Major spoilers ahead for Death Stranding 2
Death Stranding 2: On the Beach is a deep well to dive into, as Sam’s journey to connect Australia to the chiral network is filled with even more twists and turns this time around. After the first game, there were a lot of questions regarding how Hideo Kojima would approachDeath Stranding 2, and now that the sequel is finally here, it’s clear that he and the team at Kojima Productions aimed to blend lighthearted and emotional moments together in one story.
Over the years, Kojima has not been afraid to add strange moments and concepts into his games. WiththeMetal Gear Solidfranchise, characters with names like Solid Snake and Revolver Ocelot were just the tip of the iceberg when it came to strange, unexpected details. However, withDeath Stranding, Kojima really got to let loose, and the sequel turns up the dial on the weirdness, but also the sincerity.
Death Stranding 2 Gives Hideo Kojima a Stage to Have Fun While Also Telling a Heartfelt Story About Connection
A Few of Death Stranding 2’s Goofiest Moments
These are just a few of the many strange and hilarious moments that are found withinDeath Stranding 2. From the playfulnes of the photo mode mini-game to the return ofKojima’s birthday celebration tradition, there are plenty of moments in the game that are bound to take players by surprise.
The first game had plenty of goofy moments, butDeath Stranding 2leans even harder into the bizarreby being completely unapologetic about its heavy lean into meta references, fascinating celebrity cameos, and even joke in-game options, like Sam having the choice to turn down Fragile’s invitation to Australia.
One particularly goofy moment is when players are given the illusion ofwhich character to communicate with via Charlie. The only option allowed is Die-Hardman, but giving the player the choice to pick through the other three before being cornered into only actual available character is wonderfully absurd. There are plenty of these wild moments waiting to be stumbled upon, but that doesn’t mean the game lacks seriousness. In fact, the sequel is one of Kojima’s most heart-wrenching stories yet.
To activate Dollman’s dance scene, players will have to play the song “Horizon Dreamer” in the game’s music player.
Death Stranding 2 Isn’t Afraid to Play Around, But it Still Approaches it Main Theme With Deep Sincerity
The heart of the story is in the theme of connection. BeforeDeath Stranding, Sam kept to himself as a loner, but the event of the first game lef him on a journey that showed him that he has the ability to form bonds with people.Death Stranding 2drives this home even harder, as Sam’s mission to connect Australia brings him not only closer to Fragile, but the new characters he has met on the DHV Magellan.Sam is still a man of few words, but he has clearly softened and let his guard down, even when he thinks Lou is long gone.
By the end of the story, it’s revealed that Tomorrow has been Lou all along, and Sam can be a father once more. While the loss of Fragile stings, he can still have a full life with his daughter and new friends by his side.Death Stranding 2makes big swings, whether it’s a one-off joke or a major emotional moment, and that continuous contrast is what makes the game such a joy to dive into.
