Death Stranding 2: On The Beach

I hated combat in Death Stranding. It was slow, BTs were irritating to deal with, and gunplay felt shoehorned and unnecessary in a game primarily about carrying packages and building roads. I actively avoided fights whenever I could, and the titanic boss fights toward the end of the game left a sour taste in my mouth.

That’s why I’m pleasantly surprised to report that after playing over 25 hours of Death Stranding 2, the combat is an absolute blast.

Gunplay is much improved. Firing weapons, ranging from assault rifles to shotguns to sniper rifles, feels good and packs a punch. But it’s about how these weapons are implemented, and Kojima Productions seemingly looked to Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain for influence on how to make encounters dynamic and fun. 

Enemy camps dot the landscapes, and players can tackle them as they see fit. Sneaking in and taking out foes stealthily by choking them out with my strand rope evoked classic Metal Gear, as did toying with them by making noise to attract or divert their attention. However, if you’re spotted, encounters are loose enough to allow escape to either reset and try the quiet approach again or roll straight into a firefight. Hideo Kojima prefers the latter approach, telling us during a press Q&A that he enjoys Death Stranding 2 most as an action game rather than a stealth experience. Given the wacky assortment of gadgets players have at their disposal, it's easy to see why. 

The revamped arsenal includes new throwables, such as Stealth Holograms. When thrown, they project a holographic projection of some form of cover, such as a large boulder. Standing inside the hologram hides you from view (presuming enemies don’t witness you deploying the illusion). I enjoyed activating this tool in strategic ambush spots where I could pick off several unseen foes. I love generating hiding places on the fly, especially in spots where physical cover is scarce. Spiritually, it reminds me of pulling out a cardboard box as Snake to duck under when other escape options become unavailable. 

Decoy grenades project a hologram of a random image. This projection varies depending on the enemy type and situation. When I threw one down to attract the attention of a guard stationed atop a watchtower, the grenade displayed a holographic kangaroo that drew the curious guard down for a closer look. I then sniped him with a tranquilizer shot. When I alerted an entire camp and was fleeing a hail of bullets, the decoy grenade spawned a digital likeness of Sam that startled a guard as he turned a corner, giving me a window to take him down from behind. 

Returning weapons like the Bola and Maser guns bolster what is, so far, a well-rounded arsenal. And if you don’t have a weapon, rushing foes while wearing the movement-boosting skeleton legs to hit a Kenny Omega V-Trigger-style running knee to the face is equally satisfying and hilarious. Many of these weapons are unlocked by completing side objectives, such as delivering packages for preppers. This provides plenty of incentive to spend time helping out these scattered survivors. Otherwise, you’ll miss out on some genuinely helpful and entertaining equipment. 

The freedom to tackle confrontations as I saw fit, whether challenging myself to clear them out silently, drawing foes out of a camp to my location using the very loud sniper rifle, or just crashing my vehicles through the middle of an encampment and going full Rambo, reminded me of how much I enjoyed doing the same in MGSV. It also helps that every weapon I picked up only incapacitated foes instead of killing them (which would cause a cataclysmic voidout in the first game), eliminating the previous game's hassle of making sure I didn't actually off someone, which actively discouraged combat. Everything about combat simply feels better and more exciting in Death Stranding 2, and that is especially true of BT encounters and boss fights. 

I used to avoid BT fights in DS1 like the plague, but I now look forward to these supernatural showdowns in the sequel. The new BT type I battled most are Watchers, humanoid-like specters that, unlike other BTs that can only sense players by sound, can detect you by sight. Staying out of their view is ideal to avoid triggering an attack, but blood weapons, variants of traditional guns and grenades fueled by Sam’s unique blood, even the playing field. 

Functionally, blood weapons work similarly to the first game’s anti-BT hermetic weapons. Drawing from Sam’s BT-harming blood, these include specialized grenades that deploy a cloud of red mist, damaging any BT caught within it. Blood-powered assault rifles and shotguns mean mowing down BTs is a more inviting and exciting proposition. The Blood Boomerang, obtained, fittingly, in Australia, is a stealthier option for popping BT heads while conserving ammunition. I knew I was having fun when I entered BT hotspots with enthusiasm rather than trepidation or loathing. 

The large-scale boss fights I played ranged from good to jaw-droppingly stunning. I won’t spoil any of them, but these battles are well-designed visual spectacles that were fun, challenging yet manageable, and never veered into feeling like the plodding nuisances like in DS1. One lengthy battle against a familiar face from the trailers served as a fantastic visual showpiece, thanks to a barrage of flashy particle effects showering the screen. I can’t wait to see it again, and for other players to witness it for the first time. 

I was already enamored with Death Stranding 2: On the Beach’s exploration and delivery gameplay, and I’m finally glad that the combat has caught up with those elements. The experience is now more wholly enjoyable as a result, and I can’t wait to see how confrontations evolve, what new weapons await, and the over-the-top boss battles the game has in store. 

Death Stranding 2: On the Beach launches on June 26 for PlayStation 5. You can learn more about the game by following the links to the following features:

Death Stranding 2 Hands-On Impressions – Building a Stronger Connection

How Death Stranding 2’s Interactive Encyclopedia Helps Players Make Sense Of The Lore And Narrative

Meet The Strange And Powerful Members Of Drawbridge

Death Stranding 2’s New Progression Systems Encourage Flexibility And Reward Every Approach

Death Stranding 2 Lets You Create Monorails And Transport Animals