Death Stranding 2: On the Beach Reviews
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.
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.
With its numerous improvements, Death Stranding 2 finds the ideal balance between stick and rope, between shooting and walking, between action and infiltration. Hideo Kojima thus comes full circle, completing the game he wasn't allowed to finish 10 years ago.
Review in Spanish | Read full review
Even when its faith is shaken, like an overloaded porter tripping down a rocky mountain, Death Stranding 2 still stands firm in its belief that we’re all better off together. No matter what comes next.
Despite repeating huge chunks of Death Stranding 1, almost beat for beat, Kojima pulls it out of the bag in the end. The core gameplay loop remains satisfying enough to get you through to the good stuff, but I can't help but feel disappointed just how similar this game is to its predecessor.
Death Stranding 2 isn’t the revolution that the first game was. Instead, it refines almost all aspects of the original to make an excellent, well-polished experience.
This is a mystifying and provocatively slow-paced game with more celebrities than you would find on a Cannes red carpet
Death Stranding 2: On The Beach is an epic, big budget sequel to Kojima's controversial cult classic. It offers a better story, an excellent cast of characters, and beautiful world to reconnect.
Death Stranding 2 is engaging and beautiful.
Death Stranding 2: On The Beach improves on all the gameplay of the first episode and offers breathtaking views, it's a shame for a story that loses a bit of intensity in the central part.
Review in Italian | Read full review
Death Stranding 2: On the Beach, at least judging by its first 25 hours, isn’t some grand reinvention of what made the original game so beloved and divisive then. It is, however, an equally as plodding yet enthralling story about the importance of connection – and the beautiful monotony required to make this happen.
It’s drop-dead gorgeous and introduces enough new mechanics to feel fresh while never alienating what makes the franchise so special. Death Stranding 2 is undoubtedly one of the best games of the year, and well worth the agonizing six-year wait.
Death Stranding 2: On The Beach is a triumph in what it sets out to achieve. This isn't a game interested in converting willing consumers into fans, it's a game that takes bold steps in order to succeed what came before it. If you needed proof that Hideo Kojima is still the titan of the industry that he's hailed as, this game is that proof. I was left truly speechless by the end, and I have a feeling that many others will too.
In what will prove to be one of the defining games of the PS5 generation, Death Stranding 2: On the Beach is a profound achievement of design, gameplay, narrative, and visuals. As all four meet in the middle, Kojima Productions has crafted a cinematic spectacle that flawlessly transitions between action and traversal, all wrapped up in the most absorbing of narratives. An immense upgrade on the first game, Death Stranding 2 is an unequivocal masterpiece.
Death Stranding 2 is phenomenal. It’s among Kojima’s very best work not just for its narrative, but for the near-limitless variety in its gameplay opportunities. While it may very well end up being the final game in the series, at least with Kojima at the helm, we can only hope someone else picks up the mantle and continues to iterate on one of gaming’s most unique experiences. After all, why else would we have connected?