There is a lot to wrap your head around inDeath Stranding 2: On The Beach. Anyone who dabbled withKojima Productions’ previous game will slide right back into the delivery of stuff ranging from giant parcels to dead bodies, but that doesn’t mean there aren’t new porters to meet, mechanics to master, and enemies to confront.

You will find so much to do across Australia and Mexico as you embark on a 40-hour epic in which you make deliveries, battle evil tar ghosts, and definitely stumble down a mountain or two. There is so much to master, so here are a few essential tips to get you started.

Sam stands before the plate gate from Mexico to Australia in Death Stranding 2.

Don’t Waste Your Time In Mexico

Death Stranding 2’s campaign begins in the smaller region of Mexico, essentially acting as an extensive tutorial area in which Sam Porter Bridges reconnects with familiar faces as he sinks back into the role of being a world-saving delivery boy.

You could feasibly spend hours here connecting up the handful of shelters to the network, or leave it behind as soon as the main orders are done and dusted.I’d recommend opening up the Plate Gate and venturing to Australia as soon as possible, because you will be given the means to return to Mexico soon after making some progress down under.

Sam poses with a wild kangaroo in Death Stranding 2.

Getting to Australia nice and early meansyou will make some narrative headway while also unlocking new mechanics and equipmentthat will come in handy when making deliveries. In Mexico, you are working with the bare essentials, and considering many of the orders you’re able to take on aren’t going anywhere, don’t worry about needing to do everything right then and there.

Remember The Essentials

Every single order in Death Stranding 2 is different, and will often require you to complete different objectives and navigate varied biomes in order to succeed. This means when you are preparing for each mission, you need to have every conceivable basis covered. Butit’s so easy to neglect the obvious stuffonce you’ve become a more experienced courier.

I’m talking aboutbasic items like blood bags for healing, grappling hooks and laddersneeded for traversal, or firearms, grenades, and other amenities required for obstacles you’re likely to be dealing with.

Sam walks along a recently paved road during a storm in Death Stranding 2.

Chances are that other players will leave behind structures like watchtowers, timefall shelters, and generators for you to make use of, but weapons and equipment seem to be a much rarer sight.

There were so many missions where I went out expecting all of my needs to be met by theother couriers who were leaving things behind in their wake, only to be met with a very rude awakening when I had no health and found myself facing off against a squad of bandits. It’s overzealous to call Death Stranding 2 a difficult game, but don’t go making it needlessly hard on yourself.

Sam Porter Bridges screams out in sadness in Death Stranding 2.

Don’t Neglect The Needs Of Other Players

Speaking of other players,Death Stranding 2 is a single-player experience defined by their ethereal presence. Once a part of the map has been connected to the chiral network, Sam will emerge outside to a landscape filled with signs, structures, vehicles, and more used by other players.

You can take them for yourself or even transport lost cargo back to owners in exchange for a few additional likes. Don’t ignore requests like these.

Sam contributes resources to another player’s structure in Death Stranding 2.

You will often findgreen circles on the ground from both NPCS and other players asking you to provide a specific kind of item or resource, and doing so will immediately reward you with100 likeswhile also deepening your Strand Connection with the other user in question. You’ll find these are everywhere and an easy way to accrue likes while deepening Sam’s bond.

Never Stop Repairing And Building

Speaking of other players,the open world is littered with structures built by them. You can also build roads, generators, and shelters of your own for them to use and contribute to. I developed a habit of always carrying a few universal resources with me —metal, ceramics, resin, and so on— which I could pop into any structure I came across that I knew would make a big difference. Once one section of road is built, others will follow very quickly.

You won’t regret it either, because Death Stranding 2recognizes exactly how much you’ve contributed to a structure and rewards you likes over time based on that. The likes don’t do much beyond upgrading your porter rank and resulting in a bigger number, but I’d be lying out of my butt if it wasn’t satisfying.

Sam engages in a firefight with enemy bandits in Death Stranding 2.

Don’t Be Afraid To Fight

Sam is more capable in combat encounters this time around, able to take a lot of hard knocks before finally dropping dead. And even if he does, you will often have an opportunity torepatriate and restart just seconds before you bite the dust. Most enemies will go down in just a few hits, too, either with a gun of your choice or a few fists to the face.

You’ll need to be more considered witharmoured foes and BTsthat risk overwhelming you with sheer numbers and force, but with enough foresight, you are a real trooper. I managed to take down entire outposts, staying crouched behind cover and delivering headshots, while even in situations that saw me caught red-handed, I had plenty of means to fight back.

Sam reaches the top of a snowy mountain and poses in triumph in Death Stranding 2.

Take Off Your Backpack

Losing cargo can be an absolute bore in Death Stranding 2. There is nothing worse than crossing a small lake and suddenly finding yourself downstream while a dude you’ve been tasked with transporting is having an unconscious fight with the nearest boulder.

So,press and hold triangle to remove your backpack in its entiretybefore conquering major parts of the world and jumping into combat encounters. Once the dust has settled, you can go back and get it. I’d be careful not to leave it in the sight of enemies, though, since they won’t care about stealing your stuff.

Sam does a seductive pose while sat on his bed in a private room in Death Stranding 2.

Private Rooms Are Your Best Friend

Sam is told constantly to go and rest after completing orders. So much so that it can get a bit irritating, but Fragile and her friends are actually coming from a good place.Private rooms are a place where you can restore health and stamina, take a quick shower, and make good use of several other resources,ranging from equipment customisation to VR missions.

Private rooms are plentiful this time around, too, withmost major settlements offering them and the DHV Magellanjust a fast travel away from being right on your doorstep. There are plenty of narrative justifications to visiting private rooms as well, since you’ll often come across hidden dialogue and interactions that can’t be found anywhere else.

Sam Porter Bridges dangles his baby off a cliff in Death Stranding 2.

Take Your Time

While rushing through Mexico to reach Australia is a piece of advice we stand by, once you are settled in the Outback,don’t blitz through the narrative because there is so much you might missas a consequence. Take your time, and try to pick up every single order that is recommended to you by NPCs because, chances are, you’ll get some great rewards.

Rank up porters, explore every corner of the map, and experiment with different items before sticking with the safe and effective options. Somany of Death Stranding 2’s systems grow organically in response to your actions, and the only way to truly unearth them is by taking your time and seeing everything it has to offer.