Understanding Death Stranding and Its Sequel

It took me a long time to appreciate Death Stranding. I’m not even sure I fully understood it after my initial playthrough, which was equal parts mesmerizing and dull. The game, in which you play as a post-apocalyptic delivery man in a world ravaged by a breach with the afterlife, demands a lot from players. The gameplay can be fiddly and frustrating, and the storyline is often inscrutable, at times seeming to make no sense. While it borrows elements from walking simulators and stealth games, there is nothing quite like Death Stranding, making it difficult to calibrate your expectations accordingly.

It was not until the end of the game that I felt I finally understood what director Hideo Kojima and his team were aiming for. With that understanding, playing the sequel became a more rewarding experience.

Death Stranding 2: On the Beach

Death Stranding 2: On the Beach is a direct follow-up. Players once again control Sam (played by Norman Reedus), who is now living in hiding with his adopted child, Lou, after previously connecting all of America to an internet-like network by traversing the entire country. However, his life of domestic bliss is soon interrupted. At the request of Fragile (Léa Seydoux), Sam agrees to …

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