Hideo Kojima's PlayStation 5 exclusive sequel, "Death Stranding 2: On The Beach," is set to launch on June 26, 2025. Ahead of its release, the reviews are pouring in, and the game is already making waves on Metacritic, currently boasting an impressive average score of 90.
Interestingly, Hideo Kojima himself had hoped for a "more controversial" reception for "Death Stranding 2." He even revealed that he drastically rewrote the story during development because feedback from testers was overwhelmingly positive, and he wanted to spark more debate and discussion. Despite his efforts, it seems most critics are showering the game with high praise.
Here's a look at what the critics are saying:
Dexerto (10/10): "Death Stranding 2" is an absolutely brilliant piece of work. It's not just one of Hideo Kojima's finest creations for its narrative, but for the near-infinite possibilities offered by its gameplay variations.
VGC (10/10): "Death Stranding 2: On The Beach" is one of the greatest sequels of all time and one of Hideo Kojima's best games. With a stunning world, vastly expanded gameplay and player choice, and the most compelling cast and narrative of Kojima's career, it surpasses the original in almost every way.
ComicBook (10/10): Despite Hideo Kojima's desire to create a controversial game, I think "Death Stranding 2" is one of his most mature and enjoyable works to date. I'm quite confident this will be regarded as one of the defining masterpieces of the PS5 generation.
IGN (9/10): The original "Death Stranding" showed a lot of potential: complex, sometimes confusing, but never pretentious—a creative blueprint that felt like a first draft. It was a contemplative journey across a lost America that, while I felt it stumbled at times, established its world and rules with a gorgeous flair.
In "Death Stranding 2: On The Beach," the story shifts to Australia, and the vision is more expansive, mature, and superior in almost every way. It smooths out nearly all the friction points of its predecessor, replacing them with a suspenseful, unpredictable story and dreamlike, breathtaking Australian landscapes that hide emergent stealth and action gameplay.
Sure, it can be unabashedly weird at times, but that's not the whole picture. This is an inventive journey full of shocks and surprises—the kind of brave attempt that deserves to be encouraged. It may not be perfect, but it's incredibly original, thrilling, and steadfastly walks the path less traveled—and for that, I love it even more.
TheGamer (9/10): "Death Stranding 2: On The Beach" is a game that's hard to measure by simple standards. Kojima Productions continues to challenge our expectations, throwing unexpected twists at every turn. At its core, it's still a journey about delivering packages and connecting people in a post-apocalyptic world, but just a few hours in, you'll discover it's so much more than that.
GamesRadar+ (8/10): "Death Stranding 2: On The Beach" expands on the original's foundation but builds a "new wing" with a completely fresh atmosphere. This "tar-punk" delivery epic is closer to "Metal Gear Solid" than ever before, for better or worse—but for a series fan like me, it all hits the right notes.
Its world-building and visual spectacle remain weirdly captivating, while also retaining that genuine sense of community. When you go online with other players to rebuild the world together, that connection is still incredibly moving.
GameSpot (7/10): The original "Death Stranding" was surprisingly prescient. Released in 2019, just before the global COVID-19 pandemic hit the following year, it was hard not to draw parallels between the game's world and reality. The "Preppers" hiding in their bunkers mirrored real people trying to find ways to connect, reflecting an era of isolation and uncertainty about the future.
In contrast, "Death Stranding 2" is less precise in its messaging; it's more about guiding you to ponder multiple issues at once, letting each player walk away with their own feelings and interpretations. The story touches on several contemporary topics, such as the escalating dangers of climate change, the increasing automation of daily life, the harm caused by firearms, the conflict between government and private corporations, and the importance of helping others no matter what.
If this sequel has any prophetic meaning, perhaps it's a reminder that our obsession with the past will cause us to repeat our mistakes—even if we try to pretend we can avoid it all.
via： Metacritic