EXPERIENCE CONNECTION IN CHAOS

Kojima's sequel refines traversal, combat and story into a clearer, more rewarding post-apocalyptic odyssey

- BY SADAT OSMAN

Stepping back into Sam Porter Bridges' boots in Death Stranding 2: On the Beach felt like returning to a familiar dreamscape—but one where the haze has lifted and the contours have sharpened. As someone who spent the first game perpetually scratching my head at its cryptic metaphors, I braced for another philosophical free-for-all. What I found instead was a sequel that retains Kojima's love of lofty themes but masterfully stitches them to tangible, hands-on gameplay.

The most immediate shift is in how you get around. Where the original relied on cautious footwork, this outing hands you a modular, customizable monorail system you can build across the map. Suddenly, you're not just trudging over rugged terrain—you're laying down rails and watching cargo pods glide past cliff-side vistas. The physics of rail-building reward planning and creativity: curves slow your carts, steep grades demand extra power boosters, and you can even install emergency brakes near hostile zones. It's a brilliant evolution of the "delivery simulator" core, transforming dead-end trails into high-speed arteries.