Death Stranding: Director's Cut: PS5 Review

Developed by Kojima Productions

Released by Sony Interactive

Platform: PS5

Death Stranding polarised many with its November 2019 release on the PlayStation 4.

Amid the hype of the fact Hideo Kojima was going it alone, and The Walking Dead's Norman Reedus was along for the ride, Death Stranding seemed to have not really built more on its reputation of a post-apocalyptic postman hiking the decimated US lands with crates stacked on his back delivering items.

In fact, the nadir was reached when Reedus' Sam Porter was forced to hike for kilometres across arduous terrain to deliver nothing more than a pair of underpants.

The Director's Cut doesn't move away from the fetch quest elements that became so intrinsically linked with the first - and simply builds on that, adding in a few more "fun" elements to help the player literally get from A to B.

A truck, a robot companion and a cannon to fire parcels off into the wild and into the arms of waiting customers give the game a bit more of a varied edge, but separate from the initial premise that was so much about one man going it alone.

Interestingly, the online portion of the game still removes a lot of the challenge for you as Sam, with a myriad of other Sams taking the path you'll already take and leaving little bits to help out behind as you make your way. This initial idea was one that was distinctively divisive, removing the game's original MO and while serving Kojima's talk about connection, it also worked to rob the game of any challenge and feeling of completion or satisfaction.

That remains in the Director's Cut, but it feels less intrusive now, and an accepted part of the gameplay. It's intriguing how such a literal game-changer has now helped shape what the actual game is.

As for the game's changes itself, from improved graphics to the aforementioned companion robot, there is more than enough to keep older players engaged and newer ones feel like they're able to get a handle on the game. Adaptive triggers are in place for weapons, and the haptic feedback works in different ways on different terrain - it's a much more immersive console experience this time, rather than just BB crying through the speaker as with the first game.

From a firing range that helps you work your weapons to a race track, Kojima's gone all the way to making this game feel like it covers all of the bases and then some. 

Death Stranding Director's Cut goes some way to addressing some of the things that would have put people off from the initial purchase two years ago. It may retain some of the frustrations of the base game, and some of the game's initial perversities, but with an upgrade and a spit and polish that adds much more in, this is a game that's worth trying to persevere with - even if at times the odds seem massively stacked against you.