Death Stranding 2: Difficulty levels

Death Stranding 2 offers a few difficulty levels, and this page will explain their characteristics and impact on gameplay. You'll learn about the available pre-defined difficulty levels, from Story to Brutal. We will also show you when and how to change the difficulty level during the game.

• What are the difficulty levels?
• How to change the difficulty level?

What are the difficulty levels?

When starting a new game in Death Stranding 2 you can choose from 4 difficulty levels:

1. Story - a mode aimed at players not accustomed to action games. It allows you to experience the story without any significant gameplay challenge.
2. Casual - a slightly more difficult mode offering some moderate challenges. Recommended for less experienced players.
3. Normal - the default mode offering a moderate challenge.
4. Brutal - offers a challenge for the most experienced players. Intended for players looking for a challenge.

Difficulty levels affect elements such as enemy health and the amount of damage they deal, enemy alertness and aggression, and the effectiveness of Sam's weapons. At higher difficulty levels you also have to deal with the fact that your equipment and shipments will deteriorate much faster.

How to change the difficulty level?

If at any point in the game you decide that the selected difficulty level does not suit you, you can easily change it. Go to the Settings by opening the radial menu. The first option in the Game Settings tab will allow you to quickly select a different difficulty level.

Death Stranding 2: On The Beach

June 26, 2025

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