Death Stranding 2: On the Beach continues Hideo Kojima’s vision of connecting isolated people through daring deliveries. With expanded environments across Mexico and Australia, and more combat-focused gameplay, even returning players may need time to adjust. For newcomers, the mix of traversal, stealth, and social features can feel a bit much at first.
Here are 15 tips to help you get started with confidence and avoid common mistakes. These cover everything from movement and combat to features the game doesn’t explain well.
1. Watch the Recap Video
Before starting the game, check out the recap video in the main menu. It quickly sums up key story points from the first game without spoiling too much. Even if you skipped the original, this will help you understand the world and terms like “BBs” and “Chiral Network.”
Why it matters: Understanding the backstory helps you follow the dialogue and mechanics more easily, especially when characters refer to past events or organizations. It also introduces factions and tech like Fragile Express, which become central to your objectives.
2. Get Used to the New Controls
Crouching now uses R1 instead of Circle—a small but important change for stealth. Learn the updated inputs early so you don’t fumble during tense situations, especially near BTs or hostile camps.
Helpful tip: Spend a few minutes in safe zones practicing all the buttons. It builds muscle memory that pays off later. This also includes updated combat controls, like Strand-based parries or how to quick-throw blood bags during emergencies.
3. Scan Constantly with the Odradek
Your scanner is your best friend. It shows terrain dangers, lost cargo, chiral crystals, and BT activity. Red water? Too deep. Spiky lines? Enemies nearby. Use it often, especially when visibility is low.
Why it matters: It can warn you of threats before they appear visually. Scanning regularly can prevent you from walking into ambushes or rivers that sweep you away. In BT zones, your Odradek becomes a proximity radar—its spin and lights signal how close the BTs are.
4. Use Auto-Arrange for Cargo
Sam moves better when his cargo is balanced. Hit Triangle in the cargo menu to auto-arrange your load. This spreads the weight more evenly across your back and shoulders, improving movement and keeping you stealthier in tall grass.
Extra detail: Manually tweak it if needed. The auto-arrange feature isn’t perfect—sometimes you’ll want lighter items higher up or grenades accessible on the belt. A balanced setup also reduces stumble frequency and lets you sprint longer without burning stamina.
5. Check the Corpus for Lore Help
Not sure what “Timefall” is? Use the Corpus in the pause menu. It explains Death Stranding’s world and terms in simple language. It also shows NPC reward tracks, so you know who to help first.
Pro tip: Revisit the Corpus often. New entries appear after missions or major events, giving deeper insight into what’s happening around you. You’ll find explanations for strange events like voidouts, chiral allergies, or the origin of the tar sea that rewrites terrain.
6. Plan Routes with Filters and Waypoints
Use the map filters to clear clutter and focus on essentials like roads or enemy camps. Add waypoints to draw a route that avoids cliffs, rivers, and MULE zones. This makes travel safer and saves battery or stamina.
Beginner tip: Set multiple waypoints to form a dotted trail. Sam will follow it automatically, helping you navigate long stretches hands-free. This is especially helpful in mountain regions where losing track of direction can lead to falling or delays.
7. Use Vehicles But Watch the Battery
Vehicles are available early, but don’t rely on them too much. Boosting and driving through water drain power fast. Check your battery gauge (bottom-left), and stop at charging stations when needed.
Extra tip: Craft a generator at key stops along your route. Place them on high ground or near mission hubs so you can reuse them later. Long-distance drives through Timefall will eat battery faster, especially if rain hits harder in certain zones.
8. Customize Your APAS Build
APAS lets you tweak Sam’s skills—like improving balance or combat. You can swap builds freely. For steep areas, go with traversal perks. For enemy zones, pick combat boosts. Don’t forget to change it up based on the mission.
Why it matters: The right APAS combo can reduce fatigue, help you carry more, or make combat easier. Use it like a mini skill tree that adapts to each journey. Some APAS traits also unlock passive benefits like better shock resistance when falling.
9. Avoid Combat if You Can
It’s tempting to fight, but stealth is safer—especially early on. Sneak past camps or use non-lethal gear like the Bola Gun. Killing enemies means you’ll need to deal with their bodies, which affects your mission rating.
Tip: Use the Dollman drone to scout enemies from above and mark them before entering a camp. Avoiding combat keeps your cargo safe and reduces stress. Additionally, every alert slows delivery time and triggers NPC suspicion during orders.
10. Use Other Players’ Structures
Ladders, bridges, shelters—if someone else built it, you can use it. These tools often save time and effort. You’ll also earn likes when people use your stuff, so it pays to help others.
Why it’s important: These shared structures can turn a dangerous trip into a smooth ride. Especially useful during rainstorms or BT zones. Community-contributed roads can connect isolated outposts and reduce trekking time by half.
11. Build Before Leaving the Chiral Network
You can’t build outside the network, so add zip-lines or watchtowers at the edge before heading into new zones. That way, you’ll have some support in the next area.
Beginner bonus: Watchtowers can also help spot enemy camps and Timefall zones in the distance. Don’t skip this step—it’s your safety net. Remember: once you’re beyond the network, crafting is disabled until you activate the next terminal.
12. Try VR Missions to Learn Combat
Combat is deeper in DS2. Use VR to learn shooting, melee, and Strand moves without real risk. You can even practice throwing cargo if you’re low on weapons.
Extra benefit: Mastering the VR will unlock advanced moves like aerial takedowns or strand counters that can save you in boss fights. Some VR simulations are built around specific weapons like the Maser Rifle, so test them thoroughly.
13. Rest to Refill Ammo and Stamina
Sleeping in Sam’s room fully recharges your ammo, gear, and stamina. It’s also where you get new gear, check emails, and access music tracks.
Helpful routine: Before a big delivery, rest, eat, and review your equipment. This habit keeps you mission-ready every time. Resting also reduces BB stress and improves scanner performance, which is vital in BT-heavy zones.
14. Don’t Skip Sub Orders and Lost Cargo
Side missions give rewards like new gear, cosmetic items, and upgrades. Returning lost cargo boosts your bond with NPCs and may unlock strong weapons or perks.
Advanced tip: Focus on building strong connections with crafting NPCs first. They’ll unlock fabrication options that make the rest of the game easier. High connection levels also grant access to unique exosuits, improved ziplines, or rare blood grenades.
15. Know When to Run from BTs
If the Odradek spins wildly and black goo starts bubbling, you’re near BTs. Don’t wait—run or boost away fast. If caught, you might trigger a dangerous fight or even cause a voidout that wrecks terrain.
Pro tip: If you have to fight, toss a Blood Grenade and then shoot through the red mist. It makes regular bullets act like Hematic ammo. Save grenades for emergencies. Later in the game, you’ll unlock ranged Hematic weapons that let you fight without throwing first.
Bonus: Carry Spare Boots
Rough terrain wears your boots down fast. If they break mid-journey, Sam takes damage and gets tired faster. Always pack a backup pair to stay safe.
Extra: Monitor boot durability from the status screen and swap them out before they hit zero. Worn boots can make steep climbs impossible. There are upgraded boot variants that reduce wear speed—craft them when unlocked.
Bonus: Loot MULE Postboxes
Bandit camps often have yellow postboxes with extra items. If it’s clear, loot them for Blood Bags, tools, or extra materials that make future runs easier.
Sneaky tip: Use stealth to knock out a few MULEs and then loot the box without full combat. You might find rare schematics or mission items inside. MULE outposts also sometimes store vehicles—steal one for quick delivery.
Death Stranding 2 is all about patience, planning, and cooperation—even when you’re alone. With these beginner tips, you’ll avoid frustration and start building connections across the wasteland, one delivery at a time.
Take it slow, enjoy the scenery, and don’t forget—every ladder you leave might save another player’s life. And every delivery you make helps rebuild a world that’s still learning to reconnect.
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