Sakurai Praises Death Stranding In Latest Famitsu Column

I wouldn't mind it coming to the Switch. More options are always nice.

I will admit that the game is pretty confusing though.

I wouldn't be surprised if Sakurai actually does like Death Stranding but a part of me wonders if he is just saying for the sake of his friendship with Kojima.

Ehhhhhhhhhh, to each their own. I kinda feel like he's overexaggerating as speaking negatively about the game would be a bad look for him.

Good to hear Sakurai is getting a big enough break to play this and review it! This is wonderful news!

Death stranding is not for me but I respect the innovation and bold choices made in developing it. Something 'Nintendo' about running with crazy ideas like this.

Norman Reedus is the 5th Smash character. Just change the baby to baby Mario.

Is this hinting at tripping making a return?

It's a little strange though since it is in Famitsu. 🤔😜

@PBandSmelly hopefully, along with sneezing and a stamina meter.

Not surprised... good game.

There is a giant billboard on 40th Street and 8th heading to Time Square from Apple for the soundtrack. It is all white, so you can see it from blocks away.

This game is a cutscene filled mess. I don't know how people can say they like it with a straight face. If it were somebody else that made Death Stranding, would've been ridiculed on the spot. But it's Hideo Kojima, and I guess everyone loves brown-nosing him to high hell.

Rather have Xenoblade X on Switch.

Game recognizes game.

I absolutely adore this game. The traversal is second to none and the gameplay loop is unbelievably addictive. Whoever thought being Postman Pat would be so rewarding.

I’m glad we live in a world where weird games like this can still exist. As games budgets expand and design becomes increasingly dictated by committee, it’s nice to know weird people can still be like, “dystopian-pizza-delivery-service-ultramarathon-simulator-game” and then BAM*, there it is.

*BAM being the sound of thousands of development hours and millions of dollars being spent.

I wonder what was the budget in this game. And if it’s made a profit.

Norman Reedus and the Funky Fetus isn't a game I would call a hit in my book, but hey... Japan did have a weird issue with Elder Scrolls games at first so it may be a cultural deal.

@MsJubilee I am 100 hours in and I really can't make sense of your comment. You either have not touched this game or you've given up after first two hours.

Sure, people can have opinions, but those opinions can also be wrong.

Sakurai is right to praise Kojima for this game. I don’t think every choice Kojima made was great, but it’s hard to argue that the overall package didn’t achieve its potential. Games like Death Stranding are pushing the medium forward in new and interesting directions.

I don't think Death Stranding is particularly interesting and from having seen others play it I'm not even impressed by it's "innovation". It's a common open world title with similar fetch missions as other titles plus bunch of item management. Still if folks are into juggling and moving from point a to point b than awesome. I do feel that it at the least does different narrative stuff than most games. Tells a much more surreal tale. Not the usual hero guy with a sword thing and has out there imagery and talent.

Not for me at all but Sakurai always seemed sympathetic to game developers doing different things and has spoken about the demand of constant sequels etc. So I'm sure he's a fan of the endeavor however it turned out.

@MsJubilee

I have no real love for Kojima or any interest in the game but your statement of "If it were somebody else that made Death Stranding, would've been ridiculed on the spot" holds no water as the bottom line is no one else in the world would have dreamt up a game like it.

He is an original if nothing else.

I played the game, just long enough to confirm my thoughts based on all the gameplay and reviews.

It's a good game, not a great game. Cutscenes aren't the problem. I dont mind lots of cutscenes as long as the gameplay is on point, and unfortunately its just not. Love MGS, but this is not his best work.

Everything else is cool. Loved the world, characters, setting, graphics... there's so many good aspects of the game. But when the foundation is built on disappointing gameplay (and that's a serious understatement) and tedium, the rest can't carry it. A game needs to have solid gameplay, and I cant stand running around in Death Stranding. Shame, cause I really was interested in the rest of it. And, for many I'm sure the intrigue is enough motivation to slog through, but for me not.

The reason I love MGS despite the convoluted story and insane hours of cutscenes, is because it is fundamentally fun as heck to play. Gameplay is immaculate.

@SBandy No offense but did kojima really invent open world games, fetch quests, and/or physics balance and a bunch of item management?

I'd give you that point in regards to the story and concept for sure. 100% out there and original. Setting that aside though if anyone else had invented an open world fetch game balance title than I DO feel like folks would be less kind. That's just my opinion though. Especially when people constantly say things like "You have to just like the Kojima thing" or "You're either into Kojima or not". Seems like Kojima himself is being sold as well with the game . It does feel if his name weren't attached and his bizarre story elements weren't apart of it, the core gameplay would def be questioned by more folks at least. Still it's fine people are into Kojima and are most interested in his association with the game.

@Kirby_Girl

I can only consider the game as a whole not breakdown all the gameplay elements that have existed since games were invented.

@SBandy Very well. Some things like open world are definitely more in fashion lately but as a whole I suppose it's a game that tells a different story with those elements. I guess THAT'S different.

@Kirby_Girl

It wasn't even a game that got universal praise, there were a number of websites who didn't rate the game so MsJubilee's comment doesn't even work in that sense.

@SBandy That's true. The game is very polarizing with several game personalities and some reviewers expressing that. So NOT everyone likes it just because of Kojima.

@Kirby_Girl

It is the reason I avoided it. I think Kojima is up his own bum and is a terrible story teller. As the trailers rolled in for this game it just looked like an opportunity for him to show all his famous friends he has playing as NPCs. It just looked like an ego trip.

I can never really comment on the quality of the game as I haven't played it and have no intention of playing it but I understand that Kojima has his fans and he may find new ones who stumble accross his game, and may turn off people who did like his previous games also.

The one thing Kojima is though is his own man, no doubt about that.

ive compleated Death Stranding its not one of the worse games of 2019, its not a terrible game but its not a game of the year contender its just an average game, there are lots of parts of DS that are very enjoyable but the game feels too long with that type of gameplay