If there is one thing that has been abundantly clear about Death Stranding 2: On the Beach ahead of its release and even after, it’s that the highly anticipated Hideo Kojima title has some incredibly rich and detailed visuals. The same was certainly true of the first game, but that was nearly six years ago and the sequel now raises the bar by becoming one of (if not the) best-looking games on the PS5. Add almost instantaneous load times to that, and Death Stranding 2‘s visuals look even better to the mind’s eye.
Kojima Productions’ attention to detail is evident in every aspect of Death Stranding 2, from the texture of each character’s complexion to the scree of the Mexican mountain ranges. Ultimately, this brings the game’s world to life in a way few titles before it have been able to achieve, allowing players to fully immerse themselves in what could almost be described as a legitimate alternate reality. However, while there’s nothing wrong with having such detailed visuals, Death Stranding 2‘s graphics are so realistic at times that they almost trivialize one of Sam’s most important tools: the Odradek scanner. The key word here is “almost,” though, as the scanner offers a variety of uses that still qualify it as the best thing in Sam’s toolset.
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Death Stranding 2’s Visuals Make the Odradek Scanner Less Important
Death Stranding 2’s Attention to Detail Makes Treacherous Terrain Easier to Discern
The core gameplay loop that defines Death Stranding is still very much present in the sequel, seeing players doing a lot of traveling as they move from one location to another, delivering cargo and completing orders for preppers. On the surface, it sounds a bit simplistic, even to the point that the first game was labeled a “walking simulator” and was arguably misunderstood because of that. However, a lot goes into making these deliveries, as the laws of physics constantly work against players while they’re on the road. What initially sounds like a simple task becomes much more difficult when players are required to carry heavy cargo across treacherous terrain.
This is actually where the handy Odradek scanner comes in. When using the scanner, players can get an idea of what terrain is more likely to make Sam trip and fall in Death Stranding 2 and its predecessor, potentially spilling and damaging any cargo he’s carrying in the process. This terrain, marked by yellow and red “X’s,” would then either be avoided by players or it would prepare them to hold onto their cargo before traveling over it. However, with Death Stranding 2‘s visuals being so good, the scanner is almost not even necessary for that reason.
Kojima Productions’ attention to detail is evident in every aspect of Death Stranding 2, from the texture of each character’s complexion to the scree of the Mexican mountain ranges.
Rather than relying on the Odradek scanner to tell them which terrain might give them trouble, players can instead generally see that with the naked eye, thanks to the amount of detail poured into Death Stranding 2‘s world. It’s quite easy to tell when a path might be a bit of a headache for Sam to traverse without ever using the scanner. That doesn’t mean the tool is no longer useful in any way, though, and this is all only indicative of how the enhanced visuals directly impact it. It’s less of a statement that the scanner can’t be used to highlight terrain and more of one that says it’s not absolutely necessary.
Death Stranding 2 Raises the Graphical Bar
In every way, Death Stranding 2 raises the bar for graphics in modern gaming. Even on base PS5, it still manages to show off to the point that terrain throughout the world is detailed enough for players to determine where their next step should land without using the Odradek scanner. It’s a shame there probably won’t be a third Death Stranding game, as it would likely mean seeing the franchise in the best state it has ever been in visually. Nevertheless, it’s difficult to deny the standard set by Death Stranding 2 as one of the most impressive-looking games ever made.
Death Stranding 2: On the Beach
- Released
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June 26, 2025
- ESRB
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Mature 17+ // Violence, Blood and Gore, Partial Nudity, Strong Language
- Publisher(s)
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Sony Interactive Entertainment
- Engine
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Decima
- Franchise
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Death Stranding
- Number of Players
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Single-player
