What can one even say about a game like this? In short: I loved it. I was at 201 hours (and 1.7M Likes) when the credits rolled, and every minute was soaked in serene Australia-inspired ambience, poignant atmosphere, engaging storytelling, the usual Kojima absurdity, and most importantly, an intensely satisfying gameplay loop. It might not hit quite as hard as its predecessor, perhaps just by virtue of no longer being completely novel, but it makes up for that in what it does differently. Death Stranding continues to be a rare experience that invites even the most cynical players into a quietly moving form of connection - where travelling alone becomes a shared and strangely emotional act of collaboration.

As discovered by a sleuth on Reddit, and soon thereafter seemingly confirmed by a (since removed) tshirt store listing, Hideo Kojima is partnering with A24 on a live action Death Stranding film. Details about the adaptation remain undisclosed, but Kojima has previously stated that if this were to ever happen, he would be deeply involved in production. Absolutely no idea how this would work, and not super keen on it given how much of the point of the game - moreso than most, IMO - is… you know, the player interacting with it, but we’ll see! Update: Confirmation and more info has been provided by Kojima Productions.

An often woefully misunderstood game by way of limited playtime. A uniquely existential & at times emotional experience; frustrating and laborious by design. A metagame for people who love games and a rumination on human connection. Visually & sonically beautiful - very special game.