The following contains minor spoilers for Death Stranding 2’s introduction.
If there’s one thing that’s true aboutDeath Stranding’s gameplay, it’s that at some point, everyone falls. The core gameplay loop that all but introduced a new subgenre sees players transporting weighty cargo across long distances, withphysics that are about as close to realityas they can get. As such, it’s generally only a matter of time before Sam takes a tumble after the player controlling him misjudges their next step. Now, with the arrival ofDeath Stranding 2comes a soft survey of sorts for the player’s first fall in the game, not only revealing their experience with the franchise but also their approach to the sequel’s fresh yet familiar traversal mechanics.
The beginning ofDeath Stranding 2sees Sam and Lou at the top of a mountain in Mexico, immediately giving players the tall task of moving down the mountain and across the range toward a distant destination. Needless to say, more than likely, players are going to fall here, so the question isn’t really “if” but “when.” That being said, should they arrive at their first destination without falling, they aren’t exempt from the perils of the journey ahead of them, which will do whatever it takes to knock Sam off of his feet, his cargo scattering on the ground before him.
A Player’s First Fall in Death Stranding 2 and What It Says About Them
The Overconfident Fall
Almost everyDeath Stranding 2player, even those who have poured plenty of hours into the first game, is going to fall prey to a sense of overconfidence as they take their first steps. In fact, this is likely what will claim most players in the sequel’s first moments, as they make their way down the steep and rocky slope of its first mountain.
Perhaps they did play the firstDeath Stranding, but the time they’ve spent playing other games since with “normal"traversal mechanicshas now claimed their muscle memory. So, instead of taking their first steps a little more cautiously, the exciting, adventurous music ofDeath Stranding 2’s opening sequence has them sprinting down the mountain, hitting a rock, and falling, sending Sam’s cargo tumbling down into the canyon below. If they didn’t play the first game before playing the sequel, however, they’re likely to fall for the same reason, not considering the mechanical demands of one of the strangest franchises in the industry.
The Overachieving Fall
Another common first fall inDeath Stranding 2happens to players who load themselves up with way too much cargo to get more likes or just complete objectives a bit quicker — the “overachieving” ones, for lack of a better term. But not only does the game recommend that players not overload Sam’s poor back with too much cargo, it’s just really not necessary. Sometimes, multiple trips are warranted, and there’s nothing wrong with approaching things that way. Nevertheless, some players will still stack theircargo sky-high inDeath Stranding 2until a gate quake knocks Sam onto the ground, and they have to load it all up again.
The Overlooking Fall
A third type of first fall boils down to knowing a general rule of thumb when navigatingDeath Stranding 2’s treacherous environments: always scan the terrain for obstacles. When using the scanner inDeath Stranding 2, players can get a good idea of how difficult certain terrain might be to walk on. While it’s possible to discern this without the scanner, it’s not recommended, as it can lead to an unfortunate misstep. Players who overlook unforgiving terrain while walking will undoubtedly, then, experience their first fall.
