Summary
Death Stranding 2: On the Beachhands-on previews have officially gone live, which means fans have been treated to even more info about its story, world, and gameplay. Until now, even with a couple of lengthy trailers,Death Stranding 2has been something of an enigma, inspiring countless theories about what it might bring to the table and never outright giving any clarity on various elements. While that’s to be expected ofDeath Stranding 2’s story— especially when it comes to Hideo Kojima — its gameplay is something else entirely.
Fortunately, the recent previews ofDeath Stranding 2divulged more about the sequel’s gameplay than has been revealed since its announcement. From the way the world is set up to how combat plays out, there is now a much better idea about whatDeath Stranding 2looks like from a gameplay standpoint. It has been expected for some time now thatDeath Stranding 2would be placing a greater emphasis on combat than its predecessor did, with guns, in particular, being a core focus. However,Death Stranding 2previews have shone a bright light on one aspect of the game that is even more of an intentional playstyle in the sequel than it was in the first game — stealth.
Death Stranding 2 Is Turning Stealth Into a Thinking Player’s Playground
Death Stranding 2’s Stealth Now Demands Tactical Awareness
What makesDeath Stranding 2’sstealth mechanicssuch a big deal is that they were largely nothing more than a passive way to survive in the first game. Players would slow down or hold their breath, for instance, to avoid being detected by BTs. InDeath Stranding 2, however, stealth has been overhauled to be more of a strategic way to play the game than merely a way to survive. More than ever,Death Stranding 2’s stealth demands tactical awareness if players want to get the upper hand.
Death Stranding 2previews have shone a bright light on one aspect of the game that is even more of an intentional playstyle in the sequel than it was in the first game — stealth.
Firstly, there’sDeath Stranding 2’s day/night cycle, which takes a cue fromAssassin’s Creed Shadows' stealth systemby using dynamic lighting to establish Sam’s effectiveness in stealth scenarios. During the day, visibility is increased, allowing players to see better. However, enemies can also see players more clearly, resulting in a bit of a trade-off. At night, there are more opportunities for players to hide in the darkness, but visibility is decreased. With this system in place, players can plan their approaches more strategically than they could in the firstDeath Stranding.
New Tools and a Progression System Reward Players Who Treat Stealth as a Skill
Of course, even the day/night cycle inDeath Stranding 2wouldn’t be as effective without some tools to accompany the game’s improved stealth mechanics. Stealth-based tools like Smoke Grenades, BT Hologram Grenades, and the Blood Boomerang can be used to give players cover, let them attack from stealth, or scare enemies away and avoid combat altogether.Death Stranding 2’s new progression system also plays into its updated stealth mechanics, which, likeThe Elder Scrolls 4: Oblivionand other classic RPGs, apply a “learning by doing” approach.
Whereas the first game’s progression relied on its Porter Grade System to determine Sam’s effectiveness,Death Stranding 2has a new Proficiency system that is entirely dependent upon how often players perform certain actions. In the case ofDeath Stranding 2’s stealth, the more players usestealth-based gameplayand tools, the more effective they will become with that playstyle. This encourages players all the more to apply a stealthy approach to gameplay.
Stealth may have existed in the originalDeath Stranding, but it rarely felt like a path players were meant to intentionally take. InDeath Stranding 2: On the Beach, that’s no longer the case. With itsday/night cycleand use of dynamic lighting, stealth-based tools and weaponry, and a rewarding Proficiency system makes stealth less of a survival tactic and more of a viable strategic playstyle. Whether players want to avoid confrontation entirely or set up the perfect ambush,Death Stranding 2gives them the systems to make that approach feel deliberate, scalable, and satisfying.
