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, the highly anticipated sequel to the genre-defying open-world adventure, launches on June 26 on PlayStation 5, with 48-hour Early Access available for select editions. I recently had the chance to go hands-on with the first 30 hours of the game. 
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Sam’s next journey takes him from Mexico to Australia
Death Stranding 2: On the Beach is set 11 months after the previous game. Sam Bridges, now living a quiet life with his BB (bridge baby) Lou, finds himself in Mexico following a request from Fragile. In Mexico, Sam gets caught up in an incident that eventually brings him to Australia. There he must take on the herculean task of traversing across the continent to, once again, re-connect a fractured society.
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Fast-paced story and gameplay
One point that stood out to me during the game’s hands-on, was its fast-paced narrative and gameplay. The story in the first Death Stranding took things slowly in order to set the scene and carefully lay out the state of the world to the player. However, Death Stranding 2: On the Beach’s story unfolds at a faster pace, and you’ll get access to new equipment and structures much earlier in the game as well.
New players can catch up on the story of the previous game via ‘Death Stranding Recap’ from the title menu and look up game terminology from the in-game ‘Corpus’ feature.
Enhanced visuals coupled with a standout soundtrack
Death Stranding 2: On the Beach takes full advantage of PS5’s capabilities to deliver stunning graphics. The depiction of nature is especially striking — right from the opening scene set in Mexico, where you walk along a rugged desert ridge, I was blown away by the realism. The rocky ground and billowing dust at Sam’s feet are rendered with such precision that the harshness of the terrain truly comes through. The game depicts the diverse Australian nature and wildlife in vivid detail, including an animal sanctuary with lush vegetation that is home to animals like kangaroos, koalas and wallabies. There’s also an option to switch to an ‘aerial camera’ that captures Sam from an elevated bird’s-eye view, which allows you to take in the vastness of the environment as you slowly make your way across the terrain. The game’s soundtrack is also outstanding, and I was moved every time the beautiful music played when I reached a new delivery point.
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Increased freedom and strategic opportunities
This game gives the player more choice and freedom in terms of strategy and decision-making.
One reason for this is the wide variety of equipment and structures that are available early on, a list that will continue to grow as the game progresses. This is the same for methods of transportation, as an array of infrastructure, motorcycles, and trucks will become available relatively early in the game. In terms of combat, there are many bola guns and firearms to choose from, but if combat is not your forte, you can assemble transportation devices to strategically avoid the danger zones. You can also use smoke grenades to avoid combat as much as possible while navigating through dangerous territories.
Players can also leverage the newly implemented day/night cycle to their advantage. During the day, the terrain and enemies are more visible, but it is also easier for threats to locate you. On the other hand, enemies are less likely to spot you at night and it is easier to sneak around, but you also must proceed with caution since there’s less visibility.
Responding and adapting to spontaneous natural hazards
Players must also be prepared for various natural hazards triggered by the environment. When an earthquake occurs, you may lose your balance due to strong tremors and falling rocks. If you are planning to trudge through rough terrain in the mountains, it would be a good idea to reduce your load in case of earthquakes. You’ll also need to steer clear of flooded rivers when there’s heavy rain. When I encountered a wildfire during my playthrough, I extinguished it by spraying tar with my ‘tar cannon,’ a new piece of equipment available in the game.
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Individual playstyle impacts Sam’s stats
In the previous game, Sam’s stats improved depending on his Porter Grade, but Death Stranding 2: On the Beach features 12 new ‘proficiency’ levels.
Similar to how you can upgrade your weapon proficiency by using them more often during combat, your playstyle will directly impact Sam’s stats and abilities. For example, if you spend more time travelling through rough terrain with unstable footholds, Sam’s ability to traverse rough terrain will improve faster. Every players’ stats will be different depending on the choices they make. My Sam was more proficient at fistfights since my combat was focused on melee.
Customize Sam’s traits with APAS Enhancement
Another component that modifies Sam’s abilities is the new Automated Porter Assistant System Enhancement. By consuming ‘memories’ acquired during the game, you can enhance four different traits: porter, combat, stealth, and servicemanship. The number of memories you can pick up are limited, so it’s up to you to decide which traits you want to acquire and upgrade.
New enemies, new weapons, and even more compelling combat
Death Stranding 2: On the Beach introduces a new type of BT called the ‘watcher,’ which detects and attacks Sam through sight. There are also several new human antagonists, including a group called ‘Armed Survivalists,’ who assault with lethal firearms.
To take on these formidable threats, you can utilize a variety of new weapons that have been added to the game. Electrified poles that were the MULE’s weapon of choice in the previous game, can be used to strike or be thrown in this game to electrocute vehicles and enemies. In addition, various holographic grenades can be leveraged to avoid combat. A BT holographic grenade projects a hologram of a BT when activated, causing human enemies to flee. The robust selection of firearms allows for exhilarating combat, but many of these weapons are also ideal for stealth and ambush.
Death Stranding 2: On the Beach is a clear evolution from its predecessor and offers players plenty of freedom and choice. Prepare to face otherworldly enemies and obstacles to save humanity from extinction on June 26 on PS5.
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Read a new interview with Hideo Kojima here , and see the reveal of the Death Stranding 2: On The Beach Limited Edition DualSense Controller here .
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