For Kojima, those experiences led to a different approach for the sequel. His own sense of isolation that arose from having to develop Death Stranding 2 with a remote team saw him reconsidering its tale — yet it’s also this isolation that led to Kojima realizing the perils of digital connectivity.

Hideo Kojima's sequel, being released Thursday, can be a solemn, thought-provoking meditation on the nature of human connection. But its story puts overlong exposition and celebrity over substance, dragging it down under the oceans of tar that cover the post-apocalyptic setting.

Death Stranding 2 is so much more than a retread of the first game — and it might be Hideo Kojima's best game yet.