Death Stranding creator Hideo Kojima has shared his thoughts on the game's review scores. He observed that the game was rated differently by US and European outlets, and he has an idea about why that might be.

He told The New York Times Magazine that the American audience is more accustomed to shooter games. Death Stranding does have guns and some shooting elements, but it is primarily a game about exploration and traversal

"In America, they're used to shooters, so they don't gulp it down," Kojima said. "It's OK; everyone can evaluate what they want."