Death Stranding 2: On the Beach | Preview Thread

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Thick Thighs Save Lives

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Previews:

Eurogamer
I emerged from the sci-fi bubble of Kojima Productions with my head spinning with plot theories and unanswered questions, but I ultimately enjoyed my time with Death Stranding 2 far more than the original. It's tighter, pacier, more dynamic, more gripping. Just as I was tired with traversal, a new upgrade or piece of equipment enticed me back in; just as the sparse story left me wanting, a new bizarre curveball of Kojima weirdness had me grinning; just as I thought I knew what Death Stranding 2 was, it surprised me once again. It's as if Death Stranding was a mere design concept, and its sequel is properly fulfilling its promise with a big dollop of Metal Gear - as long as you're willing to buy into the world and suspend your disbelief once more.

Death Stranding 2 is clearly a labour of love, filled with carefully balanced gameplay systems, exceptional visuals, and extraneous details and secret scenes (Dollman certainly likes his music), all wrapped up in Kojima's irrepressible sense of cool. Like the studio he works from, the game is a gateway into his post-pandemic mind as, now in his 60s, he contemplates life, death, family, human connection, future legacy, and - most important of all - which musician he'll be listening to next. In that sense it, so far, feels like the most Kojima-game yet, a culmination of all his prior achievements.

I still don't know why we shouldn't have connected, but in this instance I'm glad I did.
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Gamespot
I've been to countless pre-release events, and in the best-case scenario, it usually winds up with a preview along the lines of, "What I played during my hour-long demo was great, let's hope the final product can match what they showed off!" But I played 30 hours of Death Stranding 2 before writing this preview. I can confidently say that it's excellent, and I can't wait to do it all again (and much more) when it releases next month.
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IGN
Combat, meanwhile, occurs much more frequently and has become more flexible in Death Stranding 2. In the first game, combat was limited and functioned merely as a way to secure supplies or to make your way through bases. Death Stranding Director's Cut already added infiltration missions into Mule bases, but Death Stranding 2 builds more varied stages and systematized combat in the open world, seemingly as an extension of that.

New human enemy forces such as Bandits and Armed Survivalists appear, and their bases are designed as stages with simple three-dimensional structures. When infiltrating these bases, players are often forced to engage in combat.

BTs, or creatures that appeared due to the Death Stranding phenomenon, also have new types. Larger BTs with stronger attacks make the combat more challenging than it was last time.

Combat has become more tactical as well. By throwing a speaking doll called Dollman, you can observe the insides of bases from above to grasp enemy placement and movement lines. While close combat remains important, remote stealth attacks with the Blood Boomerang, precision shooting with sniper rifles, and utilizing assault rifles and grenade launchers give the player a multitude of new options.

It's even possible to put down Sam's backpack, allowing for more agile and nimble movement by completely separating him from his cargo. Weight management directly connects to mobility, which greatly enhances tactical flexibility.
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Press Start Australia
Despite all my optimistic assertions, I'd be lying if I didn't have some (admittedly mild) concerns. While Death Stranding 2's narrative is compelling, it feels very modular. I have concerns that, having begun development during COVID, this might be an intentional artistic decision. But I do hope that eventually, Kojima will find a way to masterfully bring all of this together, hopefully with a lot more elegance than the original Death Stranding or the controversial Metal Gear Solid 4. Given the strides Kojima and his team have already taken in my time with the game, I trust him. He's vehemently self-aware of his shortcomings here and puts tremendous work into correcting them without betraying the spirit of his creativity.

But even if Kojima doesn't stick the landing, I have faith that Death Stranding 2: On The Beach will be just as wild, wacky, and fun to play as the original. It's already a better game mechanically than the first, eschewing tedium and monotony for a systems-first type of design that affords players the freedom to truly make the experience their own. It's the kind of sequel that is so confident in itself that it easily eclipses its predecessor. It's hard to imagine Death Stranding 2: On The Beach will be anything but one of Kojima's magnum opuses.
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Game Informer
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.
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Just reading few lines but avoiding videos and spoiler details for me. Im happy with day and night cycle that is what i just need to know. 😁
 
MaestroMike said:
can the main campaign be beaten in like 30 hours or is it longer than that ?
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You may skip standard orders and just do the main orders for Sam and you will not miss anything on the story. You can run through the game and you may even skip cut scenes( which might be weird because you will not understand the story and miss the good story ). But if you do this you will miss allot about the lore, and will miss allot on weapon, vehicles especially upgrades and world building like roads, bridges, etc. But it is possible to finish it within 30 to 50 hours. I suggest buy it and play it since we still have allot of days to go before DS2 which is June 26. Enjoy!
 
Killjoy-NL said:
MGS2 was the shittiest MGS...

Not sure yet if I'm going to buy DS2. Probably gonna buy it on a whim if I do.
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I disagree, but I wonder what he actually means by that.

MGS2 didn't really sell a lot more than MGS1, so I wonder if he's just talking about the technical achievement where MGS2 really defined "next" gen" at the time.
 
This is going to be a real success for Kojima, critically and commercially. People who played it liked it and Kojima Studio feel confident about their game. They heard the players about the problems of the first game and corrected it in the second. Some wanted more of MGS gameplay, many complained about the shitty combat. They are making games players actually want to play!
Flabagast said:
Don't want to be spoiled on gameplay. What is the performance of the game ?
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There are 2 modes (on base PS5): 30fps and 60fps at a reduced resolution. We can safely assume the Pro will retain the resolution of that 30fps mode at 60fps.
 
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Oh my fucking god hes done it again. My hype meter was already at max, but holy shit. 30 hour previews???? Game supposed to be 60+ hour long. Holy fuck im going on a holiday next month, i aint working when this comes out
 
"Kojima isn't interested in fail states. He wants you to keep moving forward."

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Kojima has aged out of the medium he helped build. RIP old timer.
 
I loved DS1 enough to platinum( honestly one of the best games I played in recent years, top 20 easy), and from looks and sounds of it, DS2 appears to be an improvement in every single way.
 
Its criminal I have to wait an year to get this on PC.
I don't think anyone would be able to explain the story so will mostly be spoiler free till then lol
 
Mibu no ookami said:
I disagree, but I wonder what he actually means by that.

MGS2 didn't really sell a lot more than MGS1, so I wonder if he's just talking about the technical achievement where MGS2 really defined "next" gen" at the time.
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This is from the interview on ign. Not sure if this is what he's referring to

Kojima: I'd like to ask you to think back to the beginning of Metal Gear Solid. No weapons appear at first, and you only acquire them after going up the elevator. Placing weapons at the very start will cause players to pick them up and start killing enemies, so we consciously decided to not do that. But that part turned out to be unpopular, with some people saying they couldn't get up the elevator. Still, we had to design Metal Gear Solid so that players learned how stealth works. For Metal Gear Solid 2, we made it a little easier to use weapons and aim at specific parts using a POV angle, as many players were already aware of stealth games.

It was the same for Death Stranding. There aren't many games about delivery, so we first had to get people accustomed to it first. For the sequel, we wanted to allow players that want to fight to do so more freely. Players can use weapons, and it's now easier to drive cars and motorcycles. For the story, the first game was about Sam and Cliff, but this time one of the main themes is Lou and what her existence means.
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MaestroMike said:
we can skip ds1 if we want to just play ds2 ??
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I would just skip to 2. DS1 is amazing, but not because of its story. I largely ignored the story, as it was overly convoluted with mediocre dialogue. Death Stranding's addicting gameplay loop is what makes it great. It's an incredibly therapeutic game to play as you traverse and connect the game world. It surprisingly has a lot depth. DS2 seems to be a more refined version of DS1, with a lot more systems at play
 
Cant wait for more Norman Reedus one liners:

" Youre the president of Jack Shit."
" My status is fucked"
" Im Mario and youre my Princess Beach"

Cracks me up.
 
Day one. I was foolish to first skip DS1, because I bought into the Fedex sim reviews. I bought it about 2 or 3 months later for like 25 bucks and it was my GOTY.

It was unique, and I was addicted to looting and expanding the infrastructure. Loved the production values, music and atmosphere. Never distrust Hideo. He at least tries something unique.
 
I just played Death Stranding 1 a month or so ago, I skipped it because of reviews and the perception that it is a walking sim.

But after playing it, it's likely the most interesting world building/story i've ever experienced and I am beyond excited for this.

I apologize Kojima-san, for doubting you.

Skill-Ups preview got me incredibly excited
 
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Here's a good summary with info from all the previews via Shinobi602 on Twitter:

▪️Press got to play a whopping 30 hours of the game, that is around 40% of the story says Kojima
▪️"Tighter, pacier, more dynamic, more gripping" than the first game
▪️4 difficulty settings: Story, Casual, Normal, and Brutal
▪️Played on base PS5, "impressive photorealistic graphics" that draw you in right away, "hugely increased" level of detail
▪️"Fantastically surreal" bossfights
▪️Takes place 11 months after the first game with Sam living with his daughter Lou in a remote area in Mexico
▪️After connecting America to the chiral network, deliveries are now automated by AI
▪️His peaceful life is disrupted by the return of Fragile, now running the company Drawbridge, who sends Sam on a mission to connect Mexico to the network and then to Australia
▪️Pacing is improved over the first game, swiftly gets players into gameplay
▪️Corpus: In-game glossary similar to Final Fantasy 16 that can be opened at any time, including mid-cutscene, to recap and explain plot points, characters, places etc
▪️Expanding gameplay systems was a major focus, world feels more dynamic and diverse with more opportunities for player expression
▪️Still focused on taking cross-country delivery jobs through hostile landscapes, but much more evolved like going from MGS1 to MGS2
▪️More streamlined menus, clear info on your objective, equipment, routes, less frustration in traversal
▪️Combat now plays a greater role, Kojima added more options because so many people all over the world were asking him to make another Metal Gear
▪️Sam now has to also contend with extreme weather conditions. Sandstorms can topple you over, intense rain leads to floods, earthquakes shake the ground, avalanches can come crashing down
▪️Tons of environmental diversity, barren mountains, white sandy deserts, lush jungles, cities, etc makes the first feel static by comparison
▪️Time of day (sunlight, nighttime) can impact the temperature of your precious cargo
▪️Asynchronous online connectivity expanded with more structures like ziplines that now curve, safe houses for checkpoints, ramps that can shoot Sam across the air like Sonic
▪️You can level up your abilities through use, like stamina, proficiency with weapons, skill tree buffs like better stealth that gives improved noise cancellation and enemy alerts. Likewise more time in combat unlocks better ammo, scanner range, etc
▪️You can customize your backpack with lots of attachments like extra ammo pouches, shields, and more
▪️You can also customize vehicles like adding an arm to a truck that will automatically grab lost packages, machine guns to auto shoot enemies
▪️Lots of new options to encourage experimenting your approach, like finding extra tools like powerful gloves that let you punch mechs in the face or an otter hat to float in water
▪️"Significant" number of side quests with meaningful rewards: special weapon schematics, narrative payoffs, skill points to unlock footstep dampeners, aim assistance, vehicle recharger, etc
▪️Combat is vastly expanded and improved, in many ways "feels like Metal Gear Solid 6"
▪️Mexico and Australia are filled with enemy bases to infiltrate, ripe for silent takedowns or gunfights that feel "punchy"
▪️There are new human enemy forces such as bandits and armed survivalists
▪️You can wear different camo types to blend in and throw out small puppet "Dollman" into the air to scout out enemies
▪️You can now put down Sam's backpack to allow for more agile movement
▪️Lots of weapon options from pistols to assault rifles, shotguns, sniper rifles, grenade launchers, 'blood boomerang', the rope-firing Bola Gun, and more
▪️Battles against BTs are much more engaging, with new enemy types that can also physically see Sam, not just sense him
▪️You can unlock a music player in the game that lets you play a playlist of tracks you collect at your choosing
 
tmlDan said:
I just played Death Stranding 1 a month or so ago, I skipped it because of reviews and the perception that it is a walking sim.

But after playing it, it's likely the most interesting world building/story i've ever experienced and I am beyond excited for this.

I apologize Kojima-san, for doubting you.

Skill-Ups preview got me incredibly excited
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I did so in early 2020. DS is fucking awesome. The sense of weight and equilibrium is awesome. Struggling through an undeveloped landscape and finally making it is cool. And then return when players have laid out an infrastructure making the same run a breeze. I liked everything about it. Just don't make the mistake of exploring before chapter 3.

After I completed the game I continued with deliveries for a while, which is saying something.
 
tmlDan said:
I just played Death Stranding 1 a month or so ago, I skipped it because of reviews and the perception that it is a walking sim.

But after playing it, it's likely the most interesting world building/story i've ever experienced and I am beyond excited for this.

I apologize Kojima-san, for doubting you.

Skill-Ups preview got me incredibly excited
Click to expand...

Was in the same boat. I bought it on PS4 on launch day because of the hype and I had money blowing a hole in my pocket. Played it for about an hour and dropped it, never to return it then sold my PS account to a friend with that game in my library.

Fast forward to last month when I downloaded the Directors Cut on PC from Steam because it was on a big sale and after that first hour things just started clicking for me until I reached the cliffs above Port Knot and I was like FUCK, was this what I was missing out on all this time?

Now I can't put down the controller and log in most days to do a couple deliveries and still discovering new things even after completing the main story. It's an amazing game and I'm very picky with my games nowadays and yes I will buy a PS5 even if its just to play this game.
 
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I finally started DS1 for the first time. Pretty great so far apart from the BTs which are just incredibly annoying.
 
calico said:
I finally started DS1 for the first time. Pretty great so far apart from the BTs which are just incredibly annoying.
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Always carry lots of hematic grenades on you. They are one hit kills. Later on you will get assault rifles and shotguns but early on they want You to sneak past them but the grenades kill them immediately.
 
After 30 hours?

Man has lost the plot. His games were always so tight and concise. Since MGSV it's been empty bloat.

Can't wait for some more MINE CLEARING OPS and deliver pizza to celebrity holograms.

MG2, MGS 1, 2, 3. Boktai. Policenauts and Snatcher. Incredible games. This shite now?

I'm out.
 
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