1. But there is no denying that his games are all weird as absolute fuck.

How did you play 140 hours of the first game, and not know Fragile says that same line multiple times?

Kojima isn’t JJ Abrams.

Abrams writes mystery box stories where everything hinges on resolving the box and ends up with an ultimately lackluster resolution.

Kojima stories are confusing webs within webs throughout. They exist on theme and vibe, while being simultaneously incredibly well researched, intentionally absurd, and with ill advised choices that surely mean something when they were made.

Kojima is the Richard Kelly of video games.