Beebom Score
Years after release, Death Stranding remains one of the most divisive releases in the history of video games. When Hideo Kojima delivered the game in 2019, the reception from both critics and gamers was extremely polarizing. Many of my friends either loved the game, couldn’t stand it, or had a love-hate relationship with it. When the game first came out, I had no idea it was a Kojima game, as only Norman Reedus caught my eye because of my adoration for The Walking Dead TV show. Thank god, I didn’t play the game when it came out, as the 19-year-old me would have lacked the patience to be the porter Kojima needed Sam to be (well, I also didn’t own a console then).
After shelving the title for a long time, I figured Death Stranding 2’s fast-approaching release was the right time to start my porter life. The original Death Stranding became my life after work, and my first Kojima game. I finished the Director’s Cut last month, with the game becoming one of my all-time favorites. And the start of June brought me a surprise. Thanks to Sony for providing us a copy of Death Stranding 2: On the Beach to set out on another riveting journey with Sam and Lou. After traveling around new areas, delivering cargos, and connecting them to the UCA for over 60 hours, here is Beebom’s spoiler-free review of Death Stranding 2: On the Beach.
An Unforgettable Continuation of Sam’s Porter Journey
For those unaware, Death Stranding 2: On the Beach is a continuation of Sam’s Journey, set eleven months after the first game’s events. After connecting America and forming the UCA, Sam moves to Mexico and lives out of everyone’s sight with his BB named Lou. One day, Fragile, one of Sam’s old acquaintances, comes knocking and calls for his porter expertise to connect the lands of Mexico and Australia with the UCA.
The sequel’s story is a worthy follow-up that showcases Sam’s next chapter in life and enriches the complex world of Death Stranding. The narrative kicks off with a significant event and grandly sets the stage for Sam’s newest porter journey. As usual, a grand mystery lies beneath the surface, and you start to connect the new regions and unravel the enigma surrounding the central characters.
In a lot of ways, the continuation serves as a parallel to Death Stranding (2019). One of the biggest complaints about the prequel was its convoluted narrative, which was heavy on exposition. While I didn’t find it to be that way before, the story of On the Beach is much more cohesive, and the pacing has been improved to match the player’s expectations. Still a lot of walking involved, though.
Death Stranding 2 remains powerfully emotional, ambiguous, wacky, and mysterious.
I absolutely loved how the prequel built up to the final revelations, but it has been streamlined even further to prevent the story from getting overly convoluted.
Nevertheless, Death Stranding 2 remains powerfully emotional, ambiguous, wacky, and mysterious, as you would expect from a Kojima game. You may be able to predict a few things at the start, but it all goes out the window as we approach the end. I bet you won’t see all the puzzle pieces falling into place in the final chapters. So, grab your BB, load the cargo on your back, and embark on a riveting and adventurous porter journey.
Memorable Characters Brought to Life by Stellar Cast
The original Death Stranding game boasted a set of well-written characters who made a great impact on the players. It’s not just the story’s main character, Sam Bridges, but a few fan-favorite characters return, including Léa Seydoux as Fragile, Guillermo Del Toro as Deadman, and Nicolas Winding Refn as Heartman.
There are many new faces in Death Stranding 2, such as George Miller as Tarman, Elle Fanning as Tomorrow, Fatih Akin as Dollman, and Shioli Kutsuna as Rainy (who needs some answers). All the new characters are a refreshing addition to the series, and their storylines converge sublimely as each wonderfully plays their part to connect the fractured world.
Higgs, played wonderfully by Troy Baker, makes a return as well, and this time he is more menacing with his signature over-the-top performance. There are also new mysterious characters, such as Neil (played by Luca Marinelli) and Lucy (played by Alissa Jung), who have their own extraordinary tales to tell as well.
Contemporary facial scanning and motion capture technology is a game-changer here as it has once again delivered expressive life-like characters, making On the Beach more immersive and cinematic. The star-studded cast also delivers fantastic voice acting performances, which boost the emotionally charged and cinematic storytelling experience as a whole.
Kojima has incredibly fleshed out all his main characters, and the story now feels complete as each character’s arc jas come full circle in the sequel. As much as I enjoyed the fresh new characters and their backstories, I felt that certain aspects of a few characters could have benefited from a little more depth and detail instead of leaving them up to the player. I cannot point out who and why here, as doing so will spoil the core story of the sequel.
Awe-Inspiring Next-Gen Visuals
Death Stranding set a milestone as one of the most graphically stunning games on PS4. I was in awe of the original’s visuals and knew the sequel would top it, and DS2 delivers. The opening of Death Stranding: On the Beach is by far the most aesthetically stunning sequence I have ever played. As the previews teased, the sequel takes Sam to the lands of Mexico and Australia.
So, the sequel game presents a brand new world where you will run into different kinds of biomes. Whether hiking through treacherous mountain ranges or traversing a scorching desert during the day or night, every journey is a sight to behold. The sequel’s visual fidelity has been enhanced greatly, thanks to Decima Engine firing on all cylinders.
If you have played the original, then you must be aware that Death Stranding’s imagery goes beyond otherworldly levels. Without spoiling anything major, Kojima and his team seem to have achieved their vision with exceptional art direction once again. The characters look way more realistic, the world appears incredible, and antagonists are haunting as ever, making Death Stranding 2 the most breathtaking title I have ever played on my PS5.
Death Stranding 2 Gameplay: The Ka and the Ha
The core gameplay loop hasn’t changed with Death Stranding 2, as it is still a game about delivering cargo from point A to point B and linking up regions with the Chiral network. However, Kojima has made sure to bring in a lot of new additions that offer the player the necessary freedom to approach the delivery in their own style. As you would expect in a sequel, all the major gameplay aspects have been revamped to a great extent.
Traversal: The Easiest It’s Ever Been
Starting with what you will be doing the most in Death Stranding, travelling the vast world. In line with the prequel, the game will primarily see you walking until you unlock the various modes of transport and fast travel options.
Now, the walking mechanics have been adjusted to an easier level that no one should have trouble traversing on foot. This includes new equippable skeletons, ladders, climbing anchors, and various infrastructures that help you out. The delivery simulator gets easier once you unlock vehicles such as the remodeled Tricruiser, Pickup-Offroader, Floating Carrier, and more. There is also a new monorail system that can be built to transport the goods along with you.
The vehicular control has been greatly improved, and you no longer get stopped or stuck unless you drive into a large rock or between the trees. Thus, it is time to put your driving skills to the test, and you will have no problem with vehicles anymore. The upgraded ziplines are also available to make use of and travel swiftly.
Additionally, you will unlock fast travel options such as Transponder (similar to Fragile’s jump through the beach), travel with DHV Magellan, and through the calming and relaxing Hot Spring Baths. Although I rarely used one, it comes in handy at the right time.
New Day/Night Cycle and Dynamic Weather Add More Realism
Death Stranding 2 has implemented a new day and night cycle and a dynamic weather system to make the delivery experience feel more challenging. You can decide whether you want to make a delivery during the day or at night. When resting, you can pass the time by sleeping in your private room. Daytimes are perfect for cargo deliveries, and nighttime is ideal to go stealthy and take down enemies.
The dynamic weather system brings natural disasters into play in every region you visit in the game. For example, flash floods can happen in nearby rivers due to heavy rainfall, earthquakes and sandstorms can push you to take cover while traveling through the desert, and more.
My experience with a sandstorm was quite thrilling. This one time, I had to cross a river, so I started building a bridge with the PCC. When I ran back to a nearby shelter to get the necessary resources to build, I was caught inside a sandstorm and had to power through to reach my destination.
Delivery Cargos 2.0: Improved Mission and Level Design
The sequel brings an expansive open world with two different splintered regions, including Mexico and Australia. As Sam Porter, the players are again entrusted with the duty to connect the people in these collapsed societies with their Q-pids.
So, here we are once again delivering cargos to preppers and slowly taking a trip around the world to bring people together. Sounds like satisfying and important work, doesn’t it? Well, it is.
As you make progress, you begin to learn the paths in this world, and it will be etched in the back of your mind. The main missions have you completing primary and sub-orders to advance the story. In addition to standard orders and lost cargos (side quests), there are new aid requests to improve your connection with preppers.
The main missions have been diversified in Death Stranding 2, where you need to do more than just deliver cargo to places. Sometimes, you need to clear out enemy camps, rescue animals, cargo, and retrieve humans, too.
With a well-designed world at your disposal, you can carefully plan your journey with the new 3D map and a risk assessment system, and manage your inventory in an even better manner. This new open world always offers multiple paths to plan your route and make your way through, which depends on your playstyle and the ongoing mission. All the aspects of the open world environment, such as delivery centres, human enemies, and BTs, have been properly laid out to present you with a rewarding challenge.
The gameplay loop of DS2 continues to be one of the rewarding experiences
With every completed delivery, you increase your connection level and rating with NPCs to unlock gears, weapons, upgrades, cosmetics, and other customization features. The gameplay loop of DS2 continues to be one of the rewarding experiences as you unlock meaningful items, which help ease your journey as you progress steadily.
Combat Upgraded to Deliver Non-Stop Action
Combat was never the strong suit of the original Death Stranding, and it was one of the reasons why the game didn’t bring out joy for many fans. We all expected Metal Gear Solid-style combat. Kojima and his team heard the feedback loud and clear for Death Stranding 2.
The game has brought in tons of weapons and equipment, vital in dictating the playstyle you aim to achieve. I managed to complete many missions where I went in with guns blazing instead of approaching them stealthily. But, there were also times I avoided confrontation and used the items, like all the different bombs, at my disposal. Guess what? Every strategy you come up with works like a charm, thanks to the multitude of things available at your disposal.
Kojima and his team heard the feedback loud and clear and brought in tons of weapons and equipment
All the weapons have been carefully integrated for both close and long-range needs. You can unlock suppressors for your gun to turn it into a silent weapon if you prefer stealth. New grenades, such as decoy, stealth, and BT, allow you to further strategize your actions. Also, Dollman, the talking doll, acts as a supporting ally who can also be thrown to scan regions before you dive in head first.
There is a refined VR training room where you can hone your combat skills further by taking on various programs. Substantially, even crazier weapons and equipment you unlock towards the end game are a game-changer. In a nutshell, combat has transformed significantly in the sequel, which will interest more players and fulfill their desires for MSG-like combat. I enjoyed the new additions and found the combat to be more satisfying than the first installment.
Social Strand Enhanced to Bring More Porters Together
The asynchronous multiplayer system called Social Strand is the heart of Death Stranding’s core gameplay. This multiplayer system was a hit in the original game and has been polished further for the sequel. It offers a unique multiplayer experience that I didn’t find in any other game. First of all, I have to say the Social Strand System perfectly ties in with Death Stranding’s theme— connecting people.
All the infrastructure you build can be accessed by fellow porters in the chiral network. In addition to leaving signs to praise or warn them, now you can also seek their help in gathering resources or weapons. You can also view the players you have interacted with in the Social Strand Service and increase your connection level with them.
This multiplayer system is one of the main reasons why I fell in love with Death Stranding. With the refined Social Strand system, I often find myself going out of my way to help my fellow porters by donating the required resources or strategically building infrastructures that not only help me later on but also fellow porters who are on this journey with me.
With the refined Social Strand system in place, I often find myself going out of my way to help my fellow porters by donating the required resources or strategically building infrastructures
The amount of pleasure and gratitude I feel when I see a notification that someone used a generator, or bridge, or the road I constructed remains unmatched. There are times when I was in dire need of something (for example, a generator or a watchtower), and another porter had my back, and fellow porters always came in clutch during boss battles.
Therefore, I couldn’t stop myself from smashing the like button for other players’ structures and vehicles whenever I ran into one. In this way, each porter leaves a lasting impression on this world, making the following players’ journey blissful. The way Kojima brought the players together to help each other in this transformative journey deserves all the praise.
Moreover, the tedious mail system has been replaced by a social media-esque Social Strand Service platform where NPCs share their updates.
Difficulty: A Steady Challenge to Keep You Invested
I played and finished the game on the second-highest difficulty level, i.e. Normal. As mentioned earlier, the traversal has been made a lot easier. Sure, the weather system and day/night cycle made the gameplay more fascinating, but combat has a big say in the game’s difficulty.
Death Stranding: On the Beach is packed with a wide variety of enemies. The human enemies come in different factions, such as Bandits, Brigands, and Armed Survivalists. There are new BT types, Chiral Creatures, and all-new Mech Soldiers as well. All the new enemy additions crank up the pressure of every trip you undertake.
The human enemies barely put up a fight, and the AI felt a bit dull at times. However, BTs and the mech soldiers were not easy to overcome, and they gave me a run for my money. The boss battles against BTs and mechs kept me on the edge of my seat during my entire playthrough. However, if there were a greater mix of mech bosses, it could’ve turned the good experience into unforgettable encounters.
New Character Progression and Skill Tree
A new skill tree has been added to the porter grade system. With each delivery, you increase your rating with preppers and obtain memory points which you can spend to obtain particular skills in various areas such as porter, servicemanship, combat, and stealth. This was a welcoming extension to let the players choose their playstyle and flourish throughout the journey.
Lastly, the UI, button mapping, and equipment menus were a mess in the prequel, which had you confused and mashing buttons. That problem has been solved here, as each element is categorized properly and can be accessed easily with little effort, as it should have been from the start.
This saves you from many inconveniences, but still, I feel the weapon and tools menu could have been segregated, as I was accidentally switching between the two in the heat of the battle, causing me to lose my sanity in crucial times.
Atmospheric Soundtrack Uplifting Your Journeys
Music is not just another aspect of the game; it is the soul, or should I say ‘Ka’, of Death Stranding 2. Kojima teamed up with Woodkid (Arcane TV show fame), Ludvig Forssell, and many more artists to deliver an unforgettable soundtrack for this sequel.
The curated collection of songs plays at the perfect time on each of your trips across the lands, and it hits right on the feels just like how it played out in the first game. Sam’s journeys in Death Stranding wouldn’t be the same without its soulful music.
Death Stranding 2’s main soundtrack is marvellous and elevates every moment in Sam’s new cross-continent journey. Kojima has brought back the tradition of procedural music in videogames. You must have heard about it from the previews, i.e. the music plays out based on your actions, which is a fantastic addition, and I will let you experience its magic on your own.
Lastly, the developers also fulfilled fans’ demands by adding a music player system where you can play all the tracks you have unlocked within the chiral network.
The simple act of delivering cargo feels less like a chore with Death Stranding 2’s impeccable musical score
If you are concerned whether the intended song in an area is getting skipped due to the current song you are playing with your music player, don’t worry. The current playing song automatically fades to nothing, and the intended song starts playing. Death Stranding 2’s impeccable musical score makes every trip feel therapeutic, adds intensity to every enemy encounter, and, more importantly, even the simple act of delivering cargo feels less like a chore with this musical score.
Kojima has unearthed many beautiful songs in both installments, such as Low Roar (RIP Ryan Karazija). I will always cherish the OSTs of Death Stranding, and not a day goes by without me listening to at least one track these days.
Death Stranding 2 Performance on PS5
I’ve already praised the remarkable visual fidelity of Death Stranding 2 earlier, but you are probably wondering how well the game runs on the console. Well, fret not, my friend, Death Stranding 2: On the Beach runs excellently on my base PS5 as the Decima engine does wonders.
Like the majority of PS titles, DS2 comes with fidelity mode and performance mode. In the opening moments, I played the title on fidelity mode, where the visuals looked extraordinary, but 30 FPS was a deal breaker for me.
Therefore, I switched to performance mode, and impressively, it held up the graphics well and ran smoothly at the same time. I was okay with sacrificing some visuals for a higher framerate, which must also be the case for the majority of PS gamers.
During my playthrough, I had a seamless experience on the beach. However, I sometimes noticed the rays of sunlight flickering and the water looking blurry. But keep in mind that this is a review build, and I’m sure these minor rough edges might be polished by the time of release.
Verdict: Is It Worth Buying Death Stranding On the Beach?
When Death Stranding first came out in 2019, the game didn’t instantly become a hit. Kojima-san, with complete freedom, created an experimental and ambitious video game where the players took a long time to find their footing. This game wasn’t everyone’s cup of tea, and I completely understand why. But to me and many other gamers around the world, it was a unique, wildly imaginative, and breathtakingly peaceful experience that found its way into our hearts.
With the sequel, Kojima has delivered a game that’s more rooted in player expectations. Death Stranding: On the Beach is a masterful extension, not just on the story front but also as an excellent expansion of the original game’s mechanics.
The gameplay has undergone exceptional refinement in each department, including the upgraded combat and traversal system, which makes it even more addictive to play than before, and will keep players coming back. The game is no longer just a walking simulator, as a lot of tempting quality of life improvements and additions have been made for new players, which opens the door and subtly invites them to step into the Death Stranding universe.
Kojima doesn’t drift away from his vision in the follow-up game. The sequel features his trademark fourth-wall-breaking moments, quirky story, and wacky characters. His ideas and vision about life and death may seem far-fetched; there are obvious cracks in the story and characters, yet somehow he magically finds a way to make sense of everything, leaving the player deeply moved in the end.
With the world-building, character foundations, and other elements coming together as one, Death Stranding 2 wastes no time taking you on an emotional rollercoaster ride that completes Sam’s heartfelt journey. Kojima’s love for cinema is evident from this emotionally-charged story told cinematically in the auteur’s signature style.
The unorthodox setting and world of Death Stranding may not be for everyone in the first game. But the journey has evolved into something that anyone can undertake in the sequel. Death Stranding is a very special game to me, and I embraced the original the way it was. After completing the sequel, I love Death Stranding even more with all my heart. Both parts have now joined my favorites list, and I believe everyone should undertake this journey that you won’t be able to find in other games.
