Death Stranding 2: On The Beach

An action-adventure game where you traverse treacherous landscapes to deliver packages while fending off timefall-ravaged enemies and massive boss fights.

Last reviewed: May 1, 2026

Released Jun 2025 Action / Adventure

Kojima sharpened every blunt edge of Death Stranding 1 without sanding off the weirdness — On The Beach is the franchise's most playable game without losing its soul.

9.0 /10

Mighty

Previously an Editor's pick

For you if

Death Stranding 1 clicked for you and the sequel's promise of more combat plus more terrain to traverse sounds correct.
Kojima-pacing — long cutscenes, deliberate openings, tonal swings between melodrama and slapstick — is the appeal, not the obstacle.
Hideo's instinct for sound design and traversal-as-meditation is the kind of thing you'll dedicate 40+ hours to.

Not for you if

You've already decided Death Stranding's package-delivery loop isn't for you — the sequel widens the toolset but the spine is the same.
Long uninterruptable cutscenes are a dealbreaker — DS2 has them in roughly the same density as DS1.
You want lore that resolves cleanly — Kojima's plot turns are bigger here, and the BB / Beach / Strand metaphysics keeps escalating.

What players love

The refined gameplay, emotional storytelling, and cinematic presentation are what keep veterans engaged for hundreds of hours.

See the reviews behind this →

What critics say

4/5Eurogamer
A busier, louder, and more emotionally resplendent take on this singular hiking sim.
Lewis Gordon Read review →
8.8/10Game Informer
The cast is fighting for connection and the future, and I am rooting for them, even when I think they're being weird.
Kyle Hilliard Read review →
7/10GameSpot
Death Stranding 2: On The Beach is fixated on revisiting past ideas, which limits its impact to being good but not great.
Diego Nicolás Argüello Read review →

Before You Play

Refreshed monthly

What's the best loadout for new Death Stranding 2 players?

Death Stranding 2 doesn't have classes — your "build" is your gear and cargo loadout. Press and hold Triangle in Cargo Management to auto-balance loads (Tetris-style stacking is slower and tips you on steep slopes). Always carry climbing anchors and a Power Skeleton early; PCC structures (bridges, ziplines) become essential once routes mature. Use the Odradek (L1) to scan terrain — green is safe, yellow is uneven, red is fall risk. Match boots to delivery type and rotate them; worn-out boots cause stamina drain fastest.

Source: KeenGamer Survival Tips

What difficulty should a new Death Stranding 2 player choose?

DS2 has four difficulties: Story, Casual, Normal, and Brutal. Normal is the recommended baseline — it punishes lazy cargo packing and rewards the rope-and-ladder rhythm without being overly punishing on combat sections. Pick Story or Casual if you're here for the narrative and the delivery-zen vibe rather than challenge, or Brutal if you've cleared DS1 and want tighter resource scarcity and tougher MULE encounters. You can change difficulty at any time from the System menu without penalty.

Source: Game8 Difficulty Guide

Are any side missions or trophies missable in Death Stranding 2?

Nothing is missable. There's no hard point of no return — after the credits, the game continues into Episode 17 (free-roam post-game), and every side order, optional boss, lost cargo run, and hidden structure remains accessible. You can roll credits, then return to the same save and clean up at your own pace. All 55 trophies/achievements are reachable post-credits.

Source: Game8 Missable Trophies

Do I need to play Death Stranding 1 before Death Stranding 2?

Mechanically, no — DS2 explains its delivery, BT, and timefall systems from scratch. Story-wise, strongly yes. DS2 picks up 11 months after the first game's ending and assumes you know who Sam, Fragile, Higgs, and the BBs are; major plot beats only land if you've experienced the original's reveals. If you can't play DS1, watch a long-form story recap before starting — but the sequel is a direct continuation, not a fresh entry point.

Source: GamesRadar DS1 Prerequisite

What is there to do after beating Death Stranding 2?

Quite a bit — the post-credits state (Episode 17) is a free-roam continuation rather than a true ending. You can keep upgrading delivery infrastructure, complete remaining Sub Orders, max out facility connection levels, hunt down lost cargo, and chase 100% achievement completion. There's no New Game Plus that carries equipment forward, but the existing world continues evolving as you and other players' structures keep building out the map. Many players sink 30+ hours into post-game alone.

Source: Game8 New Game Plus Info