ActionAdventure
DEATH STRANDING DIRECTOR'S CUT
Give it 15 hours
Gets good by 15h then rated almost like by veterans
Fully opens up by 35h rated like by long-time players
Reach the ending 22% of players who started
Started playing 93% of owners
Steam reviews 92% positive of 69,936
What the data shows
- In the first 2 hours 1 in 4 reviews are negative (26%); after 35h it's 1 in 25 (4%).
- Fully opens up by hour 35.
- 22% of players who start reach the ending.
- The biggest drop-off is between “Rebuilding America” (Complete Episode 1: Bridget) and “We Need You” (Complete Episode 2: Amelie): from 88% to 48% of starters.
- 93% of owners got the first achievement.
When it gets good
Share of positive reviews by how many hours the reviewer had played when writing the review.
before it gets good opening up fully opened up
Based on all 70,328 Steam reviews in every language. Median playtime in a sample of 298 reviews: 42.3h for positive, 13.8h for negative. Almost every game is rated lower in the first 2–3 hours: that window includes refunds and quick first impressions. What matters is how deep the dip is and how fast the game recovers.
Where players quit
Share of players who started the game and reached each story milestone. 100% is the most common achievement (93% of owners), so people who bought the game and never launched it don't count.
- Started playing 100%
- Delivering Is What I Do Complete the prologue: Porter. 100%
- Rebuilding America Complete Episode 1: Bridget. 88% −12
- We Need You Complete Episode 2: Amelie. Most players quit here 48% −39
- I Won't Break Complete Episode 3: Fragile. 34% −15
- BB... Complete Episode 4: Unger. 33%
- We're Whole Again Complete Episode 5: Mama. 29% −4
- BBs: A Bridge Between This World and the One Beyond Complete Episode 6: Deadman. 27% −2
- "BB" Complete Episode 7: Clifford. 27%
- Sixty Deaths and Sixty Births in a Day Complete Episode 8: Heartman. 24% −3
- The Particle of God Complete Episode 9: Higgs. 23% −1
- I'm Your Die-Hardman Complete Episode 10: Die-Hardman. 23%
- Bring Back My Baby Complete Episode 11: Clifford Unger. 23%
- She's waiting for you on the Beach. Complete Episode 12: Bridges. 23%
- Thank You, Sam Complete Episode 13: Sam Strand. 22%
- Thanks for Everything Complete Episode 14: Lou. 22% −1
story milestone ending biggest drop-off
Story milestones were labeled by AI from achievement names and descriptions; mistakes are possible.
All achievements (63)
story milestone ending side
- Delivering Is What I Do Complete the prologue: Porter. 100%
- Good Samaritan Deliver your first piece of lost cargo. 98%
- Rebuilding America Complete Episode 1: Bridget. 88%
- Like and Be Liked Give your first Like. 85%
- Apprentice Builder Complete your first structure (signs, ladders, and climbing anchors also count.) 80%
- A New Day for the UCA Connect your first new affiliate to the UCA. 79%
- Prominent Porter Reach Grade 10 in any delivery evaluation category. 73%
- A Baby Blessing Get a Like from BB. 72%
- Building Bridges Reach Bridge Link Grade 1. 71%
- Well Connected Reach connection level three with a facility. 69%
- The Custom Kid Acquire your first piece of customization data. 68%
- Chiral Crafter Recycle chiral crystals for the first time. 66%
- Boots Are a Porter's Best Friend Change footwear for the first time. 64%
- The People's Porter Reach a total of 2,400 Likes on the Results Screen. 63%
- Everyday Delivery Complete a standard order. 58%
- A Shout in the Dark Send a shout out and have it returned for the first time. 57%
- I Couldn't Hold it In! Pee outside for the first time. 57%
- A Thirst for Knowledge Restore your first memory chip. 56%
- Snooze 'n' Soothe Heal by sleeping for the first time. 51%
- Soothing Sounds Use the music player for the first time. 49%
- Catcher Crusher Defeat a Catcher. 49%
- We Need You Complete Episode 2: Amelie. 48%
- Sleep Tight, Little BB Soothe a crying BB and stop the crying for the first time. 48%
- Giver of Gifts Make your first donation of weapons, equipment, etc. 44%
- All Roads Lead to the UCA Complete your first road. 40%
- Well-Traveled Travel 80 km and complete an order. 39%
- The Automation Revolution Complete a standard order with a delivery bot. 38%
- Pathfinder Help porters through a MULE or terrorist area for the first time. 37%
- I Won't Break Complete Episode 3: Fragile. 34%
- BB... Complete Episode 4: Unger. 33%
- Pumped Porter Deliver 3,000 kg of cargo. 30%
- We're Whole Again Complete Episode 5: Mama. 29%
- The World's Most Popular Porter Reach a total of 50,000 Likes on the Results Screen. 29%
- BBs: A Bridge Between This World and the One Beyond Complete Episode 6: Deadman. 27%
- "BB" Complete Episode 7: Clifford. 27%
- Deliveries Done Complete 36 standard orders. 26%
- Soak and Sigh Take your first hot spring bath. 26%
- Sixty Deaths and Sixty Births in a Day Complete Episode 8: Heartman. 24%
- The Particle of God Complete Episode 9: Higgs. 23%
- I'm Your Die-Hardman Complete Episode 10: Die-Hardman. 23%
- Bring Back My Baby Complete Episode 11: Clifford Unger. 23%
- She's waiting for you on the Beach. Complete Episode 12: Bridges. 23%
- Thank You, Sam Complete Episode 13: Sam Strand. 22%
- Thanks for Everything Complete Episode 14: Lou. 22%
- Rest In Pieces In a BT area, cut an umbilical cord for the first time without the BT noticing. 21%
- The Post Guides the Present Read 100 mails. 20%
- Hooked on Delivering!? Deliver 700 items of cargo. 16%
- Public Service Porter Dispose of chiralium-contaminated cargo in the crater lake for the first time. 16%
- Childminder Reach maximum connection level with BB. 15%
- God Particle Go-Getter Find Higgs's home. 9.8%
- A Helping Hand Issue your first supply request. 9.1%
- The Past Guides the Present Read 100 interviews. 7.4%
- Any Porter in a Storm Trade with another porter for the first time. 6.2%
- Birth of a Legend Complete at least 10 unique premium deliveries in each order category with an evaluation of "Legend," "Legend of Legends," or "Legend of Legends of Legends." 4.9%
- In Sam We Trust Connect all facilities to the UCA. 4.5%
- Great Deliverer Reach Grade 60 in all delivery evaluation categories. 4.2%
- Best Beloved Reach the maximum connection level with all facilities. 4.1%
- Master Builder Complete at least one of every type of structure (including signs, ladders, and climbing anchors.) 3.5%
- Growth of a Legend Complete at least 20 unique premium deliveries in each order category with an evaluation of "Legend of Legends" or "Legend of Legends of Legends." 3.2%
- Fount of Knowledge Restore all memory chips. 3.1%
- Trail-Blazer Upgrade all types of structure to the maximum level. 3.1%
- Homo Faber Fabricate all available weapons and equipment. 2.8%
- Greatest of Great Deliverers Obtained all Death Stranding achievements. 2.6%
Steam page Updated: 2026-10-18.