Upon release, Death Stranding divided critics and fans alike. Many were turned off by the deliberately tedious gameplay, and justifiably so. The moment-to-moment monotony may evoke the feelings of hopelessness and isolation felt by the game's central cast as a result of living in the apocalypse, but it can just as easily bore players. However, that's not to say Death Stranding doesn't have its fans. Several have resonated with the game's central themes of connection and relentlessly moving forward in the face of adversity, both of which are exhibited not just through the game's star-studded narrative, but also its collaborative, asynchronous multiplayer.

During PlayStation's latest State of Play, Death Stranding: Director's Cut — the upcoming PS5 re-release of the game — showcased just how heavily it will differ from the base game, and it looks poised to please both sides of the aisle. Across the board, the game looks more engaging, entertaining, and outlandish than ever thanks to changes that seemingly serve to enhance existing players’ experiences, while also giving potential newcomers a few reasons to jump in. 

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The biggest draw of Death Stranding is perhaps its collaborative online experience. The game is "multiplayer," but not in a traditional sense; players never encounter one another, but while playing online, they share a world populated with player-made structures, and it's up to each individual to do their part in maintaining them. 

As Death Stranding exists now, it's common for players to collectively build networks of ziplines or region-wide highway roads, both of which help greatly when it comes to navigating the game's rough terrain. However, an unfortunate byproduct of these collaborative efforts is that, aside from a few rare cases, they mostly render other forms of travel like walking and off-roading obsolete, effectively dissuading players from engaging with whole other parts of the game. 

Most of the additions coming to Death Stranding: Director's Cut look to actively encourage alternative modes of transportation. The newly revealed Buddy Bot seems like it should make going on foot a lot more manageable, while the jump ramp looks like a fun way to spice up vehicular travel. Returning players will still have to solve the same problem they did when the game first launched: Figuring out the most efficient means of getting around. But with a larger toolbox, there's seemingly more room for creativity in working out a solution this time around.

Existing fans aren't the only ones who stand to benefit from Death Stranding: Director's Cut's new features. The new travel methods and delivery tools seem to address popular criticisms regarding Death Stranding's slow pace and lack of variety in gameplay, which may very well convert those critical of the game. But perhaps an even bigger point in Director's Cut's favor is simply how fun it looks to play.

In the newly released trailer, Sam is shown firing a catapult to fling cargo across the map, racing in a post-apocalyptic circuit event, making death-defying jumps across deep chasms, and delivering flying dropkicks like he belongs in the Yakuza series. These elements, none of which were in the original title, don't quite match the heavy themes of Death Stranding's core narrative, but that doesn’t matter. The game looks like a hilariously entertaining good time, something the original title was never too concerned with being.

For returning players, Death Stranding: Director's Cut is another opportunity to reconnect with the online community and rebuild the United Cities of America with a whole new set of tools. For newcomers, including those unimpressed by the original, the fresh gameplay additions coupled with a newfound emphasis on fun both present a chance for the game to make a stronger impression than it did before. With the Director's Cut, there's an apparent effort to get as many people on board with Death Stranding as possible, which is only appropriate given the game's core theme of bringing folks together.

Death Stranding: Director's Cut launches September 24, 2021, on PS5.

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