Death Stranding 2 Should Literally Be Full of Highs and Lows

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2025 looks rather sparse for Sony in terms of first-party game releases at the moment, but they do have some intriguing titles in the pipeline, one of which is Death Stranding 2: On the Beach. This upcoming game is being developed by Kojima Productions and published by PlayStation Studios. Death Stranding 2 serves as a sequel to the peculiar (and somewhat debated) 2019 action-adventure game Death Stranding, initially released on PS4 and later ported to various other platforms. As Kojima Productions’ second independent venture following their high-profile split with Konami, Death Stranding 2 will debut exclusively on PlayStation 5.

At The Game Awards 2022, the sequel to Death Stranding was first unveiled. A closer look at Death Stranding 2 (DS2) was provided during a PlayStation State of Play event in early 2024, revealing more about the gameplay. As is often the case with Kojima Productions, this second trailer ran for nearly 10 minutes. While much about DS2 remains secret, glimpses of in-game footage hint that it could surpass its predecessor in terms of scale, possibly offering a wider variety of environments compared to the original Death Stranding. Two potential settings, in particular, seem particularly daring.

Death Stranding 2 Should Take Players to New, Unique Environments

Underwater Exploration Would Set DS2 Apart From Its Predecessor

2019’s Death Stranding was undeniably stunning, but it’s clear that the game lacked variety in its biomes. Mostly, I found myself traversing either stark grasslands or snow-capped mountains with few other landscapes to explore in between. To take the Death Stranding gameplay experience to new heights, Kojima Productions should consider introducing diverse environments for DS2, such as oceans and lakes. The prospect of sailing a boat or diving a sub to deliver packages from one place to another sounds amazing, and it would certainly add an exciting layer to Death Stranding 2’s gameplay. Imagine the thrill of battling BTs beneath the waves – now that’s something I’d love to experience!

It’s not yet officially confirmed, but it seems quite possible that Death Stranding 2 will include underwater exploration. This assumption is based on several hints found within the game. For instance, many visual elements in Death Stranding 2 seem to reference the ocean, such as the amphibious vehicle from the trailer, which has gill- and baleen-like features that resemble marine creatures. Furthermore, if reports are true that Death Stranding 2 is internally codenamed Ocean, this could suggest a significant role for the deep sea within the game.

Being Able to Visit Alien Planets in DS2 May Sound Like a Crazy Idea, But It Could Work

An intriguing possibility for a distinctive backdrop in the sequel to Death Stranding 2 could be outer space, which seems unconventional for the world of Death Stranding, but given Kojima’s penchant for the extraordinary, it wouldn’t be shocking if this sequel incorporated such an element into its narrative and gameplay. Although Kojima Productions hasn’t confirmed that players will venture into outer space in Death Stranding 2, they have disclosed a scene from the game that bears a striking resemblance to outer space. In a clip from the second trailer for DS2, Sam Porter Bridges is shown traversing a desolate terrain with a massive moon in the distance. The environment depicted could be an alien planet, a parallel dimension, or perhaps even a beach themed around space.

In the hypothetical setting of Death Stranding 2, there’s a possibility for Ludens, Kojima Productions’ iconic character closely linked to space, to make an appearance. For those unaware, Ludens often symbolizes space-related themes. In the opening trailer for Death Stranding, Ludens is depicted planting a flag on the moon while a holographic whale materializes behind him. Although Hideo Kojima, the founder of KojiPro, has consistently stated that Ludens isn’t a character within the Death Stranding universe, an Easter egg referencing him might be included in a potential space level of Death Stranding 2.

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2025-01-09 01:06