The author describes their challenging first experience with Hideo Kojima's Death Stranding, expressing initial disappointment with its gameplay mechanics and narrative pacing. They originally dismissed the game as overly complicated and tedious, leading to an early abandonment after several hours. However, returning to the game during the Director's Cut, they witnessed a different approach from their wife, allowing them to appreciate the game's strategic exploration and the necessity of patience. This experience highlighted the game's complexity and deep mechanics that were overlooked in their rushed initial playthrough.
I hated it. I don't know what I expected or wanted out of this new IP, but something about holding the trigger buttons to lean left and right to avoid falling over instantly turned me off. I found the game monotonous, needlessly obtuse, and described it in a way only a veteran games writer could.
Seven or eight hours in, I dropped it. It wasn't until the Director's Cut two years later that I decided to give it another shot. I walked past the living room and saw my wife playing it, and she was carefully approaching a river and scanning it with her Odradek.
This shouldn't have been a eureka moment for anyone, as examining the land and delivering packages with caution is one of the main things the game tasks you with.
Turns out, taking my time during my second playthrough allowed me to appreciate the game's depth and nuanced mechanics that I had previously ignored while rushing.
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