Death Stranding 2: On the Beach

Note: This review contains spoilers for Death Stranding.

Although Death Stranding (DS1) originally launched to mixed reception, Hideo Kojima considered creating a sequel to further establish the “Strand” genre. As it turned out, development had started when Kojima had written the story prior to 2020, but the way the COVID-19 pandemic had impacted the world made him decide on a rewrite. Since then, he rewrote parts of the story again in response to positive reception from test audiences, fearing that he had created something too mainstream. The final game launched in June 2025 on the PS5, this time to more positive reception, with the name Death Stranding 2: On the Beach (DS2).

When DS1 came out, I felt like I was in a minority that liked the game in spite of its flaws, but I could still recognize the issues that had turned so many away during its initial release. As such, I liked that more people eventually came around on the game following its PC port, then more excited when I learned about the development of DS2. It should be no surprise, then, that I had been playing the game whenever I could since launch day, pouring as much time as I did before (about 50 hours) until I reached the credits. Where I found the original a flawed, but solid step forward for Kojima Productions, DS2 manages to go above and beyond as an example of a sequel outshining the original in almost every conceivable way.

11 months after the events of Death Stranding, deliveries within the Chiral Network have become automated, with Porters still necessary for deliveries outside of the United Cities of America (UCA). Sam Porter Bridges (Norman Reedus) has gone into hiding from the UCA so that he can raise Lou, formerly BB-28, in peace. One day, he is visited by Fragile (Léa Seydoux), now the head of the delivery company Drawbridge, who tasks him with making a delivery to Mexico and connecting more cities to the Chiral Network along the way, which he does after some hesitation. Upon completing the delivery, he learns that connecting the Chiral Network caused a Plate Gate to appear, which allows for communication and travel between Mexico and Australia, which Deadman (likeness by Guillermo del Toro, voiced by Jesse Corti) wants Sam to connect onto the Chiral Network. Shortly after, a string of revelations and tragedies, including Lou’s apparent death, convinces Sam to join Drawbridge and help reconnect Australia, unaware that his old adversary Higgs is lying in wait.

Losing Lou informs Sam's decisions.

Like other modern game sequels, DS2 lets you view a recap of the events of DS1 before starting the game proper. While this recap doesn’t give you every single detail about the original, it does a surprisingly good job (compared with other recaps) of giving players the most important info in a unique and entertaining way that eases the transition into DS2. Of course, this recap is still most effective for those who have already played the original and I didn’t like that the subtitles resulted in some white text on a white or very light background, making them unnecessarily difficult to read. Fortunately, the game also has a very useful new feature in the form of the Corpus, an in-game glossary and database that helps explain the game’s terminology and keeps track of the people that Sam has encountered, as well as his progress within the main story and the unlocks players can obtain from each Prepper and Facility. You can view the Corpus at literally any time and can even bring it up during cutscenes, either by pausing the scene or holding down a button to take you to an entry for relevant terminology as it comes up. Even as someone who had played DS1 and understood what was going on, I still appreciated the subtle Corpus pop-ups and investigated at every opportunity, especially since DS2 expands on the world’s lore a bit more. Something else that I appreciate, and that I now feel should be standard in every game of this size, is that if you’re away form from the game for at least a couple days, you can view a reminder of the last thing that happened in the story so that you’re not completely lost.

As for the story itself, although Hideo Kojima obviously told it the way that he wanted, I could tell that he took feedback from DS1 to heart in a way that helped DS2 surpass the original. For one thing, it has much better pacing, thanks in part to no longer needing the setup from DS1. Little time is wasted between introducing the current state of the world and thrusting Sam into his new mission. It certainly helps that unlike DS1, where you spend a few hours in a small tutorial area before the game finally opens up in the wider America, DS2 players go through a tutorial while Sam connects all of Mexico to the Chiral Network, creating a stronger sense of forward progress as the story warms up. Although DS2 does still have its fair share of long cutscenes, the game actually does a good job of warning you ahead of time, including one hilarious fourth wall-breaking mention from Dollman (likeness by Faith Akin, voiced by Jonathan Roumie).

Thanks for the heads-up, Dollman.

Characters old and new also feel more fleshed out compared with DS1. Players learn a lot more about certain Preppers, who now have more noticeable character development as Sam increases his Connection Level with them. One notable example is the Pizza Chef (Mamoru Oshii), whose business sees a resurgence as a result of Sam’s deliveries and includes a very well-crafted encounter inside his shelter. Many players may find the VTuber Usada Pekora’s inclusion as the Data Scientist rather jarring, but I thought that she fit in oddly well within the setting as someone who doesn’t show their face and communicates through a Chiralgram (plus, I found her endearing and started understanding her appeal). Different dialogue choices also help reveal more information about both the setting and each Prepper’s personality. As the crew of the DHV Magellan expands, we learn more about their backstories and how Fragile helped give them and their unique abilities another purpose. While many of them had tragic histories, Dollman’s (optional) backstory in particular had me teary-eyed by the end. I also realized by the end of the game how much I had grown attached to the DHV Magellan’s crew, as one major reveal after the final boss fight felt like an emotional gut punch and the (unrelated) post-credits scene felt earned.

 

Usada Pekora is endearing (and helpful).

Connection remains a consistent theme, but where DS1 showed it as unequivocally a good thing, DS2 presents a more nuanced view through its story and gameplay. It’s not 100% good or 100% bad and although some bad actors would want to exploit how interconnected people have become, connection is still the only way humanity can move forward and evolve as a species. The discussion of the “Stick vs Rope” dichotomy also isn’t as clear-cut as before, as while Sam does connect Australia with a “Rope”, he gets plenty of “Sticks” to fight enemies with (more on that later). Even in the final boss fight, Sam no longer fights with a Rope (both metaphorically and literally), but instead a Stick for a more even playing field, which suggests that sometimes the Stick is necessary for resolving conflict. Another consistent theme is grief and loss, something each member of Drawbridge has suffered in some form or another. Sam in particular has an entire scene that depicts his depression following a tragic event in a very powerful way that takes advantage of his immortality as a repatriate and trusts that the player can put two and two together.

While DS2 does present a lot of unique and original ideas, it also reuses some story beats from the original, such as the importance of the Extinction Entity and ending with a fight against Higgs on a Beach, though they are executed in new and interesting ways. The most obvious point of repetition, however, is Neil Vana (Luca Marinelli), who serves a similar purpose to DS1’s Cliff Unger in having a connection with Sam and periodically interrupting the story for “battle” stages where violence isn’t completely discouraged (although stealth is an option). I did feel satisfied with Neil’s place in the story by the end, including a rather powerful twist, but I can see how some players coming in from DS1 would have a harder time looking past the similarities.

Neil Vana is an intriguing character.

It would also be disingenuous if I didn’t mention that while DS2 does handle its mature themes in a very mature way and has numerous late game twists that casually turn the narrative on its head (including one or two that are completely obvious in hindsight), it still features elements of Kojima’s storytelling style that have proven polarizing. There’s no shortage of “out there” ideas that the audience may not understand at first or are head scratching out of context. Many characters have very “on the nose” names like Rainy, Dollman or Tarman, to name a few. It even manages to swing between silly and serious on a whim, even within the same scene (e.g. a random dance number as part of a very dramatic reveal). Yet, despite all the seemingly disparate elements, DS2 is very gripping and effective at delivering its emotional payload in a way that I won’t soon forget.

This is aided by the incredible acting talent on display. Norman Reedus and Troy Baker each show off a lot more of their acting abilities as Sam and Higgs respectfully thanks to an increased amount of screentime and dialogue without breaking the pace of the game. Léa Seydoux also has more screen time as Fragile and takes full advantage of it. All of the newer actors do a fantastic job as well, including Elle Fanning as Tomorrow, a mysterious but very important character.

Fragile (left) gets more screen time. Also pictured: Dollman (right).

Since I went into meticulous detail about the gameplay in my review of DS1, I will talk more about the differences here, of which there are plenty.

As with DS1, DS2’s terrain is a condensed representation of Mexico and Australia. While these environments present their own challenges, including different takes on certain environmental hazards like a snowy mountain, they now feel more “alive” thanks to the addition of both a Day/Night cycle and the occasional wildlife. There aren’t any unique hazards between daytime and nighttime, but navigating at night can still affect Sam’s visibility, which the game compensates for by outfitting the Odradek with a toggleable flashlight function and, later on, allowing the construction of Guideposts to help fellow Porters find their way around with some welcome illumination. Nighttime also presents unique opportunities, as you have a chance of running into weather combinations that further affect visibility, like heavy rain and wind, but nighttime and rain are also ideal conditions for delivering chilled cargo (driving with a truck can mitigate the risk of heat when delivering during the day). Visible wildlife isn’t just for show, as there’s an Animal Shelter that rewards you for rescuing animals that you come across (you can even go back and check how the animals are doing).

The Day/Night cycle also adds a sense of beauty.

The improvements don’t stop there, however. Alongside (almost) all of the equipment and structures featured in DS1 and its Director’s Cut edition, Sam now has access to additional traversal options, including new boot types like the mighty Absolute Boots, three Skeletons (Battle, Bokka, Boost) that feel more unique from each other in terms of their strengths and weaknesses, a multipurpose Coffin Board (transport, resting, offense and defense) and a new Off-Roader vehicle that mixes the Truck and Tri-Cruiser sensibilities perfectly. Vehicles come with a host of new upgrades, including offensive and defensive options, and wearing Climbing Gloves can even let you pick up cargo and Chiral Crystals while driving the Off-Roader. If you have to roll out of a vehicle, it will no longer risk spilling Sam’s backpack cargo everywhere. Plus, fast travel is better than ever thanks to the Transponder and diggable Hot Springs (both let you Jump between two points minus Cargo and vehicles), the latter of which also has a resting option, as well as travel through Tar Currents while aboard the DHV Magellan, so long as those points are connected to the Chiral Network.

The DHV Magellan isn’t just Drawbridge’s mobile base, but also acts as a mobile Private Room on top of the regular Private Rooms that Sam can still visit, complete with its own quality-of-life improvements. For one, the toilet and shower are all one single button press instead of three and are now completely ad-free for better immersion. On top of drinking Chiral Tea and eating different varieties of Cryptobiotes, Sam can also read books, which means listening to Dollman summarize and analyze literary classics Moby Dick by Herman Melville, Frankenstein by Mary Shelley and The Voyage of the Beagle by Charles Darwin, especially as they compare with the events of DS2. At different points, Sam can listen to insights from Dollman, which can give more context on recent events or help build up to a new event. There’s also a new VR Training mode where Sam can brush up on the fundamentals or practice with different weapons and mechanics. In the late game, the DHV Magellan can even assist Sam in combat with Golden Hunters, which can eliminate human enemies with no risk of a voidout, and Chiral Cluster Bombs, so long as the ship has enough materials. The one thing that players should keep in mind, however, is that if they move the DHV Magellan while it has Cargo on board, they will all be permanently marked with the Magellan Rank, greatly lowering the number of Likes received upon delivery.

Kojima really likes Moby Dick, doesn't he?

Sam can also face various environmental obstacles, which now include gate quakes (similar to earthquakes) that can throw Sam off-balance and cause rock slides, dust storms with lightning strikes, flooding rivers and the possibility of brush fires caused by chiral cinders. Though some of these obstacles are rather infrequent, Sam still has tools at his disposal for dealing with them, including a Tar Cannon that can help put out fires (though it also has a restorative effect on Catcher BTs, so be careful). There’s also a new Oxygen Mask that can help Sam not pass out while delivering in high altitudes. Once Sam meets Rainy, you can also view a weather forecast while planning routes, which helps with taking these obstacles into account. Since planning and drawing a route also alerts you to potential dangers like BT areas, enemy territory and steep slopes, accounting for the weather and time of day as well adds to the satisfying “puzzle” feel of the core gameplay loop.

As Sam completes deliveries and overcomes the obstacles in his way, he’ll now receive an increase to his stats upon achieving certain milestones. These include Terrain Traversal, Carrying Capacity, Endurance, KO Resistance, Lung Capacity and Strand Skills, as well as Mastery over each weapon type. Not only that, completing certain Orders or achieving higher Porter Grades also grants access to APAS Enhancements, which can improve his movement and combat abilities to suit each player’s playstyle. These enhancements, which include useful perks ranging from a longer Odradek range to faster prep times or extended Like windows (among many others) are arranged in a grid of three branches and can be activated as long as there is available Memory, with an unbroken line between them. I found these enhancements a useful motivator for completing more deliveries, as I often weighed my options between potential enhancements that could help make the game easier, either in the moment or later on. One of my favorites was one that let you drive automatically on Roads after a few seconds, which took a mechanical burden off my shoulder from otherwise holding R2 (the accelerate button for vehicles) for several minutes at a time.

If players want to build structures or repair the Roads, something I went out of way to do as I went and for a few extra hours in the post-game for the benefit of everyone who visited my server, gathering plenty of materials is still essential, especially with Australia’s larger size. Fortunately, you no longer need to continuously raid enemy bases and can instead rely more on Mines. Once you restore Mines by feeding them the right materials, you can mine specific materials using Chiral Crystals. In addition to help in repairing Auto Pavers, Mines also open up another welcome transportation option in the Monorail. As you restore Tracklayers, you can connect multiple points together with the Monorail, which makes transporting cargo, vehicles and even Sam significantly easier; all you have to do is wait a certain amount of time for the Monorail to reach its destination. While Sam is on foot, he can even use the Monorail as a zipline, so long as he approaches from the base of an individual Tracklayer. Considering the size of Australia, the Monorail alone is a much-needed addition that I found myself using a lot in the post-game, both as efficient transportation and as a way to zone out and take in the unique scenery. If that wasn’t enough, players can also unlock a second level for Auto Pavers, requiring a different material combination in exchange for faster driving speeds and a transparent overhang that protects your vehicle and any cargo from Timefall.

Monorails quickly become an ideal and essential form of travel.

Sam’s backpack and Porter Suit have additional customization options from the original, offering new utility or adding a cosmetic difference. Various hats, hoods and glasses can help Sam in different weather conditions or grant other optional effects, like having Sam occasionally say “Peko” (in the case of the Nousagi hat). Backpack upgrades include, but are not limited to, a Chrial Antigravity Device that increases his carrying capacity, a Back Protector that protects cargo on Sam’s person and an Electric Shock Absorber that reduces electrical damage and uses it to recharge Sam's battery. New camo patterns for the Porter Suit help reduce Sam’s visibility in different conditions or, later, make him invisible to AI Turrets or decrease his visibility to BTs (in this case, with a pattern designed by famed horror mangaka Junji Ito).

One of the most interesting, and arguably one of the most important, additions is Dollman accompanying Sam on missions in place of Lou. Although you won’t have to watch over Lou anymore, which may come as a sort of blessing for people who didn’t like that aspect of DS1, Dollman acts as a “sidekick” character that other modern AAA games like the Norse era of God of War have included. While this may cause some groaning for those who don’t like this phenomenon, I personally found Dollman’s inclusion executed very well. For one, his introduction into the role comes off as a funny commentary on other such characters, particularly God of War’s Mimir, with Dollman insisting that he be at Sam’s front instead of his behind. Dollman also doesn’t speak nearly as often as other sidekick characters. When his speaking isn’t mandated by the story, he may offer a tip in certain situations, but he never impatiently tells you what to do and otherwise makes a quick comment that’s more of a reminder of his presence. Some may prefer the quiet isolation of the original game, but considering what Sam goes through in DS2, it’s nice to know that he’s not alone.

Unlike his counterparts in other games, Dollman also serves one important function. At any time, once he’s equipped, Sam can throw him for some aerial surveillance. Once he’s in the air, Dollman can look around and highlight enemies or other items, which will stay highlighted for a time after returning to Sam. Although Sam can use Watchtowers remotely through his Ring Terminal (while outside of a vehicle), Dollman’s function made him so good as a mobile Watchtower that I almost never used the regular Watchtower for the entire game. This utility also helped me form more of a connection with Dollman outside of regular conversations in the Private Room.

Since I mentioned it, Drawbridge members, Sam included, each have a Ring Terminal that enables communication and access to other functions through the Chiral Network. It has the same functionality as the Cuff Links from DS1, but feels easier to use. Sam can also use it to move the DHV Magellan or access the Social Strand Service (SSS), an in-game social media platform that keeps the story going in the background in a more comfortable way than DS1’s email system. You can not only view and Like messages from other characters, but also view photos you’ve taken with Photo Mode, track play statistics and Likes through Bridge Links and even form Strand Contracts to increase Sam’s connection level.

The SSS lets you keep up with those Sam has connected with.

Perhaps the biggest changes in the game, however, come from the combat, which almost feels like an overhaul compared to DS1. Sam still faces malicious humans and BTs, but there are now more of each to deal with. While MULEs aren’t an issue in Mexico and Australia, there are three other groups: Bandits, who like stealing cargo and use non-lethal weapons; Brigands, who are a tougher breed of Bandits; and Armed Survivalists, who have no issue with using lethal force. There’s a new BT type, the Watcher, which is capable of seeing Sam and attempting to drown him once they reach him. In some areas, Sam may also have to deal with Chiral Creatures, which resembles small black blobs. Chiral Creatures typically attack in groups once agitated, explode on impact with Sam or his vehicle and, if they do, create short circuits that drain Sam’s battery. Needless to say, he’ll have to watch his step around them. Rarer are Golden Chiral Creatures, which are larger and run away if Sam gets too close to them, but will drop a large number of Chiral Crystals if Sam successfully disposes of them.

Later in the game, Sam must also deal with Ghost Mechs, robotic beings that won’t leave a corpse when killed, but are difficult to stop if Sam goes in underprepared. Ghost Mech varieties include Gazer, Blade, Kraken, Dog, Floating Sentry Gun and Coffin, each with their own abilities and weaknesses. Facing them in a group can easily prove challenging, but overcoming them feels satisfying, especially when they drop unique weaponry.

Ghost Mechs present a new challenge.

Fortunately, Sam not only has many tools at his disposal for dealing with the enemies, but far more Sticks than DS1 or Director’s Cut, with plenty of streamlined changes that make playing with these new toys more fun than before. For example, Blood and EX Grenades no longer require Sam’s fluids, as the in-game scientists have figured out how to synthesize their unique anti-BT properties. Weapons also clearly state which enemy types they are effective against and the color-coding for what is and isn’t lethal against a human is very clear even if you’re not looking at the reminder text. Although the game doesn’t tell you this for some reason, performing a Strand Takedown while going for stealth no longer requires actually equipping the Strand; a simple button press will do.

Listing all of the available Sticks would take too much room in this review, but I will say that MP Bullets are likely what you’ll use against both humans and BTs, as they are non-lethal, yet inflict damage like Sam would with blood weapons. From there, you have various pistols, shotguns, automatic weapons and even grenade launchers, as well as a number of grenades (including hologrenades) and even a floating sentry gun. There are even weapons that fire tranquilizer rounds, SL (silent) weapon variants and LW (lightweight) variants that take up less space (there are even LW-SL weapons). More explosive options exist in the form of weapons like the Quadruple Rocket Launcher and the incredible Rocket Box, which are really useful against groups or bosses, especially giant mechs and BTs, the latter of which now have a bit more welcome variety. Late in the game, Sam can use the Battle Guitar, modeled after Higgs’ own weapon, which has melee and ranged capabilities, the latter in exchange for Chiral Crystals. As fun as the Battle Guitar is, however, it’s just as lethal against humans as any other Chiral weaponry, so it should be used with caution. Depending on the situation, Sam can ingest different Cryptobiotes for useful effects: normal Cryptobiotes restore blood levels, Electrobiotes restore his power supply, Chronobiotes slow down time and Necrobiotes make him temporarily invisible to BTs.

Boss fights feel like a real step up.

Since BTs can pose more of a threat in this game, it’s fortunate that Sam has more options for dealing with them. One is a Blood Boomerang that takes up no inventory space and can use Sam’s own blood for a stronger attack. Timefall Shelters not only repel BTs, in addition to keeping Sam safe from Timefall and restoring his cargo, but also provide a safe place to stow his backpack until the BTs are dealt with. There’s also the EX Capture Grenade, which can let Sam capture any Catcher or Giant BT when its health is low enough, then summon it later when dealing with more BTs; think of it like a Pokéball, but you capture by throwing it in the BT’s mouth.

One small thing worth mentioning is that entering your birthday in DS2 actually has an effect on one mission that also uses the Corpus in a clever way. Another that I discovered by accident is that if you destroy a certain pair of Chiral Jammers before accepting Main Order 43, you can skip that step entirely.

While I find the gameplay improved over DS1 in every meaningful way, including the instantaneous loading from the main menu, just about nonexistent loading throughout the game and the lightning quick fast travel, I did still have a couple issues. One that persists from DS1 is that you can easily hit rocks you never noticed before, damaging cargo in your vehicle, though what triggers the damage doesn’t always feel consistent, as it seemed like sometimes just a light tap would do. Players can still troll others by leaving vehicles and Deployable Shields in just the right spot, though removing them is at least a breeze and I didn’t encounter the problem nearly as much as I did before thanks to Australia’s more open design. In the late game, there are more and more excuses to why the DHV Magellan can’t move, which can make certain deliveries feel more tedious. Although Mining helps immensely with gathering materials, DS2 is oddly stingy with Ceramics compared with Metals, which made completing all of the roads take a bit longer than I would have liked.

A big thing to mention, of course, is that as much as I prefer DS2’s improvements and believe they make for a much better game, the core gameplay loop isn’t much different from DS1. As such, if you played DS1 and weren’t a fan of delivering packages, DS2 will do little to change your mind.

On the technical side, DS2 maintains the quality I expected based on DS1, but still goes one step further. The opening portion of the game has a very effective establishing shot, which gives a very strong first impression before you learn the basic mechanics. Paved roads look sleeker this time and stand out more from the surrounding environment regardless of time of day. The Day/Night cycle goes a long way in making the world feel more alive and showing off more of the capabilities of the Decima engine. There’s also some neat attention to detail, like how Dollman moves at a different framerate from everyone else, how a BT alarm persists if you take a shower and that there are different animations for Sam entering and exiting a vehicle depending on its relative position. I also thought Higgs’ red mask not only gave him some flair, but gave an effective “cheat” for showing his emotions. Most importantly for some, the product placement feels far more subtle and worked in more naturally, like the presence of real-world Japanese delivery company Yamato Transport’s logo on some of the shipping containers or the presence of glasses by Gentle Monster.

First impressions are important.

I don’t have many complaints about the presentation, but I found some of the light text almost unreadable when placed against a light background. Also, this may be more of a personal thing, while DS2 does take more advantage of the DualSense than Director’s Cut, including rumble on bootup, subtle haptic feedback and subtle adaptive triggers when using weapons, I wished it had gone further like Astro Bot and included more environmental effects. I’ve always thought it would be really neat to feel the different textures beneath Sam’s feet or the raindrops from Timefall for even deeper immersion. There’s always the next project, I suppose.

What DS2 does do a really good job at is using the controller speakers for added immersion, enhancing many moments and actions with low volume sound effects. While typing my initial notes for this review, I even noticed that you can hear the sounds of ocean waves while on the main menu screen. In-game, I still liked the sound design, much of which carries over from DS1 and has stuck with me since my original 2019 playthrough, but I also liked the DHV Magellan’s horn after hearing it more in context (as opposed to just the downloadable ringtones from the official website). On a lesser note, Sam can now play the harmonica.

One more thing I would like to highlight before I finish off this review is the music. The same issue of song timing persists, including how stopping at any facility will stop the music, so you’d better not be doing something else on the way, but the fact that the previous soundtrack didn’t stick with me as much is mitigated by the inclusion of a Music Player. Now you can listen to any of the licensed songs anywhere and at any time, including custom playlists, Chiral Network connection permitting, so it was much easier to check something out at my leisure. This made it easier for certain songs to stick with me, including “Horizon Dreamer” by Daichi Miura and “PEKORANDOMBRAIN” by Usada Pekora, though they are far from the only good songs. Two others stuck with me due to how often the game played them: “To the Wilder” by Woodkid, which eventually had a massive emotional impact on me, and “Raindrops Keep Fallin' on My Head” by B. J. Thomas, which I now associate with this game for its thematic significance.

The soundtrack also still contains music by Low Roar, the music project by Ryan Karazija. Sadly, he had passed during the development of DS2, but it’s fortunate that his music will live on through the game.

Death Stranding 2: On the Beach was everything I had hoped for and more. Better storytelling and pacing with more nuanced writing, streamlined gameplay that cuts out the jank while adding more options, greatly improved boss fights and a very memorable cast. It shows what a Strand game could be and I hope that, perhaps one day, other developers can take this style, including the unique asynchronous multiplayer, and really run with the possibilities. I wouldn’t blame those who weren’t exactly fans of the original Death Stranding for skipping this one, as the improvements only do so much at hiding the similar experiences. However, I would encourage others who are on the fence to give it a try. If you do, you’re in for a wild ride.