Developer: Kojima Productions
Publisher: Sony Interactive Entertainment
Platform: PS5
Tested on: PS5
Death Stranding 2: On the Beach – Review
Death Stranding took the world by storm back in 2019, but not always for the right reasons. We enjoyed the game, but we did feel there were some pacing issues and some clunky mechanics that got in the way of making this our game of the year of 2019. Online, a lot of people made fun of the game, often calling it a postal service simulator title that had very little to offer other than delivering packages in a post-apocalyptic landscape. Even though there was a bit of truth to be found in these statements, Death Stranding still offered an amazing narrative, spectacular visuals, and overall interesting gameplay elements. With this second installment, we were hoping for some improved gameplay mechanics and better pacing. This is exactly what we got, and we loved every minute of it.
Story
Even though we are keeping spoilers to a minimum, keep in mind that Death Stranding 2: On the Beach is a direct sequel to 2019’s Death Stranding. This sequel takes place roughly 11 months after the events of the first game, and Sam has given up his days as a porter delivering packages for BRIDGES. He now lives in a secluded bunker in Mexico, trying to raise Lou. Sadly, his happy family life is short-lived, as Fragile shows up at Sam’s doorstep, asking him to do one last assignment for the current governing body. You have to connect different locations in Mexico to the Chiral Network, allowing them also to use the tools, data, and resources of others who are connected. Mexico, however, is filled with dangerous BTs due to poor body disposal of the deceased. You reluctantly accept, as it may cause the United Cities of America to forget your sudden disappearance, and it may help in keeping Lou safe as well. Of course, things aren’t as easy as they may initially seem, and you’ll find yourself going to Australia as well, and even a big new evil entity is added to the mix.
If you’re new and want to dive in before playing the first installment, we suggest still playing through the first game. Death Stranding 2 does offer a recap of the events of the first game, but things are a bit complex and too convoluted to be crammed into a short recap. That being said, the pacing has improved compared to the first installment, but the game is still a slow burn, and there is no immediate rush to get things done. Story segments are still quite heavy, and there are quite a few cinematic moments where you just have to sit back and see how the narrative unfolds.
Graphics
Death Stranding 2: On the Beach is one of the most beautiful games we have ever seen on PlayStation 5, if not the most beautiful one. While it’s clear that this is still a rendered game when looking at character models and certain assets, we sometimes had to do a double-take when it came to some of the game’s environments. The opening sequence alone made us doubt if we were watching a cinematic rather than engaging in actual gameplay. Even though the landscapes can be somewhat barren at times, the backdrops are gorgeous, and there is still enough asset variety that makes exploring interesting enough.
Sound
In terms of sound design, Death Stranding 2 does not disappoint either. The voice acting quality is stellar, and this sequel brings in quite a few other A-listers to join the Death Stranding universe. The music is fairly understated for the most part, but during specific story segments, a suitable track is chosen that pops to the foreground to enhance the atmosphere. Pretty much like the first installment, Hideo Kojima was clearly aiming for a cinematic approach to the story, and it works great here. The sound effects are also decent and provide the necessary audio feedback for the onscreen action.
Gameplay
Death Stranding 2: On the Beach offers the same open-world adventure gameplay as the first game. This means you’re often able to freely explore, albeit with certain restrictions in place that make it harder to wander off too much at certain parts of the game. You’ll go from one point to another, either delivering packages or completing other objectives. While a lot of time is still spent delivering packages, Death Stranding 2 does amp up the combat and still feels as cinematic as ever. This might not be the most ideal description of the game, but if you don’t mind some management aspects and a somewhat slower introduction, this sequel has a lot to offer. It’s perhaps a bit of a niche entry in the adventure game genre, but we thoroughly enjoyed what it threw at us.
There are quite a few gameplay aspects to dig into here in Death Stranding 2, as you’ll have an entire cargo management system that you’ll have to go through when accepting new missions, but there’s also combat against humans and BTs, and there are also building mechanics. The latter involves building structures for easier terrain traversal, shelter, and even fast travel. If you play offline, you’ll only see the structures you built yourself, but if you play online, you’ll come across things that other porters have built. These structures can help you on your way, and you may even contribute to bigger ‘projects’ yourself. Vehicles do make distant traversal a lot easier as well, and we were quite pleased to have access to them a lot earlier than in the first game. While the flow is still a bit slow at times, you have more freedom, and progress is a lot more noticeable than in the original. There’s a healthier balance between gameplay and cinematics, which also helps with overall player involvement.
We did state that Death Stranding 2 is a bit of a slow burn, but it’s still a lot faster than the 2019 release. You’ll have access to weapons a lot quicker, combat already occurs during your first actual mission, and even vehicles are available a lot faster. There are multiple ways to take out your enemies, and right off the bat, we already have a few options available. If you’re playing on a lower difficulty, you’ll easily be able to take out humanoid enemies with just your fists, but when playing on normal or higher, it’s advised to also keep a stealthy approach in mind. Of course, if you have an entire tower of cargo on your back, you might still stick out like a sore thumb. The weather also plays a bigger part in the experience, as you’ll also have to deal with rising rivers, sandstorms, and so on, while trying to reach the next location. The impact is often kept to a minimum, as there are more than enough optional routes you can take, and we also didn’t encounter any issues with not having enough useful tools, such as ladders to cross rivers.
Conclusion
Death Stranding 2: On the Beach is an amazing sequel to a great niche title. This sequel redefines a lot of the gameplay elements that made the original a bit too clunky, and even the pacing feels a lot better now. You’ll notice a pleasant progress curve, a lot of freedom, and quite a few things to do outside of the main quest. On top of that, the audiovisual presentation is pretty much perfect with lifelike visuals and a marvelous soundtrack. If you’re a fan of the first game, picking this one up is a no-brainer, and if you’re a new player, we still suggest looking into the Death Stranding series as it’s very much worth it.
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