Death Stranding 2: On the Beach Review

Saying Death Stranding, Hideo Kojima’s post-apocalyptic postal carrying title, was a bit out there is not exactly a hot take. The mechanics, setting, and narrative were unlike most titles and Kojima’s unique direction made for an experience that fascinated some and bored others to tears. As such, it is with immense intrigue that I fire up the sequel, Death Stranding 2: On the Beach, to see just how much weirder things can get!

Now, before we get into it, I should mention that the game does cover some very heavy themes, especially for any new parents out there. The theme of loss and dealing with it is very central, as well as family and bonds in general. The game can and will suckerpunch you a few times with some, honestly, disturbing scenes. If you decide to pick it up, be warned!

 The narrative kicks off some time after the events of the first game, with leading character Sam Porter Bridges having retired from his delivery job and spending time with his adopted daughter, Lou. However, his paternal bliss is shattered as Fragile comes by, offering one last job. You see, during the whole jaunt of connecting the United Cities to the Chiral Network, the powers that be kinda forgot all about Mexico, which now needs to be connected as well.

Adding the Land of the Sun to the network acts as a short tutorial to get back into the swing of delivering items, interacting with preppers, and dealing with the hazards of the world, including bandits, the weather, and the ever-present Beached Things, or BTs. After some back-and-forth travelling, Sam completes his newest mission and sets off to return to his home to continue living off the radar… however, fate has other ideas and tragedy strikes, sending Sam into a depressive spell.

 After allowing our hero to stew in his funk for possibly too long, Fragile approaches him yet again. You see, near the end of this arduous task, Sam came upon a gigantic tear in the world that weird, berobed people seem to be migrating to. This Plate Gate turns out to be a portal that connects to Australia, which the government now wants to also connect to the Chiral Network, tasking an unaffiliated group, Drawbridge, with the momentous challenge. Fragile, as the leader of the organisation, recruits the bedraggled Mr Porter Bridges onto the crew, setting off to the Land Down Under and starting the game proper.

The core gameplay loop is much the same as in the original: the player is tasked with delivering items between the many denizens of the land, while slowly expanding the reach of the Chiral Network. Making this job difficult is the harsh terrain, rain that can rapidly age a person and corrode materials, bandits, and the dreaded BTs, of which Australia has an abundance.

Luckily, our postal champion does not need to start from scratch. Firearms and vehicles, for example, are introduced quite early on, allowing the player to prepare for the wilds with more freedom than in the first game. Similarly, Sam’s scanning device, the Odradek, retains some of the upgrades earned while reconnecting America, such as the ability to detect living things.

The main operation in Death Stranding was a very solitary experience for the player; sure, characters showed up on occasion, but this was mostly done via holographic projection. In Death Stranding 2, this is turned on its head, as Sam is joined by a crew of flesh-and-blood cohorts to interact with! Our hero even has a buddy joining in on the day-to-day labouring, though more on him later.

Finally, being part of Drawbridge has one last benefit: the DHV Magellan. This futuristic ship not only acts as a mobile base for the crew, but it also provides the player with the ability to fast travel to most connected facilities! I loved the addition, as it adds a welcome feeling of Sam not being the only one getting his hands dirty in the field.

Much like in the previous title, as our walking warrior ventures in the Outback, he will meet the many preppers and Knot cities that have survived the Death Stranding. As the player completes deliveries and returns lost items to these denizens, they will slowly increase their Bond. Once a new Bond level is reached (to a maximum of five), the character in question will often gift Sam a blueprint for a new tool, increased resources, or some lovely cosmetic additions, like keychains or badges!

I’ll admit, I was a bit obsessed with maxing out every person I could, just to get every badge. The little cloth icons gave no real benefit, but the art is nice, and it's a great indication of completion. I wish more games did that, though I fear I’d not get anything done if they did. However, I feel like not all bonds were created equal. I completed a few with little to no issue, but others seemed to take ages to fill, no matter how many tasks I completed, making for a frustrating experience.

The combat has seen a lot of improvements, feeling much less clunky than before. The game also eschews the original's emphasis on stealth and avoidance, allowing players to be more combat-oriented, if they so wish. This is supported by new combat-oriented items and perks, such as aim assists.

The improvements to combat naturally mean that the game offers a bit more fisticuffs this time around. While it is still possible to avoid many encounters, there are still a fair few mandatory firefights that may surprise the player. Luckily, the combat is not too deadly, and one can often muddle through even if caught unawares, as weapons and healing items are often easy to find — especially in plot-mandated conflicts.

The asynchronous multiplayer aspects seen in the first game make a return in the sequel. As the plot progresses and the player expands the Chiral Network, more and more structures, signs, and even vehicles built by other players become available for use. Though we never see any other player live, the system makes for a great sense of camaraderie, especially when it comes to the highway and monorail systems.

At certain points in the game, players can spend resources at nodes to create either a pavement for vehicles to cruise on or a suspended monorail track. The required amount of goods is quite large, so building them by oneself is a daunting task. Thankfully, the cost is split between a pool of players, meaning a small contribution by many can go a long way! As both modes of transport are very useful, it is always heartening to look at the map and see that a stretch has been completed.

In a similar vein, other players may come to the rescue in battles against larger BTs and certain boss battles. If Sam is suddenly running low on weapons or blood bags, a humanoid shape made entirely of tar may pop up and throw an item or two to the player in need. I know I was pulled out of a few tight spots thanks to the generosity of others.

Death Stranding 2 also seems to have a mechanic where the player can only find items and tools they themselves are able to craft. If so, this is a great addition, as it both allows the discovery of new items organically, while also making the appearance of the more advanced structures feel more natural, like the idea has spread upon discovery.

Visually, the game is absolutely fantastic. Even though the player spends most of their time journeying through an empty landscape, it is difficult to find a spot that isn’t somehow picturesque. From the flowing deserts to the rocky plains and the snow-filled peaks, every location looks phenomenal. The designs of both the characters and items are equally polished, with everything having a bit of futuristic polish, at least before being splattered with mud, snow, or blood.

The game also pays close attention to detail, with boxes and vehicles visibly deteriorating whilst under the effects of the ageing Timefall. Sam especially shows the signs of his escapades quite well, being visibly blood-spattered upon taking damage, or absolutely filthy after falling into tar. He even gets sunburn or frostbite, depending on the area!

The same care seems to have been given to the characters we meet and work with. Readers may have already seen jokes about the naming conventions used, and while they are humorous, the characters do have a bit more depth than their names may indicate. For example, Dollman (the man who inhabits the body of a doll) may seem like a strange addition, but he is possibly the best part of the experience.

In addition to being a useful tool for scouting, the diminutive man also acts as Sam’s companion and spokesman on the trip. As our hero is of the taciturn type, having a vocal character react and comment on the goings on adds a much-needed bit of life to the game. It also builds into the game’s overall theme of family very well.

The preppers the player meets are charming, though one's mileage may vary depending on how much time they spend with each person. They’re all charming in their own way, running the gamut between ordinary Joe and secluded eccentric. Players may even spot a few familiar faces as they travel, as Kojima has a habit of casting celebrities to play minor roles. There’s even a VTuber!

The best aspect of Death Stranding 2, however, is the freedom it gives its players. Each task can be completed in whatever way is seen fit, be it by avoiding conflict and walking around dangers, or by loading up a pick-up truck and putting the pedal to the metal. As the game is played, skills are unlocked in relation to how the player operates: if they prefer stealthing, they will earn bonuses to make that easier. Similarly, if guns are preferred, one may find themselves unlocking skills pertaining to aiming or weapon stability!

It’s honestly a great system, and I always felt like I had the tools necessary to play my way (which, incidentally, was stuffing a car full of boxes and driving around for hours). In a similar vein, the preppers themselves seemed to be more specialised this time around, with certain characters having clear areas of expertise. As such, it was easy to gravitate towards the ones that gave out some sweet vehicle upgrades to fit my style.

Although the game has a bit more of an action-oriented feel to it, it’s still not going to be for everyone. It still has a lot of busywork and simple driving between locations to deliver parcels, so if that was a deal-breaker in the first game, it may be wise to temper expectations. However, I do feel that the sequel succeeded in fine-tuning the formula a fair bit to make a surprisingly compelling experience.

In summary, Death Stranding 2: On the Beach improves on many of the failings of its predecessor, feeling more like a proper sequel rather than an expansion. Though the gameplay is similar, both the exploration and combat have been fine-tuned to make for a compelling, if haunting, experience. Sure, the game can drag on at times, and you will need to cross-reference the in-game glossary quite a bit to keep track of everything, but on the whole, I connected with the game quite quickly, unlike the original.