Sony's 2025 is looking a bit barren right now in terms of first-party releases, but it does have a few noteworthy games up its sleeve, such as Death Stranding 2: On the Beach. Developed by Kojima Productions and published by PlayStation Studios, Death Stranding 2 is the follow-up to the bizarre (and somewhat divisive) 2019 action-adventure game Death Stranding, which originally debuted on PS4 and was ported to many other platforms later on. The game is going to be Kojima Productions' second project as an independent entity following its highly-publicized breakup with Konami, and it'll launch as a PlayStation 5 exclusive.
Death Stranding 2 was originally revealed at The Game Awards 2022, but it was shown off again during a PlayStation State of Play in early 2024. This second trailer for the game gave players a far better look at the actual gameplay in DS2 and, in typical Kojima fashion, it was nearly 10 minutes long. Kojima Productions is still keeping a lot of information about Death Stranding 2 under wraps, but the snippets of in-game footage that have been shown so far suggest that it is going to be a big step ahead of its predecessor, at least in terms of scope. This hopefully indicates that the game will have far greater environmental diversity compared to the original Death Stranding, with two particularly bold potential settings standing out.
What to Expect From Death Stranding 2: On The Beach in 2025
Death Stranding 2: On the Beach is set to launch in 2025, which means fans of the highly anticipated game have plenty to look forward to next year.
Death Stranding 2 Should Take Players to New, Unique Environments
Underwater Exploration Would Set DS2 Apart From Its Predecessor
2019's Death Stranding may have been a beautiful game to look at, but there's no denying that it had a limited selection of biomes. Most of the game took place in either barren grasslands or snowy mountains, with very little else in between. That's why, if Kojima Productions does want to flesh out the Death Stranding gameplay formula, it should add more unique environments to DS2, like oceans or lakes. Being able to ride a boat or use a submarine to deliver a package from one place to the next would really add a new layer to Death Stranding 2's gameplay. Just the thought of having to fight BTs underwater is exciting on its own.
While there is no official confirmation that Death Stranding 2 will feature underwater exploration, some details about the game indicate that this is fairly likely. As some fans have probably already noticed by now, there are a lot of aquatic visual motifs in Death Stranding 2. The amphibious vehicle from the game's first trailer, for example, bears a faint resemblance to marine creatures, due to its gill- and baleen-like features. In addition to this, rumors allege that Death Stranding 2 is internally codenamed Ocean, which, if true, may imply the deep sea will play a big part in the game.
Being Able to Visit Alien Planets in DS2 May Sound Like a Crazy Idea, But It Could Work
One other potential environment that would really stand out in Death Stranding 2 is outer space. Now, it's hard to imagine how space travel could possibly fit into the world of Death Stranding, both narratively and gameplay-wise, but considering how bizarre Kojima games tend to be, it wouldn't be that surprising if DS2 included such a story beat. Kojima Productions has, of course, not announced that players will be able to visit outer space in Death Stranding 2, but it has revealed one scene from the game that looks a lot like outer space. In a gameplay snippet from DS2's second trailer, Sam Porter Bridges is seen walking across a barren landscape with a giant moon in front of him. The setting depicted here may be an alien planet or an alternate dimension of some kind, or a space-themed beach.
A hypothetical space environment in Death Stranding 2 can also tie in with Ludens, Kojima Productions' famous mascot character. For those who don't know, Ludens is heavily associated with space. In the Kojima Productions intro trailer (which is seen when starting a new playthrough of Death Stranding), the mascot is seen planting a flag on the moon as a holographic whale appears behind him. Although KojiPro founder Hideo Kojima has gone on record multiple times insisting that Ludens does not exist as a character in the DS universe, perhaps they could add an easter egg referencing him in a potential Death Stranding 2 outer space level.
-
OpenCritic Reviews
- Top Critic Avg: 90 /100 Critics Rec: 95%
- Released
- June 26, 2025
- ESRB
- Mature 17+ / Blood and Gore, Partial Nudity, Strong Language, Violence
- Developer(s)
- Kojima Productions
- Publisher(s)
- Sony Interactive Entertainment
WHERE TO PLAY
From legendary game creator Hideo Kojima comes an emotionally charged evolution of this genre-defying experience.
In the expansive open world of DEATH STRANDING 2: ON THE BEACH, countless areas with vastly different terrains and environments are seamlessly connected, and the changing time, weather and nature itself provide a variety of landscapes and challenges.
There are various obstacles that will prevent Sam from completing his mission. Face them head-on, sneak around, or completely avoid dangerous areas. Choose your approach to any situation.
Eleven months after the events of the original DEATH STRANDING, rejoin Sam and his companions on a new journey to save humanity from extinction and discover the answer to this haunting question: Should we have connected?
Join Sam for the next chapter of his journey as he attempts to connect Australia to the Chiral Network. Navigate a living environment through day and night cycles, natural disasters – including earthquakes, sandstorms and forest fires – and Timefall, a rain that instantly ages everything it touches.
To traverse this dangerous landscape, you’ll need to build new types of infrastructure, master specialized equipment and confront (or evade) the otherworldly creatures that roam the fractured world.
Face enigmatic Mech soldiers, as-yet unseen BTs and new boss types that will push Sam to his limits. As you prepare for each journey, you’ll be able to fabricate weapons like machine guns, shotguns and grenade launchers to deal with threats. Or, choose to avoid confrontation altogether with stealth – using decoy holograms, silent takedowns and long-ranged gear.
Through APAS enhancements, Sam can learn new skills that will improve his odds of survival, like enhanced weapon fire-rates or reduced movement noise to help him stay hidden.
The iconic Social Strand System of DEATH STRANDING returns to encourage asynchronous connection across the globe. Your in-game actions affect how other players interact with the world and vice-versa – so connect, collaborate and help your fellow Porters on their journeys.
Leave a “Like” on a useful bridge, donate resources to community projects, store field ware in shared lockers and finish incomplete deliveries as you stumble upon dropped cargo from other Porters. As you support other players on their journeys, your own reputation will grow, giving you access to valuable resources and new gear.
- Engine
- Decima
- Franchise
- Death Stranding
- Platform(s)
- PlayStation 5, PC
- Genre(s)
- Action, Adventure, Science Fiction, Horror, Open-World
