Death Stranding 2 is a game about connection, with mechanics set in place to allow you to indirectly message other players. But some say it's distracting from the beautiful environments.
Death Stranding 2 is arguably one of the best looking games ever made, as Kojima Productions has shown what the Decima engine is capable of. The environments are so well-made that some players are even confusing actual desert photographs for in-game screenshots. However, Death Stranding 2 also features asynchronous multiplayer elements, allowing you to place structures, tools, cargo and all manner of helpful items in the world for other porters to find.
Among these multiplayer elements are signs, which are used in that Dark Souls style where you can leave messages to players. These range from helpful messages warning players of incoming threats, ones that give the player certain buffs (which can be used to hinder players), and requests for aid. And while these are a useful tool, some argue that it's kind of killing the vibe.
For as cinematic as Kojima Productions strives to be, please allow us to filter this... from r/DeathStranding
One player takes to the Death Stranding subreddit, saying: "For as cinematic as Kojima Productions strives to be, please allow us to filter this…" Attached is a screenshot of tons of messages, structures and other popups that are crowding the screen, making it look like the average late-game MMO UI. It's so cluttered that you can't really make out the background, which is a shame since they're so good looking.
"Yeah it's a bit much. Not an issue when venturing into new territories though, so when I feel the urge for solitude, I make some story progress," another writes.
While you do have the ability to dismantle messages in Death Stranding 2, it's limited to one at a time, and there's no real filter option. However, the ability to filter out the other players' actions kind of goes against the whole point of the game, considering that connection is one of the main gimmicks.
Of course, one user is seeing this as a masterful gambit from director Hideo Kojima, as they suggest it could tie into the game's trailer tagline. "Adding all this clutter from other players so we'd ask 'Should we have connected?' Bravo Kojima."
While you're here, make sure to take a look at our Death Stranding 2 review, as well as our guide to Death Stranding 2's ending explained if you've already finished the game.
