Death Stranding 2: On the Beach Guide | Early Game Tips & Rewards

Here are some of the must-know tips & rewards you will need before you dive into Death Stranding 2: On The Beach.

Game Guide by Faviyan Mustafiz on Jun 26, 2025

Navigating the world of Death Stranding 2 can be daunting, especially during the early moments on the Beach. This guide lists the most important things you should do first to make your trip easier and more enjoyable.

Each part gives clear, doable advice to help porters get the most out of their gear, get access to essential tools, and make crucial connections in this strange new world. Follow these steps to gain an early advantage and better understand the intricate systems of the game.

Get to Australia and Unlock Fast Travel

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Mexico acts as an extended tutorial, similar to White Orchard in The Witcher 3 or the Hunter Lands in Dragon Age Inquisition. While it offers plenty to explore, the game truly opens up upon reaching Australia.

Before departing Mexico, prepare for a key encounter with a boss at West Fort Knot. Defeating this foe grants access to DHV Magellan, which unlocks fast travel back to Mexico at any time.

Grab Better Shoes First

Early in Mexico, be sure to acquire Trekking Boots before passing through the Plate Gate. Once fast travel is available, unlock the blueprint by connecting the prepper Baka to the Chiral Network.

If no orders lead directly to him, search his map location for lost cargo. Delivering even a single item raises his connection level by one star, rewarding the superior Trekking Boots.

Keep Checking Facility Rewards

Unlike the original game, facility connection rewards are now previewed in the database. When viewing a contact's profile, scroll to the end of their text to see upcoming unlocks—ranging from new weapons to vehicle and traversal upgrades.

Increase stars by completing orders, fulfilling aid requests, and returning loose cargo to these facilities. Watchtowers near facilities can help locate requests and cargo from a distance.

Unlock a Sniper Rifle and Silenced Gun

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Upon arrival in Australia, the government facility issues a suborder for the prepper Lone Commander. Completing this order quickly grants the Tranq Sniper Rifle.

Further increases yield the Silenced Tranq Handgun, a lightweight Tranq Sniper Rifle, and eventually a silenced version of the original rifle, all at five stars. Progress may slow at higher levels, so revisit his orders regularly.

Use Stealth and Strands

Mastering the Strand is essential for stealth takedowns and parries. Approach an enemy from behind and press the prompted button to perform a stealth elimination without equipping anything.

To parry, hold the aim button and press fire just before an attack lands, then bind the enemy with the Strand.

The Maser Handgun also serves as an effective early weapon, capable of one-shotting many foes once charged. Finally, hold a triangle to remove an oversized backpack in tall grass to avoid detection.

Build Structures on Chiral Network Edges

Structures such as watchtowers and timefall shelters can only be erected within Chiral Network territory. Before entering red-outlined zones on the map, set a waypoint to mark network boundaries.

Place structures along these borders to benefit future porters and earn additional likes for contributions.

Build Roads as Soon as Possible

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Although roads demand significant resources, constructing them early within network coverage pays dividends.

Check the map for Auto Pavers—marked by specific icons—and gather Chiral Crystals, metals, and ceramics to meet the build requirements.

Contribute carried materials or nearby vehicle supplies to activate the paver instantly. Other players can also help fund roads so that you may find resources already deposited.

Always Fabricate Blood Grenades Before Setting Out

Early-game encounters with BTS require preparedness. Fabricate Blood Grenades to dispatch gazers and smaller blind-light watchers with a single shot; larger watchers take three grenades.

Carry at least two full packs at all times to handle unexpected BT areas. Aim carefully using the red area-of-effect indicator and hold fire for a far throw when necessary.

Claim All the Materials You Can—and Store Them on the Magellan

Completing prepper orders not only unlocks gear but also provides vital materials for construction, including metals, ceramics, and precious Chiral Crystals. Claim these in the fabrication menu and transport them to the Magellan.

Store unlimited crystals there and house physical materials in the private locker once ship storage is whole, streamlining future road and structure projects.

Only Non-Quest Cargo Should Go on the Magellan

Storing quest cargo on the Magellan triggers an evaluation penalty after moving the ship, lowering delivery ratings.

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To avoid this, offload quest items into a facility's private locker until ready for a dedicated delivery run. Reserve the Magellan solely for non-quest materials.

Take Time to Set Up Map Filters

The map offers multiple viewing modes—weather forecasts, Chiral regions—and icon filters for orders, structures, vehicles, and custom configurations.

Given the potential clutter, create a personalized filter displaying only essential icons. If icons disappear unexpectedly, cycle through the auto-filters until the desired view returns.

Level Up Sam's Stats to See Sam's Strand

Sam's skills get better as he uses them. Want your assault gun to be more accurate? A lot of assault weapon fire. Need more strength? Run fast and hold your breath a lot.

Check your numbers in the pause menu to identify areas for improvement, and then adjust your play style accordingly.

Also, check our Death Stranding 2: On the Beach Review and other guides below: