wmurphy-37462

I'm not entirely sure what happened with regard to the creation of this show, but this episode was undoubtedly one of the worst in the show's history. The direction it has taken is simply objectively poor. I genuinely hope it improves, or I might be forced to abandon this show. While the segments featuring Sweet Tooth are always enjoyable, the rest of this episode is severely lacking and poorly written. The entire girl power gang trope is incredibly cringeworthy and laughably bad, serving as the lowest point of the series, thus far.

Season 1 is a genuine masterpiece, but the series slowly gets worse for seasons 2 and 3, before dropping off a sheer cliff for season 4. It's shocking just how objectively bad season 4 actually was. The fact that it went from one of the greatest things HBO ever put out, with season 1, to one of the worst things they ever put out, with season 4, is seriously shocking.

Death Stranding 2: On the Beach is one of the greatest games to come out this generation (so far). Its gameplay, story, and systems being its biggest strengths. There is so much going on in this game, yet it eases you into all the different gameplay mechanics in a way that makes the learning curve accessible to all. The graphics, voice acting, motion capture, and storytelling are all next level, as well. The dynamic weather system and natural disasters make the world feel like a real, living, place where anything is possible, and you never know what to expect.

There are a variety of enemies which you can combat in several different ways. You can use weapons (including long range, close range, melee, lethal, and non-lethal weapons), hand to hand combat, stealth, or avoid enemies altogether, if you so choose. There are also some very unique, epic, and heart pounding boss fights, with some of the most imaginative bosses I've seen since Elden Ring.

The systems in this game are deep, incredibly well implemented, fun, and addictive. They include crafting, upgrading, and even building various things but I won't get into the sheer depth of it all, in order to avoid spoiling things. There are even a handful of different types of vehicles you can use to your advantage. All having their own set of strengths and weaknesses, making experimenting with them a lot of fun.

This game is very well paced and always keeps you engaged. Hideo Kojima went to great lengths to improve all aspects of this game, over the first one, and he absolutely knocked it out of the park. There are a long list of innovations in this entry, and they are all implemented in ways that feel well thought out, well executed, and well balanced. While the first game was really good, this one is downright incredible.

One of this game's best aspects is its level of immersion. It is very atmospheric and its story is deep and moving. The characters in this game being incredible to the point that you genuinely care about them and what they're going through. They feel like real people in a way that you rarely get to see in video games. Very deep, complex, well acted, and all feeling unique to each other.

Death Stranding 2: On the Beach is one of the greatest games to come out this generation (so far). Its gameplay, story, and systems being its biggest strengths. There is so much going on in this game, yet it eases you into all the different gameplay mechanics in a way that makes the learning curve accessible to all. The graphics, voice acting, motion capture, and storytelling are all next level, as well. The dynamic weather system and natural disasters make the world feel like a real, living, place where anything is possible, and you never know what to expect.

Overall, this game is an absolute masterpiece. It is, without a doubt, the best game to come out this year (so far) and a favorite for game of the year 2025.