Death Stranding 2 Review: Weird, Witty, and Still Walking, But the Magic’s Wearing Thin

Death Stranding 2: On The Beach faced a massive task in succeeding its novel predecessor. Despite retaining the complex approach of planning and executing its deliveries and introducing new narrative enhancements, it appears to be trapped in the familiarity of its own gameplay and storyline. While it’s intriguing to witness Sam Porter Bridges’ continued deliveries in a post-apocalyptic America, the diminished thrill of traversal due to advanced tech and the amplified focus on weaponry deviates from its original charm. Characters lack depth, and the narrative is sporadic, leaving one longing for clarity. While Death Stranding 2 offers an enjoyable journey, it doesn’t quite rekindle the novelty of the first.

– Death Stranding 2: On The Beach largely retains the unique gameplay mechanics of its predecessor, but attempts to enhance player engagement with additional firepower and cutting-edge technology.
– Some updates, such as new weather conditions, skill trees, and player stats, may affect gameplay but don’t significantly alter the core experience or narrative direction.
– While the game includes multiple reminiscent moments of past works from Kojima Productions, some critics argue these homages are excessive and distract from the originality of Death Stranding’s own world.

Death Stranding 2: On The Beach had a high bar to clear after the success of its unique predecessor. The first game’s bizarre yet engaging universe, filled with odd elements like urine grenades and a baby that required calming via controller movements, was fascinating and new. This sequel attempts to follow the path laid out by the original, although it has some notable areas for improvement. It tries to double down on some aspects that were previously weaker, resulting in it coming off less captivating.

The story picks up with central character Sam living a secluded life near the Mexico border, accompanied by Lou, a character from the original game. Sam is again called upon to establish connections between facilities. The plot primarily unravels the consequences of linking the United States to the Chiral Network and attempts to locate returning characters. Though the new characters do provide some interesting elements to the proceedings, they do not match the allure of the previous game’s cast.

The gameplay largely follows the structure of the first game. Players pick up delivery orders, prepare necessary items, and embark on their journeys. However, the integration of technology has had significant implications. For instance, delivery bots have rendered human porters like Sam obsolete. Conversely, the presence of weapons makes confrontations more efficient and combat situations occasionally inevitable.

Despite the shift towards action, the sequel manages to retain some of the thrill associated with overcoming obstacles and executing delivery plans. The landscape gradually fills with player-built signs, holograms, and structures, adding variation to the gameplay. However, the game does not bring much that feels fresh, possibly due to being the sequel, which makes it somewhat predictable.

As for the narrative, the villains are recycled, with most of the scenes playing out similarly to those in Death Stranding. There are an excessive number of references to the Metal Gear Solid series that sometimes distract from the game’s unique world. It also continues to perpetuate some negative tropes around the portrayal of women, which were present in the first game.

Unfortunately, Death Stranding 2 does not capture the innovative charm of its predecessor. It opts for a more mainstream experience, focusing on combat and advanced tools. These changes clash with the original game’s tranquil and thought-provoking delivery-based gameplay. Thus, despite intending to be complex and non-conforming, the sequel seems more accommodating to players, especially as it simplifies the game’s lore and offers more tools early on.

While interesting in its approach, Death Stranding 2 feels more like a retread of its predecessor’s path rather than a bold leap forward. The first game was eerily relevant in a post-COVID world, but this sequel seems to lack that focus. Still, it manages to raise multiple thoughtful issues, such as climate change, the influence of automation, and gun culture, so we got that going for us… which is nice.

RATING: 3.0 out of 5 stars.

Death Stranding 2: On The Beach is available for PlayStation 5 on June 26th, 2025.