Death Stranding 2 Debuts To Impressive Reviews Ahead Of Hopeful Xbox Release

We’ve got the first one, and the second should follow eventually

by Fraser Gilbert Yesterday, 6:30pm

If you’ve got any interest at all in Death Stranding 2, you’ve probably been looking at all the reviews that have hit the web today. And, unsurprisingly, Hideo Kojima’s sequel is faring extremely well with the critics so far.

Looking at Metacritic, Death Stranding 2 currently has an average of 90 based on almost 100 professional reviews, putting it in sixth position for the best games of 2025, and fourth if you don’t count the two Zelda upgrades on Switch 2.

Here’s just a very small sample of what some of these reviews are saying:

Push Square (10/10)

“In what will prove to be one of the defining games of the PS5 generation, Death Stranding 2: On the Beach is a profound achievement of design, gameplay, narrative, and visuals. As all four meet in the middle, Kojima Productions has crafted a cinematic spectacle that flawlessly transitions between action and traversal, all wrapped up in the most absorbing of narratives. An immense upgrade on the first game, Death Stranding 2 is an unequivocal masterpiece.”

IGN (9/10)

“It’s an inventive journey packed full of both shock and awe, the sort of bold work that deserves to be encouraged. No, it isn’t perfect, but it’s incredibly exciting and original, never once straying from the path less trodden, and I love it all the more for it.”

GamesRadar (4/5)

“Death Stranding 2: On the Beach builds on the foundations of the original, but adds whole new wings with a different vibe. This tarpunk delivery epic is more Metal Gear Solid than ever, for better and worse – but it well serves series fans like me. Charmingly bizarre with its worldbuilding and spectacle, there’s still a real sense of community as you bring the world online with other players at your side.”

The reviews are unsurprisingly excellent, then! Now, let’s get to the question Xbox fans want to know…

When Will Death Stranding 2 Release For Xbox?
Death Stranding 2 doesn’t have an official release date for Xbox, and we’re not expecting to hear about one for a while. We mentioned this in our “Is Death Stranding 2 Coming To Xbox” guide a few months ago.

Sony is publishing Death Stranding 2 on PS5, but it’s worth noting that Kojima Productions now owns the IP, which technically means they could bring the game to Xbox very soon if they wanted to. They’ve probably inked a deal with Sony to make it a timed exclusive though, so don’t be surprised if we’re waiting a while for the Xbox version.

If we were to guess, we think Death Stranding 2 might release for Xbox around June of 2026, perhaps exactly one year after the PS5 version. Yes, it took the original game four years to jump from PS5 to Xbox, but Kojima Productions having full ownership of the IP means that kind of delay shouldn’t need to happen again.

Before DS2 arrives, let us remind you that Death Stranding Director’s Cut is still available as part of the Xbox Deals Unlocked Sale 2025 for a few more hours, and it’s well worth picking up while you wait for Death Stranding 2 on Xbox – we actually gave it an “Outstanding” 10/10 review score when it launched for Xbox back in November!

With that in mind, will you be waiting for Death Stranding 2 on Xbox or picking it up on PS5? Tell us in the comments.