Death Stranding 2: On the Beach’s dev team at Kojima Productions recently shared information about the sequel’s new system, explaining how gameplay has evolved compared to the series’ first entry (as reported by GameWatch). According to lead level designer Hiroaki Yoshiike, past player feedback helped shape their approach.
The core of Death Stranding’s gameplay revolves around safely delivering cargo from point A to B in the face of tricky terrain and enemy encounters. For the sequel, director Hideo Kojima wanted to put a greater emphasis on combat, so the team incorporated this idea, as well as player feedback received from the first game, to build a game system that offers “entertaining route selection.”
“In the first game, combat was designed around the idea of ‘how best to escape,’ but this time, we’ve designed missions and enemy bases to let players enjoy three main choices: escaping using stealth, engaging enemies actively in combat, or avoiding confrontation altogether by traversing rough, inaccessible terrain.”
Yoshiike mentions that “choice” itself was an important keyword for Death Stranding 2’s game design. This pertains to various aspects of the game – for example, players can customize Sam’s appearance, gear and skills (via the new APAS Enhancement system). In addition, players will need to repeatedly make strategic choices in response to natural phenomena and other unexpected in-world events, using their own skills and tools or by seeking help from other players through the SSS (Social Strand System).
On that note, an important part of “creating entertainment value through player choice” in Death Stranding 2 was evolving its world and making it more dynamic in terms of natural disasters and terrain changes. “For example, we wanted to make rivers flood in real time in the first game, but couldn’t. This time, we’ve managed to make it happen. We also didn’t want sandstorms to just appear in static locations, so we designed them to move and dissipate like real-life weather, allowing players to experience getting caught in one. On the other hand, this also means that if you learn to recognize a sandstorm approaching, you can consciously choose to avoid it too.” Through such environmental changes, Yooshike explains, the team aimed to give each player personalized experiences.
Death Stranding 2: On the Beach is set to release on PlayStation 5 on June 26.
