Death Stranding: How to Balance & Not Fall Over

In Death Stranding, you play the role of one lonely errand boy with a very big mission: to reconnect America… and deliver a whole lot shit to people along the way. Naturally, that means you’re going to need some seriously good logistical skills and one hell of a sense of balance. Here’s how to balance and not fall over in Death Stranding.

After the initial hours of the game, there’s not really going to be a moment in Death Stranding where you don’t have a whole bunch of cargo strapped to your body. As you progress through the story you’ll have access to more advanced means of carrying it, and vehicles will provide a welcome helping hand.

But still, you’ll always need to be aware of how to balance yourself properly. So how does one go about mastering that technique?

Honestly, you’ll have to get a feel for it yourself, which is why we recommended you do just that in our list of things to first in Death Stranding.

There are, however, some useful tips to help you on your way.

How to Balance and Not Fall Over in Death Stranding

You’ll have discovered fairly early on in Death Stranding that using L2 and R2 recovers your balance, according to which angle Sam is leaning over. Our pro tip is that while smooth movements are very important when hauling heavy and awkward cargo, don’t be afraid to really wrestle with those trigger buttons.

As soon as you feel Sam starting to tip, lurch him upward with a generous pull of the trigger. And if you feel the situation is getting out of control, always remember that holding L2 + R2 will recover Sam 99% of the time. You’ll hardly ever fall over if you snatch both triggers for “grip” when he starts to stumble.

Another feature that’s really helped us stay upright is always remembering to automatically “auto-arrange” your loadout before heading off on a mission. By pressing the triangle button at the loadout menu (when you’re choosing where to place cargo on your body), the game will automatically find the best and most balanced setup.

If you aren’t already using this function then we suggest you do, as it will make moving around much easier.

Lastly, while it’s not strictly about balancing, always try and use a vehicle whenever possible. Toward the end of episode two, you’ll have the option to use a motorcycle, and we suggest you do that. The bike can be loaded with cargo and makes the whole process of delivering goods much easier.

Keep in mind that after you get to episode three, you’ll be able to score a pair of Power Legs by delivering cargo to the Engineer. These make a huge difference to balancing and how much cargo you can carry.

That should be everything you need to know about how to balance and not fall over in Death Stranding. For more useful tips and guides on the game, be sure to search our extensive guide wiki.

Here’s some related content you should find useful:

• Tips & Tricks for Beginners
• How to Trade with Porters
• How to Restore Stamina
• How to Take a Shower
• How to Change Hairstyle