Regardless of whether you enjoyed the game or not, you have to admit that Death Stranding is one unique piece of entertainment and art. While you can pick out individual things that’s reminiscent of other titles, there’s really nothing at all out there like the game, and that’s probably why it’s managed to attract the attention of some non-gaming folk in other part of the entertainment, such as Director of the upcoming Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker, J.J. Abrams.
In an interview with IGN, Abrams discussed Death Stranding as well as the legendary mind behind the game, Hideo Kojima. The Film Director had high praise for both, calling Kojima a “master” of the video game form. He’s equally impressed with Death Stranding as a standalone piece, calling it wholly unique, musical and playing with emotion in a way that few artists can.
“It’s the kind of genre that’s such a specific emotional design, musical, the kind of uniqueness, the special quality that you sort of feel in his art.”
It’s obviously got aspects of things that are familiar in some ways, but there are clearly things that are new and unfamiliar in others.” Abrams even calls him “a master of the form.”
Death Stranding is getting praised from outside and within the gaming industry for its uniqueness, though I think it’s fair to say the overall reception was more polarizing than expected. Either way, it’s definitely one unique title and, as Abrams says, it is nothing less than “classic Hideo.”