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Should I buy Dead Stranding 2?

Karim

Member
I have to premise to have finished the prequel just because the story. Sure the concept was fascinating but the execution well the stealth part especially for my tastes were really bad paced and quite boring to play. The thing is, can I appreciate it somehow or I have to stay away to it? Any suggestion?
 
DS2 is more action focused. You frequently encounter enemies and combat scenarios. The gameplay is expanded, along with the stealth.

The graphics are on point along with the music.

I have only two cons, ( keep in mind I have not completed the game),
1. the story is bad. It is vague and pretentious.
2. DS2 loses a lot of the the quiet reflective moments of ds1. You don't get the zen vibe nor the sense of accomplishment of completing a long journey ( hopefully changes the further I go). So far deliveries have been quick and easy and the only challange has been the enemies. The terrain challenge seems muted and is definitely less than Ds1. Allowing access to vehicles so early on, also doesn't help
 
It's an improved version of the first. Call it 1.5 instead of 2. It does not redefine anything. Stealth encounters are more often and improved, but still too far away from one another and almost no good level design to make them stand out. You still look ridiculous crouching with a bunch of stuff on your back and the enemies having no idea. Delivering stuff has been improved, as in, more streamlined, you now have monorails, teleportation and the map was much easier to traverse overall than the first. They added a geological mechanic, where water rises or theres earthquakes but in 80 hours of play, I can count on my fingers the times that shit impacted my deliveries. I spent most of the time building the entire highway and monorail. The story has some cooler highs than the first but far more low. I felt more emotional with the first story than the second. I would highly advise against playing the second after the first unless you really really loved the first one and are dying for more of the same.
 
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DS2 is more action focused. You frequently encounter enemies and combat scenarios. The gameplay is expanded, along with the stealth.

The graphics are on point along with the music.

I have only two cons, ( keep in mind I have not completed the game),
1. the story is bad. It is vague and pretentious.
2. DS2 loses a lot of the the quiet reflective moments of ds1. You don't get the zen vibe nor the sense of accomplishment of completing a long journey ( hopefully changes the further I go). So far deliveries have been quick and easy and the only challange has been the enemies. The terrain challenge seems muted and is definitely less than Ds1. Allowing access to vehicles so early on, also doesn't help
Ouch. It's the only part I liked of the first 😕
 
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I might be the only one but I preferred the first game to the second.

You unlock vehicles so early in the second game that it sort of just ruins the experience.
 
Sylvester Stallone GIF by Warner Archive


If you enjoyed the first that is. The stealth isn't that different in the second if that's what you're after though. You have more equipment I suppose in the second. I recommend using the silenced machine pistol, silenced tranq handgun, and silenced lightweight tranq sniper rifle. The best way to make stealth and combat much more enjoyable is to drop your backpack somewhere safe before entering a camp and using the combat skeleton.
 
Ouch. It's the only part I liked of the first 😕
Then you will like the second. Its less about explaining the world and more just get on with it. Way way less of Amelie spouting nonsense about rebuilding America or some shit. The cinematics are cool as fuck and if you follow along what happened to Sam before we met him in DS1 its gonna hit hard.
 
The gameplay is bit more action focused. The traversal is streamlined, vehicles are basically always available, there's more tools and a lot more enemy encounters. It's still very much death stranding though, so it really depends on how much you liked the first one.
 
Yes. It is a generational type of a game. The story is weird as expected from Kojima but very engaging. It is very beautiful even on base a ps5, and the game is very cerebral, challenging, with allot of addictive elements, not just walking around. More combat with allot of different approach on how to fight the mules, terrorist or BT's, along with allot of new weapons this time. It is a masterpiece and it is very based. Im sure you will like it.
 
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only if
Minus sixty one
Have I ever really loved someone?
Do I deserve what I've got?
Now the grid systems turned into traps
And the fear is switching sides
I own a million dollars worth of stock
But I still won't sleep at night
What is it that I've become?

Minus sixty one
Now the water level rises high
In my cold paradise
Where men sit in circles and talk numbers
I never really liked
The way they think of life as some kind of gamble
And watch the city drown
Where is it that I belong?

Minus sixty one
Now the wind cuts the lips like a knife
And the sun is out of sight
I see the world I built lose at trial
What is left and what is right?
I made the worst mistake one can make
Pretending and playing blind
What is it I'm trying to find?
 
only if
Minus sixty one
Have I ever really loved someone?
Do I deserve what I've got?
Now the grid systems turned into traps
And the fear is switching sides
I own a million dollars worth of stock
But I still won't sleep at night
What is it that I've become?

Minus sixty one
Now the water level rises high
In my cold paradise
Where men sit in circles and talk numbers
I never really liked
The way they think of life as some kind of gamble
And watch the city drown
Where is it that I belong?

Minus sixty one
Now the wind cuts the lips like a knife
And the sun is out of sight
I see the world I built lose at trial
What is left and what is right?
I made the worst mistake one can make
Pretending and playing blind
What is it I'm trying to find?
Jack Nicholson Yes GIF
 
Absolutely loved the first game and while the second technically improves a lot of things, I found it so streamlined that it shaved any friction right off. Everything feels too at your fingertips and easy to me. Kind of a sandbox with so many tools but no reason to use them. This might be familiarity, my personal issue or whatever but I beat DS1 twice and still kept messing around but dropped DS2 after 20 or so hours. DS1 had that weird Demon's Souls charm for me. I'll go back eventually but I got pissed at it feeling absurdly easy even on the Hard mode.

Also, it's a really gorgeous looking game.
 
I think it is roughly equivalent in quality to the first game - I felt that the story/characters/set pieces were SO much better in the sequel, but they shaved a little too much friction off of the gameplay.

DS1 is a very pure expression of intent, for better or worse. It's 150% the game that Kojima wanted to make, and sometimes that's great and sometimes it's not.

DS2 is a polished and more refined version of that, with some changes that make it more palatable for a modern audience, and I think that takes a little and gives a little.
 
If you liked the story in Ds1, you will probably also like the story in ds2. It is similar, just more focused than Ds1.

Personally, I felt that the story was the weakest element of ds1
I'm not trying to say the story was perfect but it's the only aspect who pushed me to end the game. I liked to build the infrastructures and deliver all the packs or whatever they are but the stealth sessions with the stranding souls were really annoying and not funny for me; also when I ended the game, I tried to complete all the stuff but the encounters with those fucking souls became so frequent which I had to give up for the frustration.They have improved at least this aspect?
 
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I'm not trying to say the story was perfect but it's the only aspect who pushed me to end the game. I liked to build the infrastructures and deliver all the packs or whatever they are but the stealth sessions with the stranding souls were really annoying and not funny for me; also when I ended the game, I tried to complete all the stuff but the encounters with those fucking souls became so frequent which I had to give up for the frustration.They have improved at least this aspect?
I am guessing you are talking about snow mountains area in DS1?. Personally, I never had an issue with the bts. Also in ds2, you get weapons and grenades that can kill them quite early on. So you can just stock up and kill them if you do encounter them.

DS2 gives far more options to deal with any situation. There are more gadgets, weapons and vehicles.

It has just lost the quiet contemplative moments and the feeling of accomplishment you get after completing a long and hard delivery.
 
I might be the only one but I preferred the first game to the second.

You're far from the only one. The first game is more atmospheric, more challenging, better paced, and more satisfying. The setting, lore and story held my interest from beginning to end.

The sequel is one of those games which has absolutely no trust in player competence. It reduces the complexity of the task at hand while giving you exponentially more tools to solve it with. It's a baffling piece of game design. Then it forgets to have any story at all after the opening act right until its denouement, where it turns into... that.

Some fun moments, but a rare disappointment from Kojima.
 
Considerably better than the first in almost aspect. Game as more visual variety, less frustrating bullshit in regards to carrying cargo (cargo doesn't go flying everywhere if you fall, better vehicles), longer more satisfying game length. Kinda struggle to finish Death Stranding 1 because everything looks the same it becomes more of a slog .Whereas I wanted to keep playing after the credits of DS2. Story might be a little more interesting in DS1, but the world is so much more interesting. And the gameplay as a whole most satisfying and fun. But I definitely wouldn't recommend it to someone who didn't like the first game.
 
Considerably better than the first in almost aspect. Game as more visual variety, less frustrating bullshit in regards to carrying cargo (cargo doesn't go flying everywhere if you fall, better vehicles), longer more satisfying game length. Kinda struggle to finish Death Stranding 1 because everything looks the same it becomes more of a slog .Whereas I wanted to keep playing after the credits of DS2. Story might be a little more interesting in DS1, but the world is so much more interesting. And the gameplay as a whole most satisfying and fun. But I definitely wouldn't recommend it to someone who didn't like the first game.

Agreed for the most part but I still dropped cargo every now and then. I only kinda liked DS1. Gave up after 20hrs. DS2 is so much more streamlined especially the cut-scenes and combat.
Still felt deep though , different ways to complete missions. Great graphics and gameplay. In my top 3 GOTY for this year.
 
Finished it yesterday after 60 or so hours and had an awesome time. I've been watching the cut scenes over again as they are so good. I didnt play 2 stealthy at all as you don't really need to. To be fair most times I was so into the deliveries I just booted it past any hostile camps / BT's as I was busy doing my job.
 
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My GOTY 2025.

So yes, you should buy it. IMHO its one of the best games Kojima's ever made.

The relative lack of appreciation for it has been disappointing to me, to say the least.
 
Did you dislike the first Death Stranding? Then no. Did you like it? Also no.

I got to the credits today and I'm in pure shock. Not sure what the consensus on it is like as I'm very late to the party (seems to be divisive? kinda like the first game back then), and I have a lot of thoughts, but this game didn't deliver (pffthaha) at all. It actually kinda sucks and retroactively ruins some things established in the first game. Makes me wonder if Kojimbo even wanted to make this.
 
Did you dislike the first Death Stranding? Then no. Did you like it? Also no.

I got to the credits today and I'm in pure shock. Not sure what the consensus on it is like as I'm very late to the party (seems to be divisive? kinda like the first game back then), and I have a lot of thoughts, but this game didn't deliver (pffthaha) at all. It actually kinda sucks and retroactively ruins some things established in the first game. Makes me wonder if Kojimbo even wanted to make this.

What does it retroactively ruin ? Just does not compute to me having 100%'ed all 3 DS titles.
 
What does it retroactively ruin ? Just does not compute to me having 100%'ed all 3 DS titles.
3? What's the third one?
To answer your question: I didn't like how Lou turned out to be his actual kid. I loved how the battered down Sam had to come to terms with his loss and find new meaning with this random kid and move forward with it. Making that baby be his actual child from 11 years ago kinda cheapened that part of the story for me. Another thing that I dislike is what they did with Lucy. Previously it was established that she died from suicide for bearing the child of a DOOMS-sufferer since she was haunted by nightmares, but now she was killed and had an affair with Neil beforehand for no reason. I just didn't like these revelations. It doesn't help that Tomorrow barely has any screentime and there's 0 effort to have Sam build a relationship with her before the big reveal happens. The ending just feels completely flat to me, with Sam just saying "yeah". The story in general feels like a weak retreat of the original. The original was a masterpiece to me, this one made me feel like Death Stranding as a concept only works as a one-time deal and shouldn't have sequels at all.
 
3? What's the third one?
To answer your question: I didn't like how Lou turned out to be his actual kid. I loved how the battered down Sam had to come to terms with his loss and find new meaning with this random kid and move forward with it. Making that baby be his actual child from 11 years ago kinda cheapened that part of the story for me. Another thing that I dislike is what they did with Lucy. Previously it was established that she died from suicide for bearing the child of a DOOMS-sufferer since she was haunted by nightmares, but now she was killed and had an affair with Neil beforehand for no reason. I just didn't like these revelations. It doesn't help that Tomorrow barely has any screentime and there's 0 effort to have Sam build a relationship with her before the big reveal happens. The ending just feels completely flat to me, with Sam just saying "yeah". The story in general feels like a weak retreat of the original. The original was a masterpiece to me, this one made me feel like Death Stranding as a concept only works as a one-time deal and shouldn't have sequels at all.

Counting 3 as DS and DS director's cut have separate trophies, and actually play out a little different as the DC release adds more tools early on so it feels a lot less "survival"-ish.

None of what you describe is actually a ret-con, because the whole actual backstory with Lucy is not something that Sam would have been aware of. To be honest it all fits to me way better than Cliff's sub-plot in the first game, and as a whole I found the story in the sequel to be way, way better because its less burdened by long scenes of dry exposition.

Also the emotional manipulation of the third act at least feels earned in the sequel's storyline, whereas the whole "take Lou to the incinerator" bit in the original always fell completely flat to me as it essentially came out of nowhere and were it not for the predictable last-gasp twist would have been such a cheap and pointless bummer ending that it never occurred to me as a potentially realistic outcome.

DS2 is just a way, way better version of the core concept in my view. I also really appreciated the lighter overall tone and the way that Kojima fully embraces the sandbox aspect from the start, rather than back-loading it so heavily like the first game.
 
Counting 3 as DS and DS director's cut have separate trophies, and actually play out a little different as the DC release adds more tools early on so it feels a lot less "survival"-ish.

None of what you describe is actually a ret-con, because the whole actual backstory with Lucy is not something that Sam would have been aware of. To be honest it all fits to me way better than Cliff's sub-plot in the first game, and as a whole I found the story in the sequel to be way, way better because its less burdened by long scenes of dry exposition.

Also the emotional manipulation of the third act at least feels earned in the sequel's storyline, whereas the whole "take Lou to the incinerator" bit in the original always fell completely flat to me as it essentially came out of nowhere and were it not for the predictable last-gasp twist would have been such a cheap and pointless bummer ending that it never occurred to me as a potentially realistic outcome.

DS2 is just a way, way better version of the core concept in my view. I also really appreciated the lighter overall tone and the way that Kojima fully embraces the sandbox aspect from the start, rather than back-loading it so heavily like the first game.
I see where you are coming from, but I guess we have to agree to disagree. The game didn't really come together for me at the end for a variety of reasons, felt like it was convoluting things for no reason and added/removed things that imo it shouldn't have. I appreciate your POV though, it takes me back to the release of the original where opinions differed greatly.
 
I have to premise to have finished the prequel just because the story. Sure the concept was fascinating but the execution well the stealth part especially for my tastes were really bad paced and quite boring to play. The thing is, can I appreciate it somehow or I have to stay away to it? Any suggestion?
Nah
 
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