Death Stranding 2: On the Beach Reviews
Kojima Productions' best project yet is Death Stranding 2: On The Beach, and it's largely thanks to how refined and an improvement it is on its predecessor, rather than being the perhaps expected unconventional sequel. The star-studded cast and their conjoined chemistry have helped craft a more interconnected and personal world this time, only bolstered by the unbelievably gorgeous, detailed and technically impressive open world where every journey is its own story. Every job and delivery is a delight and an immersive challenge against the greater elements. Picking you up off your feet and prodding you along are all the other players' structures and creations around the world. In Death Stranding 2, you are never alone. That remains true whether it's paying respect to those that came before, or paving the future of open world games that Kojima Productions, and even you, the player, are actively doing at all times. What a bright future it is.
While topping the original is tough, Death Stranding 2: On the Beach makes it seem like an easy task.
Death Stranding 2 elevates every mechanic from traversal to combat, balances heartfelt drama with Kojima’s trademark oddness, and shines with breathtaking visuals, making it a near-flawless sequel.
For those who found the first game too obtuse or plodding, Death Stranding 2: On the Beach makes concessions without abandoning its core. For long-time Kojima fans, this is the logical next step — absurd, brilliant, heartfelt, and occasionally maddening.
For those willing to step back into Kojima's universe, Death Stranding 2: On the Beach isn't just a game—it's a statement of artistic courage and creative clarity. It embraces its faults and celebrates its eccentricities. In doing so, it becomes one of the most compelling titles of this generation.
Death Stranding 2: On the Beach is a marked improvement over the original game with engaging gameplay and jaw-dropping graphics.
Death Stranding 2: On the Beach is a triumphant sequel that emphatically delivers on the promise of its original.
A busier, louder, and more emotionally resplendent take on this singular hiking sim.
It’s about human connection, losing loved ones, and stepping out into the wild regardless of the horrors that may await. Learning to go on that journey and accept a willingness to grow is half the battle, and after reaching the end of this ordeal, you’ll never be the same again. Keep on keeping on.
Bosses are spectacularly designed but often simple affairs.
What keeps me coming back the most, though, and the reason I will continue to make deliveries after publishing this review, is Death Stranding 2’s boundless sincerity. The cast is fighting for connection and the future, and I am rooting for them, even when I think they’re being a little weird.
Death Stranding 2: On The Beach is fixated on revisiting past ideas, which limits its impact to being a good but not great sequel
A bigger, zanier, but not always better sequel to Kojima's bizarre open-world infrastructure simulator
Ultimately, playing through Death Stranding 2 was an emotional and utterly enjoyable experience, full of thrills and impossible to put down during its bigger moments.
Death Stranding 2: On the Beach is one of the most visually stunning games I've ever played, putting at the forefront a narrative that twists and turns in spectacular (Kojima-only) ways. Action is far more of a focus this time, a big departure from its predecessor, and a slew of new toys makes package delivery that much more of a thrill-ride.
Death Stranding 2 manages the rare trick of being both desperately monotonous but profoundly engaging, banking towards one of these two poles depending on how much you’re willing to put in. It’s a game that demands that you meet it half-way and shed expectations, your pace dictated by your stomach for patience and perseverance. But if you do, it’s a wonderfully strange and roaring spectacle.
While the esoteric plot and Kojima’s frequent self-indulgent references and inserts might be distracting and immersion-breaking for some people, the gameplay, visuals, and ambience are its strongest aspects. DS2 is most certainly a GOTY contender, and is truly a work of art that must be experienced if you’re looking for an atmospheric game about traveling through breathtaking views.
Death Stranding 2 is a technological achievement with an emotional story that keeps you delivering through the apocalypse, and more variety in its gameplay than its predecessor to help solidify it as another Kojima classic. It's one of his best works in quite some time.
In short, Death Stranding 2: On the Beach has not only met my expectations, but has also been a title that has almost touched excellence in numerous sections , although it has lacked a bit of originality in its gameplay section . The narrative section and its progress have felt very good, especially with the presence of its antagonists, adding very important roles.
Review in Spanish | Read full review
A surprisingly iterative sequel that’s nonetheless superior to its predecessor and despite some dull moments, and an incoherent narrative, this is still the best Metal Gear game in a decade.