I’ve been waiting almost six years now for moreDeath Stranding, with three of those years filling me with even more anticipation after the announcement of the sequel,Death Stranding 2: On the Beach, at the 2022 Game Awards. As the sequel to one of the most memorable gaming experiences I’ve ever had,Death Stranding 2moved me to prepare myself for the journey ahead by deciding what kind of porter I wanted to be long before its launch. Within the few years I had to make those preparations, I ultimately decided to take the road less traveled and play it entirely offline without using any vehicles — and I’m so glad I did.
This is an experiment that many other players tried with the originalDeath Stranding, and it turned out to be a popular way to play. I never went that route though and decided instead to use anything the game threw at me, including vehicles and structures created by other players via its asynchronous multiplayer. However, there has been something in me that has wanted to go against the grain withDeath Stranding 2, if not just to rebel against its increased accessibility. And just as I suspected, playing it offline without ever using a single vehicle left me in awe, convincing me that it truly is the best way to experience the bizarre world andunconventional gameplay ofDeath Stranding.
Playing Death Stranding 2 Offline Without Vehicles Left Me in Awe
The Solitude of Playing Death Stranding 2 Offline Made It More Immersive
One ofDeath Stranding’s most distinctive elements has always been its asynchronous multiplayer, which sees the structures built by other players — like bridges, ladders, and roads — occasionally appearing in your world and making the journey a bit easier. Regardless of how integral it may be to the franchise’s DNA, however, I found myself wanting toplayDeath Stranding 2entirely offline to ensure I never had any help from other players. It wasn’t about making the game more difficult for myself but about ensuring that I alone was in charge of my pace and responsible for the outcome.
There has long been a debate about whetherDeath Stranding’s asynchronous multiplayermakes the experience easier than it should be, and while I do agree with that, I would say the most important aspect it kills is the immersion that can only come from the solitude of offline play. Sure, playing offline made almost every journey a brutal one for me. I not only had to plan my routes more carefully, but I needed to make sure Sam was packed with any items and materials I would need to cross the terrain safely.
It wasn’t about making the game more difficult for myself but about ensuring that I alone was in charge of my pace and responsible for the outcome.
However, playingDeath Stranding 2offline made me feel alone, but in a good way. Playing offline increased the resistance of the world and the weight of my backpack, as I was solely responsible for myself and any damage I or my cargo sustained. It was that increased pressure, though, that made my journey feel more authentic and immersive. What might have once been labeled little more than a glorifiedwalking simulatorthen became an experience that felt more like I was actually stepping into another world and feeling the literal and metaphysical weight on Sam’s shoulders.
Walking Everywhere in Death Stranding 2 Made the Experience More Contemplative
The offline experience ofDeath Stranding 2was even more intense as a walk-only porter, but again, in the best way. One of the greatesttemptations inDeath Stranding 2is the amount of vehicles it throws at you, including more accessible fast travel and a monorail that allows you to mass transport cargo across long distances. I call it a “temptation” because I personally don’t believe the gameplay loop is meant to be so streamlined, but the beauty of that lies in the fact that I could still choose to walk if I wanted to — and I did.
Don’t get me wrong, I definitely built a vehicle when the game first told me to, but not once did I use it. Repeatedly, I sauntered past my Tri-Cruiser in the DHV Magellan, even when I had an unreasonable amount of cargo to transport on foot. Choosing only towalk inDeath Stranding 2allowed me to truly take in the world around me, to have a deeper appreciation of the occasional Woodkid track that would play as I neared my destination, and to have a greater sense of accomplishment as I overcame the challenges of rough terrain, BT encounters, and cargo management.
Walking quieted theworld ofDeath Stranding 2, giving me time to think, to be bored even. I believe the digital age has led us to rely on constant stimulation, a need to be entertained or to stay busy at all times, and strippingDeath Stranding 2of all its conveniences allowed me to contemplate the importance of boredom — how it essentially offers a free chance to let my mind wander rather than leaning on instant gratification to keep things interesting. It was one of the most meditative gaming experiences I’ve ever had, and I wouldn’t go back and do it any other way.
Now that I’ve completedDeath Stranding 2: On the Beachofflineand without ever using a single vehicle, I feel confident in recommending the same boundaries to other curious players. I know it’s not for everyone, but that’s part of the point.Death Strandinghas always invited players to chart their own path, and in my case, that meant resisting the game’s many shortcuts to rediscover the beauty of simply walking, unassisted by other players. The stillness, the struggle, the long stretches of silence, all of it added up to something that felt remarkably personal. I went intoDeath Stranding 2wanting to walk my own road, and I’m so grateful I did.
