Death Stranding 2: On the Beach

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This trophy unlocks at the end of Episode 16 after the credits roll, marking the true completion of the main story, so all you need to do is finish the final sequence and let everything play out. There is a short playable section and a few final choices along the way, but nothing here will prevent the trophy, so feel free to sit back and take it in or skip through if you prefer. You will be given the option to turn the Drawbridge Q-pid on or off, which affects how dangerous the world feels in the post game, with one option making cleanup easier and the other keeping things more challenging. Do keep in mind that turning it on can temporarily block access to one specific side character, but this can be reversed later in the settings, so do not stress too much about the choice. Once the credits finish, the trophy will pop, and you are officially done with the story and ready to clean up everything else.

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Episode 5 is a full combat-focused sequence where you are thrown into a strange realm and told to fight your way out, so this is less about deliveries and more about surviving the chaos. The first section is straightforward, just clear out enemies as you move forward, and do not worry too much about conserving ammo since the game gives you plenty of weapons to work with. The second area is more open, but honestly, going in aggressive is faster and more reliable than trying to play stealth, especially on lower difficulties where enemies are easier to handle. Your main target is the Mysterious Man, who will teleport around the area, so keep scanning or watch your Odradek to track his position and focus your fire on him whenever he appears. Once you deal enough damage and bring him down, the episode wraps up and the trophy unlocks, marking one of the more action-heavy moments in the game.

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Episode 3 is where the game really starts opening up, introducing more systems, tougher encounters, and longer deliveries, so this is your first real test as a porter. You will be completing orders up through Main Order 14, dealing with heavier cargo, BT zones, and your first proper combat-heavy missions against brigands and bosses. Vehicles become extremely important here, especially for hauling large deliveries, so do not hesitate to rely on the Tri-Cruiser or switch to the Off-Roader once unlocked for tougher terrain. When dealing with BT bosses or larger enemies, focus on hitting weak points and playing defensively rather than rushing in, since getting knocked down can spiral quickly. Restoring roads and the monorail during this episode is also a huge quality of life boost, making future deliveries much easier and saving you a lot of time later. Once you complete the final delivery to Rainbow Valley and meet up with your contact nearby, the trophy will pop, and by this point you should feel way more comfortable with the game’s core systems.

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Episode 8 is a long and varied stretch that mixes combat encounters, fragile deliveries, and some of the first real challenges with harsh environments, so pacing yourself is key here. The opening sequence throws you back into combat against the Mysterious Man, where staying aggressive and using grenade-based weapons makes the fight much quicker, especially when dealing with the stamina-draining ice crystals. From there, you will juggle multiple delivery types, including cargo that cannot be submerged and heavier transport jobs that strongly favor using the Off-Roader and planning safer routes around hazards. The mountain section stands out as the toughest part, where snowstorms and steep terrain can slow you down significantly, so take safer angled routes instead of trying to brute force straight climbs. The final rescue mission is fairly straightforward if you travel light and focus on getting in and out cleanly. Once you return and enter the private room on the DHV Magellan, the trophy unlocks, marking one of the more demanding episodes so far.

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Episode 9 leans heavily into mountain traversal and large-scale combat, so this is where preparation and smart routing really start to matter. The early deliveries across the mountain can be rough due to steep terrain, avalanches, and oxygen drain, so use the route planner carefully, avoid red zones, and equip the Oxygen Mask as soon as you get it to make life much easier. The giant mech fight is one of the bigger highlights here, and the safest approach is to keep your distance, aim for weak points, and let the DHV Magellan support you while you focus on dodging its heavier attacks. Later missions mix BT-heavy recovery zones and massive cargo deliveries, so knowing when to fight and when to just grab what you need and leave will save you a lot of frustration. The final order throws a large combat encounter at you, so bring plenty of weapons and Blood Bags, use cover effectively, and clear smaller enemies before dealing with the tougher threats. Finish the sequence and follow the prompts in the final scene, and the trophy will unlock after one of the more intense story segments in the game.

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Episode 15 is the final major gameplay stretch and it leans fully into combat, so this is where everything you have learned comes together in a series of boss phases. The guitar becomes your main weapon here, and you can use it freely, so focus on quick shots to deal with incoming enemies efficiently rather than charging every attack. The first boss phase is all about reading attacks and reacting, so watch for swings and jumps, block when needed, and punish openings with a mix of charged and quick hits. The second phase gives you more space and cover, making it easier as long as you track the boss using sound and your scanner instead of chasing blindly. The final phase shifts into a more controlled melee fight, where patience matters more than aggression, so get a few hits in, block, then repeat instead of trying to rush it. There is even a moment where you can recover your health during a guitar sequence, which can save a run if things get messy. Finish the fight and follow the final prompt, and the trophy will unlock as you close out the last major challenge of the story.

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Episode 11 throws you straight into a long combat sequence, so this is all about preparation and staying alive under pressure. Before heading out, load up on weapons and Blood Bags and leave anything unnecessary behind, since you will not need delivery gear here. The fight against Neil Vana happens across multiple phases, starting with a more open battlefield where taking out his soldiers first can make things much easier before focusing on him. Pay attention to his voice lines, since they warn you when he is about to use explosive attacks, and use cover often to avoid getting overwhelmed. The train section is more about movement than combat, so take your time with jumps and avoid rushing, since falling means restarting. The final one-on-one fight is similar to earlier, just stay patient, keep your distance when needed, and chip away at his health until the cutscene triggers. Once he goes down for good, the trophy unlocks after one of the more intense combat-focused episodes in the game.

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This unlocks after completing Episode 1, which walks you through the first seven main orders and basically teaches you how to survive the world without falling on your face every five seconds. Focus on taking safe routes downhill, using ladders when crossing rivers, and managing your balance during gate quakes by holding both triggers. The early bandit camps can be avoided if you stay to the sides, which is usually faster and way less stressful than fighting with starter gear. When dealing with BTs, stock up on Blood Grenades and follow your Odradek closely, waiting for targets to turn red before throwing. The giant BT boss might look intimidating, but just keep moving, aim for the mouth, and dodge sideways when it lunges. Once you finish the final delivery back to Sam’s shelter and follow the footprints outside, the trophy will pop and you’re officially past the tutorial, even if the game still has a lot more to throw at you.

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Episode 7 mixes in a bit of everything, from fragile deliveries to stealth infiltrations and long-distance hauling, so this is where efficiency and preparation really start to matter. The early pizza deliveries are easier than they sound as long as you use a vehicle and plan your route to avoid enemies, since trying to fight while carrying fragile or timed cargo usually ends badly. The weapons factory mission is the most notable part here, where a stealth approach is much safer due to the number of mechs, so take your time, stay out of their line of sight, and move carefully through the building rather than forcing a fight. You will also deal with heavier recovery missions that strongly favor using the Off-Roader, especially when transporting large cargo like the coffin. By the end of the episode, you will have unlocked several powerful traversal tools and upgrades, so take advantage of them to make future deliveries smoother. Finish the final delivery to East Fort Knot, and the trophy will pop as the game continues to scale up both in size and complexity.

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This unlocks the first time you connect a facility to the Chiral Network using your Q-pid, which happens early in the story and is completely unmissable. All you need to do is complete the objective tied to linking your first location, and the trophy will pop automatically. This is essentially the game introducing its core progression system, so just focus on the story and you will get this without thinking about it.

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This unlocks the first time you reach the BT nexus in the F3 crater, which can be done in a few different ways depending on how far you are in the game. The easiest method is to use the giant jellyfish BT near the Adventurer’s area, which will teleport you directly to the crater when it grabs you, saving a lot of effort. You can also reach it manually using bridges or the Coffin Board, but those options take more setup and time. If you are not in a rush, you will naturally be sent here later while progressing the Adventurer’s questline, making this essentially a free trophy.

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Episode 2 is short and mostly serves as a transition, so you will not be doing any major deliveries here. Just follow the objective marker downhill through a BT-heavy area and stay alert, since this is more about movement and awareness than combat. Take your time, watch your footing, and rely on your Odradek to safely navigate through the BTs instead of rushing through and risking a messy encounter. The trophy unlocks once you reach and are introduced to the DHV Magellan, which becomes your mobile base going forward and a huge quality of life upgrade for fast travel, even if it comes with a tradeoff for delivery rankings. Think of this as the game opening up a bit more, so enjoy the breather before things ramp up again.

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Episode 13 is very linear and mostly focused on story, so there is not much in terms of gameplay challenges here. You will move through a short sequence where you are given a choice that affects how much of the story you experience, but it does not impact the trophy at all. If you are even slightly curious, it is worth choosing the option that gives more context, since it adds to the overall understanding of the world. Once the sequence finishes and the episode concludes, the trophy will unlock automatically, making this one more about experiencing the moment than overcoming any difficulty.

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Episode 12 is a long combat-heavy mission that feels like a full-on warzone, so preparation makes a huge difference before you even start. Bring strong weapons like Machine Guns and rocket launchers along with plenty of Blood Bags, since you will be dealing with waves of ghost mechs across multiple areas. The first sections are fairly manageable if you take your time and use cover or Electric Traps to control enemy movement, and calling in support from the DHV Magellan helps take pressure off you. The timed section is generous, so focus on safe driving rather than rushing and crashing into enemies. The bridge sequence is where things get intense, with multiple forced fights that can easily overwhelm you if you ignore the smaller enemies, so clear them out first before focusing on the bigger threats. The final encounter against the massive mech is straightforward if you keep your distance, aim for the glowing weak point, and stay mobile to avoid heavy attacks. Complete the delivery at Terminal Fort Knot and the trophy will unlock after one of the most action-packed episodes in the game.

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Episode 6 is where the game starts stacking multiple mechanics together, mixing stealth, heavy deliveries, rescue missions, and some light combat variety, so adaptability is key here. The early brigand camp can be handled stealthily from the cliff side, which is much safer, especially since the items you are recovering are hazardous and not something you want to grab mid-fight. The necrobiote delivery adds a twist by forcing you to avoid water completely, making vehicles and road building extremely useful, and honestly worth the effort if you want a smoother route. The rescue mission can get messy if you rush in, so take a second to scout with a Watchtower or Dollman and grab the target cleanly before things escalate. By this point you should also start taking advantage of tools like ziplines and upgraded PCC structures, since they make a huge difference for traversal going forward. Once you complete the final delivery to Heartman’s Lab, the trophy unlocks, and you will likely feel the game pushing you toward mastering efficiency rather than just surviving.

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Episode 14 sends you all the way back to Mexico without access to fast travel, so this is more about smart routing than difficulty. The fastest way is to follow the beach along the left side of the map straight to the Plate Gate, which saves you from dealing with rough terrain and unnecessary detours. Once in Mexico, avoid spending time on deliveries since most facilities are inactive, and instead focus on preparing for the upcoming boss. The BT fight near Ciudad Nudo del Norte is the main challenge here, and the safest approach is to keep your distance, aim for the mouth, and stay mobile to avoid grabs and incoming projectiles. If you are feeling confident, you can capture it using an EX Capture Grenade near the end, but defeating it normally is perfectly fine. After that, head back to Sam’s Shelter, complete the short sequence there, and return to the DHV Magellan to trigger the trophy, closing out a long journey back across the map.

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Episode 4 introduces your first timed delivery and starts pushing you to think more efficiently about routes and cargo management. The kangaroo rescue might sound stressful, but the 30 minute timer is very forgiving if you use a vehicle like the Off-Roader, which also helps you avoid accidentally submerging the animal in water. The real threat here is the spreading brushfire, so keep moving and scan often to stay on track. The second order is all about heavy hauling, with a massive delivery that practically begs you to use a vehicle, and this is where planning ahead really pays off if you bring extra materials for roads or monorail work. You will also start unlocking more useful tools and structures, making future runs smoother if you take advantage of them now. Finish the final objective and investigation sequence, and the trophy will pop as the game continues to ramp up both in scale and expectations.

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Episode 10 is short but slightly annoying in how it sends you back and forth across the map, so planning your route properly will save you a lot of time. You will need to travel to Heartman’s Lab to pick up the Network Stabilizer, then deliver it all the way back toward F7 North Distribution Center, and while going straight over the mountains is the fastest option, it is also the riskiest due to rough terrain and weather. If you have roads or ziplines set up, this is where they really pay off, otherwise take your time and avoid unnecessary detours. Before finishing the delivery, make sure you are not carrying anything that replaces your backpack, since the game will immediately throw you into a combat scenario after leaving the facility, and you will want your weapons and healing items ready. Complete the delivery and prepare for the sudden shift into combat, and the trophy will unlock as the story pushes forward again.