The sequel to Hideo Kojima’s first game after leaving Konami has captivated fans just as much as the original. Death Stranding 2 builds on the artistic and abstract concepts of its predecessor and expands its setting to encompass both Mexico and Australia via an anomaly known as the Plate Gate. This marks a significant departure from the original Death Stranding, which was set in North America, tasking Sam with travelling West and connecting everyone via the Chiral Network. Considering the many changes from the original, is Death Stranding required reading before diving into the tar-filled depths of the sequel?
I don’t think that’s the case. In the main menu of Death Stranding 2, there is an option to access a brief overview of the events from the first game, narrated by Deadman. This summary covers the general plot of Death Stranding and the overarching theme of global connectivity that you’ll encounter while playing the sequel. However, it doesn’t capture every detail. Having played through Death Stranding 2, I can say that while the story of the original game is among the best written in gaming history, playing it isn’t entirely necessary.
I know, I know; how could I possibly say that? Well, without really spoiling anything for those hoping to play the first Death Stranding, many of the characters important to that narrative aren’t too relevant anymore, and many of their stories ended with the game. No, this doesn’t encompass every character, but enough of them for me to believe that the events of Death Stranding 2 happen in a way that separates it from the first completely. I also like to think that the characters who are reintroduced in the sequel do an incredible job of filling in all the details of what’s going on and what’s already happened, so you don’t need to go searching through Fandom pages.
I strongly recommend playing through the first game, especially if you want to understand how Lou and Sam’s relationship developed into what it is now. Additionally, this will provide you with valuable insights into the motives and behaviors of some characters in the sequel. Again, no spoilers, but there are definitely instances in Death Stranding 2 that would be better with context. But I feel that the Ring Terminal Codex was created to solve that specific issue, and I haven’t needed to leave the game to look up most, if not all, of my questions.
