Death Stranding 2: On The Beach Review

“Should we have connected?”

Having spent hours manually reintegrating the fractured people of a former United States, I met this sentiment with a measure of trepidation. My apprehension wasn’t founded on fear that Kojima Productions couldn’t surpass the unique excellence of Death Stranding, but that in attempting to do so, the distinctive nature of the experience would be altered and exaggerated in service of providing ‘more.’ Now, at the other end of my second Chiral-connecting trek across a vast, divided continent, and given time to reflect, my consternation around Kojima’s sequel has been entirely quelled.

The sequel’s opening hours showcase a vastly improved narrative pacing; clear work has gone into making Death Stranding 2: On the Beach a more engaging experience from the outset. Assisting with the story’s pacing is the presence of the Corpus, an encyclopedia of terms, names, events, and locations to trawl through when the proper nouns inevitably get the better of you. A ‘Story so far’ segment even acts as a running log of the game’s core touchpoints for those who will be playing casually and not in a mad dash to meet an embargo.

With the Chiral Network successfully connecting the entirety of the United Cities of America, Sam and former Bridge Baby Lou now live in solitude past the southern border. No longer a Porter and actively avoiding the prying eyes of Bridges, Sam is well-equipped to exist off the grid that he worked tirelessly to create. That is, until Fragile and her newly formed company Drawbridge arrive with a proposition that would grant Sam and Lou amnesty, or at the very least allow them to live without fear of persecution from Sam’s former employer. The task is simple and familiar: bring all of Mexico onto the Chiral Network.

The raw fidelity is unbelievably impressive, but it’s the immaculate design of the world that stands out the most

Through some careful negotiating, Fragile is able to convince Sam to wear the Chiral-connecting necklace known as a Q-Pid and set off once more. However, unforeseen threats, both new and familiar, wreak havoc on what should be a relatively simple hike, thrusting Sam into a far more involved and dangerous expedition than he originally agreed to. One that would, by way of means I won’t spoil, take him to the shores of our very own Australia.

Fundamentally, the gameplay loop remains unchanged. You’ll accept an order and plot out a course across the landscape before fabricating tools, vehicles, and weapons to best suit the route you’ve decided to take. Arranging the cargo on your back, taking into consideration weight and balance, you’ll then set out to reach your destination with as little damage sustained by your delivery as possible. The trekking itself will see you use the L2 and R2 buttons to steady yourself, all while you keep track of energy consumption and the wear and tear on your equipment.

The points of difference are found in the landscape itself and the tools at your disposal. The version of the US devastated by the Death Stranding was visually stunning from both a fidelity and design standpoint, but it had more in common with Iceland than North America. While this new rendition of the Great Southern Land certainly contains similar elements, it is far more varied and unique. Distinct rock formations challenge Sam’s foot placement, arid red deserts threatening no end, long stretches of coastline present limiting options, and atlas-ignoring snow-capped mountain ranges in the centre of the continent come standard with blinding snowstorms.

The visual variety is astounding, made all the more magnificent by way of Death Stranding 2’s impeccable fidelity and technical performance. Masterful use of the Decima engine results in vistas with a staggering level of detail elevated by an incredible art direction. On the Beach is handily the most beautiful game in the current generation, and it may well be the most visually impressive title I’ve ever played.

While undeniably gorgeous, the fragmented post-apocalyptic Australia shares one thing in common with its real-world counterpart: everything is trying to kill you. One ever-present new addition is the dynamic weather events. Rivers will flood with little to no warning, sandstorms will rip through, damaging your cargo, and bush fires will tear across the landscape, drastically altering any path you were planning to take. These happenings are dynamic and somewhat rare, inducing a level of spontaneous realism that never ceased to amaze.. Try as you might to account for all potential outcomes, with these threats, you can never truly prepare.

That said, there are a significant number of new tools and systems at Sam’s disposal to aid in his gruelling task. Ladders, ropes, PCCs, watchtowers, and most other tools from the first game return to the player at an accelerated rate, letting you get back to your former Porter acclaim. Joining this loadout is a range of new devices and appliances, with some offering completely new methods of delivery, like the coffin board (which is exactly as it sounds) being the clear standout.

Familiar faces are joined by new friends and foes

Likes are still your primary metric for success. Delivering cargo in good condition and in a timely fashion will garner more Likes, but it’s how you delivered the goods that really matters. Based on what you encountered on your delivery and how you dealt with it, you’ll be awarded grades for: Porter, Combat, Stealth, Servicemanship, and Bridge Link. While this was present in the first game, the new APAS system gives you a reason to care about your Porter grades beyond pride in your work.

Essentially a skill tree that allows you to unlock abilities and passive perks that relate to each of the five disciplines, APAS gives players a new and compelling incentive system. Exploring each aspect of Porter work will unlock new options using Chiral Bandwidth (experience) at any time while in the Chiral Network. In practice, this allows you to swap out abilities to best suit your current situation. While the perk that steadied your load while wearing an exoskeleton was invaluable during the first half of your delivery, the auto-aiming module will be more effective when you’re forced to deal with bandits. It’s a simple yet elegant way to reward experimentation and strive for more than a passing grade.

Sam’s arsenal of weapons has also widened, necessitated by the increased focus on combat. While violence was occasionally forced on the player in the first game (largely during interactions with Cliff Unger), these moments were few and far between, with all other MULE encounters being optional and highly avoidable. While you can still choose to take a passive approach in many situations, On the Beach makes a point to push Sam into the fight, both for narrative and gameplay purposes.

Pictured: My reaction to seeing what’s left of Tasmania in the world of Death Stranding 

Since Death Stranding’s initial reveal, Kojima has often referred to the philosophy of the rope and the stick. Two of mankind’s first inventions, the rope was created to keep things together, while the stick was invented to ward things away. It becomes evident in the early hours that where Death Stranding spoke to the rope, Death Stranding 2 speaks to the stick.

Sam’s mysterious new separatist adversaries seek to dominate, seizing control through force by committing acts of violence with machines of war. While Sam’s directive is to connect the desolate continent by using the rope, the retaliatory use of the stick is unavoidable. Story beats involving the mass production and widespread distribution of guns throughout a nation are an allegory that’s far from subtle. However, the severity of our current world climate demands that such metaphors leave little to no room for misinterpretation. The uncomfortable nature of this motif is further driven home by the Australian setting, where our history of effective gun control is eroded by the introduction of foreign ideals.

With such a strong tonal shift towards conflict, it makes sense that the combat mechanics have been expanded upon. The gunplay feels tighter and more responsive, with the APAS perks further improving the feel as combat modules are selected. And while new, ridiculous weapons like the auto-aiming rocket-launching Rocket Box create more options than before, it’s the enemy variety that makes the biggest impact.

As weapons flow freely throughout Australia, everyday bandits are better equipped and far more dangerous than before. BTs are also an ever-present threat, with the new Gazer variant able to see you and track you with increased accuracy. But it’s the Ghost Mechs that are the biggest obstacle. Souls inhabiting mechanical frames, these red menaces take on a variety of forms, from sword-wielding close combatants to dog-like goliaths that spawn BTs when destroyed. The introduction of these enormous machines with multiple weak points and ever-changing attack patterns also makes boss encounters far more engaging, a step up from the visual spectacle but mechanical simplicity of the first game’s fights.

Despite the spreading violence, a sense of connection is never far away. The online Social Strand system returns, allowing players to once again use their resources to help their fellow Porters. There is still no comparable feeling in this medium than happening upon a ladder or bridge during a moment in your delivery that sees you out of tools, out of stamina, and out of hope. The inclusion of a monorail system that connects the majority of the country provides the online community with a huge, shared goal that will only see completion through an immense, collaborative effort. With On the Beach’s sombre tone, and in this trying time in our real-world history, the Social Strand system continues to demonstrate humanity’s capacity for good.

This uplifting sentiment is shared by the excellent supporting cast of characters that accompany Sam during his journey. Returning favourites like Fragile and Deadman are joined by new faces, like the ever-optimistic and quite literal doll, Dollman, who acts as a constant travelling companion for Sam. Dollman, alongside other newcomers Rainy, Tomorrow, Tarman, and Charlie, have all been subject to horrific past events and injustices, though their spirits endure and their optimism for the future shines through.

Kojima Productions has made incredible use of the RE Decima Engine

Each character, new and returning, has a chance to take centre stage during the 40-hour story, with chapters dedicated to each of the core members of the Drawbridge crew. A particular standout is Tomorrow, played by Elle Fanning. With a mysterious place of origin and overwhelmingly powerful abilities, her personal story is intriguing and brought to life by some fantastic voice work, though the same could be said for the entire cast.

The laundry list of proper nouns and absurd monikers like Die-Hardman gives Death Stranding’s world a uniquely strange flavour, helped along further by the otherworldly visuals and creatures that the titular event brought with it. The audacious setting, the extradimensional afterlives, the cataclysmic happenings, they all act as an engaging backdrop for the earnest and affecting human stories told within it. The narrative of Death Stranding 2 is as profound as it is wild, and I wouldn’t dare take away from its impact by spoiling anything here. The sincere stories of immense loss, insurmountable grief, regret, and the unshakeable desire to atone for life-altering mistakes are genuinely moving. In a world where the dead roam and babies are trapped in pods and used as equipment, it’s the human stories of experiencing despair and bravely moving forward that cut through.

Stronger bonds are formed with the supporting cast this time, thanks largely to the amount of time you spend with them aboard the DHV Magellan, a sophisticated tar ship and home to all Drawbridge members. The Magellan doesn’t just create a great sense of unification, but it also acts as a mobile base, appearing at all major installations once connected to the Chiral Network. This allows Sam to store and retrieve items, resources, and vehicles with greater ease, further solidifying the feeling of being part of a team rather than a lone wanderer in a foreign land.

There’s context to this image, I swear

The ever-present aid of the Magellan and faster access to tools does reduce the difficulty of early deliveries significantly, particularly once trikes and trucks hit the scene. While there will undoubtedly be those who will yearn for a steeper difficulty curve, most, like me, will fall into a false sense of security, only to be met with some of the most challenging deliveries and situations in the series once they hit the late game push to the finale.

Final Thoughts

On the Beach is a confident, iterative sequel that prioritises refinement above unnecessary evolution. The ever-intriguing and visually breathtaking world continues to act as a backdrop for earnest human stories of perseverance through tragedy and connection amid chaos. Contemplative and confusing, arresting and artful, thought-provoking and absurd, Death Stranding 2 is one of the most complete interactive experiences I have ever encountered.

Reviewed on PS5 // Review code supplied by publisher

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