After audience test reviews, Hideo Kojima has claimed that players are feeling much more positively about Death Stranding 2: On the Beach than they felt about the first Death Stranding. With that said, Kojima being the very particular sort of creative that he is, stated that this puts him in a conflicting situation as he’s not motivated by “making something that appeals to everyone”.
The first Death Stranding game was incredibly polarizing, as some players described it as a clunky delivery boy simulator, while others described it as a cinematic, artistic, story-driven masterpiece. Critics were rating the game from low 4’s to perfect 10’s and anywhere in between. The upcoming sequel will however be much more action focused and is likely to appeal to a much broader audience of players.
Death Stranding 2: On the Beach seems to have a far more Metal Gear Solid V feel to it, that test players seem to be really responding well to. With far more tactical encounters, engaging gunfights, and explosive vehicular combat, this sequel is shaping up to be a far cry from the original, while managing to maintain the story focus and tone of the original, just with fewer package deliveries.
Kojima said that Sony is pleased with the test reviews so far, but that he wishes the sequel was a bit more controversial with test audiences like the first game was. In a recent interview he had this to say:
“I do listen to criticism, if the controls need tweaking or if a camera pan is too slow or too fast. But I don’t alter themes or story based on feedback,”
“Of course, I want people to play my game, so I must listen to them to a certain extent. But also, I’m not interested in making something that appeals to everyone.”
“In fact, I did a lot of monitoring tests for the original Death Stranding. I’d find that four out of ten people would love the game, but six would say it was a terrible game. For me, I think that’s a good balance. But with the playtests for Death Standing 2: On the Beach, everyone seems to be positive.”
“Sony is pleased, of course, but I do wish I was a bit more controversial. Blockbuster films need an 80 percent approval rating – I don’t want to make games like that. I’m not interested in appealing to the mass market, or selling millions of copies… That’s not what I’m aiming for.”
“Of course, I can’t afford to make a failure, either. I must take care of my studio, my staff, and our production budget. But in essence, I don’t want to simply recreate something that’s already in the world. I want to make something new.”
I’m excited to see how the next entry in the series stacks up against the original, and how much influence it takes from Kojima’s previous titles. I’m also hopeful that it retains what made the original game great, while managing to trim the fat and improve upon the gameplay and quality-of-life features that were so controversial and often disliked from the original game.
We’ll know how it goes soon when Death Stranding 2: On the Beach releases on the PlayStation 5 on June 26th. Until then, we have trailers and demo footage to watch.
