Best Vehicles In Death Stranding Director’s Cut

Death Stranding Director’s Cut is an updated version of the original game that was released alongside the PS5 port. This edition of Death Stranding features many new technical improvements, gameplay mechanics, game modes, cosmetics, equipment, and more. Death Stranding Director’s Cut is filled with different genres and tones, like sci-fi, horror, and action, but it is primarily a game about making deliveries.

Related

5 Open-World Games Where You Aren’t Overpowered

When a playable character isn’t an overpowered chosen one, the consequences of open-world games feel more tangible.

This means that vehicular travel plays an important role in how the player chooses to interact with the game. With the Director’s Cut adding another transport vehicle to Sam’s roster, hopefully, players can take a look at which machine is best for their needs.

Updated January 12th, 2025, by Stephanie Harris: Not a lot has changed about the vehicles in Death Stranding in recent times, but players have been delighted to hear of an upcoming sequel to the popular game that is reportedly coming sometime in 2025. It’s not entirely clear what Death Stranding 2 will be about, but clues so far have been very intriguing. We’re yet to find out if this sequel will feature transportation as heavily as the original, but until more is shown, this list has been updated to further expand on the vehicles included in Death Stranding Director’s Cut.

5

The Cicada PHI

The Worst Vehicle In The Game?

The Cicada PHI as a truck is basically the same as the Cicada MC 2000, which is also featured in the game. It is a large, four-wheeled cargo truck capable of carrying huge amounts of material. What separates this vehicle from the MC 2000 version is that this truck is exclusively used by MULES and terrorists.

6:23

Related

10 Best Open-World Games Set In Harsh Climates

Open World games have are hugely popular, and they often take place in unfriendly environments to make survival all the more challenging for players.

This means that it’s not possible for Sam to store or customize a Cicada PHI. These vehicles are only found in enemy camps and will rarely be used by players, rendering them fairly useless in most scenarios. Since it’s not possible to fabricate them, repair them, or store them, the Cicada PHI is easily the worst vehicle in Death Stranding.

4

The Floating Carrier

A Non-Traditional Vehicle With Little Usability

The Floating Carrier is not a vehicle in the traditional sense, but it is something Sam can use to ride across terrain. It is a small carrying device that is attached to Sam’s backpack by a cord and uses Chiral Crystals to float above the ground. Sam can use this to carry lots of different materials across a variety of terrain.

There’s one special thing about the Floating Carrier: when it is empty, it can also be ridden by Sam himself. Sam can use his feet to create momentum, but it works best when allowed to gain momentum by traveling down large hills or mountains. Maybe this isn’t the safest way to traverse a mountain, but it certainly makes for one of the more fun traversal options. Unfortunately, The Floating Carrier crashes very easily and costs Chiral Crystals to use, so perhaps players should choose a more practical vehicle instead.

3

The Roadster

A New Director’s Cut feature

The Roadster is a new vehicle added to Death Stranding as part of the Director’s Cut. It is unlocked after constructing the newly added racetrack structure. The racetrack allows Sam to test the speed of all his vehicles and offers a fun new way to play the game. The Roadster is a car specifically designed for use on the track. Its high speed, stylish design, and compact size make it perfect for racing. Unfortunately, all these features make the Roadster distinctly impractical in practically every other circumstance in the game.

Related

8 Best Games With A Dying Earth Setting

On the brink of calamity where both beauty and despair exist, these games showcase the starkness of a dying Earth setting.

Since the majority of Death Stranding’s terrain is bumpy, wet, and unsafe, The Roadster isn’t worth using until Sam has completed building all the highway systems that stretch across the map. Of course, this means that players most likely won’t be using The Roadster until the late game, which is why it is arguably not very useful. Furthermore, its size means The Roadster cannot carry much cargo, rendering it useless for yet another reason.

2

The Cicada MC 2000

Useful, But Not Without Its Faults

The Cicada MC 2000 is the other cargo truck in Death Stranding that players will see frequently. It becomes available for fabrication after reaching the Distribution Center South of Lake Knot City and completing order number 35. The Cicada MC 2000 is capable of carrying more cargo than any other vehicle or equipment in the game, making it one of the more important transport options at the player’s disposal.

Like other vehicles, the Cicada is powered by batteries, so players will have to construct generators to continuously use them. This poses a problem, as does the vehicle’s massive size, which makes the MC 2000 hard to use when traveling over the map’s diverse terrain. It also has poor steering and speed. The best way to use this truck is for large late-game deliveries along the highways Sam has previously constructed, as it is liable to get stuck while off-roading.

1

The Reverse Trike

The Most Useful And Exciting Vehicle In The Game

The Reverse Trike is likely the most useful vehicle in Death Stranding Director’s Cut. It’s also easily the most popular vehicle, and probably what most players choose to use for much of the game. It is found very early in the campaign at the Distribution Center West of Capital Knot City. As Sam progresses through the story, he will be able to fabricate Reverse Trikes and even modify them into other versions. The Long Range Trike is particularly useful for long journeys, adding another battery pack to the trike in order to increase its battery life.

5:08

Related

The 22 Best Post-Apocalyptic Games of All Time, Ranked

A post-apocalyptic setting adds a certain uniqueness to a game. These titles left an everlasting impression on gamers.

The Defensive Trike, meanwhile, adds some plating to protect players from enemy weapons and equipment. Both of these upgrades sacrifice some room for materials, however. Overall, the Reverse Trike is capable of traversing most of the terrain found throughout the game and has good steering capabilities along with great speed. This makes it arguably the best, and certainly the most reliable vehicle available in Death Stranding Director’s Cut.

Your changes have been saved

My List

My Favorite Games
My Played Games
My Games Wishlist

Released

November 8, 2019

OpenCritic Rating

Strong