News Death Stranding 2 Preview Reveals Tons of New Details — Gameplay, Screenshots, and 30 Hours of Hands-On Impressions

Death Stranding 2 Preview Reveals Tons of New Details — Gameplay, Screenshots, and 30 Hours of Hands-On Impressions

May 8, 2025, 11:43 AM

The preview embargo for Death Stranding 2 has lifted, and journalists are finally sharing their impressions after spending around 30 hours with the game—and the verdict is overwhelmingly positive. Here are the biggest takeaways:

Death Stranding 2 feels more like a Metal Gear game. While the first game discouraged violence, the sequel lets you ditch stealth entirely and outfit your vehicle with auto-turrets;
Players can approach objectives in three main ways: stealth, open combat, or complete avoidance;According to VGC, the game may appeal even to those who skipped the original;
Traversing the world is far less exhausting this time. Vehicles are more accessible, and dynamic natural disasters—earthquakes, floods, sandstorms, wildfires—add tension and unpredictability;
Objectives are no longer solely focused on delivering cargo. Sam might now be asked to clear out militias, track down missing allies, or escort an injured kangaroo to an animal shelter;
Construction options have expanded significantly. Players can now build larger bridges, improved ziplines, monorails, and more;
The game introduces a deep skill tree, featuring upgrades like an enhanced scanner, quieter footsteps, aiming assistance, and vehicle recharging. Some of Sam’s abilities evolve automatically depending on your playstyle;
The story takes place a year after the first game. Sam now lives in Mexico with Lou (the baby in the pod), but a surprise visit from Fragile shakes things up. She’s started a new organization called Drawbridge and asks Sam to help unite Mexico;
After spending several hours in Mexico, players will head to Australia, where the majority of the story unfolds. Eurasia and Africa won’t appear in the game due to their massive scale;
The open world feels more alive than ever. Sam frequently encounters wild animals and large bases with smoking chimneys and lights that come on at night;
On the technical side, the game runs beautifully even on a base PlayStation 5. Visual fidelity and draw distance have improved significantly.