Death Stranding 2: On the Beach Reviews
An adventure that continues the story of its predecessor and expands on it in some ways. If you didn't like the first one, you won't like this one.
Review in Spanish | Read full review
Death Stranding 2: On the Beach goes beyond the boundaries between cinema and video games, leaving only a delicate thread to remind us that it’s a video game. It’s an extraordinary journey that refines every aspect of the original and raises the sequel into what may be one of the greatest stories ever told in the medium. With exceptional direction, breathtaking visual artistry at its peak, and a deeply emotional soundtrack, DS2 redefines the player experience. It transforms the way players connect, turning cooperation into something deeply meaningful and immersive. It’s without question a fierce contender for Game of the Year.
Review in Arabic | Read full review
Death Stranding 2: On the Beach may follow a simple premise—like the single line through two points—but it's rich with layers. Hideo Kojima’s latest creation blends survival management, narrative adventure, third-person shooting, brawling, musical elements, and cinematic flair. After 400 kilometers reconnecting a collapsing Australia, it’s clear this is a lavish production, refined from the 2019 original. While the story may falter at times, the gameplay remains compelling—though unlikely to win over those who didn’t enjoy the first game. Still, it’s a masterclass in high-budget creativity, and when “To The Wilder” plays over the credits, it’s hard not to long for more time on those dusty roads.
Review in Italian | Read full review
Death Stranding 2: On the Beach is a masterpiece that surpasses the original: bigger, deeper, and more challenging. Featuring a captivating story, refined gameplay, and a world full of life and surprises.
Review in Spanish | Read full review
Death Stranding 2: On the Beach perfectly captures the spirit of the first game while adding some meaningful new features. These include dialogues that we can now actively engage in, as well as new challenges such as earthquakes and floods, which further emphasize the unpredictability of the post-apocalyptic world. We also really liked the combat system in part 2, which is now a bit more complex and allows us to actively fight human threats and GDs with both armed force and various stealth mechanics. In addition, there are two atmospheric new locations that stand out more from the setting familiar from Part 1 than you might think at first glance, providing a welcome visual change. The biggest selling point of the sequel, besides the great emotional story, is the breathtaking graphics, which clearly show what the PS5 is capable of. The photorealism on display is absolutely stunning, both in the cutscenes and in-game, providing us with landscapes, facial features, and lighting effects that could easily be found in any Hollywood movie. The integration of the DualSense features is also excellently done, allowing us to experience the game world and, in particular, the challenges of the deliveries firsthand. One thing Death Stranding 2: On the Beach, and that is the largely slow-paced, almost meditative gameplay. Those who found this too boring in the first installment will quickly come to the same conclusion in part 2. Those who, like me, loved this unique approach to the medium of video games will also be able to enjoy the sequel to Kojima's masterpiece to the fullest.
Review in German | Read full review
Death Stranding 2: On The Beach is a true masterpiece, showcasing uncompromising art direction and stunning cinematics. It takes everything from the first game and elevates it, making the original feel like just a tech demo. With breathtaking visuals and an incredible soundtrack, it stands out as the definitive next-gen experience we’ve been eagerly anticipating for the PlayStation 5.
"A human journey in a fractured world" Death Stranding 2: On the Beach isn't a reinvention, but a subtle and thoughtful improvement. It returns to familiar themes, but it's delivered with a higher level of craftsmanship, beauty, and emotional maturity. While it lacks the boldness and shock of the first game, it makes up for it with a more human and reflective experience. This sequel embodies Kojima's signature style—philosophical, cinematic, and deeply personal. It's a journey worth taking, especially for those who embrace its quiet genius.
Review in Arabic | Read full review
In conclusion, Death Stranding 2: On the Beach is everything I ever could’ve wanted from a sequel. It brings back the same satisfying gameplay loop, delivers an improved and emotionally charged narrative, and showcases the best recreation of Australia I’ve ever seen in a video game. I’m not exaggerating when I say this could very well be Hideo Kojima’s magnum opus.
The sequel to the legendary Death Stranding brings to us exactly what we have wanted – another unique and unmissable experience from Hideo Kojima.
Review in Unknown | Read full review
It’s possibly Hideo Kojima’s magnum opus, and it’ll be a long, long time before I stop thinking about it.
Death Stranding 2: On the Beach sticks close to the original’s formula, but tightens up the gameplay and expands your tools. The story leans into Kojima’s usual weirdness, with standout characters and a final act that delivers. It’s familiar in many ways, but still offers something different from anything else this year.
Death Stranding 2: On the Beach reduces the classic Kojima weirdness and expands the gameplay variety and the impressive technical achievements. The main gameplay loop is still tedious in most parts and the more straight forward storytelling will disappoint fans of the first game. If you enjoyed Death Stranding and want to see how the story bits for everyone get unpacked, you should still get it.
Review in German | Read full review
Death Stranding 2: On the Beach is a divisive, challenging work that never tries to please everyone. And because of that, it succeeds in leaving a deeper mark. Hideo Kojima returns to talk about connection, but this time he does so in a world that no longer needs to be united: he does so in a world that must learn to live with its own fractures, its own shadows, its own broken memories. It is a video game about mourning and hope, about collective choices and personal sacrifice, but one that manages to remain a game in the purest and deepest sense of the word. Play-wise, the title consistently evolves the original formula, incorporating new mechanics, more dynamic rhythms and a more layered structure, where the narrative and management components meet without ever clashing. Not everything is perfect: some sections still feel too slow, certain gameplay choices may be off-putting to those expecting more continuous action, and some narrative passages risk being overly cryptic. But these are small cracks in a work that manages, once again, to be visionary, fragile, and powerfully human. The technical compartment on PS5 borders on excellence: lightning-fast loading, visual cleanliness, granitic stability, without sacrificing the artistic detail that makes every shot worthy of a photo shoot. DualSense is put to excellent use, as are 3D audio and haptic feedback, making every step, every raindrop, and every beat of the BB's heart a living part of the experience. Ultimately, Death Stranding 2 is much more than a sequel. It is a second work that rewrites the meaning of the first, a new journey that does not erase the previous one but transforms it, reworks it, sublimates it. It is one of those games that asks for trust, time, and a hint of surrender. But if you let go, On the Beach manages to touch chords that modern video games rarely dare to touch.
Review in Italian | Read full review
When I reviewed the original Death Stranding back in 2019, I gave it a 10/10 and called it “the definitive Hideo Kojima experience and a genuine, one-of-a-kind gaming experience.” Six years later, Kojima came along and made me a liar because Death Stranding 2: On the Beach is the definitive Hideo Kojima experience and a genuine, one-of-a-kind gaming experience.
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.
Death Stranding 2: On the Beach is a great example of a sequel that expands on the original without losing sight of it. The traversal is still the star of the show, while the action has been significantly improved without taking over the experience. While a conventional plot takes the back seat for a more character-driven story, the new cast of characters and a phenomenal final third act stick the landing with prime Hideo Kojima bombast.
Although Hideo Kojima wants to make games that are somewhat divisive, I find Death Stranding 2 to be one of his most refined and enjoyable works to date. I feel confident this will be recognized as one of PS5’s defining masterpieces. In the way that we talk about The Last of Us on PS3 or God of War on PS4, I think Death Stranding 2 is an essential title for the PS5 generation.
Death Stranding 2 remains a unique video game, different from all the others, incomparable to the offerings of the contemporary industry, and for this very reason it must necessarily be analyzed "in a vacuum", away from useless comparisons and external interferences to the legacy of the series.
Review in Italian | Read full review
Hideo Kojima set out to craft a timeless yet divisive experience—but in the end, he only succeeded at one. Death Stranding 2 may not spark controversy, but it will be remembered. It’s far from perfect, still echoing some of the original’s flaws, yet it feels profoundly personal—raw, human, and unapologetically honest. More than a sequel, it’s a culmination. A quiet masterpiece that may very well be Kojima’s magnum opus.
Death Stranding 2: On the Beach features more engaging delivery mechanics, a more varied environment, and more straightforward combat. On top of all these, the game features a memorable and emotional story, making this a must-play for fans of the first game.