Death Stranding PS5 review

Release Date

September 24, 2021

Developer

Kojima Productions

Publisher

Sony Interactive Entertainment

Deals
Death Stranding: Director's Cut is a critically acclaimed action game from renowned game designer Hideo Kojima. It is a remake of the original Death Stranding on PS4, that has been expanded and enhanced for PS5. It's a 40 hour long storydriven game, set in a post-apocalyptic world. Here the player takes on the role of a courier tasked with restoring mankind's connection to one another.Death Stranding is a captivating experience that blends elements of science-fiction, horror, and mystery into an unforgettable journey. It features intense visuals, intense soundtrack, demanding gameplay, great haptics and a gripping story. Death Stranding: Director's Cut is an unforgettable gaming experience on PS5.

Death Stranding PS5 review:

Death Stranding PS5 review
You play as Sam Porter (Norman Reedus) – Courier of Wasteland America

What is Death Stranding about? – Short and sweet

Death Stranding: Mads Mikkelsen
Mads Mikkelsen as Cliff the secondary antagonist

Plot: In near future, unexplainable explosions around the globe has splintered modern society into isolated settlements. You play as Sam Porter, a courier that travels across the ravaged wasteland of postapocalyptic United States. His mission is to reconnect settlements after a mysterious event named ‘death stranding’ left the world in ruins. It is up to Sam to reunite the isolated settlements of a shattered world step by step. He must do this while otherworldly creatures plague the landscape and mass extinction is imminent. As the story unfolds, Sam must brave countless danger and foes in hostile environments, that blurs boundaries between life and death. The 40+ hour storyline is both cinematic, compelling and weird and contains primary and secondary antagonists. It´s basically about reconnecting what was lost, but told in a very unique way. 


 

Cargo Cannon
The Director’s Cut improves on gameplay that can make it less tedious. Like this Cargo Catapult

Death Stranding: Director’s Cut PS5 enhanced

The game has been redesigned to take full advantage of the console’s power. Load times, graphics and performance have been improved to make the most of the PS5’s hardware. Additionally the game has been haptically optimised specifically for the PS5 dual-sense controller, something Hideo Kojima is well known for.

In the Director’s Cut you get new expanded content and options. The Ultra-hard difficulty mode promises to challenge even the most experienced players. Also the more immersive PS5 experience will make the enhanced version of Death Stranding worthy of a revisit. As a newcomer you will enjoy a strong triple-A title, that delivers a unique story-driven gaming experience.

Combat is the primary focus, but engaging nonetheless

What makes Death Stranding better on PS5?

First off, the game will be optimized for the latest hardware, meaning smoother performance, better visuals, and faster loading times. There will also be two new features to make your experience even more immersive. The new Photo Mode will allow you to take pictures of the game’s stunning landscapes and characters.  The new Reverse-Time function will let you rewind time in certain sections, giving you a chance to try different strategies.

Fighting enemies in Death Stranding
Exciting new enemies to defeat

Death Stranding Director’s Cut will also introduce some exciting new content. There will be an all-new episode featuring an expanded story and plenty of new gameplay elements. You’ll also get to explore new locations, fight new enemies, and the opportunity to play as a new character. Finally, there’s the new online mode. This will let you team up with friends or strangers to take on challenges and earn special rewards. You’ll also be able to access a new online store, where you can purchase cosmetic items and other goodies.

 

The immersive haptics on PS5

Feel the consequence of good weight management

Haptic feedback of Death Stranding: Director’s Cut is apparent both in obvious and less obvious ways. For instance, When Sam goes uphill or traverses through rough terrain, you will feel each footstep through your controller. Even to the point where the left side of your controller vibrates when Sams left foot lands and vice versa.

Haptics are also felt through the adaptive triggers when Sam carries a lot, which increases when load-balancing. The closer you get to Sams weight limit – the more resistance you get. This is a great way of making the consequence of carrying a heavy load felt by players. Something that other game developers should take note of – by the way.

Other elegant ways of using haptics mimics the feel of using spray cans. Similarly when connecting locations in the Chiral Network, where haptics rhythmically pulsates to match cutscenes.

In order for haptics to be an immersive factor, they need to be integrated in a way that makes sense in the game and doesn´t distract. Death Stranding Director’s Cut features one of the best haptics on PS5 games currently available – no doubt a result of Hideo Kojima brilliant way of designing games. But Haptics should be felt rather than told. If you enjoy the console´s immersive haptic capabilities, you should definitely try this game out.

Exploring the Enhanced Visuals of Death Stranding

Graphics compared
Graphics compared – improves textures: PS4 on the left and PS5 on the right

The graphical enhancements include improved lighting and shading, improved textures, and more detailed foliage. The game also features improved motion blur, motion vectoring, and depth of field. All of these elements combine to create a stunning visual experience that engulfs us into the world of Death Stranding. There is also a new HDR support, which allows for more vibrant colors and better contrast. The enhanced visuals will captivate fans of the game and make their experience even more enjoyable.

 


Summing up

Death Stranding: Director’s Cut is an incredibly unique and ambitious game that succeeds in creating an immersive and engaging experience. The expansive world, expansive story, and expansive customization all create a truly memorable and satisfying experience, and the Director’s Cut adds even more content to make sure that the game is an unforgettable and enjoyable experience.

The original game was divisive, as the careful planning of transporting goods from A to Z can get tedious. This has been somewhat adressed in Death Stranding: Director’s Cut, making it a less demanding and, for most, a more enjoyable experience. With the addition of new features, characters, weapons, and other enhancements, such as beautifully integrated haptics, enhanced and stunning visuals and faster load times, Death Stranding: Director’s cut is certainly a game worth experiencing on PS5. Add to that 40+ hour run time and you will get your money’s worth – especially if you find a good deal.

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8.5

Great

Pros

  • Compelling cinematic Storyline
  • Innovative Haptics
  • Beautiful visuals
  • 40+ hour Storyline
  • Design, gameplay and visual improvements compared to the original

Cons

  • Still a bit tedious, story missions could be more complex
  • So unique - it's not for everyone