Time to walk<\/span>\n <\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n Following an event known as the \u00a0\u201cDeath Stranding,\u201d\u00a0 a cataclysm that changed the world, people sought refuge in underground ghettos, and messengers became essential tools for communication. We play as \u00a0Sam\u00a0, a messenger who, aside from delivering packages, connects these refuges as if he\u2019s linking them to fiber optics.<\/p>\n As we connect them, we expand the resources and gear at our disposal, progressing through the narrative. That \u00a0\u2018Connecting people\u2019\u00a0 motto from Nokia is taken literally here, and after uniting the United States, it\u2019s time to replicate this in a new territory: \u00a0Australia\u00a0. I mention the first game because the second follows a similar story arc.<\/p>\n Eleven months have passed since the first game\u2019s events when Sam comfortably lives with his BB, until suddenly, a messy situation between the government and private organizations drives us to hit the road again\u2014literally and figuratively. We connect what remains of Mexico in the prologue and soon find ourselves on the oceanic continent.<\/p>\n I don\u2019t want to reveal anything specific, as Kojima has played with us in the trailers, and I believe it’s best to approach this sequel knowing as little as possible. However, while the first \u00a0\u2018Death Stranding\u2019\u00a0 was eerily prophetic before \u00a0COVID-19\u00a0, this sequel expands upon all of that, with nuances pointing to conflicts and situations we are currently facing, even more relevant now than when the first game was released in 2019.<\/p>\n There\u2019s an abundance of exposition, a codec we can consult anytime to ensure we don\u2019t miss a detail, and hours of cutscenes where \u00a0the cinematic language is overwhelming\u00a0. One of the criticisms aimed at the Japanese creator is that he is a frustrated film director, but what Kojima excels at, even better than directing cutscenes, is creating video games.<\/p>\n Because \u00a0\u2018Death Stranding\u2019\u00a0, beyond its meme of being a Glovo delivery guy, revolved around a central mechanic: \u00a0walking\u00a0. It should be the most basic aspect of a video game, yet it’s astounding how often this is poorly executed. It\u2019s said that Miyamoto, while developing \u00a0\u2018Super Mario 64\u2019\u00a0, was not satisfied with the plumber\u2019s movements until players could enjoy simply running and jumping in an empty stage.<\/p>\n This Mario movement was defining, and in \u00a0\u2018Death Stranding,\u2019\u00a0 feeling the weight of the gear on your back and the terrain\u2019s accidents is the pivot upon which everything else revolves. Walking was a pleasure, running was too, and you had to \u00a0keep an eye on the ground\u00a0 constantly to monitor stones and elevation changes while being careful not to lose balance under the weight of your load.<\/p>\n The progression was slow, and it might have taken too long to provide weapons to deal with some enemies that seemed necessary and vehicles that only appeared well into the adventure. In \u00a0\u2018Death Stranding 2,\u2019\u00a0 the base is still the same, but everything has been polished for improved quality of life.<\/p>\n The menu is identical to that of the first game, which is interesting since we won\u2019t need to relearn how to read our gear status or load. We will also learn to use \u00a0blood and grenades\u00a0 (although if you haven\u2019t played the first, it is explained thoroughly). In the first mission, we already have access to substantial weaponry to deal with enemies, and before the four-hour mark, we can begin to create vehicles.<\/p>\n As I mentioned, everything arrives much earlier; but what I like is that each mission we complete rewards us with new \u00a0unlockables to make our lives easier\u00a0 (from delivery carts to a monorail) and\u2014most importantly\u2014experience points. This makes the experience more relatable to \u00a0\u2018Skyrim\u2019\u00a0 or similar games.<\/p>\n Did we use a lot of stealth during a mission? We gain more stealth points upon completing it. Did we go full Terminator? We receive more action points. This experience allows us to customize Sam more personally while also rewarding us with points to invest in a simple yet effective skill tree. Additionally, it’s not permanent: if we invest in upgrades that don\u2019t convince us, we can remove them from that part of the tree and allocate them to different areas to make our tasks easier.<\/p>\n This allows us to approach the adventure more personally, inviting us to \u2018role-play\u2019 with our character. For example, I\u2019m not a fan of stealth; therefore, equipped with guns, I clear enemies with my rifle. \u00a0The combat is more agile\u00a0 than in the first game, and a brilliant addition allows us to remove our backpack at any time.<\/p>\n There are various missions involving clearing areas of enemies (both human and \u2018spectral\u2019), and doing so with 50-kilogram loads is difficult. We can create an umbrella against corrosive rain, leave the backpack there, and get into firefights. We can execute stealth techniques, and while improvements have been made compared to the first installment, where enemies scan for us more persistently, they can still be circumvented quickly, especially at higher difficulties.<\/p>\n If you wish to enjoy the story, you can do so in easy modes, where you\u2019ll still experience significant \u00a0physicality\u00a0 with the character and face challenges like the terrain. However, if you want a more challenging experience, although it’s not perfect, \u00a0the enemy AI has improved\u00a0 compared to \u00a0\u2018DS\u2019\u00a0. There are enemy bases, and reminiscent of \u00a0\u2018Metal Gear Solid V\u2019\u00a0, we can scout enemies from a distance to have an advantage when diving into combat. The richness is evident, and you can feel the developers’ love put into this installment.<\/p>\n There\u2019s also extensive customization for both Sam and the \u00a0DHV Magellan ship\u00a0, which acts as our new base. Every time we connect a main settlement, the ship remains at the doors of it, serving as the location for our room and weapons training center. This is a great addition as it allows you to feel that space is \u201cyours,\u201d a safe place to return to after a lengthy trek.<\/p>\n However, just like in the first game, I believe the real enemy here is the map. Mexico serves as a tutorial where we glimpse some distant advancements, such as landslides due to earthquakes; but \u00a0Australia fights back strongly\u00a0 against us. It contains a myriad of biomes, with the steep terrains being the most challenging when carrying weight on our backs.<\/p>\n It\u2019s easy to fall if we do not pay attention to the incline; torrential rains can cause rivers to rise, making crossings more challenging, and sandstorms can divert us off the intended course, not to mention earthquakes. From time to time, alerts for \u00a0\u201cearthquake here or there\u201d\u00a0 pop up, and we think, \u201cOkay,\u201d but when an earthquake hits us, our cargo can be compromised.<\/p>\n They alter the environment we navigate through, and if we carry too much weight, we can be thrown off balance, damaging our load. This element adds tension and has impressed me more than others, like the day and night cycle affecting certain dynamics visually, but not much beyond that.<\/p>\n In our texts, we usually don\u2019t dissect the visual components of a video game, but in an analysis like that of \u00a0\u2018Death Stranding 2\u2019\u00a0, I consider it necessary due to its immense weight in the experience. We are dealing with a game deeply connected to its physics technology but also to an aesthetic level, believing in what lies before us for two main reasons.<\/p>\n The first is due to the cast of main and guest actors being endless, offering familiar faces regularly. The likeness of Norman Reedus or L\u00e9a Seydoux has been modeled with astonishing detail, but other guests like Guillermo del Toro or George Miller (creator of \u00a0\u2018Mad Max\u2019\u00a0) are just as impressive. This is something my colleague \u00a0Alejandro Pascual\u00a0 emphasizes in his analysis for \u00a03DJuegos\u00a0.<\/p>\n The game excels in its original version, but the Spanish voice acting, with returning actors and actresses, is also commendable. However, I recommend playing it in its original version, though this is up to each player\u2019s discretion. The animations are superb, capturing small traits that deeply humanize characters\u2014like subtle smiles, eyes moistening before crying, or even dirt on their faces.<\/p>\n The fact that cutscenes are done using the game engine, with numerous nods to remind us we are in a video game (like characters referencing real-life elements, gamifying specific actions, breaking the fourth wall, or incorporating merchandise from \u00a0Kojima Productions\u00a0 within the game universe) is fascinating. The environment that, as mentioned, serves as the primary protagonist, looks stunning.<\/p>\n Powered by the \u00a0Decima\u00a0 engine (from \u00a0Guerrilla Games\u00a0, creators of \u00a0\u2018Horizon Forbidden West\u2019\u00a0), customized by \u00a0Kojima Productions\u00a0, it showcases \u00a0a robust ability to present a wide variety of biomes\u00a0. We encounter deserts, forests, mountains, and rugged terrains crafted with significant visual care. It\u2019s true that the settings can be vast and empty aside from enemies, shelters, and fauna, but the draw distance is enormous, and the detail level is generous.<\/p>\n The sheer visual fidelity combined with excellent lighting and high-definition textures is crucial because, while there\u2019s more action, the \u00a0core mechanic\u00a0 remains walking and taking a contemplative stroll through many of these beautiful settings.<\/p>\n Such moments abound where the camera pulls back from Sam, music starts playing, and we continue moving toward our objective. It feels like the controls assist us somewhat to keep our path while paying more attention to the environment rather than Sam.<\/p>\n These are crafted to let us enjoy the journey, and they are well-timed, often positioned just after sections of action, narrative moments, or tense encounters with ghostly enemies. I\u2019ve played on a \u00a0PS5\u00a0 from launch, not the PS5 Pro, with modes available for both visual fidelity and performance. I\u2019ve been playing in the fidelity mode.<\/p>\n In today\u2019s PlayStation ecosystem, where controversies arise from the company’s pivot towards games as a service (GaaS), leading to cases like \u00a0\u2018Concord\u2019\u00a0 or the cancellation of \u00a0\u2018God of War\u2019s GaaS\u00a0, \u00a0\u2018Death Stranding 2\u2019\u00a0 stands out as a unique and necessary title.<\/p>\n This is another grand single-player adventure with a strong asymmetric multiplayer component rewarding collaboration with other players that can be tackled at your own pace. After overcoming the initial challenges due to the abundance of character names, elements, and the universe\u2019s complexity for newcomers, it rewards you with \u00a0some of the best moments, almost introspective\u00a0, that the medium has to offer. There are also \u00a0some quite ridiculous moments\u00a0 here.<\/p>\n \u00a0\u2018Death Stranding 2\u2019\u00a0 may be less inspired than the first but is equally personal\u2014or perhaps more so. It\u2019s Kojima refining what he created six years ago, and if you\u2019re not fond of the Japanese creator (as he can indeed be excessive at times), certain moments might overwhelm you. Nonetheless, amidst the hustle and bustle of contemporary life, it\u2019s a game I’ve greatly appreciated.<\/p>\n While not perfect, with enemy AI needing refinement, and the potential for fatigue if you\u2019re not engaged in the endless cutscenes, mechanically, it is a \u00a0very solid video game\u00a0. The moments where I slipped into that \u00a0flow state\u00a0 while walking through the map delivering primary and secondary packages are some of the best I’ve experienced with a controller in hand over the last few years.<\/p>\n Above all else, whether you like Kojima\u2019s proposals or not, it is a game that must be appreciated for existing in an industry increasingly controlled by \u00a0suit-wearing executives disconnected from gaming\u00a0 rather than the game developers themselves.<\/p>\n![\"Death](\"https:\/\/teknomers.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/1750686921_717_Kojima-retreats-into-a-bubble-once-again-with-Death-Stranding.jpeg\")
\n Some quirky moments, and it’s fantastic<\/span>\n <\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n![\"Death](\"https:\/\/teknomers.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/1750686921_34_Kojima-retreats-into-a-bubble-once-again-with-Death-Stranding.jpeg\")
\n <\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\nMetal Gear Stranding<\/h2>\n
![\"Death](\"https:\/\/teknomers.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/1750686921_646_Kojima-retreats-into-a-bubble-once-again-with-Death-Stranding.jpeg\")
\n Shooting has improved, and thank goodness<\/span>\n <\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n![\"Death](\"https:\/\/teknomers.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/1750686921_214_Kojima-retreats-into-a-bubble-once-again-with-Death-Stranding.jpeg\")
\n We have vehicles almost from the start<\/span>\n <\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n![\"Inzoi](\"https:\/\/teknomers.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/1750686921_127_Kojima-retreats-into-a-bubble-once-again-with-Death-Stranding.jpeg\")
\n <\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n![\"Death](\"https:\/\/teknomers.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/1750686921_3_Kojima-retreats-into-a-bubble-once-again-with-Death-Stranding.jpeg\")
\n The moments against the EVs are very tense<\/span>\n <\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n![\"Death](\"https:\/\/teknomers.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/1750686922_0_Kojima-retreats-into-a-bubble-once-again-with-Death-Stranding.jpeg\")
\n <\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n![\"Death](\"https:\/\/teknomers.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/1750686922_406_Kojima-retreats-into-a-bubble-once-again-with-Death-Stranding.jpeg\")
\n We need to take the time to plan our route<\/span>\n <\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\nEssential Audiovisual Delight<\/h2>\n
![\"Death](\"https:\/\/teknomers.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/1750686922_775_Kojima-retreats-into-a-bubble-once-again-with-Death-Stranding.jpeg\")
\n Nothing more to add<\/span>\n <\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n![\"Death](\"https:\/\/teknomers.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/1750686922_526_Kojima-retreats-into-a-bubble-once-again-with-Death-Stranding.jpeg\")
\n While there’s plenty of cinematic content, if you’re short on time during a session, you can see the progress bar to gauge how long is left<\/span>\n <\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n![\"Death](\"https:\/\/teknomers.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/1750686922_39_Kojima-retreats-into-a-bubble-once-again-with-Death-Stranding.jpeg\")
\n This game’s visuals are incredibly impressive<\/span>\n <\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n![\"Death](\"https:\/\/teknomers.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/1750686922_553_Kojima-retreats-into-a-bubble-once-again-with-Death-Stranding.jpeg\")
\n These moments are magical<\/span>\n <\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\nA Striking Video Game in PlayStation’s Portfolio<\/h2>\n
![\"Death](\"https:\/\/teknomers.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/1750686922_845_Kojima-retreats-into-a-bubble-once-again-with-Death-Stranding.jpeg\")
\n The creatures bite!<\/span>\n <\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n