semen from the Platypus. A huge, greasy murderer’s skull. A talking dummy for crash testing. Soaking at a hot spring with a puppet. The nips of Norman Reedus. No, these are only 10% of the strange things I’ve witnessed in Death Stranding 2: On the Beach, not straightjacket babblings brought on by another violent episode of transient insanity. However, it would be far too simple to write off Hideo Kojima’s work as merely strange. We should, in my opinion, support such incredible inventiveness and be thrilled that someone is prepared to show us things we never would have imagined.
When seen in this light, Death Stranding 2 is a magnificent accomplishment, a successful fusion of intricate sci-fi narrative with excitingly advanced stealth-action that brilliantly expands on the experimental framework of its predecessor. It’s exquisite, horrifying, complex, and—most importantly—a lot of fun. It’s just everything that I hoped Death Stranding would be.
In my opinion, the original Death Stranding was seductive but unbalanced; it was a fascinating safe with a lot of potential that I was unable to fully unlock. On the Beach is a blockbuster realization of what Death Stranding can (and should) be, and I couldn’t be happier to see a sequel that succeeds in what it sets out to achieve. Much of the friction that was previously present in its systems has been eliminated, and it is more assured in both its narration and much-enhanced gameplay.
Those who played the original will recognize the rhythm. Reedus returns in the role of Sam Porter Bridges, who is once more tasked with delivering goods across dangerous areas while frequently encountering both supernatural and human dangers. You must study your map and pack appropriately for each assignment so that you are ready for whatever comes your way. Do you see a river in your path that is too deep to cross? Bring one or two ladders so you can get over it.
Have you heard a warning that there may be BTs (the spectral dangers that stalk specific wet areas) nearby? Bring some blood grenades so you can throw them at them. The majority of Death Stranding 2’s approximately 35-hour duration, when focusing on its story objectives, is made up of this cycle of preparation, overcoming obstacles that are both geographical and human/former-human, and finally achieving your objective.
Sam is given the task of linking Australia to the Chiral Network—the online system that stitches civilization together following a near-world-ending incident, much like he did with the USA in the original, following a brief tutorial chapter in Mexico. For what reason and for whom is he doing that? You will need to discover for yourself.
Due to its frequent changes in appearance and the challenges it poses, this new continent offers a significantly wider range of places. Sam is buffeted by sandstorms, which make it harder to stay balanced and reduce visibility. The floor under you may move during earthquakes, sending cargo toppling over. Additionally, if rain falls with sufficient force, rivers can rise and enlarge. The Earth itself appears to be resisting its increasingly digital future, which heightens the sense of fighting nature with this futuristic technology. Should we have gotten in touch? “No,” Mother Nature appears to say emphatically.
Had we gotten in touch? Mother Nature seemed to have spoken “no” in a forceful manner.
As a lover of “cinematic games,” I must admit that I can’t get enough of the craftsmanship displayed throughout, even when it occasionally veers into unduly referential terrain. There is no denying the impact of film on this universe either. And those allusions are visible: In Nolan’s Interstellar, the bleak settings and groundbreaking actions contrast with the chaos of nature.
The tense performance of Friedkin’s Sorcerer. The eerie tension of not knowing what digital ghosts might be hiding in the shadowy frames of Pulse by Kiyoshi Kurosawa. All of these flicker on the screen and reverberate in my mind. Though the emphasis is more on action this time, none of this is all that different from the original’s apparent cinematic influences.
The Road Warrior’s perilous desert landscapes undoubtedly served as inspiration, and Mad Max author George Miller’s cameo is more than just a coincidental event. These aren’t merely purely cinematic influences; they also inform and guide Kojima’s gameplay style, which is evident in a far more action-packed development of the original Death Stranding’s blueprint.
Life’s a Beach
The twisted story of On the Beach, which is set eleven months after the events of the original, starts with Sam trying to live a peaceful life off the grid with baby Lou, but that dream is unavoidably cut short very quickly. I won’t even attempt to give away where it goes from there, but I promise you won’t anticipate even half of the revelations.
However, I can state that there is a consistent viscosity pattern throughout. You will be able to navigate through tar, sludge, oil, and blood. However, it’s also full of intrigue, with the secrets being revealed in a whirlwind of concepts so complex that I’d find it difficult to identify them elsewhere. It addresses a variety of topics. Some are global in scope, while others concentrate on a more personal level.
The latter is a thesis on how technology permeates every aspect of contemporary life. It’s a powerful tale of how our growing presence in the digital world erodes our humanity, making in-person connections even more valuable, particularly in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. I get the impression that Kojima is bursting with ideas on how artificial intelligence, no matter how it is imposed on humans, will never be able to fully replace art and personal expression.
Seldom do blockbuster-scale games permit such pauses for introspection.
However, this rendition of Australia can give the impression that it is another world. There is something mystical about the entire experience, whether it is the absurdly large moon that seems to be ready to swallow you whole or the red desert that evokes visions of Mars. Driving in the desert as the sun rises is essentially therapeutic. Moments of introspection like this are rare in blockbuster-scale games, and they truly do make for an experience that cries out to be enjoyed.
Whether it’s Ludvig Forssell’s lovely BBs Theme playing at the right times or Woodkid’s eerie vocals looming over a desolate mountain, the music is once again orchestrated to amazing effect throughout, supporting those visual marvels. Near the end of the story, a lengthy drive towards fate was accompanied by a particularly moving passage from Low Roar, which is more evidence that Death Stranding 2 seems like a carefully manicured vision.
Verdict
The earliest draft of Death Stranding was complicated, frequently perplexing, but never forced. Even if I thought it stumbled along the way, it was a contemplative voyage over a vanished America that constructed a society and its rules with a flourish. In Death Stranding 2: On the Beach, however, Australia is the setting for a broader vision and is a more successful accomplishment in almost every aspect.
It delights with a genuinely surprising plot full of intrigue and flexible stealth-action playgrounds hidden in its enormous, hauntingly gorgeous rendition of Australia, eliminating nearly all of the friction that weighted down its rookie effort. It is unabashedly strange at times, but that isn’t what makes it unique. It’s a creative voyage that is full of both amazement and shock—the kind of audacious art that should be supported. No, it’s not flawless, but I adore it more because it’s so unique and thrilling, never deviating from the less-traveled path.
