First Impressions and Feelings About Death Stranding 2: On the Beach

Gaming journalists have already had the chance to try out Death Stranding 2: On the Beach and shared their first impressions of the upcoming title. Overall, critics are giving the project high praise, noting that Hideo Kojima and his team have managed to take a step forward compared to the first game. Here’s what we’ve learned from the early previews:

— The new locations include Mexico and Australia, featuring unique biomes and dynamic weather conditions; — A new feature called Corpus has been introduced — a glossary containing concise information about the world and its characters; — Time of day now changes dynamically, with events unfolding both during the day and at night; — Watchers, a new type of BT creature, have been added; — Sam Bridges now has a skill tree that can be upgraded, with branches focusing on delivery, combat, stealth, and craftsmanship; — The game emphasizes strategic combat, but the combat system itself has become more flexible: players can engage in open fights, use stealth, or avoid combat entirely; — Kojima himself mentioned that while the first game was “about human connection,” the sequel raises questions about the internet and whether people should be connected at all, with the story focusing on the relationship between Sam and Lou.

A quick reminder: the game is set to release on June 26, 2025, for PS5.

The general consensus among critics is that the sequel has managed to keep the best elements of the original while improving on aspects that players previously criticized. Based on early feedback, Death Stranding 2 could easily become one of the best games of 2025.

My own takeaway is that the game has truly preserved the strongest parts of the first installment while adding many exciting mechanics that enhance the experience. Most of the new features feel harmonious and don’t overwhelm the player, so I highly recommend giving it a try — whether on release day or later, this is definitely a game you should play.