Video game icon, Hideo Kojima’s latest release Death Stranding 2: On the Beach review embargo has lifted. With hundreds of reviews pouring in, it’s touted as being one of the greatest games this year.

The first instalment in the series, Death Stranding (2019) was met with mixed reviews from critics. Despite relatively high scores, the game’s flow and structure was heavily critiqued. While others found 2019’s release to be innovative and a new step forward in video gaming culture.

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Luckily, Death Stranding 2: On the Beach appears to have met the expectations of players. With review embargos lifted, Kojima’s new story has been hit with a wave of positivity. According to OpenCritic, Death Stranding 2: On the Beach has received an average of 90 with 97% of critics openly recommending the game. With this in mind, it now becomes one of the highest-rated video games of 2025, trailing behind behemoth titles such as Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 and Split Fiction.

What Makes Death Stranding 2 Great?

With the sheer volume of critics that it’s predecessor received, Kojima Productions had plenty of feedback to gloss over when it came to developing the sequel. Many reviews have stated that Death Stranding 2 has vastly improved the pacing of the story along with improved quality of life to improve the experience. Additionally, new systems integrated within combat and stealth has made Death Stranding 2’s gameplay much more engaging. According to some reviews, the environment is drastically improved with changing terrain which can make traversal more interesting.

However, Death Stranding 2 is far from perfect, with many reviewers stating that the game’s conclusion is rather messy and confusing, which was present also within the first game. Despite improvements to quality of life, inventory management constantly appears to be a main critique from reviews.

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