9 Facts About Death Stranding 2 You Didn’t Know About

Death Stranding 2 is as mechanically dense as it is beautiful. It has had a long development cycle of nearly five years, and when Kojima Productions makes a game, you can be sure they leave no stone unturned. But like all Hideo Kojima games, there is so much about Death Stranding 2 that you don’t know. There’s a long list of secrets and features about the game that you might not find out about otherwise. That includes things from in-game mechanics and details about the development cycle to certain remarks by director Hideo Kojima himself; there is a lot that adds more to the history of the game.

So, if you’re a super fan, here are nine facts about Death Stranding 2 you are going to love.

1) Raindrops Actually Do Fall on You

There’s a recurring detail in Death Stranding 2 from the first game. In the Death Stranding universe, Timefall is as abundant as any other weather catastrophe. It’s usually raining all the time, but most people aren’t aware of a fun little detail.

If you direct the camera upwards during periods of rain in Death Stranding 2, you can notice that the drops land and trickle down on the camera. The entire screen is covered by a wetness effect. This is a sort of fourth-wall break, and while it isn’t a big deal, it is a very unique mechanic that fans of the game will appreciate.

2) Death Stranding 2 Has Next-Generation Music

In the opening sequence of Death Stranding 2, you awaken as Sam on the border of America and Mexico. There’s a long mountain trail ahead of you, and once you start walking, a music track kicks in. That’s the classic Death Stranding way. However, in the sequel, the audio track isn’t just playing; it’s actually a dynamic mechanic in and of itself.

In the above-mentioned sequence, when you follow the trail staying atop the mountains, the music is louder and more intense. But if you don’t follow the trail and instead go down the mountain and take another random route, the audio track will adjust. It’ll become less intense, and specific beats will be completely omitted. In the same way, if you pay attention to other instances like these in Death Stranding 2, you’ll realize the music is always changing depending on the situation. You could even call this the next generation of music in video games.

3) Structures Can Be Dismantled While They Are in Use

The world of Death Stranding 2 is built on establishing connections with other players. The more regions you bring into the Chiral Network and the more likes you receive from other players, the greater the increase in the number of structures that are shown in your open world. This way, you’ll be able to use ziplines, shelters, and ramps made by other players. But sometimes, the unexpected may happen.

In a recent finding about Death Stranding 2, it was revealed that the world is constantly updating in real-time. One player was actually using a multiplayer zipline and was hundreds of feet in the air when the player who constructed said zipline dismantled it. This led to the player using the zipline falling to his doom. So yeah, maybe we shouldn’t have connected.

4) There’s a Secret Ghost Monorail In-game

You’re probably familiar with the transportation Monorails present in Death Stranding 2’s open world. But what you might not know is that a secret Ghost Monorail also exists in the game. You can’t ride it or use it, but it’s very exciting to see.

To catch a glimpse of the Ghost Monorail, you first need to reach the Animal Shelter in Australia. After that, wait until nightfall or when it’s almost daybreak, and you should see a huge, red-hued Monorail flying in the sky. If you shoot it, BTs will hone in on your location, so be prepared. The Ghost Monorail is a mysterious contraption. You can read more about it in the in-game codex. But if you just want the gist of it, the Ghost Monorail is said to be transporting souls of the dead to the “other side,” wherever that is in the Death Stranding universe.

5) The Prologue Can Endlessly Loop

In the prologue of Death Stranding 2, Fragile arrives at Sam’s secret hideout. She requests his help with extending the Chiral Network into Mexico. That said, there’s a long cutscene that plays before Fragile talks about this.

But when she eventually does request Sam’s help, you are presented with several dialogue choices. These include counter questions by Sam as well as the options to choose a firm yes or no. Of course, the obvious answer would be to choose “yes” and let the story begin. However, if you actually select “I won’t do it,” a black screen pops up and you are looped back to the beginning of the cutscene.

6) Gameplay Was Reworked Because Playtesters Enjoyed It too Much

The story wasn’t the only thing Kojima reworked. During the playtesting stage, Kojima Productions received an overwhelmingly positive response to Death Stranding 2’s gameplay. So much so that it ended up bugging Kojima.

Hideo Kojima and the team ended up changing much of the gameplay. The basis for this was Kojima’s ideology that if a thing is too enjoyable, it becomes mainstream and lacks any sort of innovation. Thus, Death Stranding 2’s gameplay was intentionally adjusted in a way that would offer a more emotionally investing experience and not one that’s just mindless fun. Hence, the tedious nature of some deliveries.

7) There Are Lots of Metal Gear References in Death Stranding 2

While Death Stranding 2 is Kojima’s most recent masterpiece, his magnum opus is still Metal Gear. It’s undoubtedly his best work, and when you make a franchise so great as that, you’re definitely going to tease fans about it forever. And that’s exactly the case in Death Stranding 2, since it is filled with references to the Metal Gear series.

For instance, there’s a moment in the game where Higgs delivers the classic line, “Kept you waiting, huh?”. That is one of Solid Snake’s signature one-liners. In the DHV Magellan, Tarman says his missing limb gives him a sort of “Phantom Pain,” which is a subtle nod towards Metal Gear Solid 5: The Phantom Pain. However, inarguably, Death Stranding 2’s biggest Metal Gear reference is the character Neil Vana. During combat, Neil wears a bandana and tactical gear. Everything about the way he moves to the way he talks, and smokes eerily resembles Solid Snake from Metal Gear.

8) Kojima Didn’t Want to Predict the Future Again

The development of a game is an intricate process, especially for one that is AAA in nature. Kojima Productions, as well as Hideo Kojima himself, doesn’t compromise on their vision. In the build-up to Death Stranding 2’s release, many new details about the game emerged. For one, Death Stranding was a game about an isolated future. Right after it launched in 2019, the COVID-19 pandemic hit, and many people joked that Kojima had predicted the future with Death Stranding.

Hideo Kojima later revealed he already had a story planned for the sequel. But when he saw the events of Death Stranding somewhat being recreated in real life during the pandemic, he changed all of it. The Death Stranding 2 story we have today isn’t the original vision Kojima had in mind. As for what the original vision was, Kojima said he’s never going to let it slip.

9) Nods to Other Games Like Ghost of Yotei

Of course, like all games, Death Stranding 2 is full of cameos and nods to other games; even ones that aren’t out yet. From the innumerable Easter eggs in the game, there are some notable ones, like the Yotei Mask you can get by completing Order No. 37 for The Adventurer.

That’s one Easter egg referencing Ghost of Yotei, Sucker Punch Productions’ sequel to Ghost of Tsushima. Other than that, there are cameos of directors, posters paying homage to famous bands, and of course, influences from games like Metal Gear. Death Stranding 2’s world is filled with secrets, and it’s a guarantee that you’ll see a lot of familiar faces.

What are your favorite bits of trivia about Death Stranding 2? Let us know in the comments below!

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