What do Death Stranding 2 Likes do?

Death Stranding 2 Likes Sam putting his thumb up to Fragile
(Image credit: Sony)

Death Stranding 2 Likes, whether you give them out or receive them, are a fundamental part of the game that doesn’t feel important, but can have some notable effects on your delivery adventure. You can Like all sorts of things out in the desolate world of Death Stranding 2: On The Beach, with one of the feature's main functions being a way to indirectly interact with other players, approving of their contributions and construction projects.

Furthermore, receiving Likes from NPCs will also help you to unlock new gear vital for successful cargo carrying and BT bashing, so you'll want to know how to get Likes as much as how to give them out yourself. With that in mind, I've explained everything you need to know about the odd Likes system in Death Stranding 2 below.

How to Like in Death Stranding 2

Death Stranding 2 Like player-constructed postbox

(Image credit: Sony)

Likes in Death Stranding 2 are a way for you to show your appreciation to other players and NPCs and for them to show their appreciation to you, essentially just like modern social media platforms. Approach any kind of Chiral Network infrastructure made or placed by another player or look at a Social Strand Service post and press the touchpad to Like it.

How to get Likes in Death Stranding 2

Death Stranding 2 Likes from Alex Weatherstone for delivery

(Image credit: Sony)

Liking something doesn't directly do that much aside from showing your support to a player or NPC, but it can help you get Likes in return later, which is undeniably a lot more helpful. Here are all the ways you can receive Likes in Death Stranding 2 and how they can benefit you:

  • Collecting and delivering cargo: Whether part of a Main Order, Aid Request, or just while exploring the game world, ferrying packages to their intended NPC recipients is a great way to earn Likes which can help you in two primary ways:
    • Increase your Connection Level: Delivering cargo to Preppers and NPCs in settlements will get you Likes that go towards increasing your Connection Level with them. This can help you unlock vital gear and some of the best weapons! To get the most Likes, you need to deliver cargo in the best possible condition (container included!).
    • Increase your Porter Grade: Your Porter Grade is a broad measure of your overall experience, performance, and delivery style based around five categories (Porter, Combat, Stealth, Servicemanship, and Bridge Link). Gaining Likes after a delivery levels up these categories which increases your Porter Grade, granting you new titles and banners, but that's about all your Porter Grade does.
  • Build infrastructure with PCCs: If you and another player like a lot of each other's construction projects, it's more likely that you'll see each other's infrastructure in your own worlds, which can be incredibly useful for saving you resources on your travels – it's a win-win. Obviously, you'll need to be playing the game online to get the most out of this aspect of the Likes system.
  • Liking SSS posts: When you Like an NPC post on the Social Strand Service, you start a short timer that lets you send as many Likes as possible in that time by repeatedly pressing the touchpad. You should receive a few Likes in return by doing this.

In short, just playing the game will lead to you getting Likes, but the more you engage with the game's infrastructure construction system and online components, the more likely you are to receive Likes – the more helpful you are, the better.

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Will Sawyer
Guides Writer

Will Sawyer is a guides writer at GamesRadar+ who works with the rest of the guides team to give readers great information and advice on the best items, how to complete a particular challenge, or where to go in some of the biggest video games. Will joined the GameRadar+ team in August 2021 and has written about service titles, including Fortnite, Destiny 2, and Warzone, as well as some of the biggest releases like Halo Infinite, Elden Ring, and God of War Ragnarok.

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