Death Stranding 2 Review – Tied Up

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In contrast to its predecessor that thrived as a unique gem amidst gaming’s stagnation, Death Stranding 2: On The Beach faced a significant hurdle. The eccentricities of Death Stranding, from urine grenades to soothing controller vibrations to calm a crying baby, were combined with an intriguing new environment for exploration. Sam Porter Bridges linked post-apocalyptic America together by making numerous deliveries across various points. Its deliberate pace set it apart in the AAA market. The sequel continues many of the elements that made its predecessor distinctive. The fundamental structure remains consistent – each delivery requires careful planning and improvisation, and completing them is still rewarding. However, this new version doesn’t carry the same impact due to its reliance on familiar narrative themes, less friction, and an overemphasis on enhancing Death Stranding’s weaker aspects.

The narrative unfolds as Sam dwells secluded by the Mexico border, alongside Lou, who was initially introduced in the initial game and has now grown up. An acquaintance reappears, compelling Sam to aid in linking various establishments to a network, this time leading to fictional representations of Mexico and Australia. The adventure entails teamwork with an expanding group of characters, all traveling together aboard the DHV Magellan – a vessel shaped like Metal Gear, functioning as our operational hub.

During the approximately 33-hour journey until I reached the final credits, with a few detours for additional tasks, the narrative primarily explored the consequences of linking the U.S. to the Chiral Network and locating missing characters. Sam’s story unfolds intermittently, resembling a drawn-out episode from a TV series. The main missions provide enough snippets of plot to maintain your interest, but I often found myself yearning for a scene or dialogue that could offer more clarity or answers to the mysteries presented early on. Unfortunately, some cutscenes didn’t always provide essential information or character development. Despite this, my curiosity to unravel the story never diminished.

Instead of saying that the new cast is not as interesting as the old one, except for a few emotional scenes and well-coordinated fights, it could be rephrased as: The novelty of the fresh characters doesn’t hold the same captivation as the original team, but there are some poignant moments and action sequences that make them worth noting. One familiar face from the past, Fragile, assumes a role reminiscent of Charles Xavier, gradually bringing new crew members aboard the ship and guiding them in controlling their unique abilities. Characters such as Rainy and Tomorrow get their moments to shine during certain scenes, providing insights into their backgrounds through flashbacks, although these revelations are brief. Rainy possesses a power to summon rain, while Tomorrow can move within Tar, a dark substance from which Death Stranding’s iconic enemies emerge. Despite the engaging introductions of these characters and their motives to support Sam, they don’t have the same level of established presence as characters like Heartman or Deadman, who were already well-established in the game’s world when you first encountered them in the previous installment.

As a seasoned gamer, I found myself surprised by the scarcity of conversations outside cutscenes in this new installment compared to the first game. Instead, the crew communicates primarily through a social media-like platform, sharing updates about interesting spots or adding context to milestones reached during the main storyline.

During my journeys, Dollman – a talking doll who’s become a recurring companion – takes on most of the chatter. He offers commentary from Sam’s waist and even has some useful abilities such as being thrown into the air to scout target areas, tag enemies, or distract them.

The rest of the crew, unfortunately, seems less involved in the action unless you focus heavily on main missions. They tend to remain confined during these times. However, there’s a late-game mechanic that brings them back into play, though it doesn’t offer much additional support compared to Dollman.

In Death Stranding: Director’s Cut, the fundamental flow remains consistent. You communicate with a terminal within a base or shelter, collect a delivery order, strategize by managing your resources and crafting essential items, then set off on your journey. After initial hours, however, there’s a noticeable shift in emphasis, focusing more on refining the initial gameplay experience.

Originally, Sam was a vulnerable porter who had to protect himself using limited tools and non-lethal weapons against BTs while ensuring the safety of his cargo. Navigating various terrains required careful management of weight and stamina. The Director’s Cut, however, enhances Sam’s capabilities by offering more defensive tools and making world exploration easier. It promotes action, introducing new weapons, a shooting range, and racing events. Additionally, it offers gadgets to alleviate terrain difficulties, lessening the traversal challenge. For instance, a cargo catapult allows you to shoot packages over long distances, and delivery bots offer automation for some tasks.

Initially, Death Stranding 2 appears to acknowledge and discuss the impact of these additions within its narrative universe. To illustrate, the delivery bots have become widespread, minimizing the need for human porters like Sam, who establish links in a solitary setting. However, weapons carry significant weight. In an early skirmish, Sam instinctively reaches for a knife. He then opts for a larger blade but quickly discards it for a pistol found within a kitchen drawer. For a brief instant, he contemplates Lou, considers the gun, and instead chooses a pan over it.

In the encounter with Lou, it’s clear that Sam values maintaining a positive impact on him, even amidst an unusual world filled with creatures emerging from the realm of the deceased. However, the subsequent installment seems to emphasize the need for weapons frequently. This contrast is fascinating when considering the emergence of the latest antagonist, who controls a horde of skeletal soldiers armed with flaming weapons. As the villain’s debut unfolds, characters quickly note that the United States once had a strong gun culture, which is now being exploited by the malevolent forces in the narrative.

In the game Death Stranding, many tasks you accomplish earn you additional firepower. During my playthrough of the first game, I usually opted to avoid weapons, finding creative solutions with different explosives and tools more intriguing than simply targeting weak points. However, in the sequel, I found myself using heavier weaponry like grenade launchers before boss battles more frequently. As the story progressed, multiple missions required me to face large groups of enemies where stealth wasn’t an option. Even though combat could be approached at a slower pace or entirely avoided by hacking terminals, retrieving cargo, and quickly escaping, stealth remained a viable strategy with various tools available, such as the rope for silent takedowns, the Bola gun to immobilize enemies, and grenades to incapacitate or hide. Additionally, navigating the environment played a role in staying undetected; infiltrating a hideout during the night and keeping quiet were key to avoiding detection. However, the main story often required me to adapt more often than not, as one character advised Sam, “swap your rope for a stick.

In the sequel, the challenge lies in carrying out a strategy, navigating obstacles cleverly, yet at the same time, it aims to introduce advanced technology upfront. This premature introduction, however, may impact some of its distinctive gameplay elements.

In Death Stranding, the game’s design was truly remarkable. I found myself deeply immersed in the experience due to an instance where a misjudged step during a hike led to a fall that damaged my precious cargo. It was disheartening to witness packages tumbling down a steep slope or being swept away by swift-flowing rivers, compelling me to make quick decisions to save the delivery. The tension built as I navigated this challenging landscape, always aware that a 20-minute delivery could come undone at any moment before reaching its destination. This unique aspect of the game was more emotionally resonant for me than typical challenges like replaying a boss fight and restarting from a checkpoint.

In the sequel, they maintain the tension of executing a plan while finding solutions to obstacles efficiently. However, it introduces advanced technology early on, which impacts some of the game’s distinctive core mechanisms. In the first game, acquiring vehicles, such as trucks for transporting heavy cargo or exoskeletons to enhance Sam’s balance and mobility, were exciting objectives you had to gradually work towards. But in the sequel, these items are readily available after just a few main tasks, reducing the importance of strategic placement of tools like ladders. Even so, there’s still an opportunity for self-made shortcuts within the game. You can create a truck and upgrade it over time, installing battery packs to extend its use, mounting a turret that targets enemies automatically, and equipping a tool that collects nearby cargo without stopping. The sense of altruism that was central to Death Stranding seems less crucial. While this makes the game more accessible immediately, it also lessens some of the unique aspects the series was known for. Of course, you can opt to avoid these shortcuts if you prefer a more authentic experience similar to the original.

In this game scenario, you encounter diverse weather elements alongside Timefall, a rapid-aging rain that wears down whatever it touches, adding another layer of challenges and concerns. Gale-force winds from sandstorms reduce visibility and propel Sam forward, posing risks without protective gear or shelter until the storm subsides. Notably, navigating during strong winds rapidly depletes Sam’s energy reserves. Avalanches can quickly spoil hikes through snowy areas if you find yourself in the wrong place at the wrong time, while earthquakes could throw off your balance unless you securely hold onto your supplies before their occurrence. The weather can significantly impede progress depending on how you choose to play the game.

As you progress, you’ll gradually acquire the skill to predict weather conditions. This is a fantastic addition alongside our returning map feature, which enables you to manually design delivery routes by placing pins and drawing a path. While traversing, these points will appear as distant markers, with a line of lights extending into the sky depicting the route, helping you maintain your direction. However, it primarily functions as a visual guide rather than a meticulously planned route, as the map doesn’t provide complete details about ravines, the depth of bodies of water, and so forth, until you physically arrive at the location. Nevertheless, it can be beneficial in identifying potentially dangerous paths, such as enemy outposts.

In simpler terms, Death Stranding 2 fails to bring fresh ideas to the unique framework established by its predecessor. Features like dialogue options, player statistics, and skill trees are initially intriguing, but their impact on the story is minimal. Dialogue choices occasionally surprise you, but don’t expect them to affect the plot significantly. Statistics and skills are linked; your actions during deliveries earn points towards upgrades such as stealth or map navigation, offering a layer of character progression, albeit insignificant. These additions serve more as enhancements to Sam’s movement abilities and tool functions rather than a major overhaul for the sequel, especially if you rely on advanced tools early on, rendering most upgrades unnecessary. The game remains enjoyable due to exploration, observing signs, holograms, and structures built by other players in the environment, as well as receiving notifications about appreciations for your offline creations. However, unless you haven’t played the first game, there isn’t much new about the sequel that feels innovative.

In essence, Death Stranding 2 seems to lean heavily on familiar elements. The recurring villain delivers similar speeches during encounters with Sam, while the new adversary adheres to a common character archetype, although it doesn’t carry as much narrative weight. Certain scenes and confrontations resemble those from the first game. There are instances where characters break the fourth wall, engage in gamified dialogues, and reference Kojima Productions’ past works, but these moments are sparse. Moreover, there are numerous references to the Metal Gear Solid series, occasionally echoing iconic scenes. However, these nods to the past can sometimes overshadow the unique world of Death Stranding, veering towards fan service rather than letting the game’s universe fully develop on its own.

In this game, there seems to be a strong focus on preserving its historical roots, yet it carries some of the series’ most problematic stereotypes, especially in how women are portrayed. While I may not have all the insights about the sequel’s storylines, including one related to childbirth, certain scenes brought back a tiresome sense of deja vu. For instance, there’s an extended photo shoot minigame with three women and a continuous commentary about a central character taking off her shoes. The camera angles in cutscenes aren’t as extreme as the treatment of Quiet in Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain, but it feels superfluous. Moreover, since we’re viewing highly realistic depictions of actual actors, it can sometimes feel awkward or uncomfortable.

Experiencing the closing scenes brought about a melancholic understanding: Death Stranding 2 might not recapture the freshness of its universe and personalities as convincingly on a second go. Interestingly, it seems to offer a more commonplace adventure, which is fitting for a sequel that isn’t aiming to be as innovative with fresh concepts as it was initially. Although some players could appreciate the action-heavy shift, I felt that the increased emphasis on weapons and streamlined tool availability undermined the peaceful, contemplative vibe of walking deliveries and navigating danger in the original game, particularly given the rise in missions designed to confront enemies armed with advanced weaponry.

Hideo Kojima, the head of his studio, has expressed in interviews that he aims to make the sequel controversial to avoid being categorized as mere entertainment that’s simple to understand and digest easily. However, Death Stranding 2 is designed to be accessible for players who may have struggled with the learning curve of the first game. For instance, a codex is included that updates every time a new term is introduced, and initial gameplay challenges are eased by providing more tools at the start. As the story progresses, Death Stranding 2 can be interpreted as a critique on how groundbreaking ideas can go further when presented in a friendlier format. The narrative is marked by repetition, evident in the routine tasks associated with deliveries and the character Sam’s ability to resurrect after death. The recurrence of familiar storylines and character types supports this perspective, but it also sets certain limitations for the sequel’s potential impact.

The original Death Stranding seemed remarkably foresighted. Launched in 2019, it became hard not to compare it with the COVID-19 pandemic that arose a year later, as both showcased characters living in isolation and grappling with connecting with others during times of quarantine and apprehension about what lay ahead. In contrast, Death Stranding 2 appears less definitive in its message; instead, it encourages contemplation on multiple fronts, leaving room for various interpretations. The narrative tackles themes such as the escalating consequences of climate change, the growing automation of everyday tasks, the negative impact of guns, the friction between governments and private corporations, and the significance of assisting others in any capacity we can. If the second installment is indicative of anything, it suggests that an obsession with the past may lead us to repeat history, regardless of our attempts to move forward.

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2025-06-23 15:40