News: Death Stranding 2: On The Beach - First Impressions
✪ Introduction
The sequel to the highly acclaimed
Death Stranding
finally arrived on PlayStation 5, so porters can leave their mark beyond the UCA.
Here's our first look and early impressions (after 20+ hours of gameplay) of
Death Stranding 2: On The Beach,
Hideo Kojima's ambitious post-apocalyptic sci-fi horror opus.
✪ Setting
Death Stranding 2: On The Beach continues the journey of Sam Porter Bridges in a post-apocalyptic
world, focusing on connecting Mexico and Australia. The game introduces a vast new world set primarily
in Australia, featuring diverse biomes, dynamic day/night cycles, and environmental hazards like
earthquakes and timefall, expanding the post-apocalyptic landscape beyond the UCA.
✪ Gameplay
The core gameplay revolves around delivering packages across vast, open-world landscapes, now
expanded to include Mexico and Australia. Brand new features allow for efficient transport of
goods, enhancing the strategic depth, while improved combat options, including stealth tactics,
offer more player choice. Natural disasters like earthquakes dynamically alter the terrain, making
each journey unique.
✪ Visuals and Audio
Visually, the game is breathtaking, with detailed environments and lifelike character models.
The soundtrack, composed by Ludvig Forssell, enhances the atmospheric experience, complemented
by top-notch voice acting from stars like Norman Reedus.
✪ Story and Themes
The narrative, while complex, explores themes like climate change and human connection, inviting
players to ponder societal issues. It’s a personal and simultaneously global journey for Sam,
encouraging diverse interpretations. Sam's personal story also revolves around much darker themes
like loss, grieve and acceptance.
✪ Changes and Improvements
Death Stranding 2: On The Beach offers a variety of improvements and innovations over its
predecessor:
● Onboarding and Tutorials
Onboarding and tutorials are significantly improved, with a comprehensive story recap, an in-game
glossary for terminology, and a streamlined Mexico tutorial area, making the complex world and
gameplay more accessible to newcomers and returning players alike.
● Visuals
The breathtaking and photorealistic visuals surpass its predecessor, leveraging the Decima Engine
to create stunningly detailed environments and character models, setting a new benchmark for graphical
fidelity in gaming.
● Music
Excellent music selection, featuring dynamic tracks from artists like Woodkid,
Low Roar, and Hania Rani, enhances the emotional depth and immersion of the game’s expansive
world.
● Menus
Significantly improved in-game menus, with streamlined cargo management, intuitive layouts,
and categorized equipment access, reducing frustration and enhancing the overall player experience
compared to the original game.
● Atmosphere
The introduction of a dynamic day and night cycle is enhancing gameplay by allowing strategic
choices like stealth at night or better visibility during the day, while adding atmospheric depth
to the open world.
● Dialog Options
The new dialogue-wheel allows Sam to interact more deeply with the characters inhabiting the world,
there are also options like the "I Won't Do It" choice, adding a playful, Hideo Kojima-style Easter
egg that loops the intro until the player accepts the mission.
● Traversal
Dynamic open-world events like earthquakes reshape the landscape in real-time, forcing players
to adapt their delivery routes and strategies.
● Narrative and Themes
The insertion of complex themes like connection, isolation, and existential crises, exploring the
delicate balance between rebuilding a fractured society and confronting the consequences of humanity's
over-reliance on technology in a post-apocalyptic world adds to the immersion.
● Social Systems
Significantly enhanced Social Strand System (SSS) with improved "Like" mechanics, resource sharing
for community projects, and new constructions like monorails, fostering deeper asynchronous multiplayer
connections.
● Combat and Enemies
Major improvements to combat, with a broader arsenal, refined melee and stealth mechanics,
and dynamic enemy AI that adapts to player tactics, introducing varied human and BT foes for a
more engaging experience.
● Diverse Biomes
The diverse array of biomes, including expansive deserts, lush forests, snowy mountains, tar-flooded
swamps, and urban ruins, each with unique environmental hazards are enhancing the exploration
experience.
● Metal Gear DNA
The game incorporates Metal Gear-like moments through its enhanced tactical action gameplay,
featuring stealth-based camp infiltrations, dynamic combat with an array of gadgets, and over
the top character scenes, evoking nostalgic nods to Hideo Kojima’s iconic stealth series.
✪ Overall Impressions
Death Stranding 2: On the Beach substantially refines and expands upon its predecessor,
delivering a more polished and engaging experience while retaining its unique delivery-sim
core.
The sequel introduces a host of quality-of-life improvements, such as a streamlined radial
menu system for quicker access to tools, weapons, and cargo management, eliminating the
button-holding of the original.
Combat and stealth mechanics are vastly enhanced, with smoother controls, new moves like
dodging and counterattacks, and an expanded arsenal including decoy grenades and MP-infused
weapons, making encounters feel more dynamic and tactical, reminiscent of Metal Gear Solid.
The route planner is now more intuitive, automatically highlighting hazards like rivers and
enemy patrols, while dynamic weather, day-night cycles, and environmental events like gate
quakes add immersion and strategic depth.
The progression systems are more flexible, with a skill tree that adapts to playstyle and APAS
enhancements for customizable perks, rewarding diverse approaches. Visually, the game leverages
the Decima Engine for stunning landscapes and detailed character models, paired with a captivating
soundtrack, making it a technical and artistic leap forward. These changes combined are offering
a tighter, more accessible, and emotionally resonant experience without sacrificing its eccentric
charm.
The immersive and narrative-focused open-world experience
Death Stranding 2: On The Beach
surpasses the original with refined gameplay, a more dynamic open world, and a gripping story that
elevates Hideo Kojima's unique vision to new heights.