It really shouldn't be a mystery at all and it's a real bummer it is.

Super Mario Bros is also an entire franchise built off the foundation of "get from A to B and don't die to the obstacles along the way".

But we never got people confused asking "what? All you do is run to the right and jump on turtles? How is that supposed to be fun lmao"

Death Stranding is essentially just that idea abstracted out into a 3rd person action adventure game, and with an emphasis on inventory management/tactical problem solving with equipment.