Hideo Kojima Has A Theory About Death Stranding's Review Scores

Death Stranding creator Hideo Kojima has shared his thoughts on the game’s review scores. He observed that the game was rated differently by US and European outlets, and he has an idea about why that might be.

He told The New York Times Magazine that the American audience is more accustomed to shooter games. Death Stranding does have guns and some shooting elements, but it is primarily a game about exploration and traversal

“In America, they’re used to shooters, so they don’t gulp it down,” Kojima said. “It’s OK; everyone can evaluate what they want.”

Kojima added that some part of the audience for his Metal Gear Solid games resisted the way in which those games used stealth, but eventually people came around. He said he’s keen to see what people think about Death Stranding over the next few years.

“In three to five years, we will see what people will say,” he said.

Also in the interview, Kojima shared that he enjoys making video games because he himself feels lonely. “That’s why I create these things in the first place,” he said. When he was a child and returned home before his family was there, he would turn on the lights and the TV for a sense of company, he said.

Kojima also shared that the first idea for Death Stranding came to him about 10 years ago after he learned about the phenomenon where dolphins and whales beach themselves, which is called mass stranding.

The full piece is well worth a read, as it offers a unique look inside the mind of one of gaming’s most celebrated and divisive auteurs. Go read it here.

Death Stranding launches for PC on June 2, and it will feature a unique crossover campaign with Half-Life for the Steam version. It’s also been confirmed that Death Stranding will use the controversial Denuvo DRM on Steam.

Beyond Death Stranding, Kojima Productions has released a teaser for something that fans are speculating is related to Silent Hills.