After my second session today (more dedicated to do side missions) i have more impressions:

- Combat with the Mules is definitively a disapointment, at least for now. The first time i went to a base with them, i just outpunched everyone without difficulties. Combat it's clearly not the main goal of the game. Maybe they become more challenging forward in the game...

- Exploration and finding new and better routes to progress is still the best thing about the gameplay of the game. It makes you feel like an explorer.

- There's ton of side filler missions like in MGS V that just consist in repeating places and objectives and can drag the pace of the game a lot, although this serves you to...

- ...understand how the strand social system works and what purpose does it have. Once you establish a connection with a new region, you start to see what other players have been building, lefting behind (like ladders, ropes, bridges, resources or even bikes), etc. This system work as ..., "the more you help others, the more help you receive from others too", so there's an obvious meta idea behind all this about the message over connecting people and players that is easily understable. This, makes the game way more easy too though, maybe too easy.

- There's ton of menus and visual information about everything you can do and accomplish that can make you feel overwhelmed.

- There's lot of story exposition via mail that works like the tapes in MGS V just without voice acting.

I will continue with the story now, because doing side stuff can derail the pace of the story a little bit, but truth to be told, you can get cool stuff from doing those side missions too. Like every open world game, you need to balance yourself in this regard to get the better experience.

Both EDGE and Jim Sterling dislike this game? Now I'm really becoming interested in the PC release. Those two are by far the more well-known review sources that I respect the least.

What about Giant Bomb?

Famitsu gave 40/40 score

I don't know anything about them.  I think they're one of those places made up of disgruntled ex-employees from another gaming site but, then again, I think that describes most of the gaming media.  

I'm totally addicted to the game.

After 2 hours I wasn't convinced but after 3 hours I couldn't stop anymore. Just played 6 hours straight.

After my third session of the game (after ch 3)......:



This game is amazing. There's really not much more to say.

Don't believe the haters (the ones giving 3/10, 4/10, 5/10, 6/10). Like every 9/10 or 10/10 game you'll find people that like it and people who don't, but even if you find it's not a game for you, you can't deny what this game does well. Pretty convinced now that the game was review bombed by some critics for the clicks, and i'm saying that honestly. The game is not perfect, but it's nothing below an overall 8/10 game at least (if your're honestly objective). The gameplay loop can be addicting if you dig on it, and the production values/story is in another level compared to 95% the rest of the industry. This game is going to have an amazing word of mouth in the next few days and weeks. It's a game about "moments" that make you click with you. The graphics, the setting, the music, the moment to moment, .... It's the work of a man with a vision behind that wanted something specifically created in his mind, and it mostly works. In this regard is very similar to some of the best awarded indie games this generation, only in a budget and scope of a AAA title.

Clear GOTY contender. I can't wait to keep playing the game until it ends.

I should add that I found the game even more beautiful after 3 hours.

Saturday I got my copy. I've played 10 hours so far.

So far so good. The game is what I was expecting. I'm enjoying it.

The game feels Japanese, complex RPG (kinda), menu-heavy, sim-like. It's a game that requires a bit of strategy, a lot of reading, experimentation, gear and item management, and journey management. I'd say it's some sort of Japanese science fiction journey-delivery simulator. Which means that it could be boring for many.

If you're into niche, sim, Japanese RPG, lots of menus sort of game, you gonna love it. That's my case.

- This game is more about avoid confrontation and trying to have the most relaxing journey possible.
- Moving your character feels like you're moving a tank. Walking is not boring when you see Sam as a vehicle. You're not walking or running, you're driving. It's like a delivery 4x4 rallying.
- Journeys are long, so they feel like those long-quest games (Monster Hunter of sorts). You have to get prepared, manage your items, make sure your cargo is good to go, and then you go. You might fail, you might get frustrated, you might lost your cargo or fall, and that's all part of the experience. If you're into this, it's a lot addictive. Like I'm always trying to have my cargo as best protected as possible. It's addictive to try to make the perfect journey.
- Fighting is a nuisance. But I guess it's designed like this. You're supposed to deliver, not fight foes after foes. Enemies, either living or dead, they're there to disrupt your delivery, and not to be beaten.
- The journey is satisfying when you play this like you're conquering your journey: terrain, geography, gear management, vehicle preparation. etc. Otherwise, if you think you're just playing a fetch quest in a open world game, you're not gonna like it. That's not the purpose of the game.
- The game is beautiful: sounds, terrain, skies, music, texts, dialogue. The script is high quality. Everything is very well made. Graphics are among the best I've ever seen.
- Menus are quite hard to surf. Not exactly a nuisance, but it's a game for those who don't get bothered by games that require you to be careful with menus and to read a lot.

Do you like games like Monster Hunter, Xenoblade Chronicles X, Fire Emblem (in permanent death mode), complex Japanese games in general, niche simulators? You're going to love it.
Are you looking for standard open world adventure. Wrong game. Stay away from it. Most reviewers that gave bad scores reviewed this game wrong.

It seems that against some predictions Death Stranding held a higher score than Pokemon Sword and Shield.