Death Stranding 2: On the Beach - A Giant Leap Forward Unveiled
The countdown is almost complete. In less than a month, Hideo Kojima's latest work of art, Death Stranding 2: On the Beach, will finally be released. Naturally, enthusiasts are buzzing as they consider if the illustrious game creator can top his previous work. Based on the early batch of media previews, the answer is an emphatic yes.
Reviewers and fan content creators have already spent hundreds of hours in "On the Beach," and their first impressions are overwhelmingly positive. The general consensus is that Kojima hasn't just addressed the flaws of the original; he's expanded upon its positives, crafting an experience that many are calling a giant leap forward.
Picking Up the Pieces: A New Journey for Sam Bridges
Death Stranding 2's story takes place around eleven months from the end of the first. Our reliable courier, Sam Porter Bridges, is visited by Fragile. Her request is to help connect Mexico and Australia to the United Cities of America. Sam, reluctant hero that he is, agrees. Deliveries in this new world are now automated, providing new challenges and a new setting for our hero.
This time, Sam will be working under a new banner – Drawbridge – and will be encountering a whole new group of new faces. On board the mobile base "Magellan," players will be meeting bright new friends. Among them are Captain Tarmen (brought to life by "Mad Max" director George Miller), the mysterious doll-like character Dollman, and two new female friends, Rainey (played by Shiori Kutsuna) and Tumorrow (Elle Fanning). It's teased that Sam will have more and more in-depth interactions with his team this time around, with these new members possibly being even more developed than some returning players from the initial game.
Storytelling Polish, Visuals That Wow
One area Death Stranding 2 seems to have gone a long way is in delivering its story. Critics pointed out the "Corpus system," an in-game encyclopedia that breaks down unfamiliar terms and concepts within cutscenes. This should assist in making the often convoluted lore more accessible. While the game does start with a recap of the original's events, some journalists felt it might not be sufficient enough for new players to get all the nuances of the world.
Graphically, the game is reported to be a stunner. The Decima engine, according to all reports from previews, renders breathtaking landscapes and plays smoothly at 60 frames per second on a standard PlayStation 5. For those craving even more eye candy, a "Quality" mode provides improved graphics but at the cost of a 30 fps framerate.
Venturing Through Varied Worlds and Confronting New Menaces
Variety seems to be the motto in "On the Beach." Reporters will have to traverse radically different biomes, and blowy deserts interspersing into dense woods just as one biome can start to feel at home. Sam will also have to contend with extraworld weather patterns like sandstorms and "fire rains," adding a sense of uncertainty to his reflective journeys. Even air temperature will come into play now, adding a new dimension of strategic complexity. Even Kojima has alluded that some of the regions and the related breathtaking cutscenes could potentially be completely skippable, suggesting extensive exploration.
The game loop remains the same: drive through massive worlds, deliver important packages, and fight human bandits and monstrous BTs. But Sam's job is more than just delivering packages. He'll also be asked to drive outt enemy camps, locate missing individuals, and even escort animals. The challenge can be set to one's preference with four difficulty levels: Story, Casual, Normal, and Brutal.
Customization Takes Center Stage
Kojima Productions has apparently invested a lot in player choice and customization. "On the Beach" has a dynamic skill tree, where one can unlock skills based on how they like to play. For players who battle often, then they can be sure to have superior ammunition. For those who play stealth, they might get skills that quieten their noises. The rucksack, old Sam's companion, is also highly personalized, with space for extra ammo pouches or even a deflector shield, which repels bullets – the latter being quite crucial, as enemy skirmishes are said to be more evident this time around.
"Not only was I able to arm a hand to the wheelbarrow which automatically picked up over-turned boxes, I armed machine guns on the car that shoot at bases when I drive through them in a tank-like fashion. Having previously had to walk, it was especially nice." - Eurogamer
A feature that's been on fans' wish lists is a music player. Players will at last be able to listen to those classic songs while making deliveries.
A Visionary's Response to Feedback
While largely positive, some critics did suggest whether Kojima Productions had compromised too much to fan response. One Eurogamer writer, for instance, suggested that a visionary artist such as Kojima does not have to be bound by popular opinion. Still, this single dissenting voice still testified that the game still looked and played impressively.
Mark your calendar: Death Stranding 2: On the Beach drops exclusively (at least for now, just like the first one) on PlayStation 5 on June 26th.
