Announced at The Game Awards in 2022, Death Stranding 2: On The Beach was finally released on June 26, 2025. The game was available for pre-order for both Standard and Deluxe editions on the PS. However, PC players will have to wait.
Many have been excited to get their hands on the game, and some may not know what it’s about. With the introduction of some of the gameplay, as well as some lore, I’ll talk about the information we have. This will contain some spoilers, so please read at your discretion.
What’s Happened To The Gameplay in Death Stranding 2: On The Beach?
Much to many fans’ excitement, Sam will return as Death Stranding 2: On The Beach. But some companions also seem to be in the game. The companions will serve as a way to expand the lore while assisting you in your quests. You will also be able to see a more interactive map.
The companions hold both new and returning ones from the first game. The returning companions we know of are Deadman and Heartman, with more possibly being in the game as well.
As you befriend the companions, you’ll get new customizable vehicles, and unlocks as well as learn new strategies with them. Those aren’t the only things you get; you also learn more about them all, and you may get some treats I won’t spoil here.
Moving away from companions, fans are also excited to see the return of asynchronous multiplayer, allowing them to help each other without ever seeing one another.
You’ll be able to build roads and structures like the first game, with some additional buildings being added as well to help. While the mention of asynchronous multiplayer returning excites many, few seem to be upset that it’ll require online access to see the feature.
Sadly for them, by the looks of it, the addition of roads and structures over time for offline play doesn’t seem to be planned.
The Lore for Death Stranding 2 is Quite Fascinating
I’d like to state that even though you don’t need to, PlayStation recommends you play the first before diving into this game. To avoid spoiling too much, I’ll only talk about the first thirty minutes of the game that I’ve played.
The beginning of Death Stranding 2: On The Beach takes place eleven months after the first game’s ending, with Sam and Lou vanishing. After a cutscene plays out, we see Sam sitting on a mountainside with Lou being shown has grown into a young child.
After a bit of gameplay, we learn that all routes for trades used by humans have been replaced by AI, causing human trading to close down. Now, a group called Drawbridge requests that Sam help once more with routes, bringing them more down south to Mexico, so humanity doesn’t go extinct.
With all that being said, I believe that’s enough without going too deep into the game and keeping a lot of it still exciting. Remember, humanity needs trades, so go out and get started, Porters, and have fun.
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