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To say Death Stranding 2: On the Beach was inevitable was to state the obvious. With how the first game ended, it pretty much guaranteed that we’d see Sam and Lou back for a second go round. While I can’t honestly say that I was awaiting with bated breath for their return, I did look forward to getting my hands on the game after it was announced!
Well…I got my wish earlier this month.
While Death Stranding 2 officially launches on 26 June, I’ve been playing the game since June 3, courtesy of SIE! I’ve had weeks to get my fill of the game, playing it to completion and then some!
So, after all that time with the game, would I still recommend it?
What is Death Stranding 2: On the Beach?
Death Stranding 2: On the Beach is a walking simulator/ action game. It’s a PlayStation 5 console exclusive (though it will undoubtedly make its way to the PC in the future), and is developed by Kojima Productions and published by SIE.
Yet, Death Stranding 2 is also a worthy continuation. It delves into further detail regarding Sam’s past. What happened before the voidout that took out everybody but him. The how and the why the voidout happened in the first place. It also ties in to Lou’s background as well, and how integral she was to everything that happened and the Bridge Baby program.
It does seem a bit too serendipitous at times though. All things seem to be so intertwined and interconnected that it feels forced. The whole thing is reminiscent of the Skywalker Saga from Star Wars, where everything seems to just revolve around the Skywalkers and those close to them.
Except in Death Stranding, it’s Sam and Lou.
The sequel does do better with the cast this time around.
A ton of newcomers are introduced, but the one that everybody is talking about is definitely Neal Vana. He’s the Solid Snake looking dude that features so prominently in the game’s trailers. He’s a parallel to Clifford Unger, though Neal Vana is a much more interesting character.
It’s just a shame that Kojima Productions just rehashed the Unger fights (with different locations) with him in Death Stranding 2. Yeah, they’re just as boring this time around too.
You face off against Neal multiple times, and each time you need to shoot him and his skeleton soldiers over and over until he gives up. Just like how it was with Unger and his battle stages. I enjoyed the cinematics leading up to the fights more than the fights themselves!
I mean, I understand that Kojima wants to show how similar Neal is to Clifford, but surely the method could be better?
If you’ve seen the trailers, then you undoubtedly also know that Higgs (the antagonist from the first game) is back. It’s a great choice by Kojima because Higgs was one of the reasons the first game was so good and he’s an even better character now in the sequel.
Higgs is unhinged, and he’s written really well in the sequel. It’s a disservice to call him a Joker copycat but that’s what he is in essence. He’s despicable, he’s diabolical…but he’s also awesome. You feel guilty for liking him but you can’t help it! The man’s got charisma oozing from every pore.
Plus, his version of BB’s Theme is even better than the original!
Of the newcomers, Dollman is my favourite.
A living doll, Dollman will accompanies Sam on his quest. He provides a grounding commentary to the plot, and is both insightful and funny at times. Dollman also can be used as a distraction or as a remote stationary camera by throwing him. It’s super cool, though I found that I didn’t really use the feature that much.
I mean scouting enemy placements is pretty much redundant when the Odradek pings can be used to reveal enemies. It can be upgraded later on to be even more powerful, with longer lasting enemy highlights.
Speaking of which, one of the best new additions to the game are the upgrades you can unlock with your Porter Grade. They’re called the APAS Enhancements and the upgrade items are unlocked through leveling categories in the Porter Grade or as rewards for Tier rank ups.
There’s finally a reason to level up the various Porter categories now! You never know what the next rank up might unlock!
I do think that Kojima Productions is coasting a bit with Death Stranding 2. For all its fun bits, it doesn’t really evolve much. This is pretty much Death Stranding, with tweaks here and there at its core.
The lack of vehicles is particularly noteworthy.
You basically have the trike and the truck returning from the first game. Sure, you can outfit them with stuff this time around (such as more batteries, guns or even a grappling arm to snag packages while you’re driving) but that doesn’t hide that you only have two vehicles for the whole game.
Scratch that.
Once you have the truck, there’s no reason to use the trike at all. The truck has covered storage, it has more room for cargo, it can be equipped with guns, batteries and armor to extend its functional capacity, offensive prowess and survivability.
Compare that to the trike (which you can only equip with armor and batteries) and its limited functionality, it’s not even a close race which is better.
In essence, the majority of the game will be Sam riding around in the truck because it is simply the best choice. It’s the best choice for delivering stuff (which is what the game is about) in good condition. It’s the best choice for hauling tons of materials to fix up the tram lines, roads and mines. It’s the best choice to fight BTs, humans and mechs without needing to engage on foot!
Later on in the game, the truck becomes even more dominant when you unlock the tire upgrades that allows it to climb steep terrain without problem!
I love the truck, but I wish there were more vehicles! I’d kill for some sort of flying vehicle or maybe a wingsuit (especially with the insane high peaks in the game) or even a mechanized crawler type of vehicle that can handle mountainous terrain.
There is an automated tram that you can restore and ride around parts of the game but since it just moves on rails, you can’t go everywhere with it. It’s a great ride though, as you get to enjoy the scenery as the tram is automatic. I really love the rides, because you can just chill.
One pure unadulterated highlight (with regards to the vehicles) is that they handle much, much better. The weird driving physics from the original are gone and vehicles now handle as you’d expect! It might sound like a small thing but if you’ve played Death Stranding, you know how big of a deal this is.
Deliveries too remain pretty much the same from the original. You basically get items from one location to another, to unlock tiers that net you more gear. Some deliveries are fragile, some leak noxious gas when damaged but most are your regular cargo. There’s thankfully no bomb deliveries these time around.
That’s honestly the most addictive part of the game and why I couldn’t put it down.
Each location has 5 tiers to upgrade with deliveries.
Tier 1 integrates them into the chiral network, which allows you to see signs, items and vehicles other players left. Tiers 2 – 4 are the fun tiers, where you’ll unlock more gadgets, weapons or other stuff for Sam to use. Tier 5 unlocks are mainly patches, though a couple of locations also give out goodies at this rank.
You can rush through the game just doing the bare minimum (which is getting them to hook up to the chiral network) but it’s in your best interest to work on optional deliveries to raise their tier levels because of the goodies you can get.
Unfortunately, while it is initially fun, the repetitive nature of it all does creep in after while. Not even the allure of better gear can stave off boredom forever.
It starts to get monotonous after about 80% through, when you start to encounter the mountainous delivery areas. Navigating the southern part of Australia with all the snow and mountains is a huge pain in the ass. It is a literal slog, as the slush makes vehicles and Sam move super slowly. The coffin board helps, but it’s not practical for deliveries in the least.
Up to that point, I was happily taking my time to max out (or at the very least, 4 star) all the tiers at delivery locations. When I got to that point, all I wanted to do was to progress the damn plot because it was such a chore to do deliveries in those locations.
I’ll give Kojima Productions props for not making the snowy and mountainous areas as bad as they were in the first game, but they still need to do much, much more to make playing in those areas fun. They do look beautiful though. The peaks of mountains are majestic at night, and there are breathtaking sights to see. Photo mode got a workout with all the shots I took on the mountains.
It’s almost worth the chore and hassle. Almost, but not quite.
I love the many Metal Gear Solid nods that Kojima has integrated into the game.
The DSV Magellan looks a whole lot like the upper part of Metal Gear Rex, even more so when it’s outfitted with the huge railgun. Metal Gear Rex also had a similarly looking railgun too.
Sam’s final battle vs a certain somebody at the end of the game is a clear homage to Solid and Liquid tangling atop of Rex, and also of Old Snake fighting with Liquid Ocelot at the end of Guns of the Patriots.
Yes, it’s also a callback to the original Death Stranding, but that itself was a callback to the Metal Gear Solid games. Neal Vana looks like Solid Snake, with his poses and bandanna. Hell, a certain character even fires off Solid Snake’s/ Big Boss’ iconic ‘Kept you waiting, huh?’ line during a cinematic.
Oh, did I mention that there’s a cyborg ninja in this game too?
Death Stranding 2 even has its own version of the torture scenes from Metal Gear Solid and its sequel, this time with Sam instead of Snake. You have to mash the Square button too, while he’s being tortured.
It’s not just Metal Gear Solid too. The Ghost Mechs that carry coffins look a lot like Anubis. Yep, the orbital frame. Not the Egyptian God. Fans of Zone of the Enders will definitely appreciate that. There are a lot more easter eggs for Kojima fans but I’ll leave you to find them out yourselves.
Kojima Productions have done a bang up with the visuals of Death Stranding 2. The modified Decima engine has incredible draw distance and minimal pop-in. In fact, I only noticed foliage pop-in in some locations (particularly the greenery around the Animal Sanctuary), which is a testament to how well the game runs on a base PlayStation 5.
Characters are fluidly animated, the combat looks (and feels) great and the environmental effects (snow, rain, mud) are insanely good! The game looks even better than the original, which is saying something!
Also like the first game, the music in Death Stranding 2 is exceptional.
The mellow songs fit right in with the bleak atmosphere the game has going. BB’s Theme features prominently again (more than the first game) but it’s Higgs’ version of the theme that I love the most. It’s rocking, it’s operatic…it’s something that sounds right up the alley for Freddie Mercury or Meatloaf.
The Bottom Line.
Death Stranding 2 is a fun sequel…but unlike the first game, it doesn’t feel as monumental. The ideas here are just natural evolutions from the first game, which is great for fans hungering for more. The mechanics are more fleshed out, with more incentives for doing what you do. It’s a much more gratifying gameplay loop now.
If you’re looking for a substantial revolution though, Death Stranding 2 will leave you stranded. There’s not much here that takes the series to its next step. Everything feels too safe, too familiar. There’s not much done to expand on a porter’s duties, so from a gameplay perspective, everything feels like deja vu.
Despite the issues, the game is still deserving of a play. The visuals are magnificent and the story (while a bit too predictable at times) does tie up some of the first game’s loose ends. Still, if you can, I advise waiting for the inevitable PC port. If the game looks this good on a PS5, imagine how it’ll be on a hardcore gaming PC!
TLDR:
A bit of a rehash but still a great game nonetheless.
The Good:
- Awesome soundtrack.
- Insanely good visuals.
- Fun gameplay.
- Good story.
- Lots of fanservice.
The Bad:
- Gameplay gets repetitive.
- Needs more vehicles.
- Story revolves around Sam and Lou too much.
- The fights against Neal Vana are boring.
Salehuddin Husin, EIC
Sal's been in the industry since the early 2000s. He's written for a ton of gaming and tech publications including Playworks, Hardwarezone, HWM and GameAxis. Recently, Sal served as a juror for the Indie Game Awards at Taipei Game Show 2020. A geek and hardcore gamer, Sal will play everything, on any platform.
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