Death Stranding 2: On the Beach throws you into some truly weird, emotional, and brain-melting situations, but the boss fights are what’s really wild and unpredictable. If you’re not locked in a duel against a teleporting ghost with a rifle, you’ll be dodging lightning from a man playing an electric guitar like it’s a weapon.
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If you’re heading into the boss fights thinking you’ll breeze through it with a few blood bags and a couple of lucky shots, think again. You will face some bosses multiple times and each time requires a different set of skills to come out on top. These bosses will put your shooting, dodging, and blocking to the test.
Major spoilers ahead for Death Stranding 2: On the Beach.
8Giant Ghost Mech (First Encounter)
Giant Octopus with a Weak Head
Your first battle with the Giant Ghost Mech happens during Order 012. This mech is huge and deadly, with fast tentacle swings and glowing weak spots. You’ll want to bring plenty of Blood Bags to heal, a strong gun like the DHV Magellan, and a bunch of MP grenades. Once the fight begins, you’ll notice the mech has two places that take extra damage: the rings on its tentacles and its head. The tentacle rings glow orange. These should be your main targets. Focus your gunfire or grenades on them. If you break them, the boss slows down, and you’ll get more chances to attack.
This Giant Octopus Mech uses several attack methods. It swings its arms across the field, smashes down from above, and sometimes throws energy at you. If you’re quick, you cantry to dodgethese by jumping, dodging sideways or backing away. Right after it attacks, there’s usually a short pause. That’s the moment to strike. Aim for the glowing parts and hit them hard before it moves again.
7Red Samurai
His Sword Moves So Fast You’ll Miss It if You Blink
The Red Samurai shows up late in the game. He looks like a futuristic warrior with glowing red armor. He wields a glowing sword that strikes quick, and cuts deep. He uses fast sword combos that can hit you three or four times before you even raise yourweapon. If you try to block, he’ll often break through your guard with a heavy final swing. So the best way to survive is to dodge early, before the blade even touches you, and counter with your battle guitar while he’s recovering.
Later in the story, it will be revealed that the Red Samurai is actually being controlled by the Deadman’s soul inside a special suit. But during this boss fight, that detail doesn’t matter much. All you know is that you’re up against someone who fights with deadly precision and doesn’t give you much room to breathe.
6Neil (First Encounter)
Uses Trick Shots and Fake Soldiers to Confuse You
Neil doesn’t fight like a wild beast or a giant monster. He’s smart and careful. At the start, he doesn’t come straight at you. Instead, he sends out ghost-like soldiers called Soldier BTs. These fakes move around and block your bullets, making it hard to land any hits on him. You can’t ignore them. You’ll have to deal with them first. Aim carefully and try not to waste your ammo.
Once youclear out the BTs, Neil begins to move in closer. He shoots from a distance with sharp aim. He doesn’t miss often, and his bullets hurt. After firing a few rounds, he’ll duck behind cover or disappear. Wait for him to pop out again, then fire before he gets another shot off. Sometimes, he’ll switch things up and rush at you with a blade. If he catches you off guard, it can take out a big chunk of your health. That’s why you need Blood Bags ready at all times.
5Giant Ghost Mech (Second Fight)
Faster, Stronger Version of the Giant Octopus, Which Gives You Less Time to React
The second fight against the giant Octopus happens in Order 039, Episode 9. You will face a bigger, more aggressive version of the same boss, and the same strategy works here. The weak spots are still the same: its head and the glowing rings on each tentacle. You will have to hit those parts again and again until they break.
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MP grenades are your best tool when the boss is moving too much or staying at a distance. One good throw can stagger it just enough to give you space. You’ll need that space to reload, heal, or charge in for a few solid hits.
4Neil (Second Encounter)
Take Down the Soldier BTs, and Destroy Ice Pillars First
In the second fight with Neil, everything feels strange from the start. The fight takes place in water where gravity feels lighter. You can jump way higher than usual, and this becomes the key to winning. The ground isn’t flat either. Ice pillars rise up around you as you move, getting in your way and slowing you down. If you don’t clear them, they block your path and leave you open to attacks.
Neil uses quick moves and vanishes often, reappearing in different places to shoot or summon Soldier BTs. He doesn’t fight wild, he waits for the right moment to strike, especially when you’re trapped between ice pillars. If you stay on the ground too long, it’s easier for him to corner you.
Uses a Battle Guitar that Shoots Lightning
Higgs is the final boss you will face in Death Stranding 2: On the Beach. Higgs starts by playing his guitar to blast lightning toward you. These attacks cover wide areas and can hit you even at a distance. You’ll see the sparks before he strikes, which gives you a split second to react. Move sideways or jump to avoid being hit.
Once you get closer, he mixes in melee attacks with his guitar. These are powerful swings that come fast and will stagger you if they land. The safest option is to dodge backward or hit him first with a thrown object, like a cargo case.
The Giant Head BT is a huge floating skull with a broken jaw that tries to grab and crush you. The fight takes place in a black tar field with broken structures around, and the boss keeps chasing you through it. And the scary thing is the Giant Head BT doesn’t just hit you, it tries to eat you. So you have to keep moving and never let it get too close.
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The way to win is to wait for the right moment. When the head opens its mouth wide, throw an MP grenade straight into it. If you time it right, the grenade will explode and make the boss flinch. That’s your chance to shoot it. Use whatever gun you have, be it a shotgun, rifle, or anything with power. Aim for the face and keep firing while it’s stunned. After a few hits, it’ll pull back, and you’ll have to do the whole cycle again. The more damage you do, the more cracks appear on its face. That means you’re close to finishing it off.
1Neil Vana (Final Fight)
His Rifle Hurts, but It’s the Teleporting that’ll Kill You
Neil Vana isn’t strong because he takes a lot of damage. He’s dangerous because he never stays still. He shoots, vanishes, then shows up behind you before you can reload. You will fight Neil more than once, and every time he’s quick, slippery, and backed up by ghost soldiers. In the first fight, he shows up with his drum-mag rifle and a squad of Soldier BTs that soak up your bullets. He doesn’t charge straight at you. Instead, he lets the BTs block your path while he fires from a distance. And the moment you get too close or try to shoot back, he teleports out of the way like smoke.
You have to keep moving. If you stop for too long, his rifle will chew through your health. The key is to take out his ghost soldiers fast. Once they’re down, Neil is wide open for a few seconds. That’s when you blast him. But don’t chase him too hard. The second you think you’ve got him cornered he disappears and fires from another angle.
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