Death Stranding 2: On The Beach

If you watched trailers of Death Stranding 2: On the Beach and nothing else, you may think it’s all about the insanity. A sentient talking doll. A Solid Snake look-alike commanding a platoon of soldiers sporting Ghost Rider-like flaming skull heads. A whacked-out Higgs blasting lightning from an electric guitar at a mysterious, seemingly robotic swordsman. But the core of the experience still revolves around the comparatively ordinary task of delivering packages across great distances. Death Stranding 2 makes this seemingly mundane but surprisingly engaging activity more convenient.

Like the first game, bringing packages to scattered survivors involves carefully stacking boxes on Sam’s backpack to ensure even weight distribution. Carry too much weight or stack boxes too tall, and Sam becomes more prone to topple over, especially when traversing steep or uneven terrain. Helpful tools from the first game, such as the floating carrier, a hovering platform tethered to Sam to transport additional items over any terrain, are available much sooner. That also includes new variations of the battery-powered skeletons, mechanical leg frames that augment Sam’s carrying strength. In addition to the returning Speed and Power variations, a combat-focused version provides added protection during skirmishes. Sam’s Strand, his trusty cord typically used to choke out enemies, can now be used to tie and secure the items on his backpack, making them less susceptible to spilling everywhere whenever Sam takes a fall. 

Death Stranding 2 gives players access to a vehicle almost immediately, so you won’t have to hoof it on foot for too long. The first vehicle you’ll unlock is the Tri-Cruiser, a motorcycle built for speed that can also transport additional cargo. Another new vehicle is the Pickup Off-Roader, a large truck ideal for hauling greater inventory quantities. It may not move as fast as the Tri-Cruiser, but its vast storage space compensates. It's perfect for delivering mission-critical packages and the plethora of scattered resources and lost packages found along the way. The Off-Roader’s covered roof also protects cargo from the damaging time-accelerating effects of Timefall and other weather phenomena. 

Vehicles can be customized with helpful accessories such as additional batteries to extend their usage outside of the Chiral Network and armor to improve their durability. They can also be outfitted with autonomous tools such as a gun turret that mows down nearby threats, and a retractable cable that hooks and retrieves lost cargo, materials, and other resources lying around. With the latter tool equipped, you no longer have to stop driving every few seconds to get out and grab a box.

Industrious players can now construct entire monorail systems to transport tons of goods across vast distances. As with building roads and other infrastructure, players can contribute materials to restore sections of underdeveloped monorail tracks. Players can also zipline between restored track segments to quickly transport materials as they work to bridge the gap. 

Monorails carry vast quantities of resources, entire vehicles, and Sam himself. Monorails are best utilized to retrieve resources from the new mining facilities. Mines are rich with vital construction resources, and attaching them to monorails allows for autonomous transport of materials wherever you need them to be. 

The existing structures have also received new features. Timefall shelters now have BT defense systems, deploying clouds of blood (presumably Sam’s) to destroy nearby threats. Sam can now remotely operate nearby Watchtowers, allowing him to survey an area and tag objects and enemies without being physically present. 

A new roster of quirky Preppers, isolated survivors needing packages and other goods, offers plenty of jobs, some new to the series. One notable activity comes from an Australian animal shelter that tasks Sam with rescuing live creatures—yes, the game has animals now—to catalog, preserve, and, in some cases, rehabilitate following the strife of the Death Stranding. One mission tasked me with transporting an injured kangaroo amid a raging bushfire. Using the Odradek Terrain Scanner highlights smaller critters roaming about, and you simply need to approach them carefully, hit a button, and toss them in a (presumably air-holed) box. You can then visit these animals at the shelter to check their progress. 

The DHV Magellan, the Metal Gear Rex-esque ship headquarters for Sam and his Drawbridge crewmates, can also fast-travel. It can't visit every location – only designated stops at major sites – but it can provide an easy transport for any garaged vehicles and resources in its private storage. 

These features and likely more I didn’t discover help make portering more entertaining and efficient. Delivering packages was my favorite aspect of the original Death Stranding, and these additions/improvements have me champing at the bit to get back in there and reconnect Mexico, Australia, and beyond.

Death Stranding 2: On the Beach launches on June 26 for PlayStation 5. You can learn more about the game by following the links to the following features:

Death Stranding 2 Hands-On Impressions – Building a Stronger Connection

Death Stranding 2’s Improved Combat Channels Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain In The Best Way

How Death Stranding 2’s Interactive Encyclopedia Helps Players Make Sense Of The Lore And Narrative

Meet The Strange And Powerful Members Of Drawbridge

Death Stranding 2’s New Progression Systems Encourage Flexibility And Reward Every Approach