Screenshots & trailers
What players say
Why the number is what it is: aspect mentions counted across 299 sampled Steam reviews (252 positive / 47 negative), recent and most-helpful. Plain keyword counting, fully reproducible; nothing here is written by a machine.
What positive reviews talk about
- Story & writing27% mention it
- Visuals & art10% mention it
- Music & audio8% mention it
- World & exploration7% mention it
What negative reviews complain about
- Story & writing21% mention it
- Visuals & art9% mention it
- Grind & repetition9% mention it
Satisfaction by hours played
Same score, different games: see how sentiment holds up the longer people play.
Under 5h
56%
32 reviews
5-15h
69%
49 reviews
15-40h
84%
63 reviews
40-100h
93%
101 reviews
100h+
98%
54 reviews
Review sentiment over time
Weekly positive-review rate (green) and review volume (bars). Dashed lines mark significant patches; the amber line is the start of the current scoring window. Hover the dots to see what drove a dip or a jump.
How this score was computed
The VGC Score is a weighted blend on a press-comparable 0-100 quality scale. Steam approval rates are first calibrated (95% positive on Steam ≈ 89.5 quality, since Steam approval skews high). Press and tracked creator reviews each count ~2x a player review and share one cap against player evidence (creator buy/skip calls pool into an approval rate, calibrated like Steam approval); all-time sentiment is capped and halved (it's context, not verdict); reviews of the current build carry the most weight when a fresh patch anchors the window; and a 'typical game' prior keeps small samples from pegging the scale. Because press reviews and Metacritic user aggregates describe the launch build, their weight decays as the game ages (3-year half-life after a 1-year grace). That's how a game that launched rough can outgrow its old reception once updates win players over. Reviews under 2h playtime (the refund window), non-Steam activations, and free copies are downweighted.
| Component | Positive | Quality (0-100) | Weight (pseudo-reviews) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Press reviews (Metacritic) | – | 82 | 12 |
| Creator reviews (4 tracked) | – | 64 | 2 |
| All-time Steam reviews | 93% | 88 | 1000 |
| Metacritic user ratings | – | 77 | 229 |
| Post-patch Steam reviews (trust-weighted) | 81% | 75 | 16 |
| Calibration prior (typical game) | – | 72 | 50 |
Scoring window: last 30 days (no significant patch detected) · 44 reviews sampled · 45 total reviews in window · weighted 33 up / 7.8 down · computed 2h ago · full methodology →
Press & Creators reviews (112)
Individual verdicts from outlets we track: scored reviews first, most trusted outlets first among them. The small badge is each outlet's trust score: how well its scoring history aligns with players.
- 90
“For all of Death Stranding’s surrealness, the most powerful statement it winds up making is that this work is worthwhile, even at the bitter end.”
read full review ↗ - 90
“An experiment extraordinaire, Death Stranding is a game like no other. Full of repetition and lengthy chores, yet ingenious and philosophical in its own accord. It is a sight to behold, and something you have to dedicate your whole month if you want to witness its true potential.”
read full review ↗ - 90
“I have found the same joy and emotions in Death Stranding that I had experienced years ago after finishing MGS3. If you are willing to visit Kojima-land with all of its flaws, Death Stranding will become a true experience that will push you out of your comfort zone and stay with you for a long time to come.”
read full review ↗ - 30
“The worst AAA titles I've played this year, and the worst in a while. Massive production value all for the sake of absolute trash.”
read full review ↗ - 70
- 96
“Death Stranding is a masterpiece that offers a complex and overwhelming story, with a risky gameplay that encourages us to enjoy the trip and with a soundtrack and a graphics section that leave some of the most amazing and incredible scenes in the history of video games. ”
read full review ↗ - 100
“Death Stranding is a bold and artistic vision that is not compromised in its design. It is a video game that encourages the player to be a good person, and to care for the fellow man. There have been anti-war themes in games before, but these inevitably become standard shooters that wear a mask of morality. Kojima Productions (with a little help from Guerrilla Games) may not have created a new "genre," but it did make a 3D action title that is unlike anything else. It is so rare to play a triple-A, 3D game that does not treat the player like a child, and is steeped with exploration and discovery. This is a contemplative odyssey that is ultimately a story about the triumph of the human spirit in spite of entropy.”
read full review ↗ - 100
“Following years of mysterious anticipation, Death Stranding delivers on all fronts. An accomplished, fascinating set of gameplay mechanics allow you to make deliveries the way you want to, while social features let the game live on once you've put the controller down. It may become slightly tiresome as you hit the halfway mark, but the phenomenal narrative is on hand to pick things back up again and its outstanding visuals are the cherry on top. Death Stranding doesn’t raise the bar for any particular genre, it creates an entirely new one.”
read full review ↗ - 85
“Despite having a well-designed and quite addictive gameplay loop, a great story with a powerful ending, Death Stranding falls shorts in key areas. With a long and lethargic pacing, players will turn away, and then, it’s lack of difficulty will surely seal the deal to leave this adventure for later.”
read full review ↗ - 80
“Death Stranding is a weird game that I could not stop thinking about while reviewing it. It has plenty of sluggishness to it. Sometimes I never wanted to play it again, but once that back half hit I was enthralled. There were times I couldn’t wait to play it. I spent over 50 hours in this game and eventually I want to spend more. Kojima and his team have crafted something that truly feels unique, for better or worse. It is hard to compare it to anything else, but that doesn’t always mean it was fun. Not everyone will adore this game, but I guarantee no one will ever be able to forget it either.”
read full review ↗ - 91
“Death Stranding is a remarkable experience. Full stop. It's the first game I've played where everything from the story to the gameplay work together as a truly cohesive product. The social online system is intriguing and works well, and I'm curious to see if this idea will be explored further in future games. Everything about Death Stranding feels organically interwoven, which makes the experience all the more impressive and enriching. That also means that not all parts of it are excellent. The delivery gameplay is good and occasionally great, but given its pacing and setup, it doesn't always serve the game well, especially given the low difficulty level. Setting aside those minor gripes, Death Stranding is a new and brave direction for a game, and it pays off in many ways. This may not be for everyone, but everyone should try it out if they have the chance.”
read full review ↗ - 90
“Death Stranding succeeds in touching all the right strings, combining simple gameplay in concept, but exceptionally multifaceted in execution, to a registically impeccable narrative, with the right balance between innovation, quotationism and self-titling. This is a game that’s certainly not for everyone, also due to the lack of a “traditional” multiplayer component, but it's able to leave a timeless mark on the player.”
read full review ↗
Slant Magazine
PLAY Zine
GRYOnline.pl
FourFaceButtons
The Angry Joe Show
Cubed3
Push Square
LevelUp
ZTGD
Worth Playing
Eurogamer…and 100 more tracked reviews.
Patch history
- Patch notesAug 22, 2022
- Update v 1.07 Available NowMar 22, 2022
- DEATH STRANDING UPDATE v1.04 OUT NOWSep 24, 2020
- DEATH STRANDING UPDATE PATCH (v1.02) IS NOW LIVEAug 10, 2020
- DEATH STRANDING UPDATE V 1.01 OUT NOWJul 17, 2020
- DEATH STRANDING RELEASE DATE UPDATEApr 21, 2020