[Megathread] Death Stranding.

[Volatilis]

I've watched some people play this game.

Well look at you, you watched some people play this game.

I bet your insight will be invaluable.

[Rendark]

Well look at you, you watched some people play this game.

I bet your insight will be invaluable.

It is to me. Tells me it's shit so i don't need to play it.

[Loeko]

Your loss

[dope_danny]

Bumming around in chapter 3 as ROAD-BUILDMAN and only on the completion screen did i notice i just delivered 20 boxes of sleeping pills to one prepper who lives alone.

I fucked up there i think.

[dope_danny]

So i am currently about to finish Chapter 3 in the second area and i am 3 pavers away from building every road on the map and my playtime is currently at 48 hours played.

Now granted as a completionist crazy person i've also been 5 starring every bunker before moving on -which in hindsight only helped really- but i noticed that for the first two or three pavers from Lake Knot city other people were contributing but then it stopped and a lot more bridges were showing up again.

So i've put the time in and two or three trips to luck a few thousand recourse to a paver and watching as it builds a floating bridge over bt territory is extremely satisfying, a strange itch scratching i can only compare to covering a map in blight or creep in Warcraft 3 or Starcraft. Its been work but it means my actual deliveries -bar timefall farm- are almost entirely bt and mule free and take 2-3 minutes to boost my way from the top of the map to the bottom for example.

But my friends who didn't say theirs takes like 20-30 minutes and it makes some of those 45 minute timers make sense. I have to wonder if some of the early game at least is balanced on people just trying to B-line the story instead of infrastructure porn sim 2k19. It makes you wonder if making it so easy defeats the purpose and you are missing those memorable treks or is the purpose but theres just not enough people contributing in the roads case?

What has it been like for you? did you build the roads for truckin'? or save on recourses and stick to ruckin' instead?

[Tech614]

So i am currently about to finish Chapter 3 in the second area and i am 3 pavers away from building every road on the map and my playtime is currently at 48 hours played.

Now granted as a completionist crazy person i've also been 5 starring every bunker before moving on -which in hindsight only helped really- but i noticed that for the first two or three pavers from Lake Knot city other people were contributing but then it stopped and a lot more bridges were showing up again.

So i've put the time in and two or three trips to luck a few thousand recourse to a paver and watching as it builds a floating bridge over bt territory is extremely satisfying, a strange itch scratching i can only compare to covering a map in blight or creep in Warcraft 3 or Starcraft. Its been work but it means my actual deliveries -bar timefall farm- are almost entirely bt and mule free and take 2-3 minutes to boost my way from the top of the map to the bottom for example.

But my friends who didn't say theirs takes like 20-30 minutes and it makes some of those 45 minute timers make sense. I have to wonder if some of the early game at least is balanced on people just trying to B-line the story instead of infrastructure porn sim 2k19. It makes you wonder if making it so easy defeats the purpose and you are missing those memorable treks or is the purpose but theres just not enough people contributing in the roads case?

What has it been like for you? did you build the roads for truckin'? or save on recourses and stick to ruckin' instead?

As someone that had little interest in the side content and did mostly main story.

It was still easy. Which is why I told people in this thread that shit is a waste of time and mostly a placebo effect on you. I literally built nothing and could cross the whole map in sub 10 mins(which I know because the game makes you do this at a certain point).

The only thing that shit makes easier is doing all the pointless deliveries over and over again(and even then just QoL shit really), it doesn't help with main story really at all.

[Greevir]

Now has a 7.4 on metacritic thanks to them removing troll ratings. Our lord, Kojima, has triumphed again!

[RobertoCarlos]

Now has a 7.4 on metacritic thanks to them removing troll ratings. Our lord, Kojima, has triumphed again!

I wouldn't say a 7.4 is a raging success. And I don't care how much money it made before anyone starts linking that crap. As one of the most hyped/we'll known developers in the bizz death stranding will come and go like a wet fart when the big titles in 2020 release

[Edge-]

I wouldn't say a 7.4 is a raging success. And I don't care how much money it made before anyone starts linking that crap. As one of the most hyped/we'll known developers in the bizz death stranding will come and go like a wet fart when the big titles in 2020 release

That's the user score, dude. So meaningless when it was getting bombed, still pretty meaningless now.

It's sitting at an 82, which is still a solid score, especially given that the game is very "different" than most of the usual AAA fare. And that's with 102 critic reviews, which is something that games that aren't pretty fuckin huge can't even come close to in terms of reach.

So critically, it's still a success. There's no "wet fart" about it on the critical front. And we don't have proper sales numbers yet, but what bits we have paints a pretty good picture (186K week 1 sales in JP, debuted at #2 on the UK retail sales charges behind CoD, #1 on physical sales in Taiwan/SK) too.

[RobertoCarlos]

That's the user score, dude. So meaningless when it was getting bombed, still pretty meaningless now.

It's sitting at an 82, which is still a solid score, especially given that the game is very "different" than most of the usual AAA fare. And that's with 102 critic reviews, which is something that games that aren't pretty fuckin huge can't even come close to in terms of reach.

So critically, it's still a success. There's no "wet fart" about it on the critical front. And we don't have proper sales numbers yet, but what bits we have paints a pretty good picture (186K week 1 sales in JP, debuted at #2 on the UK retail sales charges behind CoD, #1 on physical sales in Taiwan/SK) too.

It could have been worst. But outside of people enjoying the story are people hanging out for a sequel or more of it? It was interesting to see what kojima would do "breaking free of the shackles of evil Konami" and left to his own genius but eh. More of the same really but with even more weird Hollywood worship and all his normal tropes

[dope_danny]

That's the user score, dude. So meaningless when it was getting bombed, still pretty meaningless now.

It's sitting at an 82, which is still a solid score, especially given that the game is very "different" than most of the usual AAA fare. And that's with 102 critic reviews, which is something that games that aren't pretty fuckin huge can't even come close to in terms of reach.

So critically, it's still a success. There's no "wet fart" about it on the critical front. And we don't have proper sales numbers yet, but what bits we have paints a pretty good picture (186K week 1 sales in JP, debuted at #2 on the UK retail sales charges behind CoD, #1 on physical sales in Taiwan/SK) too.

But theres also the flipside of a fair few journos treating this as the "leo deserves an oscar already!" treatment and giving it a higher grade in part "because Kojima is owed this for Konami". Like i like the game a lot but both it and control show theres either a large disconnect between reviewers and consumers or theres a little more personal feeling getting involved than there should be to even approach the facade of object critique of a retail product.

[Graeham]

Kojima has always struck me as a narcissist. He's highly praised by his fans - who, as you can see in this very thread have a creepy approach of worshiping him and treating him like a deity.

It's similar to how many praise Yoshi-P for saving FFXIV. Yet the difference there is that Yoshi-P is humble and tells people to take note of the hard work of everybody else on his team instead of focusing on him.

Kojima doesn't do the same thing. In fact, all signs point to him being very difficult to work with.

It's shady that the user reviews have been nuked. Why weren't the 'KOJIMA IS A GOD' reviews removed? I bet the game is unfairly going to receive a bunch of awards despite being hugely overrated and polarising.

[dope_danny]

Kojima has always struck me as a narcissist. He's highly praised by his fans - who, as you can see in this very thread have a creepy approach of worshiping him and treating him like a deity.

It's similar to how many praise Yoshi-P for saving FFXIV. Yet the difference there is that Yoshi-P is humble and tells people to take note of the hard work of everybody else on his team instead of focusing on him.

Kojima doesn't do the same thing. In fact, all signs point to him being very difficult to work with.

It's shady that the user reviews have been nuked. Why weren't the 'KOJIMA IS A GOD' reviews removed? I bet the game is unfairly going to receive a bunch of awards despite being hugely overrated and polarising.

The Deification of Kojima has been a thing for a long time. He gets treated like how Cinephiles treat Kubrick. Though more and more we hear stuff from behind the scenes that he is kind of an asshole that treats his staff like shit and creeps on all the models he gets in to play characters in his games. Hero Worship is a strange thing and even stranger in the social media age of parasocial relationship syndrome. Personally i just look at it the same way i look at HP Lovecraft: i love a lot of his work, but i don't think i'd like the guy behind the work at all.

[Graeham]

The Deification of Kojima has been a thing for a long time. He gets treated like how Cinephiles treat Kubrick. Though more and more we hear stuff from behind the scenes that he is kind of an asshole that treats his staff like shit and creeps on all the models he gets in to play characters in his games. Hero Worship is a strange thing and even stranger in the social media age of parasocial relationship syndrome. Personally i just look at it the same way i look at HP Lovecraft: i love a lot of his work, but i don't think i'd like the guy behind the work at all.

Yeah, it's weird.

Kojima hasn't been on my radar since Metal Gear Solid 3. I didn't enjoy anything that he made after that to any major extent. The more freedom he has, the weirder things get - and not in the 'good weird' way, either. I was at least hopeful that we'd get a solid horror game out of Death Stranding, though that wasn't the case at all and it's just another bland walking simulator with fetch quests pushed as the main form of engagement.

I wonder how many of his fans are just desperate to cling to nostalgia in the hope they can convince themselves that he hasn't lost his magic? It reminds me of how some people still play WoW religiously despite hating the game's direction, citing major flaws that have existed since the days of Cataclysm.

[The Butt Witch]

That's the user score, dude. So meaningless when it was getting bombed, still pretty meaningless now.

It's sitting at an 82, which is still a solid score, especially given that the game is very "different" than most of the usual AAA fare. And that's with 102 critic reviews, which is something that games that aren't pretty fuckin huge can't even come close to in terms of reach.

So critically, it's still a success. There's no "wet fart" about it on the critical front. And we don't have proper sales numbers yet, but what bits we have paints a pretty good picture (186K week 1 sales in JP, debuted at #2 on the UK retail sales charges behind CoD, #1 on physical sales in Taiwan/SK) too.

Critic reviews mean jackshit!

Critics will never risk pissing off an important developer or game publisher, and then bite the hand that feeds them exclusive content such as interviews, closed betas, and preview copies. Because they know that if they do and deliver an actual unbiased and objective critique, then they will go on that company's shit list, and no longer get stuff to put on their website in order to attract visitors to show them ads and get paid.

To trust critics, who have a lot to lose from pissing off the publisher, is rather silly. Whenever deciding to look at a critic's score, it's a good idea to drop 2 points from their score, and that's actually the game's REAL score if the critic had the balls to be unbiased and objective.

User scores, when they're not marred by some angry campaign to downvote a game, are the most reliable because the users don't give a shit about pissing off the developer, they have nothing to lose.

https://www.metacritic.com/game/pc/dragon-age-ii

Give me a fucking break! No one campaigned against that game!

[Tech614]

But theres also the flipside of a fair few journos treating this as the "leo deserves an oscar already!" treatment and giving it a higher grade in part "because Kojima is owed this for Konami". Like i like the game a lot but both it and control show theres either a large disconnect between reviewers and consumers or theres a little more personal feeling getting involved than there should be to even approach the facade of object critique of a retail product.

And the flip side to that was plenty of Journos who had a bone to pick that didn't think Kojima deserved the budget or freedom Sony gave him for the game so it literally cancels it out.

Also lets not compare it to control, Contol failed to chart in AUGUST, let alone November it was a flat out commercial flop. Death Stranding is not. There is no comparison between these games.

- - - Updated - - -

Critics will never risk pissing off an important developer or game publisher

19 mixed and 3 negative reviews. Sure thing my guy, reality doesn't match up with your logic. Not to mention DS is actually on the lower end of Sony published games.

[Breccia]

Before I get to my question:

It's sitting at an 82... And that's with 102 critic reviews

I just came from there, 116 and still 82. Looks like the reviews have basically converged.

Critics will never risk pissing off an important developer or game publisher (snipped Rage, Rage 2 against the Dying Light)

I'm going to disagree with you, and agree with you, for two reasons. Both of those reasons are Kane and Lynch 2.

For those of you who don't remember, I'll give the short version. One of Kotaku's reviewers gave this game a low score, SONY threatened to pull advertising from Kotaku, so Kotaku fired the reviewer.

The problem was, Kotaku was immediately called out for this, the site was ridiculed and they very likely still lost advertising revenue due to lower traffic. Case in point: head over to Metacritic right now and find their review for Death Stranding.

I'll wait.

No really, go for it.

See? It's in the "unscored" column. Shoved to the kids' table of Metacritic. Simply put, regardless of ad revenue, a reviewer's opinion is worth as much as the reader allows it to be. And the internet tends to hate-snub sellouts.

Incidentally, this is one of the reasons why, yes, a reviewer might be biased one way or the other, but an amalgamation is less likely to be so.

It's the same with user reviews in that way, but more extreme. Having searched user reviews for shopping, movies, and games, and also being a professional statistician, I can safely cite Voluntary Response Bias is a real thing. Generally speaking, people don't flock to a review site to post "this is the most average, acceptable, standard product ever". They post love it/hate it. Granted, "do you like this product?" is pretty binary anyhow, but professional reviewers hit everything, individuals don't...unless they really want to.

In the case of Death Stranding, they're not so far apart to say one is dogshit and the other amazeballs. It's 82% vs 75%, and while that's pretty significantly different it's not like you're asking about, I dunno, "how hot do you like your chili" in Arizona vs. Scotland, or "do you know what Roll Tide means?" in Alabama vs. the resto shaman forum.

My advice is to find a reviewer whose views mostly align with your own. I think Zero Punctuation's Yahtzee is hilarious, but he despises JRPGs and I don't.

Okay that said, I came here because, while randomly browsing, I found some site (no name) already listing Games of the Decade. They were Skyrim, The Last of Us, Witcher 3, Death Stranding and Grand Theft Auto V. And I couldn't help but Sesame Street that shit, because one of those things is not like the others, one of those things just doesn't belong. And it's not like it was included for diversity of game types, as noted by the lack of driving, sports, MMO, platformers, mobile or straight-up pure violent action games you'd think would be included at least once if they wanted to spread the focus out.

That got my interest, so I looked around. Good and bad reviews were all over the place, but eventually I started looking for "Is Death Stranding overrated" and got a surprisingly large number of hits. I didn't see anyone else who suggested a one-month-old game would beat every Zelda in the last 10 years, but I did see a fair number of Kojima fans who admitted they were let down, possibly because how different Norman Reedus is from Sombrero Box.

And I don't think Rick and Morty are helping, as the last game they advertised was Fallout 76.

Which brings me to the question: do you, people whose video game views I agree with enough that we're all on MMO-C, think the game is overrated?

[Bhanzai]

At work and cant check so I'm asking here: I assume I can watch people playing this game on twitch so I can check it out?

[Lindon]

At work and cant check so I'm asking here: I assume I can watch people playing this game on twitch so I can check it out?

Yes.

There's not that many people playing it anymore since most people have already finished it but you can always look at someone past broadcasts.

[Tech614]

Both of those reasons are Kane and Lynch 2.One of Kotaku's reviewers gave this game a low score, SONY threatened to pull advertising from Kotaku, so Kotaku fired the reviewer.

Sony had nothing to do with Kane and Lynch 2. Square Enix was the publisher, and it was a multiplatform game. What the hell did I just read lmao.

Definitely not reading the rest of that long ass post after something so blatantly wrong was claimed.