Shame Kojima never did make Silent Hills because PT was extremely good.
Death Stranding is just puzzling to me. The gameplay, the storytelling - none of it seems to be done well. The only visceral reaction I feel is sheer physical pain, as if I'm dragging heavy cargo on my own back. Worst of all I can't get over seeing the cardinal sin of bad storytelling: the overextended exposition which is everywhere in Death Stranding. Characters constantly explaining an extremely convoluted and silly plot (something about saving America and the president - yawn) which apparently cannot sustain itself with a simple "show-don't-tell" approach.
I get it that Kojima is an unconventional guy. But as I see it, you gotta make a choice: either make an approachable game for the average viewer (conflict, motivation, fun) or do the opposite - make a work of high art if you like. But if you're doing the latter, why force so much exposition? This is why I don't buy the excuse I am hearing that this game is Kojima's foray into high art. High art doesn't explain itself.
Oh and speaking of PT - those who've played it will recall that there was not a lick of exposition there. Kojima should have stuck with what worked.