Death Stranding 2, the sequel to Kojima Productions’ debut triple-A title, is out now—and millions of players are taking their first steps into Mexico, Australia, and beyond.
Undoubtedly, though, there will be players who don’t want to play through the 50+ hour Death Stranding before jumping into the bright and shiny new Death Stranding 2.
But should you play Death Stranding first? And what exactly are you missing out on if you don’t?
That’s what this guide aims to answer.
Be sure to also check out our guide on how long it takes to beat Death Stranding 2, so you know what you’re getting into before stepping into the wilds of Australia.
DS2: Should You Play Death Stranding Before Death Stranding 2?
Short Answer: No, But You Probably Should
You don’t necessarily need to play Death Stranding before diving into Death Stranding 2.
DS2 includes a recap feature accessible from the main menu before even starting the game.
The game also introduces the Corpus system, which allows you to read brief summaries whenever a character or keyword appears that might need more context.
What You Miss Without Playing the First Game
However, there are a few important caveats:
The recap is fairly limited.
It only covers the broadest strokes of what happened in the first game—leaving out some major story beats, character arcs, and crucial background info for Sam, baby Lou, and Fragile.You can pick up some of the lore through context, and the Corpus system helps fill in the blanks—if you’re willing to read a lot.
But it’s not a perfect substitute for firsthand experience.Certain gameplay elements are assumed knowledge.
While the tutorials in DS2 are solid, newcomers may still miss smaller features of the gameplay loop that veteran players already understand.
Why It Matters for the Story
Some major and minor story beats in Death Stranding 2 rely on knowledge of past events and relationships.
You may not understand the significance of certain characters or moments as they appear.
Knowing who these characters are—and why they matter—adds depth and emotional weight to the scenes.
While the story is not totally incomprehensible without prior knowledge…
If you want to get the most out of Death Stranding 2, you should play the first game first.
