Summary
- Death Stranding 2 aims to address the first game's slow pacing with faster story progression and early tools.
- The sequel moves players quickly from Mexico to Australia, potentially lowering the entry barrier.
- The streamlined opening suggests Death Stranding 2 learned from its predecessor's slow burn.
To say that Death Stranding has been one of the most divisive games of the last decade is a bit of an understatement, despite its success. Unlike many modern games that encounter divisiveness for reasons like representation and monetization, Death Stranding was largely divisive because of its gameplay. Initially labeled a "walking simulator," Death Stranding's core gameplay loop saw players simply making deliveries from one place to another. Regardless of how divisive this might have been, however, Death Stranding achieved success, and now Death Stranding 2: On the Beach is doubling down on the series' signature formula.
In light of that, there's plenty of room for Death Stranding 2 to be just as contentious as the first game was, although recent previews have shown that might not be the case as much this time around. Even so, first impressions of Death Stranding 2's predecessor caused many players to either not stick with it or not play it at all, but it fortunately looks like the sequel might be lowering its barrier to entry with one rather significant change being made to how quickly everything unfolds.
Death Stranding 2's New Onboarding Features Are Its Most Self-Aware Additions Yet
Death Stranding 2 may be the most self-aware Kojima game yet, quietly guiding players through a world that finally seems to know it needs explaining.
Death Stranding 2 Might Be Easier to Stick With Than the First Game
Faster Story Progression and Early Tools Could Keep Players Hooked from the Start
Early previews of Death Stranding 2 have indicated that the sequel's pacing feels comfortably quick, as it not only moves players from the starting region of Mexico to Death Stranding 2's new Australia location quite rapidly, but it also gives them access to better tools sooner than expected. The first Death Stranding is widely recognized for its incredibly slow pacing, especially during its early stages, so this is a big step up for the sequel.
Despite the first game's slow pacing, many players and critics alike still found it to be a relaxing experience, which is most likely a large part of why it achieved such success — that, and its thought-provoking, well-written narrative.
The first Death Stranding begins with a deliberate, almost methodical tempo to teach players the ins and outs of its iconic delivery and traversal mechanics. While that makes sense, given what Death Stranding is all about, it's not necessarily a good thing in terms of mass appeal.
DS2's Streamlined Opening Suggests the First Game Learned From Its Slow Burn
This slow pacing left many players feeling like their experience with Death Stranding was dull and boring, particularly during the game's early chapters when they had less access to better tools and the plot ushered itself forward a little quicker. Certain reviews for Death Stranding called the first ten hours a slog to get through, which isn't what a new player of any game would want to hear. It's almost like trying to convince someone to watch a new show but telling them it doesn't get good until the second or third season. That being said, as is the case with all things, it's all a matter of perspective with Death Stranding.
Early previews of Death Stranding 2 have indicated that the sequel's pacing feels comfortably quick, as it even moves players from the starting region of Mexico to Death Stranding 2's new Australia location quite rapidly.
Fortunately, Death Stranding 2's faster pacing might alleviate those issues and address the concerns raised by its predecessor's opening hours. If that truly is the case, and these previews are indicative of the final game's quality, then Death Stranding 2's barrier to entry may be significantly lower than the first game's. This would be great news in a way, as it would make Death Stranding 2 a bit less divisive than its predecessor was. That being said, Hideo Kojima isn't known for wanting to make games that appeal to everyone, so perhaps that's not really what he's aiming for here in the long run.
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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
