Okay, so it’s probably time to note my first impressions on Death Stranding 2: On the Beach
…as best as one can when just a couple major story beats into one of Kojima’s games. This is probably a bit of a ramble of what’s off the top of my head so bear with me.
So far, so great. Feels like a much more fluid and streamlined version of DS1 and especially regarding gameplay-to-cutscene ratio.
Right off the bat, you get a short text recap of DS1, a spooky tease of where DS2 currently stands (a spooky Beach full of spooky Servers for some reason), then it shoves you into the game with a short trek back to Sam’s hideaway. After that, maybe one cutscene of about 5 minutes, then you’re out on a big delivery! I remember being a lot of lengthy cutscenes and info-dumping in the first section of the original.
One of the major changes in how this game relays information I think is the idea of “The Corpus” or glossary basically. During cutscenes or game hints, you’ll get a pop-up for every new Plot Element or Game Feature you can open and get a more descriptive read on. Some even get updated over the course of the game, such as a new Story Recap tab that has important story beats added to it after/during each delivery.
During cutscenes, you can pause them and get a little progress bar to show you how far into the cutscene you are, or access the Corpus if you need too!
There is also a Dialogue Choice system, though I think this is to cut-down on characters info-dumping on you if you don’t want that. If you meet a new NPC for example, after you complete their first request, they’ll thank you, then you can say “See you later!” and leave. Or, you can say like: “What’s going on with X?” or “Why are you concerned with Y Issue?” based on what’s troubling them about the lore of the area or themselves.
Stuff I remember being things NPCs needing to pour their hearts out to you, despite whether you wanted to or not. Personally I looove eating up every bit of info this game can give me, so I’m loving all the info I can get!
Early Story spoilers:
Spoilers
I was worried they were gonna kill off Lou due to trailers, and… yeah… they did… And when you barely spent any time with the kid too. So that was fucking sad.
Though, not only that… They also made Deadman a dead man, man! 
Okay, technically he was already a “dead man” given he’s a Frankenstein’s monster of dead organs fashioned into an artificial baby, but now you can add another definition to that!
Damn you Kojimaaaaa!!! 
Deadman was like Sam’s personal wingman and friend in the first game, and they already took him away from me too, uuuugh!! I love his actor and how he’s portrayed by Guillermo Del Toro’s charming and warm expressions. I also kinda expected that because he’s barely in trailers, but aww maaaannn…
Funny silly optional scene moment near the start by the way:
https://youtu.be/FmsU7GA2q3Y?si=b3ouzZHbfO19l0l6
Also, so far, the game is starting to lean into the “Should We Have Connected?” tagline…
Lots to theorize about! Fair warning…!
- So, basically, the first Death Stranding ended with the reveal of Amelie being a new Extinction Entity, and able to harness the power of the new Chiral Network, connecting everyone’s Beaches(afterlives) and all their information established across the entire UCA to that convinced her to destroy the world, as that is the natural state the Universe always returns to. Sam however, convinced her that humanity is worth it and she separated herself from the rest of the world + beaches to gain more time to figure out how to stop the Death Stranding.
- That was just a brief pause however. Stuff is still out of whack. And now, the new UCA, now overseen by a corporate, private company who says they’re completely disconnected as the "voice/leader of the UCA wants to start connecting the rest of the world via a new gateway that’s opened up because of the Chiral connection from the last game.
They’re doing that in the hopes that this will give them more data and help solve the Stranding crisis. Sort of a “solve the problem by using the problem, kind of” message I bet we’ll be seeing.
- Yes, the Chiral Network is a great thing, basically a super-internet, and essentially provides services like instant hologram-chats, can be used in remote medical procedures, 3D-print manufacturing, and many many other miracle uses. But I think that this will once again lead us into a “oh shit this good thing actually lead to the worst thing”.
- Feels a little cyclical, and I think the story might also be touching on Repeating Mistakes of the Past.
- There is also some new potential conflicts, with APAS being a new super-computer interface that can connect everyone, and people relying on more and more. Plus as I said, the company APAC, who effectively “runs” the UCA now, unofficially, and simply touts that its new and amazing APAS system can handle matters of “voting and common resolutions” like not needing to elect a new president, as it has access to the info of anyone connected to the Chiral Network.
Soooo… nothing fishy at all here! Nope! I totally trust this completely impartial private company, it’s equally private and secret Donor, and also the completely Infallible AI algorythm that kind of controls the country. Anti-AI or Modern Machines Imperfections perhaps?
- Also also! There’s been multiple moments so far where Sam (and you) upon meeting an old character from the first game again, tries to give them a hug, only for it to reveal they’re just a hologram. Further pushing the technology vs human connection angle.
And None of That is mentioning the really weird stuff so far…
Why is Australia shaped like a Brain? Does this have something to do with Lou’s death? Or possibly Sam’s grief?
Why is there a spot on the map that looks again like a heart-shaped area? Heartman??
Why is there a spot on the map shaped like a human head?? And this can be seen just after Charlie (a talking mannequin) is revealed?
Why is there a spot that looks like PAC-MAN??! WHY KOJIMA?!?!
I’m on to you, you mad scientist of a creative!! 
Ohh oh oh! Also the Mysterious Red Samurai Robot fuuuuuucks… 
So cool…
Oh, oh, yeah, the gameplay too! Great improvement on the first.
There’s crouching now, plus a bit later on it looks like you’ll unlock more camo patterns for your Suit, which is a cool emphasis on Stealth. No going prone unfortunately (but because you’ll usually have something attached to your chest)
The package collecting and delivering of Lost Cargo especially, is still just as addicting. I’ve had fun taking detours, taking way too much weight than I can handle, and just sloooowly trekking my way 100m up a hill just to deliver something, and also keep my own stuff.
And lots of quality of life improvements like new Overcharging Batteries, some Constructs have new abilities, a new Training mode to test out combat and weapons, and again, more freedom in not being over-exploded with lore and info in 10 minute cutscenes.
Feels like Kojima and his crew are learning! 
MGS V was criticized and joked about for Kojima having opening credits at the start of every main mission, like a TV show, emblazoning his name everywhere.
Death Stranding 1 came out, and despite still being sectioned as “Episodes” it only has one opening credits. But it was criticized for being the Nth game of a new IP with even crazier Kojima weirdness infodumps.
So DS2 comes out, and things are more brief, there’s a new easily available section that explains each weird term or character, and some of it is completely optional!
So… yeah! If you liked DS1, definitely check this out, so far it’s recaptured that sense of discovery and progression faster, and is slowly opening up further to me. Just made it to the 2nd Area last night, Australia. Seems like it’s retreading the same structure as the first. Smaller Tutorial area, Huge, Expansive 2nd Area, Tiny Final Battle Area?? I hope the 3rd map at least has some substance, I was a little disappointed to see it only served its purpose as The Climax Area in the first game. Just one Location.
If you didn’t like DS1, well… maybe this one will have enough to win you over! Definitely more of a focus on gameplay, and greater tools to unlock in action!
Some stuff in Accessibility sections are missing from the first game though… The UI is EXTREMELY small. Plus, it’s bright blue text, but Mexico you start in is really bright too so making any of that out is… really tough lol.
I remember DS1 had a “Large UI” toggle. This one could definitely use a UI Background too…
Also they turned the map into minecraft…?
Which is weird, but makes identifying Landmarks that house new people easy-ish? Just look for the darker markers with bright white lights.
