Maroc - 3RD-STRIKE.COM - A La Une - Hier 03:54

Death Stranding 2: On the Beach (PC) – Review

Once again, it’s time to step into the post-apocalyptic world of Death Stranding. The original game is already almost seven years old, and its sequel, Death Stranding 2: On the Beach, came out last summer as a PlayStation exclusive. As often seems the case lately, even those exclusives find themselves ported to PC eventually, and that’s what we’re looking at today. Kojima built up a lot of hype for this one, so the most important question is whether that pays off and if the PC port does anything different from its PS counterpart. Story If you haven’t played the first game, we do seriously wonder if jumping right into the sequel is the smartest idea. You get a recap of events and the general setting, but basically, returning after the harrowing adventure of Death Stranding, main character Sam Bridges is attempting to experience a more mundane life, raising his adopted child, Lou. He used to work as a porter; somebody who delivers cargo and packages across the dangerous no man’s land threatened by supernatural entities known as Beached Things and other desperate humans aiming to survive. But these days, he simply wants to take care of his child in peace. Sadly, Sam finds himself called to action again by his allies, who are trying to establish a chiral network that links different settlements across continents, which will allow humanity to communicate better and perhaps even restore society to the way it was. But this also puts Sam back on the radar of dangerous organizations who are making their own bids for power and won’t hesitate to harm those he loves. While the recap establishes the basics, a lot of plot elements and characters from the first game return, and thus, we have to say that not playing the original Death Stranding will probably leave you confused. Not just that, the game also relies on you having an emotional connection to those characters to get you hooked on the plot at the start. Having said that, Death Stranding 2 is a masterpiece in storytelling and effortlessly picks back up with a haunting narrative about loss, hope, and perseverance. Graphics One of the only differences between the PC and PlayStation versions of this game is the graphics. Death Stranding 2 aims to blow players away with massive landscapes, gorgeous scenery, and emotive character models based on the voice actors who play them. While we won’t complain about PlayStation’s visual prowess, it doesn’t hold up against a decent PC. With the right hardware, Death Stranding 2 will run smoother and look better than ever before, something which we admit could sway some gamers even if they’re already familiar with the game, considering the visuals are such a selling point for this one. Sound Like the original game, Death Stranding 2 manages to set itself apart with both its voice acting and the soundtrack. Voice work is delivered excellently by famous actors, including the return of Norman Reedus playing the protagonist, Sam. Other standout performances are Elle Fanning, Léa Seydoux, and the experienced Troy Baker, who also plays Joel in The Last of Us. The soundtrack, partly composed by Metal Gear Solid‘s Ludvig Forssell, doesn’t shy away from using licensed music, with the bands Woodkid and Low Roar featured most prominently. But also the calmer, ambient music and sound effects for the exploration segments were excellent. Gameplay Death Stranding 2 is close to identical in gameplay to the original Death Stranding, offering a nice blend between stealth and combat, as we like for our action-adventure games. You can travel across the open world at your leisure, picking up missions while still being guided into specific areas by the story. Early on, various forms of transportation will become available to you, allowing you to brave the treacherous terrain better. Weapons also start to factor into the game much quicker than they did in the original, offering you plenty of choices to fight back against threats, though avoiding danger by playing it smart is always an option. The pacing is overall slow, with gameplay segments often getting broken up by long cinematics. It’s clear that Death Stranding 2 wants to tell a story first, and is only a game second, though if you do enjoy the slow burn approach, we find there’s enough interactivity to keep things interesting. The game gradually allows you to unlock abilities and tools, such as building structures that make your travel easier. This, combined with the cargo management system returning from the first game, was a good mix. The game offers some online functionality, not in the form of proper multiplayer, but in that if you’re playing with an internet connection, you will find messages and structures left by other travelers before you, making the world feel more alive and immersive, plus offering some uniqueness for every player. Conclusion Death Stranding 2: On the Beach feels as much of a masterpiece as the original game, perfectly building on the interesting plot and worldbuilding, optimizing the gameplay so it’s a bit more fluid, and the PC version looks amazing to boot. If you haven’t picked this one up yet since you don’t have a PlayStation, we’d recommend not letting this chance pass you by.