Hideo Kojima reacts to impressive reviews for Death Stranding 2

GAMING NEWS Fyra Frost - 25-Jun-2025, 9:00 pm

After months of speculation and cautious anticipation, Death Stranding 2: On the Beach has officially been met with overwhelming critical acclaim just ahead of its global release. Hideo Kojima, the legendary mind behind the project, has broken his silence with a celebratory post on X (formerly Twitter), sharing a collage of glowing review scores from across the gaming press.

Another masterpiece

In the post, Kojima highlights top-tier ratings from major outlets such as IGN, VGC, Dexerto, and more, confirming what early previews had hinted at: the sequel not only lives up to its predecessor but, by many accounts, surpasses it. As seen in the roundup published by Game Rant, the game is currently boasting an impressive average score hovering around 89–90 on Metacritic, with OpenCritic also listing it among the top-rated games of the year.

In his June 25 post, Kojima shared no words, just the numbers. The image he posted was a scoreboard of sorts, displaying top marks from across the industry, letting the reviews speak for themselves. For a creator who once feared being "too popular," it was a quiet but powerful statement of vindication.

pic.twitter.com/iHcNCncRGN
— HIDEO_KOJIMA (@HIDEO_KOJIMA_EN) June 24, 2025

This triumph comes after Kojima had expressed unease during the development process. Early playtests had returned unusually positive feedback, leading the director to worry that the game might be too universally accepted, a stark contrast to the divisive reception of the original Death Stranding, which was celebrated by some but baffled others. In response to those early reactions, Kojima famously rewrote parts of the game in an effort to maintain the artistic tension and unpredictability he's known for.

But it seems the final product has struck a rare balance: boldly creative yet widely accessible. Critics have praised the sequel for its richer emotional narrative, refined gameplay mechanics, and even more ambitious world-building. Outlets like The Washington Post have called it a "masterpiece of storytelling and design," while Polygon observed that Kojima might have finally cracked the code to making a game that's both groundbreaking and broadly loved.

With the game set to release officially on June 26, fans and players worldwide are about to experience what critics are already calling one of the year's defining titles. If early reception is anything to go by, Death Stranding 2: On the Beach may go down not just as a successful sequel, but as a new milestone in Kojima's already storied career. Make sure that you get your copy of the game by using out comparator to check out the best deals for Death Stranding 2: On The Beach today.