Death Stranding 2 On the Beach review: Surreal journey across the digital wild

There are games that stick to the script. Then there’s Death Stranding 2: On the Beach. A heady cocktail of post-apocalyptic delivery runs, philosophical rants, weaponised blood, and a sentient puppet named Dollman. It’s the kind of game that makes you question everything, from how we connect to why we play. After spending over 40 hours trekking across this beautifully ruined version of Australia, I can confidently say this sequel is everything I hoped the original would become.

While Death Stranding in 2019 split opinions with its cargo-hauling focus and dense mythology, the sequel polishes that raw idea into something far more playable, layered, and emotionally satisfying. It builds on what came before without retreading it, and crucially, it does so with a playfulness and confidence the original never quite managed.

The Setup: Return of the Reluctant Hero

Sam Porter Bridges (Norman Reedus) is back, this time starting in Mexico before heading into a radically transformed version of Australia. The mission? Expand the Chiral Network, the mysterious communications system that ties what’s left of humanity together. The journey is lonelier, stranger, and filled with obstacles that often feel like metaphors for our own digital age. Nature, now more hostile than ever, pushes back against technology at every step.

But where the first game felt like a slow trudge through an unfamiliar system, this time you’re equipped and informed from the outset. The game gives you tools early. Vehicles, weapons, gadgets, and even a few surprises like a coffin hoverboard and homing missile dog-bots quickly become part of your kit. Instead of dragging you through 15 hours of setup, it lets you hit the ground running.

Traversal: Painfully Beautiful

Getting from point A to B is still the spine of Death Stranding 2, but the terrain feels more unpredictable and alive. Flash floods raise river levels, sandstorms blind you mid-crossing, and quakes disrupt your balance at the worst possible moment. This isn’t just environment as backdrop. It’s a constant conversation with the land, where every step feels reactive.

One minute you’re tiptoeing across a rickety ridge, the next you’re racing an oncoming storm while desperately trying not to lose your cargo. But the new movement options and tools mean these challenges are less frustrating and more exhilarating. It’s not just walking anymore. It’s surviving with style.

Combat: Controlled Chaos

Combat in Death Stranding 2 has evolved beyond the basics. The stealth system now has depth, variety, and weight. Whether you’re using a tranquiliser sniper rifle to quietly dismantle a base or bulldozing through enemies with a custom off-roader fitted with an auto-pickup arm, there’s room for every playstyle. Even failure feels rewarding, firefights spiral into madness, forcing you to improvise on the fly.

Enemy types are more varied too. Some are heavily armoured, others quick and evasive. You’ll need to switch ammo, adapt your approach, and think like a tactician. The game nudges you to experiment, and the addition of a skill-tree system only reinforces that. Whether you want to go stealth-heavy, focus on traversal, or just turn Sam into a walking arsenal, the game lets you do it.

Storytelling: Heavy, Weird, Brilliant

Kojima is many things and subtle is not one of them. But Death Stranding 2 wears its weirdness proudly, and somehow, it works. The story tackles grief, isolation, digital overload, and the loss of human touch. At the same time, it bombards you with moments of surreal wonder: sentient tar pools, musical boss fights, and slow dances with shadow monsters. It’s layered, poetic, and deeply personal.

Supporting characters are fantastic across the board. Lea Seydoux returns with even more nuance as Fragile, Elle Fanning brings mystery and magnetism as Tomorrow, and Troy Baker absolutely steals the show as a reimagined Higgs. Even Dollman, the creepy floating crash-test dummy strapped to your belt, becomes oddly comforting as he throws out existential zingers and unsolicited opinions on literature.

Visuals and Sound: A Masterpiece of Mood

Running on the Decima Engine, the game is jaw-dropping. Vast red deserts, thick jungles, underwater temples, every frame could be a wallpaper. It maintains a strong performance on PS5 Pro, and the attention to detail is breathtaking. Sunrises stretch over canyons, tar swells like a living thing, and character expressions are so realistic you’ll find yourself studying every twitch of a cheek or shift in a gaze.

The soundtrack once again shines. Low Roar, Woodkid, and Ludvig Forssell’s haunting score elevate the emotional moments to something almost spiritual. Whether it’s a long ride through emptiness or a final boss encounter bathed in flames, the music makes it unforgettable.

Smart Systems and Satisfying Loops

Beyond its story and spectacle, Death Stranding 2 is just a better game mechanically. The interface is cleaner. Inventory management, while still a bit clunky, is faster and more intuitive. The new perks system, reminiscent of Nier Automata’s chip system, lets you tune Sam’s abilities based on your playstyle. Build up your combat perks and you become a stealthy killer. Focus on deliveries and traversal, and you’ll unlock upgrades that make you the ultimate porter.

The sense of progression is constant. Even side missions, which range from pizza deliveries to recovering kangaroos, feed into your larger journey. And yes, you read that right, kangaroos.

Flaws? A Few

Pacing remains a small issue. The opening hours, though better than the original, still take their time before the narrative kicks in. There are occasional lulls where you’re doing back-to-back deliveries with little story progression, and some systems, like the cargo menu, still feel like they belong in a logistics simulator.

But these are minor complaints in a game that does so much so well.

Final Verdict: Kojima Unleashed

Death Stranding 2: On the Beach is not just a sequel. It’s a transformation. It takes the raw, strange energy of the first game and channels it into something bigger, smarter, and more affecting. It’s a game about walking, but also about connecting with others, with ideas, and with yourself. Beneath the giant skulls and slippery tar lies a deeply human story about how we carry our burdens and who we carry them for.

If you bounced off the first one, this might be the redemption arc you’re looking for. If you loved the original, this is a gift. It’s unpredictable, unfiltered, and unforgettable. In a gaming world of copy-paste sequels, Death Stranding 2 dares to be something else entirely.