Death Stranding Review - Very Silent Hills | PowerUp

PowerUp! - "Death Stranding is not entertaining. As such, it fails as a video game, it fails as a narrative and it fails overall."

[Jin_Sakai]

I knew this would be a lo it or hate it type of game. Reviews seem to be all over the place.

[Nitrowolf2]

This score is BS, coming from someone who beat the game already. It sounds like from the story point they wanted things completely spelled out for them.

"Just look at the Metal Gear Solid series. I wouldn’t call their stories boring, but they are nonsense and often, terrible."
I mean really?

I'll admit it does drag, and that is where the majority of the mix reviews will come in.

[IamTylerDurden1]

It's an 84 Open Critic. Troll review, clearly.

[PowerUpAU]

Not a troll and I didn't want the story spelled out for me. I simply didn't like it. The gameplay and the story bored me to death.

[Xnx_gaming]

@PowerUpAU If You did play it from start to finish, and there were no bugs, or glitches that broke the game; prevented you from finishing it, HOW COULD you classify any game like that lower than a 5/10?? Logically, if you like or hate it, it is still considered a "pass" if it is not "Broken." Maybe you might understand why you sound like a troll in this sense. Hungry for the click and attention, yeah? R.I.P.

[GTgamer]

@PowerUpA 3/10 means unplayable is the game unplayable?

[bluefox755]

Over the past few years I've learned to take the hipsters masquerading as journalists in the bay area with a shaker full of salt. Often times it seems like they're new to gaming and very disconnected with actual gamers like you and I. It's also worth considering that rage bait is one of their most reliable methods of generating traffic.

[S2Killinit]

You didnt like it to the point that you rated it as if it was a broken game. If something was so terrible about it to justify a 3, then that thing should be expressly and specifically articulable. Not “its not entertaining”. A 3 is like saying its worst than some of the worse games out there. Only thing I can think of, is that something in the game offended you, or you have ulterior motives.

[darthv72]

Anything below a 5 is a broken game. This game is not broken... the reviewer is. He prob didnt understand how to play it and couldnt figure it out so he thought it was broken.

[yomfweeee]

@xnx

There's no standards for reviewing. I mean just think about what you said... if the game isn't broken it deserves a 5 minimum? Doesn't seem right. Why can't a game get a 3 just because it is stupid, terrible and not fun? I'm not saying DS is... but I think you u can give a 3 to a working game.

[rob-GP]

Why are so many people on N4G claiming that every reviewer follows the same standardised rating process? All these "it can't be below 5 if it's not broken" is BS. I've not played DS, so I can't talk about this game, but can anyone point me to this universal law-abiding gospel of review scores which we should all be following when we review a game?

Don't forget, the 'score' on a review is that particular reviewer's personal opinion - not a factual rating which will be mirrored on every single site by every single person.

If you have played the game and feel it's worth more arbitrary points (the majority of people here haven't played it yet), then fair enough - you're allowed an opinion just like this guy can have one too. It just seems like there's a lot of angry people who are upset because a game they haven't played has received a few negative reviews.

[skiggy34]

How did yo play it already?

[Rambokind]

Beat the game already -- WHAT AN EFFIN joke. What does that say about the game and you? I can spell it out for you if you like.

[HaVoK308]

Reviews are subjective opinions. Even when you don’t like them.

[IamTylerDurden1]

You rate the game a 3/10

It's an 86 Open Critic and you give it a 3?

That is a score reserved for near broken games and utter disasters. Irresponsible journalism.

[rainslacker]

As a reviewer, it shouldn't be so much about if you like the story or not, but if the story is constructed properly, and if it meets a certain level of objective coherence that you or your editor should assign to it for rating purposes.

When reviewing a game from someone like kojima, known for his story based games, you also have to put your own bias aside, and as a service to your readers inform them how the story holds up compared to his other games.

But, when you use your review to criticize other games he has made, it just makes you look bias, and that you went in with an objective to dislike whatever he put out. Chances are, if you didnt like the mgs games story, you wouldn't like this one, so while it's fine to say that as a service to the readers who may also not like such things, you didnt do anything to say why those who do like his work would find it good.

Reviews like that are worthless, because you assume that your readers care more about your opinion of the game, and in this case the dev, rather than care about a fair and honest review of the game.

Reviews are subjective looks at objective criteria. Something that most reviews cant seem to achieve anymore. If your review doesnt offer objective analysis to your subjective opinion, then it's not a review, it's an opinion piece that makes for a bad blog, and unfortunately is what passes for news nowadays

[Sophisticated_Chap]

PowerUpAU is just expressing his own opinion for the game. Let's calm down everyone.

[DerfDerf]

Anything under a 5 score is a broken game? get out of here with that nonsense. If a game is broken it should be a 1 and scale accordingly. The real issue isn't that this game got a 3 out of 10 from a reviewer the real issue is the sites giving it a 10 out of 10 while plainly stating in their review that the game is extemely boring and stale when it comes to actual gameplay but giving it a 10 based on the fact it's art. WTF is that nonsense. The most important part of a game is its gameplay. If its gameplay is found to be stale and boring by the reviewer how could it possibly be a perfect game. Almost unanimously every review (good and bad) claim that the core gameplay is extremely boring. Doesn't sound like a good thing for your game to have.

[dirtydizzil]

Has a meta score above 80 .....few gave it a really terrible score

[KyRo]

It's basically side mission: the game from the sounds of it. This is the second open world game that has not worked out for Kojima. The art style and setting is brilliant but alot of people are calling it boring, just as MGSV was labeled boring.

[Estrada_57]

This whole love it or hate it vibe actually excites me more for than I was before for this game. Just means to keep an open mind and expect the unexpected. From most reviews they all say it's different in it's own right and I think whether it's as good or as bad as they say(mixed) the game industry is in need of something different and I'm all in for it

[GamerRN]

I think it is an ok game, just not for everybody. Can't judge it until I play it. I'm looking forward to Hideos crazy stories

[TheOptimist]

Zero Punctuation for this game gonna be hella lit. Can't wait.

[trouble_bubble]

Who???? I’m waiting for Angry Videogame Nerd’s review in 2039.

[Ceaser9857361]

3/10 is too harsh. If the game was super buggy or glitchy than the score would be fine
A 5/10 if you didn't like the game sounds good.

[FTLmaster]

I disagree. Reviewing a game is not like reviewing a car, a hoover, or an inaminate object. It’s an experience. If it’s not buggy, that doesn’t automatically give a game 5/10. That’s cobblers.

[VerminSC]

How are you being downvoted?! It’s true just because a game has no bugs doesn’t mean it can’t suck ass

[Chaos_Order]

I don't see why you're being downvoted so much either. Bugs can of course influence the experience, but you can still have terrible games with very few bugs and great games that are kinda buggy.

Personally, I'd say a 1/10 is the only appropriate score for something that's near unplayable. A 5/10 should be for games that are okay, but not recommended.

[NnOric]

He is being downvoted for the exact same reason scores like 3/10 exist for this game.

[frostypants]

Reviewing a game is plenty like reviewing a car, actually. If you know anything about cars.

[IamTylerDurden1]

The game is an 86 Open Critic and he gave it a 3. That seems irregular...no?

The sheer visuals, production value, and acting quality should've registered this as more than a 3 alone. F****** joke.

[Christopher]

Not necessarily. Bad acting, writing, world design, and gameplay and it can definitely be a 3/10. Being broken or glitchy can lower the score as well, but there are other things that can definitely get you there. I'm not sure if DS is deserving of the 3/10 based on the factors I mention, and it seems the majority of critics don't think so.

[IamTylerDurden1]

But the consensus is that none of those things are true. It's an 86 Open Critic with numerous perfect scores. This score is out of line.

It has a higher Open Critic than Gears 5 and Outer Worlds yet the narrative around those games was much different. Ppl were hailing them as great games, but the narrative about Death Stranding is that it's "mixed" or "divisive".

[thedr904]

@IamTylerDurden1 "This score is out of line."

How is it out of line? It's the writer's opinion. They don't have to agree with the majority.

[blackblades]

He dont know how to review a game.

[rainslacker]

Depends on what this sites or reviewers scale is for determining score. 3/10 isnt always a broken game. Dunno about this site, but there is no real definition for what score means what. I do agree though that the overwhelming belief is that 3/10 is just a really bad game, sometimes broken. But broken to me means unplayable, which would be less than 3

[rainslacker]

I can dislike something, and still rate it on it's technical merits, because I have a good understanding of what makes a good game. i don't like all kinds of game mechanics, but I recognize what some people like about different kinds of mechanics that may exist in games. FPS games aren't really my thing, but I can easily recognize those that are top of their class, and occassionally, I can still find one that I really enjoy because of other reasons.

I can also take any game I absolutely love, and find criticism in it, and I often do that on a personal level to fine tune my sense of what makes a good game. My own games I often look at them pretty harshly, to be able to tell what I could do to make them better. It's something I learned to do as a software engineer before I ever got into the gaming industry.

As far as what a 3 constitutes. I'd say it's a game that works, but where all the elements just don't come together. There are bugs present, maybe performance issues, and they are enough to be distracting, but don't make the game completely unplayable. Just things that you have to put up with. Moreso, it could also mean that the game mechanics get stale real quick, and there isn't enough there to hold it through to the end, even if those game mechanics are executed well.

Simply put, a 3 to me is it basically amounts to poor execution, with performance issues or bugs, coupled with uninteresting game play. Some of that is broadly stated, but it's the best I feel I can do to keep it brief.

A game that is broken to be unplayable is a firm 1....or 0 if that's available, because a game that is broken is not a complete game, and shouldn't be released.

[Gatsu]

This dude hasnt played many games, if he say this is the most boring game he has ever played and hates it xD... I can't take these reviews seriously lol.

[DerfDerf]

Even the good reviews say the game is extremely boring so......yeah

[Ceaser9857361]

Doesn't make sense if its a good review and then says boring... How can a review be good if its boring to them... weird.

[Gatsu]

Read them again boy...

[BrainSyphoned]

I hear Joker is a terrible movie and you shouldn’t watch it. Or maybe skip the tomato reviews and support a game not afraid of single player ingenuity.

[FunAndGun]

ingenuity? really man....you guys need to stay in check.

[SyntheticForm]

Some high and low reviews.

Oh well, a game that isn't for everyone. Imagine that.

[mandingo]

I just read a review that says its full of repetitive and lengthy chores yet its given a 90. What?

[waverider]

I hope playstation gamers buy this game, because is one of the best of this generation. Sometimes is frustrating because you went the wrong path, but is so cool the world he created and strange. The music, got such an impact in a game. I think i never thought about the music in a game. The connection with other players is so fun. Never seen something like that. This game is a Experience. of course there are many trolls that prefer the same formula over and over and mindless shooting. Well, then, this isnt for you. This game takes time, the gameplay isnt point and shoot. It takes, again, time. The message of the game is also very important. Playing it at night is the best. I just wish i got more time to play it. Its so important that we still have genious like Kojima in videogaming and now i understand what the actors were saying about the game. Its mindblowing strange and addictive. I dont understand why i want to help them, but i just want.

[froy402]

Cool, thanks for the input, looking forward to playing it.

[Inzo]

It is very clear to me that this guy has never played a Hideo Kojima game. He goes to say that its dialog is cringe worthy like anime. WTF? I am sad to say that I gave this guy a click but he is clearly trolling.

[blaziliuz12]

Come on, clearly this score is bait. Currently at 84 on Metacritic, and this is just one of the reviews thats trying to further take down the score. I understand it being a 6/7, but a 3 basically means the game is unplayable and broken.

[Lilithphantom]

Well Entitled to opinion but... not a source I would trust being one of the lowest reviewed games on the site and same reviewer gave breakpoint a 8.... =/

[Leo Stevenson
PowerUp!
8 / 10.0 - Tom Clancy's Ghost Recon Breakpoint
Oct 14, 2019

It's not the best game I've ever played but it's fun, it's thrilling, action-packed and incredibly addictive.]

[Gordoncordon]

that alone should make this site not impactful for the metascore, they are not professionist obviously

[SyntheticForm]

"The MOST painfully boring gaming experience of my life - 0/10
Nonsense story, poorly told and with minimal impact - 1/10
Incredible visuals - 7/10
Great cast and voice acting - 7/10
Total and utter waste of time, failure as a game - 0/10"

Yeah, I just gotta wait for friend's opinion on this thing.

[dumahim]

Incredible and Great only earn a 7/10. I wonder what he uses to describe 8-10.

[windblowsagain]

A review is a personal opinion and should be treated as such. The same with any media.

YOUR the only one who can review a game - When YOU play it.

[Gordoncordon]

3/10 uh? not a chance.
added to the blacklist of sites to not consider

[THC CELL]

Never trust reviewers that are from unknown sites.

[Sm00thNinja]

Cancelled my PS4 Pro console but kept my special edition. Still excited but my fears of fetch quest walking simulator sound somewhat true. Sounds like a solid experience if not genre defining or game changing

[Vithar]

LMAO

[pornflakes]

Actually a 8/10 in average is a great Score! For my personal Taste only witcher 3 deserved a 9,5 this gen.

The problem with DS is the Kojima Fanclub - They made from Kojjma a god- although his last good game was mgs4 on ps3.

I am Sure the good scores are comming due to the movie stars and cut scenes but for Sure not for the gameplay

[Estrada_57]

While his latest project (mgsv) was far from perfect it was still a rather good game and one of the best in that particular year of its release. Keep in mind its development was a rocky one with konami limiting kojima and unable to directly work with his development team. I didnt try P.T. but I heard the buzz around it and it was mainly good. Either way we wont know if death stranding will be any good until we try it ourselves from start to finish. Best if we make our own personal reviews

[masterfox]

"Kojima really doesn’t know how to tell a story." , it literally give that score because of this, guess it never played a Kojima game.

[pornflakes]

I hope u did... Paste ur psn Account :)

[masterfox]

I did , you will not find too much info from my PSN , cause didn't play that much of the PS3 Legacy collection and PSN wasn't around when MGS1 in the PS1 was released, or MGS2 Son of Liberty or MGS 3 Snake eater were released in the PS2, but MGS 4 Guns of the Patriots I did played the heck of it alot. Also played Zone of the Enders PS1 and Zone of the Enders 2, all effing gems from Kojima, heck I even played Metal Gear Acid on the PSP , it wasn't reviewed very good but damn that was an awesome game (screw the reviews), Kojima literally jumped from type of gameplay to a totally new type one and still have a great result for its new type of gameplay, a very turned based card type of game.

People don't realize but Hideo is heck of talented person in creating games, just look for that PT demo that was released some years ago, not other single developer up to this date have reach the intensity, terror or horror of that mere demo was capable of.

[AK91]

PowerUp? Literally who?

[Chaosdreams]

3/10 is supposed to be reserved for games that are broken, barely playable. Garbage reviews like this constantly remind us that an opinion doesn't matter when clicks = currency.

[SegaGamer]

Says who? You don't get to make the rules on how a game gets rated. If the reviewer thinks it's a 3/10, then it's a 3/10 from this persons point of view. This person has just as much of a right to give a score as those that are giving the game a 10/10.

[Chaosdreams]

History.

[TimmyTurnersDad]

@Chaosdreams "history" which part of history. I don't remember anyone coming out and laying down the official rules on how to review a video game. If he thinks its a 3, then well guess what buddy it's a 3 in his opinion. All I see are people crying because this reviewer gave lord Kojima's game a bad score. in the end, it's all subjective.

[nismo370]

powerup-gaming.com is desperate for attention.

[Veneno]

Clearly a troll review. But the 10/10 ones are just as untrustworthy.

[william_cade]

It can't be worse than 76 or Anthem. The game is not broken just not fun for some.

[Ratchet75]

Never heard of powerup gaming tbh.

[XabiDaChosenOne]

Read the review and than I read the comments, seems like this guy gave Destiny 2 a 10? I hated Destiny 2 so that must mean Death Stranding is right up my alley lol.

But in all seriousness he touched on some points that I have noticed in Kojima games, for instance how characters will explain the world of the game rather than allow the world to explain itself. A story telling trope that I noticed all over mainstream Manga story telling.

But seeing as how he said there was no bugs, great visuals and great acting there should be no reason why the game is a 3 out of 10. That's just ridiculous and comes of as emotionally

This game is still day one for me.

[-Gespenst-]

"Death Stranding is less concerned with explaining its world than it is with throwing dozens of names, acronyms and ideas at you. In true Kojima fashion, the story isn’t shown but told and told in the most hackneyed and terrible way possible... Conversations between characters are barely more than long-winded explanations of the game and its world which renders the dialogue simply atrocious."

This is exactly what I was worried about. Once the trailers started showing voiced scenes from the game, my interest in the game honestly plummetted. This kind of writing / script writing is the mark of a bad writer. Show, do not tell. It's generally not natural for the characters to speak in exposition. It feels like they're talking to me - it feels like everything they're saying they're saying for me. It's just weird. Why are characters who both know the meaning of all these terms explaining them in detail to one another? It makes no sense, and is a pretty artless way to convey the story and world to the player, no to mention it hurts immersion.

I thought Kojima was supposed to be some sort of genius auteur - how does he not know this stuff?

[Shuckylad]

Personally rather play Luigi’s mansion 3

[Passerotto]

power up?
what is this.

[BenRC01]

Obvious to grown ups.

[masterfox]

"Very Silent Hills", and if it was very Silent Hill what's wrong with that ?, that's actually a very nice compliment. Kojima it really messed up some gaming reviewers brains lol, great job Kojima screw them hard! :D

[Realms]

Not liking a game is not a reason for lowering the score beyond the point it would be considered broken. Fun factor, re play ability, overall enjoyment should be factored in the final score but it can't be all of the score. If all games where graded this way many games would be considered trash.

[battlegrog]

lol at losers bitching about a guy giving his own opinion of a game and trying to take that right from him.

[Lividgravy]

If the game lets me ill eat that baby.

[cooperdnizzle]

People need to learn how to review a game. 3/10 means it’s a hot mess. It’s like a teacher giving you an F on a paper because they didn’t like the subject you wrote about. If you are going to review a game.... have some standards.

[2ndhandcorn]

Congrats to Reedus.

[LucidIllusion]

Small minds aren't liking this game at all.

[ajax17]

K

[Segata]

Only Vinny at Giant Bomb liked this game. Everyone else was not exactly liking it. Esp Dan,Alex, and Abby. The score is above 80 but I am still seeing really mixed reactions everywhere.

[jznrpg]

I’ll play it and rate it as I see fit .

[SolidGamerX]

LOL, looks like powerup-gaming, whoever that is, is desperate for those clickity clickity clicks.