Death Stranding 2: On The Beach – First Impressions

When Death Stranding 2: On The Beach finally launched, I expected more of the same slow-burn delivery drama. Instead, Hideo Kojima’s sequel delivers a smoother pace, expanded traversal tools, and a fresh setting in Australia, with a few surprising trade-offs along the way.

Here are my quick takeaways:

• Pacing and Accessibility: Smoother main campaign but lighter character moments.
• Traversal Upgrades: Teleport stations, monorails, and vehicles speed up delivery runs.
• Construction Loop: Shared rails and crystal mines boost community building.
• Action-Stealth Blend: Infiltration missions shine, despite a clunky weapon wheel.
• World Design: Stunning Australian biomes, though environmental hazards feel underused.
• Online Collaboration: Cooperative infrastructure remains a series highlight.

Narrative and Character Engagement

Death Stranding 2 kicks off with a clearer tutorial and more hand-holding than its predecessor. Sam Bridges returns, older and world-weary, accompanied by Magellan’s support team. Unfortunately, the new cast rarely breaks free of utility roles. Conversations often rewind until you trigger the “right” response, which limits genuine choice and emotional payoff.

Highlights include late-game interactions with Neil and Lucy, where the story momentarily recaptures the intimate chemistry fans expect. Still, if you long for the awkward warmth of DS1’s original ensemble, some scenes here may feel too streamlined.

Revamped Traversal and Progression

The biggest gameplay shift is mobility. Once you reconnect a region, you can teleport between mobile bases mid-delivery. Monorails replace many ladder-and-rope treks, letting you haul massive cargo trains with ease. Vehicles arrive early, reducing on-foot slog but also softening the sense of wilderness.

Progression comes via the APAS memory upgrade system—a skill tree that unlocks cargo stabilization, speed boosts, and quality-of-life perks. These passive buffs keep the delivery grind fresh, and the new five-star “Prepper” rating grants tangible rewards like stealth weapons and armor mods. It’s a loop that genuinely motivated me to chase one more contract each night.

Community Construction: Rails and Crystals

Building infrastructure with strangers remains a standout. Instead of makeshift bridges, you now link up monorails, creating shared transport networks that feel like collective achievements. Crystal mines add a resource-gathering twist: dig up chiral crystal, exchange it for building materials, and watch stations expand overnight.

While crystal yields can become abundant by midgame, the system still injects variety into base building and keeps the communal spirit alive.

Open World and Environmental Design

Australia’s landscapes are breathtaking—red deserts, eucalyptus forests, and storm-lash coasts. Dynamic weather and sporadic floods set dramatic backdrops, though hazards rarely force major route changes. Earthquakes and skies darkening with chiral storm feel more scripted than emergent, so the world seldom fights back as fiercely as in the original.

If you prefer uninterrupted exploration and rapid fast travel, this is a welcome shift. Purists craving DS1’s punishing terrain may find the new emphasis on comfort diminishes some of the journey’s soul.

Action and Infiltration Sequences

Kojima’s stealth action returns stronger than ever. Outposts now demand strategic loadouts, timing, and stealth tools—from dart guns to noise-suppressors. DualSense feedback sharpens each encounter, but the quick-item and weapon selection wheel can be unwieldy in high-pressure moments.

Enemy AI reacts more intelligently, with “bionic sight” foes that challenge your stealth approach. Boss fights remain succinct but memorable, offering spectacle without overstaying their welcome.

Technical Performance

On PS5, load times are minimal and visuals run at a stable frame rate. OLED screens will particularly shine during rainstorms and night cycles. DualSense integration extends to subtle haptic effects—gravel crunch, crossbow tension—but occasional UI glitches and the weapon-wheel slowdown were the only real hitches in my forty-hour run.

Final Verdict

Death Stranding 2: On The Beach refines many of the original’s systems, trading some of its harsher edges for accessibility and momentum. Its community building, open-world vistas, and tactical stealth sequences are strong draws. However, thinner character interactions and fewer environmental challenges may leave veterans pining for the deeper intimacy and struggle of DS1.

If you’re keen on a meditative blend of open-world grind and stealth-action—backed by a cooperative network—it’s worth your time. Just don’t expect all the existential dread to feel quite as punishing as before.