One of the most anticipated games of 2025 has finally arrived, or well, almost, depending on the version you got, and the opinions from critics are way better than we expected. Death Stranding 2: On the Beach lifted its review embargo today, and we’ve made a quick roundup of everything other critics had to say. In short, it seems like it’s an almost perfect sequel, proving once again that the creativity behind Kojima and his team is unmatched. If you’re still on the fence about it, we’ve included the scores from OpenCritic and Metacritic. Oh, and don’t worry, this is spoiler-free.
Death Stranding 2: On the Beach Has a Review Score Average of 90 On OpenCritic and Metacritic
The review embargo for Death Stranding 2: On the Beach lifted today, and at the time of writing, it has a score of 90 in OpenCritic and Metacritic. This is a big leap compared to the 82 Metascore its predecessor has right now. Many critics have said that the sequel, while familiar to the first game, improves in all the right places and delivers a satisfying narrative accompanied by some of the best visuals of this generation.
Here are some of the most notable reviews for Death Stranding 2: On the Beach.
Dexerto – 100
“Death Stranding 2 is a phenomenal offering. It’s among Kojima’s very best work not just for its narrative, but for the near-limitless variability in its gameplay opportunities.“
Press Start Australia – 100
“Death Stranding 2: On The Beach does everything it can to eclipse the original in practically every way, improving on the systems surrounding the already solid core of the original. The result is a livelier world to explore, an engaging story to experience, and an overall much better-paced adventure through Australia that I struggled to put down. It’s well worth your time and more respectful of it, too.“
Vandal – 92
“Death Stranding 2 refines the formula of its predecessor with deeper emotional storytelling, improved traversal and combat mechanics, and an audiovisual presentation that borders on cinematic excellence; while it loses some of the surprise factor from the original, it compensates with more varied gameplay and a broader appeal, though it still won’t resonate with everyone.“
IGN – 9/10
“Death Stranding 2: On the Beach is a triumphant sequel that emphatically delivers on the promise of its original.“
Eurogamer – 4/5
“A busier, louder, and more emotionally resplendent take on this singular hiking sim.“
If you want to check all the reviews, here are the links to the game’s reviews on Metacritic and OpenCritic.
Kojima’s Best Game to Date
Overall, it seems people are loving Death Stranding 2: On the Beach. There are a few lower scores here and there, with some citing that the game doesn’t innovate that much. However, only a few outlets have said that, and the overall score of 90 is an excellent sign.
After so many years of waiting, it is great to see this long-anticipated sequel performing so well. Beyond the fantastic story, characters, and gameplay, many have also praised its performance on the PS5 and PS5 Pro, with the former also being a fantastic platform in either of the two graphical modes.
Death Stranding 2: On the Beach launches on June 26, 2025, with two-day early access available for those who purchase the deluxe edition. Our review will be ready by the end of this week. So, stay tuned to read our thoughts on this sequel.
