The July State of Play event finally gave fans a glimpse of the much-awaitedDeath Stranding: Director’s Cut. The upcoming PS5 version ofHideo Kojima’s latest title adds a ton of new story and gameplay beats that should excite both the existing fans and the newcomers. What comes off as a bit surprising is the addition of new combat mechanics notably absent from the base game.
Death Strandingwas released to polarizing reviews from fans and critics, with many disappointed and infuriated with the lack of focus on the combat in the game.Death Strandingwas referred to by many as a “walking simulator,” and while this isn’t necessarily false, this is also not entirely true. While there are erratic and tense combat encounters inDeath Stranding, the lack of varied combat mechanics, diverse lineup of weapons, and unique enemy encounters make them repetitive, something whichDeath Stranding: Director’s Cutseems to be addressing.
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The Major Issues with the Combat of Death Stranding
Even before its release, Hideo Kojima had talked about how combat takes a backseat inDeath Stranding. Ironically, the game is brimming with tons of combat encounters with mules, homo demens, andBTsthat players often encounter while traversing from one place to another. What is lacking, however, is the limited number of possibilities and tools players have to approach these often repetitive and predictable encounters. From a narrative perspective, players are discouraged from engaging in combat, especially using lethal weapons, as death has consequences inDeath Stranding.
InDeath Stranding, leaving dead bodies behindcan lead to a voidoutthat yields craters and attracts BTs, ultimately nullifying that area. As such, the game’s world is seemingly affected, and players are discouraged from using lethal weapons. However, diminishing the combat aspect of the game by not providing unique and satisfying weapons to use against enemies isn’t a reasonable way to discourage players from indulging in combat. The game should have enough mechanics for players to satisfyingly pursue either pathway and face the consequences for themselves.
The lack of variety and options in combat, whether it be stealth or gunplay, is even more jarring given Kojima’s history with combat-focused games.Metal Gear Solid 5offers one of the most extensive and versatile combat experiences in a video game, giving players plenty of weapons and gadgets to experiment with.Metal Gear Solid 5orMetal Gearfranchisein general, also discourages lethal combat, but it still provides players the freedom to approach either pathway. While Death Stranding didn’t have to go such lengths asMetal Gear Solid 5, it could have prioritized the combat a bit more than it did and presumably become more accessible to people who avoided it for being just a walking simulator.
How Death Stranding Director’s Cut is Addressing those Problems
Thankfully, it seems, Kojima Productions has been taking fan feedbacks seriously and addressing some of the prominent issues of the original in the upcoming Director’s Cut. TheDeath Stranding: Director’s Cutstate of play trailergives a glimpse of the “advanced combat options” that the PS5 variant of the game is adding. It includes additional melee maneuvers, weapons, equipment, and more. One of the new weapons shown in the trailer is a maser gun that can electrocute enemies. Another noticeable addition seen in the trailer is the mounted machine gun that players can seemingly deploy on the battlefield.
UnlikeSnake fromMetal Gear Solid, Sam inDeath Strandingisn’t military trained, which explains the clumsy combat. Fortunately,Death Stranding: Director’s Cutis adding a firing range arena where Sam can practice and become proficient in gunplay. It is a welcome addition that makes sense from the story’s point of view, but also for players wanting to improve their skills.
Another widely criticized aspect ofDeath Stranding’s combat was the lack of enemy variety, especially the BTs', which was supposedly the highlight of the game. On top of adding new weapons and equipment,Death Stranding’s: Director’s Cutwill also add more BT battles, thus giving players more reason to try the new weapons and equipment.
Death Strandingis a profoundly atmospheric experience with a complex storyline and intriguing characters. While the core gameplay loop-that involves delivering packages- is extremely satisfying on its own, the lack of diverse weapons and unique combat encounters breaks the gameplay for many. As such, it is admirable to seeDeath Stranding: Director’s Cutattract both veterans and newcomersby making up for the flawed combat experience that presumably hankered on the original.
Death Stranding: Director’s Cutwill be available on July 20, 2025 for PS5.
MORE:Everything New in Death Stranding: Director’s Cut Revealed at Sony’s July 2021 State of Play
