This year’s Game of the Year race has a new contender. Death Stranding 2: On The Beach launches this year and it’s earning high marks from critics who largely seem to agree that it fully realizes its predecessor’s vision. To celebrate, Hideo Kojima’s latest is getting its own custom DualSense controller. If you’re curious as to what it looks like, allow me to give you a full tour.
Design wise, this is your typical PS5 controller so don’t expect to find a BB hanging from its backside. It features an all-black color scheme that’s more or less identical to the Midnight Black DualSense that’s available for $10 less. The extra cash goes towards a few custom touches meant to tie it into Death Stranding 2.
The most notable feature is a big Drawbridge logo over the touch pad, a reference to the new delivery company that Sam Porter Bridges works for in the sequel. It’s an orange, asymmetrical logo that features an image of a bridge and an inscription that reads “Both stick and rope, to protect and connect, together for tomorrow.” There are some matching orange and black decals on the side, featuring some numbers and barcodes that give it some sci-fi flair.
The rest of the details are subtle ones. There’s a black Death Stranding 2 logo on the backside that’s hard to see unless you catch it in a bit of light. Squint and you’ll also see a round ring decal around the face buttons, giving the controller a unique little accent.
So, how does it stack up to other special edition DualSenses? It’s a bit low tier compared to some of Sony’s more involved designs. It’s not quite as creative as Astro Bot’s special controller, nor as aesthetically pleasing as the 30th anniversary PlayStation DualSense. It’s certainly less busy than something like Fortnite‘s decal-overloaded gamepad, so that’s great news for minimalists, but the very similar black Helldivers 2 controller has it beat. Of course, none of that matters if you simply love Death Stranding and want some snazzy accessories to show that off. If that’s you, you can pick one up for $85 through PlayStation’s website.
Death Stranding 2: On the Beach launches on June 26 for PS5.
