Summary
- Key mission in Death Stranding 2: reconnect humanity by forging bonds with communities across inhospitable regions.
- Valuable items and utilities from Preppers aid Sam in his journey - prioritize connecting with the best ones early.
- Building relationships with Preppers like The Musician and The Lone Commander unlocks unique benefits and gear.
The c entral mission of Death Stranding 2 revolves around Sam Bridges crossing hazardous territories once again to reconnect humanity. To achieve this, he must forge bonds with different communities scattered across inhospitable regions and integrate them into the Chiral Network. This network restores communication among survivors and reinforces the social and logistical structures required to keep the planet’s reconstruction moving forward.
Death Stranding 2: 10 Tips And Tricks For Beginners
These beginner tips for Death Stranding 2 help players get more involved while completing Sam’s early deliveries.
This time, Preppers play an even more significant role than in the first game, rewarding players with valuable items and exclusive utilities as Sam raises his connection level with each of them. From equipment upgrades to new weapons, many of these characters offer direct benefits that ease the journey. Knowing which are the best Preppers in Death Stranding 2 to connect with first therefore makes a decisive difference.
10 The Doctor
One Of The Best Preppers In Death Stranding 2
- Prepper Location: The Motherhood (Australia)
Although most combat in Death Stranding 2 can be avoided, missions can force Sam into firefights, and the world still presents many chances for players to engage in gunfights. Anyone who favors that style of gameplay should strengthen the link with The Motherhood as soon as her facility becomes available in the main campaign.
One of the items she grants is the Enhanced Blood Bag, an upgraded resource that, throughout most of Death Stranding 2, restores the health Sam loses in combat and keeps him operational. Because the bag holds more fluid, it offers security in battle, especially on Brutal difficulty, where bullets and other strikes from BTs or enemy brigands inflict heavy damage.
9 The Dowser
Boost Skeleton Is Essential For Certain Deliveries
- Prepper Location: The Dowser (Australia)
Even though vehicles often make Sam's deliveries easier in Death Stranding 2, some orders traverse terrain where a truck or bike is not viable, and in those moments the Boost Skeleton becomes indispensable by raising the protagonist’s total carrying capacity. The Dowser unlocks this exoskeleton and later supplies an upgraded version that enhances every attribute.
Each new model lets Sam haul additional weight and manages battery drain with greater efficiency, turning it into a core asset for couriers who prefer to walk rather than rely on vehicles. Because it adds both carrying power and a speed boost, The Dowser ranks among the game’s finest preppers, accelerating travel and expanding inventory during every journey.
8 Peter Gates
Battle Skeleton Protects Sam Reliably
- Prepper Location: Western Environmental Observatory (Australia)
Sam can also wear the Battle Skeleton during routine deliveries, gaining a modest increase in both operating speed and carrying weight, yet the suit offered by the Western Environmental Observatory shines brightest in combat situations across Death Stranding 2. Players who relish raiding enemy bases or fighting BTs should place a connection with Peter Gates among their primary goals.
The frame provides a substantial damage reduction when Sam takes hits and even deploys a small shield the first time an attack lands, creating crucial breathing space. If an opponent catches him off-guard, the consequences are reduced to a minimum while new openings appear, letting Sam counterattack without absorbing a punishing blow.
7 The Hydrologist
Backpack Battery Keeps Sam Powered
- Prepper Location: Hearthman’s Lab (Australia)
Besides relying on vehicle batteries, players who aim to optimize Sam in all aspects of Death Stranding 2 should craft backpack batteries, because many tools unlocked along the journey draw on that charge and make energy management vital. Strengthening the link with the Hearthman unlocks advanced versions that maximize the limited backpack slots.
Death Stranding 2: All Stats & How to Upgrade Them
Death Stranding 2 has quite a few stats for Sam to improve his abilities in and out of combat, but what do they do and how can they be upgraded?
Reaching his remote facility demands effort, yet the investment pays off, because the improved cells suit players who depend on the various skeletons or other items available in the game throughout long treks. With the right layout, Sam can carry far more cargo or enjoy a combat boost that tilts engagements in his favor.
6 Gen Hoshino
One Of The Preppers That Adds New Mechanics In Death Stranding 2
- Prepper Location: The Musician (Australia)
Unlocked during the main quests of Death Stranding 2, linking up with The Musician quickly proves worthwhile. Sam can build custom playlists that play while he explores the map, and this Prepper adds fresh tracks that enrich the player’s soundtrack and make long treks through Mexico and Australia feel far more engaging.
Music aside, the real reason The Musician counts among the best Preppers is that he teaches Sam how to craft a Shotgun, unlocking critical close-quarters firepower. Each upgrade earned by deepening the relationship produces a stronger version of the weapon, allowing players who favor aggressive skirmishes to dominate enemy brigands and BTs whenever routes force encounters.
5 Old Oz
Essential For Players To Manage Inventory
- Prepper Location: Government’s Base (Australia)
Inventory management ranks among the most important parts of Death Stranding 2, because every unnecessary item reduces the cargo Sam can transport during crucial deliveries. Strengthening the bond with Government Base as soon as it becomes available therefore benefits anyone who wants to streamline that logistical aspect and carry heavier loads across treacherous terrain without frequent trips back to storage.
Among the upgrades offered, Sam gains backpack attachments that expand ammunition reserves for his active firearm, eliminating the need to craft multiple guns that would otherwise occupy precious space. With only one or two weapons in tow, couriers tackle firefights confidently, knowing that spare magazines sit ready and inventory slots stay open for vital mission cargo.
4 The Lone Commander
Players Can Obtain A Sniper Rifle From Him
- Prepper Location: The Lone Commander (Australia)
Most priority Preppers in Death Stranding 2 emerge through story progression as Sam links settlements in Mexico and Australia, but a few optional sites reward diversion from the critical path. Located uphill from the Government Base, The Lone Commander offers gear that justifies the detour and quickly pays dividends in open-field engagements.
His standout reward is the Tranq Sniper Rifle, a long-range weapon that lets Sam neutralize human foes from safe distances, significantly reducing exposure to return fire. Fans of stealthy marksmanship gain a powerful edge early, turning brigand camps into manageable targets and ensuring lethal encounters remain rare unless mission objectives demand them.
3 Olivia Westbury
Provides Quality Batteries For Sam's Vehicles
- Prepper Location: West Fort Knot (F1) (Australia)
Traveling by vehicle remains the fastest way to cross the vast landscapes of Death Stranding 2, yet rough terrain, river crossings, and steep slopes drain power reserves quickly. Forging an early connection with Western Knot F1, where Olivia Westbury resides, grants Sam robust batteries that immediately extend range and reduce the need for roadside maintenance stops.
Subsequent upgrades deliver enhanced versions that, when paired with strategically placed chargers, allow vehicles to traverse vast portions of the map in a single run. Combined with efficient route planning, these energy packs let players focus on timing deliveries, not tracking battery gauges, and keep momentum high even on marathon hauls.
2 Alex Weatherstone
This Prepper Is Extremely Useful In Death Stranding 2
- Prepper Location: Former Geophysics Research Lab (Mexico)
Although the adventure soon shifts to Australia, the opening hours unfold in Mexico, where several outstanding early-game upgrades await attentive couriers. Among them, a visit to Former Geophysics Research Lab and its overseer, Alex Weatherstone, delivers a superior rifle that helps Sam secure a technological edge before threats grow more lethal.
The weapon’s higher fire rate output and expanded magazine outperform the starter gun that most enemies wield, turning early brigand camps into manageable skirmishes. Securing this advantage lets players breeze through Mexico’s initial missions, stockpile resources, and confidently prepare for the harsher encounters that await once the campaign crosses the Pacific.
1 Benjamin Rivera
Grenades Are Fundamental For Certain Parts Of The Game
- Location: C1 South Distribution Centre (Mexico)
Death Stranding 2 retains many traversal strategies from the original, and careful players can often avoid BTs, but some regions teem with these spectral foes and force confrontations. In that context, establishing ties with South Distribution Centre and its prepper Benjamin Rivera during the early game provides indispensable crowd-control ordnance.
Rivera first grants the Blood Grenade, and further investment unlocks the EX Grenade, a situational tool that excels at keeping BTs at bay whenever dense clusters threaten passage. With these explosive options available, Sam navigates hazardous zones more safely, conserving stamina and cargo integrity while maintaining a steady pace toward each destination.
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OpenCritic Reviews
- Top Critic Avg: 90 /100 Critics Rec: 95%
- Released
- June 26, 2025
- ESRB
- Mature 17+ // Violence, Blood and Gore, Partial Nudity, Strong Language
- Developer(s)
- Kojima Productions
- Publisher(s)
- Sony Interactive Entertainment
