One Death Stranding 2: On the Beach fan took a photo in the canyons of the Anza-Borrego Desert State Park in California, only to realize it looks strikingly similar to the desert featured in the game. A lot has already been said about how Kojima Productions managed to achieve photorealism in Death Stranding 2: On the Beach, and this fan’s photo is a clear example of how impressive the visuals of the game are.
Death Stranding 2: On the Beach was released a few weeks ago on June 26, expanding the original’s delivery-focused gameplay by adding more combat mechanics, vertical traversal, and dynamic disasters, all while maintaining the deep, emotive narrative style of the first game. The sequel unfolds across Australia and Mexico, and it's packed with photorealistic faces and ultra-high-fidelity environments and landscapes, with realistic lighting, physics-driven terrain, weather effects, and a fluid 60 fps performance on base PS5 that has had the gaming community talking. Death Stranding 2 has plenty going for it beyond its visuals, but one fan was just reminded of how jaw-droppingly realistic the game really is.
Hideo Kojima Celebrates Death Stranding 2's Success
Hideo Kojima takes to social media to celebrate Death Stranding 2: On the Beach’s success and to express gratitude to everyone involved.
A Reddit user named PangTemujin went to the Anza-Borrego Desert State Park in California and realized the landscape is shockingly similar to the Death Stranding 2 location where players must deliver the first package. The player said they are convinced that Kojima used that desert (which is near the Mexico border) as inspiration—especially considering Sam's hideout is located close to the same border. PangTemujin explained they live in the area, and the first time they saw the photorealistic desert in the game, they thought, “that’s my neighborhood.”
Death Stranding 2 Desert Looks Just Like California’s Anza-Borrego Desert State Park
The post sparked a conversation among the game’s community, with many players joining just to praise Death Stranding 2’s visuals. One fan said they often camp off-road in Anza-Borrego, and the similarities with the desert in the game felt “surreal.” Another fan left a comment saying, “I lived near there briefly as a child and had flashbacks for real.” While there is no official confirmation that Kojima actually recreated the California desert, the photos bear such a close resemblance to the game’s that it seems very likely.
With its visuals, gameplay, and captivating story, Death Stranding 2 managed to take Clair Obscure's spot as the highest-rated game on PlayStation's storefront, with an average of 4.92 stars from 21,735 ratings. Game Director Hideo Kojima celebrated the game’s success with a heartfelt message on social media directed at fans and the team behind it.
-
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
