Skip to main content
Join The Community
- Join our community
11
Premium Benefits
24/7
Access Available
21K+
Active Members
Commenting
Join the discussion
Exclusive Articles Coming Soon
Member-only articles
Weekly Newsletters
Weekly gaming & entertainment news
Member Badges
Earn badges as you go
Exclusive Competitions
Members-only prize draws
Curated Deals Coming Soon
Tech and gaming deals worth grabbing
GET COMMUNITY ACCESS QUICK
For the quickest way to join, simply enter your email below and get access. We will send a confirmation and sign you up to our newsletter to keep you updated on all your gaming news.
By submitting your information you agree to the Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy and are aged 16 or over.
FIND OUT ABOUT OUR MAGAZINE
Want to subscribe to the magazine? Click the button below to find out more information.
Find out more
GET Community ACCESS QUICK

Join the GamesRadar community for quick access. Enter your email below and we'll send confirmation, and sign you up to our newsletter.

By submitting your information, you confirm you are aged 16 or over, have read our Privacy Policy and agree to the Terms & Conditions. Geographical rules apply.

Background
Welcome to GamesRADAR+ Community !
Hi ,

Your membership journey starts here.

Keep exploring and earning more as a member.

MY ACCOUNT

Badge picture
Earn your first badge
Read 1 article to unlock your first badge.
Keep earning badges
Explore ways to get more involved as a member.
Latest Games News

Latest Games News

Breaking gaming news and updates

Read Now
Latest Games Reviews

Latest Games Reviews

Expert verdicts on the newest releases

Read Now

See what you’ve unlocked.

Explore your membership benefits.

Explore
Member Exclusives

Stay Ahead with GamesRadar+

Get the biggest gaming news, reviews, and releases straight to your inbox.

Explore

Sign Out
GamesRadar+ GamesRadar+
US EditionUS CA EditionCanada UK EditionUK AU EditionAustralia
Sign in
  • View Profile
  • Sign out
  • Games
    • Game Insights
      • Games News
      • Games Features
      • Games Reviews
      • Games Guides
      • Big in 2026
      • Big Preview
      • Future Games Show
      • Golden Joystick Awards
    • Genres
      • Action Games
      • RPGs
      • Action RPGs
      • Adventure Games
      • Third Person Shooters
      • FPS Games
    • Platforms
      • PS5
      • Xbox Series X
      • PC
      • Nintendo Switch
      • Nintendo Switch 2
      • Tabletop Gaming
    • Franchises
      • Grand Theft Auto
      • Pokemon
      • Assassin's Creed
      • Monster Hunter
      • Fortnite
      • Cyberpunk
      • Red Dead
      • The Elder Scrolls
      • The Sims
  • Entertainment
    • TV Shows
      • TV News
      • TV Reviews
      • Anime Shows
      • Sci-Fi Shows
      • Superhero Shows
      • Animated Shows
      • Marvel TV Shows
      • Star Wars TV Shows
      • DC TV Shows
    • Movies
      • Movie News
      • Movie Reviews
      • Big Screen Spotlight
      • Superhero Movies
      • Action Movies
      • Anime Movies
      • Sci-Fi Movies
      • Horror Movies
      • Marvel Movies
      • DC Movies
    • Streaming
      • Apple TV Plus
      • Disney Plus
      • Netflix
      • HBO
      • Amazon Prime Video
      • Hulu
    • Comics
      • Marvel Comics
      • DC Comics
  • Hardware
    • Insights
      • Hardware News
      • Hardware Reviews
      • Hardware Features
      • Buying Guides
    • Computing
      • Desktop PCs
      • Laptops
      • Handhelds
    • Peripherals
      • Headsets & Headphones
      • TVs & Monitors
      • Gaming Mice
      • Gaming Keyboards
      • Gaming Chairs
      • Speakers & Audio
    • Accessories & Tech
      • Gaming Controllers
      • Tech
      • SSDs & Hard Drives
      • VR
      • Accessories
      • Retro
  • Deals
    • Toys & Collectibles
    • Lego
    • Dungeons and Dragons
    • Merch
  • Video
    • Video
    • GR+ Replay - Submit Your Clips
  • Newsletters
    • Quizzes
    • About Us
    • How to pitch to us
    • How we score
    • Newsarama
    • Retro Gamer
  • home
  • Games
    • View Games
      • Games News
      • Games Features
      • Games Reviews
      • Games Guides
      • Big in 2026
      • Big Preview
      • Future Games Show
      • Golden Joystick Awards
      • Action Games
      • RPGs
      • Action RPGs
      • Adventure Games
      • Third Person Shooters
      • FPS Games
    • Platforms
      • View Platforms
      • PS5
      • Xbox Series X
      • PC
      • Nintendo Switch
      • Nintendo Switch 2
      • Tabletop Gaming
      • Grand Theft Auto
      • Pokemon
      • Assassin's Creed
      • Monster Hunter
      • Fortnite
      • Cyberpunk
      • Red Dead
      • The Elder Scrolls
      • The Sims
  • Entertainment
    • View Entertainment
    • TV Shows
      • View TV Shows
      • TV News
      • TV Reviews
      • Anime Shows
      • Sci-Fi Shows
      • Superhero Shows
      • Animated Shows
      • Marvel TV Shows
      • Star Wars TV Shows
      • DC TV Shows
    • Movies
      • View Movies
      • Movie News
      • Movie Reviews
      • Big Screen Spotlight
      • Superhero Movies
      • Action Movies
      • Anime Movies
      • Sci-Fi Movies
      • Horror Movies
      • Marvel Movies
      • DC Movies
    • Streaming
      • View Streaming
      • Apple TV Plus
      • Disney Plus
      • Netflix
      • HBO
      • Amazon Prime Video
      • Hulu
    • Comics
      • View Comics
      • Marvel Comics
      • DC Comics
  • Hardware
    • View Hardware
      • Hardware News
      • Hardware Reviews
      • Hardware Features
      • Buying Guides
      • Desktop PCs
      • Laptops
      • Handhelds
    • Peripherals
      • View Peripherals
      • Headsets & Headphones
      • TVs & Monitors
      • Gaming Mice
      • Gaming Keyboards
      • Gaming Chairs
      • Speakers & Audio
      • Gaming Controllers
      • Tech
      • SSDs & Hard Drives
      • VR
      • Accessories
      • Retro
  • Deals
    • Toys & Collectibles
    • Lego
    • Dungeons and Dragons
    • Merch
  • Video
    • View Video
    • Video
    • GR+ Replay - Submit Your Clips
  • Newsletters
    • Quizzes
    • About Us
    • How to pitch to us
    • How we score
    • Newsarama
    • Retro Gamer
Trending
  • Memorial Day sales
  • New Games 2026
  • Summer Game Fest 2026 schedule
  • Best gaming gadgets
  • Submit your clips. Win prizes
Sign up to the GamesRadar+ Newsletter

Weekly digests, tales from the communities you love, and more


By submitting your information you agree to the Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy and are aged 16 or over.

You are now subscribed

Your newsletter sign-up was successful


Want to add more newsletters?

GamesRadar+

Every Friday

GamesRadar+

Your weekly update on everything you could ever want to know about the games you already love, games we know you're going to love in the near future, and tales from the communities that surround them.

GTA 6 O'clock

Every Thursday

GTA 6 O'clock

Our special GTA 6 newsletter, with breaking news, insider info, and rumor analysis from the award-winning GTA 6 O'clock experts.

Knowledge

Every Friday

Knowledge

From the creators of Edge: A weekly videogame industry newsletter with analysis from expert writers, guidance from professionals, and insight into what's on the horizon.

The Setup

Every Thursday

The Setup

Hardware nerds unite, sign up to our free tech newsletter for a weekly digest of the hottest new tech, the latest gadgets on the test bench, and much more.

Switch 2 Spotlight

Every Wednesday

Switch 2 Spotlight

Sign up to our new Switch 2 newsletter, where we bring you the latest talking points on Nintendo's new console each week, bring you up to date on the news, and recommend what games to play.

The Watchlist

Every Saturday

The Watchlist

Subscribe for a weekly digest of the movie and TV news that matters, direct to your inbox. From first-look trailers, interviews, reviews and explainers, we've got you covered.

SFX

Once a month

SFX

Get sneak previews, exclusive competitions and details of special events each month!


Join the club

Get full access to premium articles, exclusive features and a growing list of member rewards.


An account already exists for this email address, please log in.
  1. Games
  2. Action Games
  3. Death Stranding 2

Death Stranding 2 players discover that they're being penalized for efficiency, as bulk-delivering items rewards you less than handing them in one at a time

News
By Scott McCrae published 27 June 2025

Better keep knocking on their door to improve your relationship

When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Here’s how it works.

A living puppet sits on Fragile's shoulder in a Death Stranding 2 PS5 screenshot
(Image credit: Kojima Productions)
  • Facebook
  • X
  • Pinterest
  • Flipboard
  • Email
Share this article
28
Join the conversation
Follow us
Add us as a preferred source on Google
Subscribe to our newsletter

Death Stranding 2 players have realized that delivering parcels one-by-one instead of in bulk is actually the optimal delivery method, even if it's a bit annoying.

Death Stranding 2 is finally out and is getting praised by fans, alongside an extremely high Metacritic score that's outdone the original game significantly. Naturally, fans are tearing apart every inch of Hideo Kojima's latest game to find every secret and every bit of tech to optimize your delivery runs, and it turns out the most effective strategy is to deliver parcels in the least efficient way possible.

Delivering parcels to a legion of shut-ins is the name of the game in Death Stranding 2, and as you deliver to each outpost, your relationship with them grows via a star rating and you are treated to more gear and goodies to use in your adventures. And like the tactical courier service you are, you'll most likely take on multiple deliveries at once to boost that relationship. Turns out that is the wrong move.

Latest Videos From
You may like
  • Sam Porter Bridges flexes for the camera in Death Stranding 2 Death Stranding 2 dev says Hideo Kojima "wanted more people to enjoy" the sequel
  • Sam Porter Bridges flexes for the camera in Death Stranding 2 Hideo Kojima flexes on NASA, shows Death Stranding 2 players traveled further than the Artemis 2 mission
  • Death Stranding 2 Former Microsoft exec and Blizzard boss completes Death Stranding 2: "Hell of an experience"

A player on the Death Stranding Reddit has figured out that delivering each separate delivery or bit of lost cargo together actually gives you less of a star upgrade than delivering each bit separately and going through the delivery cutscenes each time. The user went from two-and-a-half stars with La Madre to just under three stars when everything was delivered at once, meanwhile, delivering each bit separately pushed them to just under four stars, which is a significant increase.

PSA For cargo in DS2 and reputation from r/DeathStranding

Of course, you don't need to max out the relationships with preppers to complete the game, but you do get access to advanced tech if you do, so if you want to get some more upgrades, think about doing deliveries in the most annoying possible way. I mean think about it, would your relationship with your postman improve if he knocked on your door for every individual letter?

Be sure to check out our Death Stranding 2 review while you're here, and when you've finished the game, you can read our guide to Death Stranding 2's ending explained.

Sign up to the GamesRadar+ Newsletter

Weekly digests, tales from the communities you love, and more

By submitting your information you agree to the Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy and are aged 16 or over.
TOPICS
Hideo Kojima
CATEGORIES
PS5 Platforms PlayStation
Scott McCrae
Scott McCrae
Social Links Navigation
Contributor

Scott has been freelancing for over four years across a number of different gaming publications, first appearing on GamesRadar+ in 2024. He has also written for the likes of PC Gamer, Eurogamer, VG247, Play, TechRadar, and others. He's typically rambling about Metal Gear Solid, God Hand, or any other PS2-era titles that rarely (if ever) get sequels.

You must confirm your public display name before commenting

Please logout and then login again, you will then be prompted to enter your display name.

Read more
Sam Porter Bridges flexes for the camera in Death Stranding 2
Action Games Death Stranding 2 dev says Hideo Kojima "wanted more people to enjoy" the sequel
 
 
Sam Porter Bridges flexes for the camera in Death Stranding 2
Action Games Hideo Kojima flexes on NASA, shows Death Stranding 2 players traveled further than the Artemis 2 mission
 
 
Death Stranding 2
Action Games Former Microsoft exec and Blizzard boss completes Death Stranding 2: "Hell of an experience"
 
 
Death Stranding 2 Sam sitting down and resting
Action Games Death Stranding 2's PC port reportedly leaks through Steam
 
 
Death Stranding 2 PS5 screenshot
Action Games Death Stranding 2's PC player peak is better than both versions of the original game combined
 
 
Sam Porter Bridges flexes for the camera in Death Stranding 2
Action Games Hideo Kojima says a Hawaiian proverb led to the new Death Stranding 2 trailer, because of course
 
 
Latest in Action Games
Resident Evil timeline - Resident Evil 4
The Legend of Zelda Zelda boss Eiji Aonuma was so impressed with Resident Evil 4 that he thought "I should have done it myself"
 
 
the legend of Zelda: Ocarina of time
The Legend of Zelda Zelda boss became part of the series because Miyamoto saw him making his own Zelda-like SNES game
 
 
Devil May Cry Nier and Devil May Cry leads say "a lot of Korean developers are ahead of Japan"
 
 
The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker screenshot of Link conducting
The Legend of Zelda Eiji Aonuma believed it was his "fault" that The Wind Waker wasn't as meaty as other Zelda games
 
 
In Bayonetta 2 on the Wii U, protagonist Bayonetta wields two pistols and adopts a fierce stance, poised to shoot
Devil May Cry Devil May Cry and Bayonetta creator says he'd rather have a game cancelled than release "something subpar"
 
 
Assassin's Creed Black Flag Resynced reveal showcase screenshot shows Edward Kenway at the wheel of a ship.
Assassin's Creed Assassin's Creed Black Flag Resynced is "definitely a remake," Ubisoft says, but remains really faithful
 
 
Latest in News
Diablo 4 Lord of Hatred
Diablo Diablo 4 lead says even though it's not "necessary" in AAA, "a culture of crunch" can still exist
 
 
Key art for Dying Light: The Beast showing Kyle Crane stunning an infected undead zombie in waist high water with a taser while raising a machete to finish the job - all while more infected hands reach out of the dense foliage towards him
Survival Horror Games Dying Light The Beast is "very strong proof" that focusing on the core details works, ex-lead says
 
 
A car in Rocket League on Unreal Engine 6. I The vehicle is very shiny and is in front of the ball on a soccer field.
Sports Games Rocket League is the first game shown off in Unreal Engine 6 and it's as shiny as you'd expect
 
 
Kliff seen in the Crimson Desert official launch trailer.
Open World Games Crimson Desert's Kliff actor would play him "forever," believes there's more to tell for the cast
 
 
Guillotina in Mewgenics
Roguelike Games Final Fantasy Tactics beat Pokemon when the Mewgenics creators were trying to figure out its combat
 
 
Resident Evil timeline - Resident Evil 4
The Legend of Zelda Zelda boss Eiji Aonuma was so impressed with Resident Evil 4 that he thought "I should have done it myself"
 
 
LATEST ARTICLES
  1. Key art for Dying Light: The Beast showing Kyle Crane stunning an infected undead zombie in waist high water with a taser while raising a machete to finish the job - all while more infected hands reach out of the dense foliage towards him
    1
    Dying Light The Beast is "very strong proof" that focusing on the core details works, ex-lead says
  2. 2
    Rocket League is the first game shown off in Unreal Engine 6 and it's as shiny as you'd expect
  3. 3
    Crimson Desert's Kliff actor would play him "forever," believes there's more to tell for the cast
  4. 4
    Final Fantasy Tactics beat Pokemon when the Mewgenics creators were trying to figure out its combat
  5. 5
    How to watch the BitSummit Punch Mixtape indie showcase presented by GamesRadar+

GamesRadar+ is part of Future US Inc, an international media group and leading digital publisher. Visit our corporate site.

Add as a preferred source on Google Add as a preferred source on Google
  • Terms and conditions
  • Contact Future's experts
  • Privacy policy
  • Cookies policy
  • Accessibility statement
  • Careers
  • About us
  • Advertise with us
  • Review guidelines
  • Write for us

© Future US, Inc. Full 7th Floor, 130 West 42nd Street, New York, NY 10036.

Please login or signup to comment

Please wait...