It's hard to find a place to start but I find the game/sound design the easiest to talk about so I'll touch that, this game is weird. The gameplay takes a much more passive approach in most of its run and that is a turn off to some but I found it very fulfilling to go around the game's world once I got used to it. It's addicting in a way I haven't really felt in another game. And the ability to swap from adventure to horror/action in a snap without being jarring is very commendable.

As for sound design the game using its music more restrictively helps build the atmosphere that sucks you in more, and anytime it uses proper songs it hits you harder. The OST's quality is excellent all around.

For the characters, Death Stranding's main cast is one of the best used casts I've seen. Everybody has something to add to the themes and narrative but don't feel hollow or lacking in personality. Characters like Die-hardman or Heartman who I didn't expect much of ended up having genuinely well built characters that are very relevant to the game's messages.

Lastly for the the themes and narrative, I can't say a lot without spoiling but I'm very glad Kojima finally let his binds go and made a proper sci-fantasy story that he almost did with MGSV.

The lore in DS is always a blast to read and learn more about, a very intricate world that doesn't limit itself in creativity which is pretty representing of Kojima as a creator.

The narrative structure is also incredibly impressive, it manages to strike a balance between build up, exposition, characterization and payoff perfectly. Never letting any overshadow the other and having threads of story that are always relevant even if some of the orders can feel a little empty at times.

This game's themes are treated with insane care throughout, there are always characters representing 2 sides of an idea or arguing about it with one another. It lands its want to express the need to connect with others brilliantly. Be it through the very idea of America reconnecting or Sam's arc throughout this game. "Be stranded with love" or "being alone and alive is as good as being dead" are a couple of very resonant quotes this game has that get across its point in 2 lines if you wanna be minimalistic.

As for random stuff I wanna add to end this review, this is my favourite Kojima game, Sam is his best character and Clifford is his best antagonist.

(Excluded mentioning any few nitpicks I had since I simply wanted to talk about how much I liked the game)

(this is not a proper review, more like a ramble)

gonna try to write about this game without spoiling it, this is genuinely as close to perfection Kojima could get with trying to end the franchise

he isn't held back by tech or restraints on making an insanely layered combat style, he's finally allowed to go moviehead with the visuals and not rely on long long cutscenes even though he was pretty cinematic in direction by MGSV

The story is an evolution of everything he's done so far, considering where in the timeline it takes place it's the perfect way to add substance to everything that comes before and it and deconstruct the legacy of BB before ending it

The shift in tone might be jarring to some but it feels like Kojima was finally allowed to go all out with the kind of tragedies war covers so it's a much appreciated change

And to end this, this is truly the best ending a player could ask for if they were invested in the franchise thus far