Summary
- Death Stranding 2 showcases creative power when developers have freedom to define their own restrictions.
- Kojima's willingness to double down on Death Stranding with sequel highlights his intent to tell a compelling story and innovate gaming.
- Hope is that games like DS2 and developers like Kojima will set a precedent in industry for creative freedom over profit.
While the gaming industry is filled with brilliant minds, Hideo Kojima stands out as one of the greatest of his time. Once best known for creating the Metal Gear series, Kojima has more recently become known for his work on Death Stranding, after he left Konami in 2015 to form his own independent studio, Kojima Productions. Since then, Kojima has shown the world what he is capable of when he has total creative freedom, and Death Stranding is proof of that. Furthermore, as if that wasn't enough, Kojima's willingness to move forward with his new IP by developing the sequel, Death Stranding 2: On the Beach, shows even more what he can accomplish when the sky is his limit.
Death Stranding 2 isn't even out yet, but it's already proving what a developer can do when they are given full creative power over their work. Lately, the AAA gaming industry has been wearing its limitations on its sleeves, as publishers have increasingly been known to impose tight deadlines and constrained budgets on developers, in addition to employing controversial tactics like micotransaction systems and censorship in an effort to adapt to the market. However, because Hideo Kojima has now been functioning independently for the last decade, he has been able to fully realize his potential, as he can now define his own restrictions.
Death Stranding 2's Higgs and Tomorrow Are Giving Off Strong DC Power Couple Vibes
Based on Death Stranding 2's pre-order trailer, Higgs and Tomorrow's relationship dynamics look eerily similar to those of a famous DC power couple.
Death Stranding 2 Shows the Power of Creative Liberty
Kojima's Willingness to Double Down on Death Stranding Shows His Intentions
While Death Stranding has proven to be one of Kojima's greatest works on account of its unconventional gameplay and storytelling, that has simultaneously made it one of his most divisive. Death Stranding was Kojima's first independent project after leaving Konami, which means it was also the first example of what he could do with his newfound freedom. This unparalleled creativity enabled him to make decisions that he likely wouldn't have been able to make under Konami's thumb, but that also meant he was taking some big risks on his headlong solo dive into the industry.
Death Stranding 2 isn't even out yet, but it's already proving what a developer can do when they are given full creative power over their work.
Death Stranding is one of the most divisive games in recent memory, with some considering it a masterpiece and others labeling it a "walking simulator." It's true, there is a lot of walking in Death Stranding, but this approach to gameplay (and the story that accompanies it) are the very reasons that it struck a chord in the gaming industry. To this day, encountering a fan of Death Stranding generally means encountering someone who is head over heels for it, claiming it's one of the greatest games ever made. On the contrary, encountering someone who dislikes Death Stranding usually means encountering someone who loathes its very existence and wishes it was never made.
As such, the fact that Kojima was willing to double down on Death Stranding with the development of Death Stranding 2: On the Beach says a lot about his intentions. Kojima clearly has no desire to simply appease people. Otherwise, he might have opted for no sequel at all or at least changed Death Stranding entirely (although there is more of an emphasis on combat in Death Stranding 2, showing that he really isn't that hard-headed). Instead, Kojima has chosen to give the divisive Death Stranding another shot with a sequel, proving that what he wants more than anything is to tell a compelling story and to innovate gaming, even if half of the crowd fails to appreciate that approach.
The Hope Is That Games Like DS2 Will Set a Precedent for the Industry
The hope is that games like Death Stranding 2 and developers like Hideo Kojima will set a precedent for the gaming industry, during a time when AAA publishers have been known to slam the door shut on creative ideas. It would be a breath of fresh air to see more developers stick to their guns, even when they're under pressure, if not just to approach game development as an art form rather than a mere money-making vehicle. If this is the way the greatest minds in the gaming industry choose to move forward, it's likely there are more "Death Stranding's" on the horizon.
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OpenCritic Reviews
- Top Critic Avg: 90 /100 Critics Rec: 95%
- Released
- June 26, 2025
- ESRB
- Mature 17+ // Violence, Blood and Gore, Partial Nudity, Strong Language
- Developer(s)
- Kojima Productions
- Publisher(s)
- Sony Interactive Entertainment
