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Even if Death Stranding 2: On the Beach looks quite similar to its predecessor, there are many differences that set them apart. Whether it is the graphical upgrades, new gameplay mechanics, or the variety of new locales, this sequel has many different things going for it that will surprise many returning players. Here, we’ve listed some of the 10 biggest differences in Death Standing 2: On the Beach, so you can see how much this sequel has evolved.
10. Stealth and Combat Focus
We all knew from the recent previews that Kojima almost did a complete overhaul on Death Stranding 2: On the Beach, especially when it comes to combat. In its predecessor, combat felt mostly optional at times, and the action sequences, while great, didn’t feel that engaging to play. However, the sequel revamps many things from its predecessor, putting more emphasis on combat, but most importantly, on stealth. Players can now clear camps more easily, and there are many more gadgets to bring Sam to new sneaky levels.
9. More Map Variety
Death Stranding had eerily beautiful areas, yet a few of them felt a bit similar, at least during the first hours. Once you started climbing up to new locales and the frozen parts of the map, this felt different. Yet, the early portions of the game didn’t stand out that much. In Death Stranding 2: On the Beach, one of the biggest differences is the variety of areas, thanks to the inclusion of Mexico and Australia. You can already see some of these locales just by looking at the trailers and seeing the visual variety that goes beyond a color palette change.
8. You Can Abandon Your Backpack
We know Sam’s main job is to deliver things, but we have to admit that fighting in Death Stranding with all your cargo was a hassle. Yes, you could drop it. Still, it was a bit tedious to do all that. In Death Stranding 2, you can finally abandon your backpack for a bit, kick some MULE butt, and then return for your precious cargo.
7. Natural Disasters
One of the biggest surprises of Death Stranding 2: On the Beach, and yet another difference between this and its predecessor, is how reactive the world feels. The first entry already had many pieces that moved around the map. However, the sequel takes it to a whole new level by introducing natural disasters. When doing a delivery, you might encounter forest fires, earthquakes, and even avalanches, depending on where you are. These can permanently affect your route and force you to adapt to the situation.
6. A More Dynamic World
Following up with the above entry, the world in Death Stranding 2 is also more dynamic thanks to its day/night cycles, which affect gameplay a lot. For instance, if you want to send Sam to infiltrate a camp, you’d better do it under the cover of night, as it will be much easier. Conversely, it will be much harder to sneak around if you do so during the day, so it is always good to plan your next delivery.
5. Easier Ways to Collect Cargo
Collecting cargo has always been one of the most fun things about Death Stranding, and it seems that Death Stranding 2:On the Beach is making it even more fun. For starters, there are many more ways to collect cargo now, but one that caught our attention is the large grappling hook-like item some vehicles have. It seems that you can now get things from afar and without leaving your vehicle, which will be pretty helpful when trying to run as fast as possible.
4. Many New Weapons
Cargo-collecting gadgets aren’t the only ones getting attention in this sequel. Another key difference in Death Stranding 2: On the Beach is how varied weapons feel now. According to recent gameplay clips, previews, and some reviews, there are tranquilizer weapons, a tar cannon, and many more that will help you fight BTs and MULEs. You can even distract enemies with gadgets that spawn projections of BTs.
3. More Gear For Deliveries
On the more peaceful side of things, there is also new gear to make Sam’s deliveries much easier. There are new skeletons and boots, with the latter including a few combat-oriented and others more stealth-oriented. Beyond that, there are also many customization options that eclipse the ones we saw in Death Stranding.
2. New and More Terrifying BTs
Naturally, we need enemies to use our new armaments on, and there’s no shortage of them in Death Stranding 2. You already saw some of them in the trailers, and many look way more dangerous and scary. However, there are others that will summon BTs to your location if you’re spotted, so you need to be very careful when doing deliveries.
1. A Longer Story
Last, but certainly not least, the game’s length. A normal run of Death Stranding, without doing a lot of optional tasks, took 35 to 40 hours. However, reviews claim that the story of Death Stranding 2 is 45-50 hours long, and a full playthrough can go up to 100 hours. This makes the sequel’s story longer and the whole game even larger than its predecessor. So, those wondering if they’d get more bang for their buck with the sequel can rest easy, because Death Stranding 2 is bigger, better, and has improved every aspect from the first entry.
