Death Stranding, there’s no denying it, is a game in a league all on its own. Creator Hideo Kojima has stated numerous times leading up to launch that his vision is a new genre altogether, one that doesn’t rely on combat to make the experience enjoyable. But sometimes new is often hard to digest and the reactions have been divisive. Some have either loved it, or they’ve hated it, but there doesn’t seem to be a whole lot of in-between. This reaction, in part, is due to America’s love of shooting games – at least if you ask Kojima-san himself.
“I must say that the game received rave reviews, especially in Europe and Japan. Here in the United States, however, we have had stronger criticisms. Perhaps it is a difficult game to understand for a certain type of critic and audience. Americans are great fans of first-person shooters and Death Stranding isn’t one, it flies higher,” Kojima-san said in a recent interview with Italian outlet Tgcom24 (via Wccftech).
He then added, “I always try to create new things and disputes and discussions are fine, but it must be said that the Italians or the French have a different artistic sensibility that allows them to appreciate this kind of very original product, not only in video games but also in cinema.”
While the statement might seem a bit egotistical to some, especially to those that felt like their lack of enjoyment didn’t come from a lack of understanding, this is pretty in-line with his creative output. Kojima-san has always been an eclectic visionary in games, it’s a huge reason why so many support him. Whether his reasoning behind the divisive reaction is accurate or not remains to be seen, but it’s hard to dispute that Death Stranding has definitely been at the center of conversation for a plethora of different reasons.
If you’ve scooped up your copy and are ready to rock and roll, you should check out our Game Hub here for Death Stranding for tips and tricks on how to get the most out of your playthrough – including how to get the Conan O’brien Otter Hat.
You can learn even more Death Stranding, including the awesome new collector’s edition, with our previous coverage here! You can also check out the official synopsis below:
“Sam Bridges must brave a world utterly transformed by the Death Stranding. Carrying the stranded remnants of the future in his hands, Sam embarks on a journey to reunite the shattered world one step at a time. What is the mystery of the Death Stranding? What will Sam discover on the road ahead? A genre-defining gameplay experience holds these answers and more.”
For now, Death Stranding is available on PlayStation 4 with a Summer 2020 release planned for Steam and the Epic Games Store.
