Death Stranding 2: On the Beach has been out for two weeks, and players are finally beginning to understand what Hideo Kojima’s science fiction “walking simulator” has to offer. They go from building extensive road networks to being in awe of the game’s impressive visuals. But now that the game has been out long enough, fans are starting to complain about the ‘Auto-Aid’ system.
I touched on this in my Death Stranding 2: On the Beach review, pointing out that the sequel’s new Auto-Aid system isn’t as helpful as they think it is. It clutters the map and the overall game world, burying the most important structures and signs.
What is the Auto-Aid System?
The Auto-Aid system is an extension of Death Stranding 2: On the Beach’s ‘Social Strand System.’ It serves as an automatic response when players are lacking specific materials or resources while hiking across the vast Australian continent. For example, players might come across a road that needs repairs but don’t have the Ceramics or Metals to build it. The Auto-Aid system will automatically place a sign requesting those resources from other players.
click to enlarge
+ 3While this might seem like a helpful feature, it really isn’t. The game’s online functionality is unreliable at best, and requesting aid from others doesn’t feel as rewarding or satisfying as advertised. Sometimes, players won’t receive any help at all, and worse, the requests often get canceled due to network or connectivity issues.
Disabling the Auto-Aid System
What the Death Stranding community is asking players to do is disable the Auto-Aid function entirely. Most players have overlooked this upgrade perk from the APAS Skill Tree because it’s tempting to enable all abilities rather than leave them inactive.
click to enlarge+ 3Players only need to disable the feature and ignore it until Kojima Productions either fixes how it works or removes it completely.
The Constant Clutter of the Aid System
It goes without saying that this new system hasn’t been implemented well. Some players even believe it was a last-minute addition due to its lack of polish compared to the rest of the game’s mechanics.
Most of the time, it clutters the in-game world and becomes a visual annoyance. It can even block vehicles or obscure rocks from view, causing players to crash into obstacles and damage their cargo.
click to enlarge+ 3That’s why on the Death Stranding subreddit, players are calling for this system to be fixed or removed altogether. It adds little value and only detracts from the core Social Strand experience that Death Stranding 2: On the Beach does so well. Instead of encouraging meaningful collaboration, it makes everything feel chaotic in a game built around deliberate, cooperative design.
For more Death Stranding 2: On the Beach, stick with us here at Gfinityesports.com, the best website for all things Kojima.
For more articles like this, take a look at our Features and Death Stranding page.