Death Stranding 2: A Brilliant Masterpiece You Should Play!

The much-anticipated sequel to Hideo Kojima’s genre-bending title, Death Stranding 2: On the Beach, launched on June 26, 2025, exclusively for the PlayStation 5. It has been met with critical acclaim, praised for its stunning visuals, compelling narrative, improved combat, and strong acting performances.

Here’s a comprehensive look at everything we know about Death Stranding 2:

Release Date and Platforms

• Release Date: June 26, 2025
• Platform: PlayStation 5 (at launch)
  • Similar to the first game, a PC port is highly anticipated and likely to arrive several months after the PS5 release, though no official announcement has been made.
  • An Xbox release is considered unlikely in the near term due to Sony’s exclusive publishing rights, but the first game did eventually make its way to Xbox years later.

Story and Setting

• Timeline: Death Stranding 2: On the Beach is set 11 months after the events of the original game.
• Protagonist: Players once again step into the boots of Sam Porter Bridges (Norman Reedus), who is now living a secluded life with his adopted daughter, Lou.
• The Journey Begins: Sam is drawn back into the world of porters when his old friend Fragile (Léa Seydoux) arrives at his home, seeking his help. She has formed a new company called “Drawbridge,” contracted by the UCA (United Cities of America) to extend the chiral network to Mexico.
• New Locations: Sam’s journey takes him through the expansive and diverse open worlds of Mexico and Australia.⁹ The Mexican border serves as a tutorial area before the grand expedition to the “land down under.”¹
• Narrative Flow: Reviews suggest that the story of Death Stranding 2 is more engaging and moves at a quicker pace than its predecessor, with snappier cutscenes and a constant stream of new lore. While it maintains Kojima’s signature strangeness and mind-boggling imagery, the narrative is reportedly easier to invest in.
• Plot Points:
  • Sam and Fragile gather a crew of allies to travel across the world on a massive ship called the DHV Magellan.
  • The mission involves connecting Australia to the chiral network to activate “plate gates” that can connect all of the world’s continents.
  • The apparent return of Higgs (Troy Baker), who commands an army of “ghost mechs,” poses a significant threat.
  • Sam encounters “tarfall” anomalies and a spectral soldier named Neil Vana (Luca Marinelli), who seems to have connections to Lou.
  • The plot involves surprising twists, including Die-Hardman (Tommie Earl Jenkins) secretly working to thwart a mysterious “President” of the APAC (Automated Public Assistance Company) who aims to weaponize the chiral network.

Gameplay Innovations and Enhancements

While retaining the core “strand game” elements of traversal and delivery, Death Stranding 2 introduces significant refinements and new mechanics:

• Improved Combat:
  • Combat is more central and varied, with new enemy types like “ghost mechs” and Watchers (more resilient BTs).
  • Expanded close-quarters combat allows for blocking, dodging, counterattacks, charges, and even mid-air attacks.
  • New weapon types include a Tranq Pistol and Tranq Sniper Rifle.
  • Stealth has been refined, allowing for quick bindings of unaware enemies.
  • Boss fights are described as a “blast,” with optional bosses encountered in the open world.
• Traversal and Environment:
  • The day/night cycle dynamically changes the atmosphere and challenges of exploration.
  • New environmental hazards include rising rivers (due to rainfall), Gates Quakes (earthquakes), Dust Storms, and Bushfires.
  • Players can now connect two ladders together to double their length and use mechanized holds for automated ladder traversal.
  • Ziplines are more flexible, allowing for slight curves.
  • A new feature allows Sam to take off his entire backpack for easier combat, rather than removing cargo piece by piece.
  • New traversal tools are hinted at, such as stilts, trampolines, and gliders, and potentially even naval gameplay.
• Cargo Management and Vehicles:
  • Sam can now pick up nearby cargo and materials while driving, without needing to exit the vehicle (for smaller vehicles).
  • “Corpus” menu streamlines the databank for easier access to lore and gameplay tips.
  • New structures like “Montreals” can be created for easier traversal.
• New Hazards and Creatures:
  • “Chiral Creatures (CCs)” can swarm Sam, degrading battery and boot durability, and even attacking vehicles.
  • MULE and terrorist encounters are reportedly more prevalent on roads.
• Player Progression:
  • Sam can now earn skill points to specialize in delivery, movement, or combat, with the ability to refund points for experimentation.
• Player Choice: Dialogue options during some cutscenes allow for more interaction and choice.
• Music Player: Sam gets a portable music player early in the game, letting players listen to unlocked songs while within the network.
• No Incinerators: Corpses can now be disposed of at normal distribution centers, making dedicated incinerators obsolete.

Cast and Characters

Death Stranding 2 features a star-studded cast of returning actors and new additions:³⁰

Returning Characters:

• Sam Porter Bridges: Norman Reedus
• Fragile: Léa Seydoux
• Higgs: Troy Baker
• Heartman: Nicolas Winding Refn (likeness), Darren Jacobs (performance)
• Deadman: Guillermo del Toro (likeness), Jesse Corti (performance)
• Die-Hardman: Tommie Earl Jenkins (revealed as Charlie, Drawbridge’s benefactor)

New Characters:

• Tomorrow: Elle Fanning
• Rainy: Shioli Kutsuna
• Neil Vana: Luca Marinelli
• President (of APAC): Alastair Duncan
• Tarman: George Miller (likeness), Marty Rhone (performance)
• Dollman: Fatih Akin (likeness), Jonathan Roumie (performance)

The game continues Kojima’s tradition of blending Hollywood talent with video game voice actors and utilizing the likenesses of various filmmakers and artists.

Reception

Upon its launch, Death Stranding 2: On the Beach has received universal acclaim, with particular praise for its visual graphics, refined gameplay, engaging narrative, and the strong acting performances of its cast. It is being heralded as one of the highest-rated games of 2025. While some reviews mention that the mission structure can still feel repetitive at times, the overall consensus is that the sequel significantly builds upon and improves the unique foundation of the original.

Death Stranding 2 promises another thought-provoking and visually stunning journey through a fractured world, continuing Sam Porter Bridges’ mission to reconnect humanity.