Look, I’m gonna start this review with the exact moment I knew this game was going to mess with my head in the best and worst ways possible. Around hour 12, I’m trudging through the Australian outback, cargo strapped to my back like a mobile apartment complex, when suddenly the ground starts literally cracking open beneath my feet. Not metaphorically—like, the earth is splitting apart in real-time during an earthquake event, and I’m trying to balance 300kg of medical supplies while my character stumbles around like he’s had six beers. My Odradek is screaming, Lou (the BB) is crying, and I’m frantically mashing the balance buttons while a sandstorm rolls in reducing visibility to about three feet. I lost half my cargo to a fissure, got a C rating on the delivery, and you know what? I immediately started planning my return trip to get an S rank because this game has infected my brain. That’s Death Stranding 2 in a nutshell—a beautiful, frustrating, occasionally brilliant walking simulator that somehow convinced me spending 40 hours delivering packages across a post-apocalyptic Australia was a good use of my limited gaming time. I’ve been running this on my RTX 4060 with an i7-12700 and 16GB RAM, mostly at high settings with some tweaks, and after sinking about 25 hours into this thing over two weeks (playing when I can squeeze in time between work and actual life), I’ve got thoughts. Many thoughts.
First Impressions After 10 Hours
Okay, so I went into DS2 having played the original back in 2019, which means I knew what I was getting into. Or at least I thought I did. The first game was about reconnecting America through deliveries and making you feel every kilogram of weight on Norman Reedus’s back. This one? It’s asking way deeper questions about whether we should have connected in the first place, and honestly, that existential dread hits different when you’re playing at 2am on a Wednesday.
What surprised me: The environmental hazards are absolutely no joke. The original game had Timefall rain that aged your cargo and BTs (those creepy invisible ghost things) you had to sneak past. DS2 cranks everything to eleven. I expected more of the same Kojima cutscene excess and package delivery—what I didn’t expect was to be genuinely stressed about flash floods turning a peaceful river crossing into a death trap. The first time a sandstorm hit me in Episode 3 (Order 8: Deliver Medical Supplies to Outpost Bravo), I literally couldn’t see anything. Had to use the Odradek scanner just to ping the terrain ahead of me, stumbling forward while my stamina drained like someone pulled the plug.
The DHV Magellan mobile base is also a game-changer compared to the static distribution centers of the first game. Having a moving hub that you relocate as part of story progression makes the world feel more dynamic, though I’ll get into why this sometimes backfires later.
Performance-wise on my setup: running at 1440p high settings (not ultra, because who needs ray-traced package straps), I’m getting a pretty stable 75-85 fps in open areas, dipping to around 55-60 during heavy weather events with multiple particle effects. Loading times are decent—about 8-12 seconds fast traveling to the Magellan, maybe 15-18 seconds loading into a new major zone. The game clocks in at around 85GB install size, which honestly isn’t as bad as I expected for a PS5 port.
What Actually Works
The traversal gameplay loop is still weirdly addictive. I can’t fully explain why planning a route, managing weight distribution, and just walking creates this zen-like flow state, but it does. There’s something deeply satisfying about nailing a difficult delivery across hostile terrain. The new equipment helps a lot here—the Tracklayer tool lets you build rail infrastructure that other players can use (in the connected online mode), and watching a monorail system gradually spread across the map through collective player effort is genuinely cool. I spent probably three hours in one session just optimizing my route from Distribution Center Sydney to the Artist’s shelter, building charging stations and bridges, and it felt productive in a way most games don’t.
The Floating Carriers are a brilliant addition for dealing with the new flood mechanics. First time I encountered a rising river (Episode 5, during a massive Timefall storm), I watched the water level climb in real-time and thought I was screwed. Then I remembered I could switch my cargo carrier to float mode, and suddenly I’m surfing my packages across a raging torrent like some kind of post-apocalyptic delivery ninja. It’s these moments where the mechanics click together that DS2 shines.
The DHV Magellan’s VR Training Room is low-key genius. One of my biggest frustrations with the first game was that combat felt clunky because you rarely did it, so when MULE camps or terrorist encounters happened, I was fumbling with weapon selection and aim. The VR room lets you practice without consequence—no equipment durability loss, no cargo risk. I probably spent two hours just getting comfortable with the new combat flow before tackling some of the harder MULE camps, and it made a huge difference. This should be in every game that has occasional combat mixed with other gameplay.
The story is peak Kojima nonsense and I’m oddly invested. Look, if you’re not into 45-minute cutscenes with convoluted lore about the Beach, extinction events, and quantum physics wrapped in metaphor, this ain’t for you. But if you’re down for that ride, DS2 delivers. The shift from “rebuilding America” to “questioning if connection was even good” is genuinely thought-provoking, especially playing this in 2024 when social media has everyone burned out and cynical about digital connection. There’s a moment in Episode 11 where Sam has this breakdown questioning the entire UCA project, and it hit harder than I expected. Plus, the Australia setting is refreshing—tired of post-apocalyptic America, give me post-apocalyptic Outback.
The Frustrating Parts
The environmental hazards can go from engaging challenge to pure BS real quick. I love the dynamic weather system in theory. In practice? I had a situation in Episode 9 (Order 27: Emergency Chiral Decontaminator Delivery) where I got hit by a sandstorm, then an earthquake opened a fissure that I had to navigate around, then Timefall started which spawned BTs, then a flash flood rolled through. All within about six minutes. I lost the entire cargo load, had to trek back to the Magellan on foot (my reverse trike fell into the fissure), and when I respawned the terrain had changed so my carefully planned route was now blocked by a collapsed cliff. That specific delivery took me three attempts over 90 minutes, and not in a fun “Dark Souls difficulty” way—more in a “this feels unfair” way.
The balance system also feels more punishing than the first game. Maybe it’s the Australian terrain being rougher, or maybe they tweaked the physics, but I’m constantly fighting to stay upright even with exoskeletons equipped. There’s this one stretch in Episode 13 crossing the Gibson Desert where the uneven rocky terrain made me tumble cargo every thirty seconds. I eventually just said screw it and used a vehicle, but then the vehicle got stuck on rocks, and it became this whole thing.
BT encounters are somehow more annoying now. The original game’s BT sections were tense stealth sequences where you held your breath and snuck past. DS2 added new BT types and combat scenarios that feel… off. There’s these “Swarm BTs” that chase you in groups, and the combat against them devolves into kiting them in circles while dumping all your Prototype MP Bullets into them. It’s not fun or scary, it’s just tedious. I actively started avoiding areas marked with heavy BT presence not because they were challenging, but because I didn’t want to deal with the five-minute bullet-sponge encounters.
Bugs and jank: Encountered a few notable issues. On two separate occasions (both during Episode 7), my cargo clipped through the ground when I set it down, just vanished into the earth. Had to reload my last save, losing about 15 minutes of progress each time. Workaround: apparently don’t place cargo on steep inclines or near terrain seams—it can fall through the world geometry. Also had one crash to desktop during a cutscene transition in Episode 14, though that only happened once in 25 hours so not terrible. There’s also this weird audio bug where footstep sounds occasionally just stop playing, making traversal feel eerily silent until you reload the area.
Real Talk: The Monetization
Here’s the good news: Death Stranding 2 is a $70 premium game with zero gacha, no microtransactions, and no battle pass nonsense. It’s a complete experience out of the box, which feels increasingly rare in 2024. You buy it, you play it, you’re done. There’s a Deluxe Edition for $80 that includes some cosmetic equipment variants (gold/chiral colored gear, some exclusive suit designs) and maybe early access to certain tools, but from what I can tell, it’s purely cosmetic or convenience stuff—nothing that fundamentally changes the game.
I grabbed the standard edition and haven’t felt like I’m missing anything critical. The Deluxe items are the kind of thing that looks cool in screenshots but doesn’t impact actual gameplay. If you’re a completionist who needs every cosmetic, maybe it’s worth the extra $10, but for casual players like me who just want the core experience? Standard edition is totally fine. No FOMO, no “spend $20 to skip this grind” pop-ups, no premium currency. It’s refreshing, honestly. Kojima Productions clearly wanted to make a full game and sell it for one price, old-school style.
The only “monetization” concern is potential DLC down the line—the first game eventually got a Director’s Cut with expanded content. If you’re the patient type, maybe wait for the inevitable “Complete Edition” in a year or two. But there’s no predatory stuff here, which in today’s gaming landscape deserves mention.
Comparing to Similar Games
The obvious comparison is the original Death Stranding, and DS2 is basically “more of that, but bigger and more complex.” If you loved the first game, you’ll probably love this. If you thought the first game was a boring walking simulator, DS2 won’t change your mind—it doubles down on everything that made the original divisive.
But let’s compare it to something different: Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain, another Kojima game with open-world delivery/extraction mechanics. MGSV had tighter moment-to-moment gameplay—the stealth and combat were more polished, missions were more varied. DS2 has better environmental storytelling and a more cohesive thematic vision, but man, sometimes I miss MGSV’s snappy controls. DS2 feels deliberately clunky, which is part of the design (you’re supposed to feel encumbered), but after 20 hours, I kinda just want Sam to move like a normal action game protagonist sometimes.
Compared to something like The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom (another 2023/2024 open-world game about creative problem-solving and traversal), DS2 feels way more niche. TOTK gives you insane freedom to approach problems however you want. DS2 gives you specific tools for specific situations, and half the challenge is figuring out which tool to use when. Both are valid design philosophies, but TOTK feels more universally accessible while DS2 is aggressively “this is what it’s, adapt or bounce.”
Bottom Line + FAQ
After 25+ hours, here’s where I land: Death Stranding 2 is a confident sequel that knows exactly what it wants to be and doesn’t apologize for it. It’s a meditative, occasionally frustrating, frequently beautiful game about walking, connection, and asking big existential questions wrapped in Kojima’s trademark weirdness. The environmental mechanics add meaningful challenge, the new equipment expands the traversal sandbox, and the story—if you’re willing to sit through the cutscenes—is genuinely engaging.
But it’s not for everyone. If you need constant action, tight combat, or don’t have patience for 40+ hours of package delivery interspersed with hour-long cutscenes about the nature of consciousness, you’ll bounce off this hard. For me, as a casual gamer who plays when time allows and values unique experiences over mass-market appeal? It’s been worth the time, even with the frustrations. At $70, it’s a tough sell unless you’re already a fan of Kojima’s work or the first game. I’d recommend waiting for a sale down to $50-55 if you’re on the fence.
FAQ:
Q: How’s the performance on PC? Can my rig run it?
A: On my RTX 4060/i7-12700 setup I’m getting 75-85 fps at 1440p high settings, dropping to mid-50s during crazy weather events. If you’ve got something equivalent to a 4060 or better with 16GB RAM, you’ll be fine at high settings 1440p, and ultra 1080p should run smooth. Loading times are 8-15 seconds depending on the area, and the 85GB install isn’t too brutal. Just make sure you’ve got an SSD because streaming all those terrain changes on HDD would probably suck.
Q: Do I need to play the first Death Stranding to understand this one?
A: Technically no, but practically yes. DS2 starts with a recap, but it’s a five-minute summary of a 40-hour game with incredibly dense lore—you’ll be lost on who people are and why you should care. The emotional beats hit way harder if you experienced Sam’s journey in the first game. I’d say play DS1 first, or at minimum watch a complete story recap on YouTube, otherwise you’re missing like 60% of the narrative context.
Q: Is the game actually fun or just a walking simulator meme?
A: It depends on what you find fun, honestly. The core loop is planning routes, managing cargo weight, navigating terrain, and optimizing deliveries—if that sounds boring, it probably will be for you. But there’s something genuinely satisfying about nailing a difficult S-rank delivery across hostile terrain using tools you’ve unlocked and infrastructure you’ve built. I’ve had sessions where I planned to play 30 minutes and looked up three hours later having built an entire zipline network. It’s a specific vibe that either clicks or doesn’t, no middle ground.
Q: What’s the deal with the VTuber cameo? Is it cringe?
A: Usada Pekora (famous VTuber) shows up as a prepper character you can find and deliver to. It’s actually handled pretty well—not overly meta or breaking immersion, just another eccentric character in a game full of them. Finding her unlocks some exclusive holograms and cosmetics for your private room, which is neat if you’re a fan, skippable if you’re not. Way less cringe than I expected, honestly, and the delivery missions to her shelter are optional side content so it doesn’t interrupt the main story.
Q: Should I buy this at full price or wait?
A: If you’re a Kojima fan or loved the first Death Stranding, buy it now—you know what you’re getting and you’ll get your money’s worth. If you’re curious but not sold, wait for a sale. This isn’t a live service game with FOMO mechanics, and it’ll probably hit $40-50 within six months. The experience will be the same whenever you play it, so no rush unless you want to participate in the early player-built infrastructure phase where everyone’s collectively building roads and ziplines together, which is admittedly pretty cool.
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