Hideo Kojima’s Death Stranding 2 PC release gets new ‘To the Wilder’ mode as the ‘upper limit’ of difficulty
Death Stranding 2: On the Beach has finally arrived on PC, allowing PC gamers to explore the second installment of Hideo Kojima’s eccentric yet beautiful storytelling in his action-packed delivery simulator. However, many players found it quite easy upon release. Death Stranding 2’s “Brutal” setting wasn’t enough, so Kojima Productions took players to the edge with “To the Wilder” mode.
While the game has been praised for its deep characters and engaging storyline, many gamers still feel that Death Stranding 2 is quite easy, even on normal difficulty. Although there’s always the option to make deliveries on foot, the ability to use vehicles, obtain upgrades, or take player-made routes makes deliveries feel almost effortless.
That’s when Kojima Productions heard player feedback loud and clear. With Death Stranding 2’s PC launch, the studio added a new difficulty setting called “To the Wilder.” The update has also been rolled out to PS5 players, allowing gamers to replay Death Stranding 2 in what many describe as a “hardcore mode.”
Kojima Productions Didn’t Have Plans for Death Stranding 2’s “To The Wilder” Mode
For context, Kojima Productions hadn’t planned “To the Wilder” for Death Stranding 2’s launch. Instead, the studio expected “Brutal” mode would be enough to keep players on their toes. However, players still didn’t feel overwhelmed by Kojima’s delivery simulator, so the studio decided to up the ante one more time with Death Stranding 2’s PC release.
Lead level designer Hiroaki Yoshiike spoke to PC Gamer in an interview, where he discussed “To the Wilder” mode and explained:
“‘To the Wilder,’ as a design concept, was a way for us to provide more difficult ways to play missions through harsh environments. Originally, we had Brutal difficulty, which, in our opinion, was enough.
But it turned out that some users thought we could’ve done more. So ‘To the Wilder’ is basically the upper limit we, as developers, can provide: an experience that’s both challenging and enjoyable. We think that it’s a way for you to experience the world of Death Stranding 2 in a very realistic way.”
Changes in “To the Wilder” include accelerated Timefall effects, which now destroy gear faster and age you at a rapid pace. Resource management is now essential rather than an afterthought, and Death Stranding 2 now requires you to carefully plan routes and pick the right equipment for delivery missions.
Yoshiike further stated, “For players who have already beaten the game once, I’m sure there are times when they think, ‘Oh, I never use this item.’ But in ‘To the Wilder,’ those items can sometimes be key.”
When asked for specific examples, Yoshiike kept things vague and said, “Some things were items that were used for deliveries, some were weapons, and some were other items, but we don’t want to elaborate on what exactly they were. We want users to figure that one out.”
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