From fourth-wall-breaking moments to Easter eggs from previous titles,Death Stranding 2: On the Beachwouldn’t be a Kojima Productions game without its share of iconic references. Returning to the cargo business after a well-deserved break with Lou,Death Stranding 2has an even greater scale than the original, with a much higher level of fidelity to boot. With how gorgeous and absurdDeath Stranding 2is from start to finish, it’s easy to overlook some smaller details hidden throughout the game.
Kojima’s love for Easter eggs goes all the way back to the start of theMetal Gear Solidfranchise,with each entry being filled to the brim with nearly too many Easter eggs or references to count. WithOn the Beachtaking things to evenmore emotional and unbelievable levels,it’s clear that Kojima’s love for references and meta humor hasn’t gone away after his departure from the iconic stealth series. While you might have heard about some of the more obvious or creative secrets thatDeath Stranding 2has to offer, there’s still plenty that are easy to miss without knowing where to look.
10Your Friendly Photo Shoot Has A Blink And You’ll Miss It Moment
Offering More Than Simple Room Decor
Showcased long before the launch ofDeath Stranding 2,the in-game camera is a fun way to bond with your fellow crewmates on board the DHV Magellan. While the alternative photo mode itself isn’t a secret, it’s what you can use the photos for that can be easy to miss.
While you can choose to save any photos taken with the camera to put up on the walls of Sam’s room, gifting a photo to Tomorrow provides an alternative purpose.Whatever photo you decide to give Tomorrow will appear inDS2’s final cutscene as she fondly looks at the memories you made yourself with the crew,which can be easily missed among the pre-made options.
9The Relaxing Spa Is Far From A Lonely Experience
Death Stranding 2’s Stars Are Brighter Than Ever
ThroughoutDS2’s story, you can come across several Chiral Springs, which offer a momentary respite for your overworked courier, similar to the original game.These post-apocalyptic hot springs not only offer beneficial effects and fast travel, letting you gaze at the stars for additional likes and somemeta fan-service moments.
Kojima including his own likeness has become a running gag in his games.
While most skies are populated by standard constellations that appear after looking long enough,occasionally you’ll come across the logo for Kojima Productions, and even the easily recognizable image of director Kojima himself. From NPCs inMetal Gear Solid Vto grotesque good monsters in the originalDeath Stranding, Kojima’s including his own likeness has become a running gag in his games.
8Sam’s Sleepiness Can Summon A Familiar Face
Package Delivery Is More Than A Little Tiring
Unlike some of the more hidden secrets inDeath Stranding 2,Sam’s hallucination is one that you could reasonably come across while playing normally. After staying still without pressing any inputs for roughly 5 minutes, Sam eventually goes to sleep for some much-needed rest.
After resting for long enough, a familiar-faced Lou sporting his adorable angel wings will appear and float around Sam while he sleeps. Being surprisingly one of the more tame Easter eggs inDeath Stranding 2, Lou’s dreamlike appearance is a creative way to show how much Sam’s adventuring companion means to him.
7Death Stranding 2’s Viral Cutscene Has A Hidden Star
It’s Easy To Overlook This Legendary Cameo
The Pizza Man fight is easily one ofDeath Stranding 2’s most absurd moments, with clips and screenshots of the scene quickly going viral online. Although the scene itself is an unmissable part ofDS2’s story,it’s the person behind the mysterious saucer-slinging chef who is the real surprise for players.
The Pizza Man fight is easily one ofDeath Stranding 2’s most absurd moments.
Despite the sheer number of celebrity cameos onDS2, you might still be surprised to hear that the Pizza Man himself is played bynone other than Mamoru Oshii, the director of theGhost in the Shellfilms. Compared to the more in-your-face cameos like Pekora or Ma Dong-seok,the Pizza Man’s voice actor is one of the deeper cuts inDeath Stranding 2, showcasing Kojima’s deep love for both anime and film simultaneously.
6Sam’s Nightmares Are More Than A Little Frightening
The Horrors Of Death Stranding Have A Lasting Effect On Sam’s Psyche
Despite positive moments like imagining Lou flying above his head while resting,it’s clear the events and Dooms afflicted during bothDeath Strandinggames have had a lasting effect on Sam’s psyche. Having a random chance of occurring anytime Sam sleeps in his room, several nightmares in the form of hidden cutscenes are entirely missable without knowing they exist.
Several nightmares in the form of hidden cutscenes are entirely missable without knowing they exist.
From Dollman’s demonicly possessed body jumpscaring Sam, a dream about getting his hand cut off, or haunting mechanic dancing, Sam’s nightmares are still only a fraction of the horrors he’s had to experience. If you want to see them for yourself,repeatedly napping at the home base is a surefire way to trigger any of the 4 nightmare sequences.
5Sleeping Next To A Coffin Bears An Uneasy Reward
Death Stranding 2 Has Some Of Kojima’s Strangest Easter Eggs Yet
Even when compared toDeath Stranding 2’s nightmare Easter eggs,a hidden cutscene with Higgs easily takes the cake as the game’s most disturbing, yet strangely intimate moments in the series. All you have to do to achieve this hidden moment between the two characters is to have Sam sleep next to one of the transportable coffins.
Ending with Sam awakening in distress from yet another nightmare with his nemesis.
After falling asleep,Sam will have a more than a little unsettling dream with Higgs suddenly appearing out of the coffin to hush the player, before waking Sam up. After a quick exchange, large tentacles will sprout from their mouths before they hug and become enveloped in even more limbs, ending with Sam awakening in distress from yet another nightmare with his nemesis.
4Playing Dollman’s Favorite Song Unlocks An Unforgettable Cutscene
The Puppets In Death Stranding 2 Are Surprisingly Good Dancers
Being the source of several ofDeath Stranding 2’s most comedic or creepy Easter eggs,Dollman’s secret cutscene is by far one of the most developed out of the bunch. To activate this unforgettable moment, all you have to do is play the song Horizon Dreamer through the in-game music player, unlocked later in the game while resting in Sam’s room.
Activating this Easter egg also provides you withDeath Stranding 2’s “Private Show” trophy.
Initially starting as a simple animation of several Dollman’s sliding and roughly dancing together, the cutscene quickly shifts into a full-blown motion-captured music video featuring lead singer Daichi Miura himself.The sheer amount of detail in this cutscene makes it one of the more unforgettable moments inDeath Stranding 2’s feverdream of a story, offering a private concert all from the comfort of Sam’s room.
3Death Stranding 2’s First Decision Has A Comedic Alternative
There’s Only So Much Freedom In A Game Like On The Beach
You won’t have to wait long before getting a chance to experienceDeath Stranding 2’s very first Easter egg, which is activated depending on your response to Fragile in the game’s first decision.If you end up refusing Sam’s new mission after his time away with Lou, an alternate cutscene will play before looping back to the decision.
You won’t have to wait long before getting a chance to experienceDeath Stranding 2’s very first Easter egg.
In the cutscene, we get another glimpse at what a peaceful life between Sam and Lou really looks like, while getting a chance to reject the offer once more after being brought back. Replaying the same scene, although unfortunately,there’s no way out, as the game still forces you along the main story even after several teases at a potential alternate ending.
2Death Stranding 2 Keeps Up Kojima’s Birthday Traditions
An Easter Egg That Lovingly Makes Its Way Into The Series Once More
Even if it’s not much of a surprise given Kojima’s track record of comedic inclusions,Death Stranding 2keeps the franchise tradition alive with another birthday cutscene.While it’s an unavoidable secret, you might have to wait an entire year before seeing this cutscene for yourself normally, withDS2’s offering more than enough incentives tolie about your birthday.
Compared to the simple cutscene with Mads Mikkelsen from the original,Death Stranding 2brings out the whole cast to celebrate your real-life birthday, even featuring a song by the antagonist Higgs himself. After the cutscene itself, roaming around the world ofDeath Stranding 2will have disembodied voices shouting happy birthday at Sam, keeping the festive spirit going for the whole day.
1A Seasonal Secret That’s Still Months Away
One Easter Egg You Couldn’t Have Seen Without Adjusting Your System’s Clock
Following the tradition of the originalDeath Stranding, Kojima hid yet another Christmas-themed Easter egg withinDeath Stranding 2that can only be activated by playing on the 25th of December.The first thing you’ll notice when booting up the game on this festive date is that every holographic NPC will be sporting Santa hats, and can occasionally be seen next to a decorated tree.
By adjusting your PlayStation 5’s internal clock in the system settings, you can force the Christmas-themed Easter egg to activate regardless of the real-world date.
You’ll also notice the moon has drastically increased in size with the potential for a makeshift Santa to appear in the sky in the form of floating cargo containers, while disembodied voices will respond to Sam with Holiday cheer. Setting up this secret months in advance, there arelikely even more Easter eggs that are still waiting to be discovered inDeath Stranding 2: On The Beach,especiallygiven itsambitious increase in scale.
