Postman Sam also has an off-road trike to get around if necessary. — Photos: Kojima Productions/Sony Interactive Entertainment/dpa
BERLIN: Clumsy, monotonous, ingenious: These were common reactions to 2019’s Death Stranding by cult Japanese developer Hideo Kojima, who rose to world fame through the Metal Gear Solid series.
It was an idiosyncratic adventure set in a dark world of tomorrow, in which players delivered packages and fought monsters accompanied by a soundtrack of ambient pop. It wasn’t just a simple shoot-em-up, but often a test of patience.
Six years on, the sequel, Death Stranding 2: On the Beach, has arrived and seamlessly continues the game's unusual concept. Sam Porter Bridges, the hero of the first game, is back.
Against the storm: Heavily laden, postman Sam makes his way through a ghost town.
New dangers threaten humanity and Sam sets out from his self-imposed exile once again to fight evil. The setting has changed though: instead of North America, he’s now exploring parts of Mexico and Australia.
The problems, however, remain similar. Just like in his first adventure, he battles raging rivers, rugged terrain and snowstorms while enemies lurk everywhere. In On the Beach, the game world is the true hero of the story. Kojima and his developers tell the story of a future that has been almost destroyed by the undead.
A world of chaos and monsters
In this chaos, political intrigues arise, bandits crawl out of their holes and gruesome monsters emerge from slimy tar. In the midst of this chaos, Sam finds himself involuntarily caught in the middle of it all.
Delivering mail in a picturesque post-apocalypsic world is the gist of 'Death Stranding 2'.
As in the first game, Sam transports packages through a hauntingly beautiful post-apocalypse to expand his network and unite the remnants of humanity. Every job requires careful preparation: a truck or motorcycle for rough terrain, an exoskeleton for heavy loads, or climbing hooks for rappelling down a mountainside.
Almost every trip is a Herculean task. But it's not just snowstorms or earthquakes that provide the adrenaline rush; numerous enemies do too. Sometimes Sam has to sneak past spooky figures and infiltrate enemy bases. The boss battles, in which giant monsters suddenly appear, are spectacular and a bit chaotic.
After Sam has successfully delivered a package, he can look forward to rewards. The grateful customers provide him with new blueprints or equipment. Sam uses experience points for helpful abilities such as improved shooting efficiency or a battery boost for his vehicles.
The boss battles are spectacular and a little chaotic, with huge monsters suddenly appearing.
In his new adventure, Sam can even mine raw materials for his buildings or shorten transport routes using a rail network. He can also travel on a ship – "The Magellan" – to shorten routes.
The ship is not only a useful tool, but also has a crew, each of which carries a difficult fate with them, such as death or loneliness. However, the melancholy of these themes is repeatedly interrupted by ironic undertones.
Get help from other players
Sam can rely not only on his crew, but also, as in the first game, on the game community. While there's no traditional multiplayer mode where other players explore the world with Sam, he can request help with his builds or support in combat.
Somewhere in the middle of nowhere, Sam can build bridges and roads anywhere with a mobile construction kit.
This brings players closer together and opens up further opportunities for cooperation, which is a huge help, especially when building larger road projects.
Fans of the first game will quickly notice that Sam's new adventure has become faster-paced and more spectacular. While a package delivery trip across the mountains can take a frustratingly long time, players now have more options to make their life as a delivery driver easier.
The story isn't quite as confusing as its predecessor. Nevertheless, Kojima's mix of philosophical questions, brutal action and irony will still leave some players shaking their heads. The game is certainly full-on and comprehensive: you should allow for around 30 to 40 hours of gameplay.
Sam has a whole arsenal of weapons at his disposal to defend himself, including a machine gun.
Despite concessions to the mass market, Death Stranding 2: On the Beach remains a somewhat different kind of gaming blockbuster. Kojima and his development studio have created a grim portrait of our future, combining different genres into a unique adventure that’s visually impressive and more diverse than its predecessor.
A great adventure for patient players who want to immerse themselves in unusual game worlds, Death Stranding 2: On the Beach is out from June 26th exclusively for the PlayStation 5. It costs around €80/US$80 (RM299 in Malaysia) and is suitable for players aged 16 years and older. – dpa
