The sequel to 2019's Death Stranding feels like the first truly essential PlayStation 5 game, and perhaps the most Hideo Kojima game ever made.

For Kojima, those experiences led to a different approach for the sequel. His own sense of isolation that arose from having to develop Death Stranding 2 with a remote team saw him reconsidering its tale — yet it’s also this isolation that led to Kojima realizing the perils of digital connectivity.

On the Beach” is Hideo Kojima’s most complete story in years, set across an ambitious, awe-inspiring open world.