On the Beach.

Every game has a story, but some moments deserve to be frozen in time. Alpha Gamer here, bringing you today's visual journey.

I am incredibly glad to be back in this beautifully haunting world. Seeing Lou again, now as a living, incredibly cute baby, instantly brought back all the emotional weight of the first game and made me realize just how much I missed this universe.

When I first stepped into the original Death Stranding, I was completely blown away by its unique atmosphere and cinematic storytelling. It quickly became a game I deeply loved, and ever since completing that journey, I have been eagerly waiting for this next installment.

The opening of this new installment absolutely amazed me, especially when I saw the incredibly detailed landscapes that I immediately felt eager to frame up using the in-game photo mode.

The scene transitioned to show Sam taking in the vast desert views, but the quiet moment was interrupted when a tiny hand reached out and started touching his face.

As Sam stood up, it became clear that this was no longer a Bridge Baby kept inside a pod, it was a real child named Lou, who had served as Sam's constant companion throughout the events of the first game.

Once the cinematic sequence concluded, I opened the photo mode and was thrilled to find that the system had been significantly updated compared to previous entries, even though it still retained that familiar vibe I enjoyed.

I began tweaking the settings to see exactly what was possible, discovering that I could change not only the body poses of the characters but also their specific facial expressions, including making the kid look directly into the camera lens.

After spending a good amount of time capturing various shots in the photo mode, I finally started moving ahead across the terrain as I was meant to reach home.

I paused for a moment to highlight the scanner, an object that brought back a flood of memories because it had also been such a vital companion to Sam during his earlier travels.

While I was walking and running across the difficult terrains, the game suggested an aerial view that looked remarkably cool, almost as if a drone were flying alongside me as I moved through the environment.

I noticed several real birds flying through the sky, which added a sense of life to the area, along with a prominent rainbow that left me wondering if it was a natural phenomenon or one of the haunted varieties.

As I continued my run toward home, a sudden earthquake began to shake the ground and caused the surrounding hills to start crashing down, forcing me to come to a complete stop.

The child started crying loudly because he was so frightened by the tremors, so I had to stop everything to soothe him, taking several minutes to comfort him until his tears finally turned into laughter.

Which shot was your favorite from today's set? Let me know in the comments. Until the next frame drops, keep exploring. Alpha Gamer, out.