Death Stranding is a fascinating game, just as divisive as it is loved.
But in the almost two years since its release, Kojima Productions has finally released the Death Stranding Director’s Cut, which functions as a middle-ground between those who loved the original and those who wanted something a little more forgiving in their journey to rebuild America.
There are many changes and additions to Death Stranding in the Director’s Cut. These include new weapons, load-outs, ways to deliver cargo, and even a brand-new story task.
Then what does this cutscene show?
Have a look.

Death Stranding Director’s Cut Differences

The Director’s Cut has many new features that can change how you play or add new interactions with the world. But many of its biggest changes come in quality of life changes that make this long journey more comfortable from the first time around.
For example:

The game runs at a steady 60fps

When Death Stranding launched on PS4, it was locked to play at 30 fps. While this 30fps was undeniably smooth and consistent, it could never go higher, which must have disappointed many fans, especially when the PC version launched, announcing that 60fps was always the goal.
Now, fans can finally witness Norman Reedus’ Sam Porter Bridges complete the journey at 60 fps and launch in 4K.

Floaters can follow you on a zipline

One of the best pieces of equipment in Death Stranding are floats, which are small carriers that can be strung together to help you haul cargo. Or used as a form of transportation, if you prefer.
One of their strange omissions is that despite their ability to float, they can’t accompany you on a zipline.
However, this has now been implemented. The floaters can zipline to the hardest-to-reach locations in the Death Stranding world.

You can change even more about Sam and BB

Customization has always been important in Death Stranding, from the tiniest trinkets hanging from BB’s pod to the chirpy structures you can build worldwide. But that customization has been taken a step further in the Director’s Cut.
On top of BB’s trinkets, entire pods can now be colored from simple shades to tartan and camouflage. Sam has more to offer, and his backpack can now be patched for some extra expression.

You can rest in more places

Being a walking game, it’s not uncommon for players to need to take a break to regain their strength. It can happen anywhere in Death Stranding, allowing Sam to sit down and massage his shoulders or even fall asleep. You’ll get an even bigger boost if you rest where many other players rest.
It is taken further in the Director’s Cut, allowing you to rest without even getting off the reverse tricycle. After all, porters need to rest.

PC-exclusive content comes to ps5

The world of Death Stranding is populated by some guest characters, from famous writers and directors to game critics and late-night show hosts. These include Sam Lake and a chiral hologram of Aloy from Horizon: Zero Dawn.
But a few extras were added for the PC version, such as Half-Life’s headcrabs and Cyberpunk 2077’s motorcycle and ranged hacking. With the Director’s Cut, these features finally made it to the PS5.

Highways now extend into the mountains

A major part of Death Stranding is the highway that spans almost the entire map. The highways resulted from a concerted effort by players to make traveling easier for everyone. But they need to be added in the Snowy Mountains region, one of the most rugged areas in the game.
However, there’s no more. In the Director’s Cut, the highways can finally be extended into the mountains, meaning falls from slopes will be much less common, and deliveries will be more successful.

More combat skills

As a game about deliveries, combat should be one of the last things you care about. That said, sometimes battles with mules and terrorists are unavoidable. Initially, this is accomplished through punches and the odd kick or throwing just the right piece of cargo. Even lethal means if you’re willing to risk ineffectiveness.
In the Director’s Cut, a few more moves have been added, such as kicks that can be executed in a sprint, standing turrets, and even a non-lethal pulser that can hinder anyone in its path.

DualSense Support

Death Stranding Director’s Cut has a lot of cool DualSense tools that a PlayStation 5 game must have.
For starters, the adaptive trigger works as you’d expect – weapons all fire with a different feel, and the heavier Sam’s cargo, the harder it is to pull the trigger. The controller’s vibrotactile feedback responds when operating on different terrain. For example, running on smooth concrete feels much different than shaking in the snow. Finally, BB’s cooing and crying can be heard through the controller’s speakers, as well as a variety of other sounds, such as running water when crossing a river.

Monster Energy disappeared

Sam’s favorite drink, “Monster Energy,” seems gone. Monster Energy can survive an apocalyptic death stranding but can’t survive a mainframe jump. We’re assuming it results from some simple license agreement expiring. Still, either way, all references to Monster Energy are gone, now replaced by the more branded “Bridges Energy.”

New equipment

A few new manufacturing items have been added. The first is the Pulser, which fires a continuous electric charge and immobilizes mules and vehicles. Because it is based on electricity, it is more effective when in water.
Unfortunately, since it is not blood-based, it has zero effect on BT. Another new product is a new exoskeleton called the “Support Skeleton.”
It is the most comprehensive skeleton option and can replace existing all-terrain, power, and speed skeletons. It’s fast, can carry a lot of stuff, and is suitable for traveling over rough terrain.
It’s more of a “jack of all trades” that can do any job well. Also, it’s solar-powered, which makes it different from all the other exoskeletons in the game. It means that it can be charged on sunny or dark days, so you won’t have to worry about being without power.

Shooting Range

You can try out all the guns in the game and even test your shooting skills on the range that comes with the terminal.
All weapons are on the table, and you can equip any target you want to try and shoot. Or, you can jump into one of the many available exercises to see how long it takes to complete one of the various pre-made scenarios. There are also ranked drills so you can compete with other players to get the best score.

Roadster

A brand new model, the Roadster, is now available. The Roadster is suitable for flat highways or tracks, but you can also use it for deliveries, but it could do better in rocky terrain or water.

Racecourse

You can now build a real racetrack next to Timefall Farm. Sam can race against the clock in a sports car, a truck, or a backward bike to see how good he is at driving. On the track, each loop has different routes and mirror images, just like on the practice field. Also, there are ranked races where you can post your time and see how you compare to other players.

New buildable structures

The Director’s Cut of Death Stranding has new buildable structures to help Sam with his deliveries.
First up is the Cargo Catapult, which loads cargo and shoots it out of the air toward your destination. Don’t worry. It comes equipped with a parachute so as not to damage your valuable cargo. It has a small range, but it should help when going over some hills or wide rivers.
The other is a jump ramp that allows the vehicle to shoot over short distances. While riding the reverse trike, you can even have Sam do some cool maneuvers, which is useful for the photo mode.
Sam can also build a chiral bridge to help him get through smaller spaces where the bigger bridge can’t go. Mules can’t use chiral links either because they have unique network IDs. But be careful.

You can play through cliff memories and boss fights again.

When you were done with the base form of Death Stranding, you could play Cliff’s Nightmare of War again. You can now play through any big boss fights again in the Director’s Cut. These are called Nightmare Battles. Like a race car or gun range, there is also a ranked version where you can show other players your best times by recording how long it took to beat the level and how much damage you took.

Conclusion

So those are the biggest changes that can be expected when launching the Director’s Cut of Death Stranding. There are also smaller tweaks, such as the ability to ride the zipline with a carrier attached and a new route tutorial at the start.
In the end, Death Stranding: Director’s Cut is still a great PC port, and if you haven’t played the game yet, it always makes sense to get a more complete update.
Would you like to take part in the Death Stranding Director’s Cut?
If so, which of these new features excites you the most? Be sure to sound off in the comments!