In a launch day interview posted by PlayStation, it was revealed that Death Stranding 2 has dropped a major feature from the first game. According to Kojima Productions’ Lead Level Designer, combat will now be a lot more accessible in DS2.
‘Death Stranding 2’ Launch Interview Reveals Which Feature Was Removed to Improve Combat
While Death Stranding’s gameplay was largely praised when it launched in 2019, many critics and fans were mixed on its combat segments. A major sore spot was the game requiring players to use different bullet types depending on the enemy you were attacking. As you can imagine, this got tedious quick. However, in a Death Stranding 2 launch interview posted by PlayStation Blog, it appears the feature has been removed.
In the June 25 conversation, Kojima Productions’ Lead Level Designer, Hiroaki Yoshiike, opened up about how they improved gameplay in DS2. “We focused on making the combat more intuitive, satisfying, and grittier than the predecessor. The previous game required players to switch bullets based on enemy type, which was important to us as part of world-building. But we removed that complexity in Death Stranding 2.”
Yoshiike revealed that the team had implemented “slo-mo effects” to make gunplay feel better in the sequel as well. “We fine-tuned certain elements, like improving the gunplay to feel snappier. We also added slo-mo effects during combat so it’s easier and more satisfying to chain attacks. Sam is a porter, so rather than focusing on stylish moves, we emphasized action that felt more grounded and relied on Sam’s physical capabilities.”
How MP Bullets Fixed ‘DS2’ Gunplay
Technically, element-based bullets aren’t entirely removed from Death Stranding 2. Instead, the game introduces a new item called “MP Bullets”. The expanded weapon type combines all enemy elements into a single bullet. So essentially, you can now attack BTs and human foes with the same ammo. It’s a clever solution that makes gunplay a lot more accessible.
Other interesting tidbits from the Death Stranding 2 launch interview include the game’s new day and night cycle. DS2’s Technical Art Director, Takayuki Uchida, revealed how the environment now changes on the map. “We implemented a new day/night cycle in the open world. This achieves more realistic transitions between the time of day. It also introduces new dynamics that weren’t present in the previous title. The scenery and atmosphere now change depending on the time of day, so exploration is also more compelling and exciting.”
Basically, Death Stranding 2 sounds like a complete overhaul of the first game in all the best ways. And as someone who spent way too much time juggling ammo types, I’m incredibly happy with the new combat change. I mean, Death Stranding already has you juggling cargo configurations. While it was cool lore-wise, having to worry about carrying multiple elemental bullets as well just made combat frustrating.
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