Kojima Productions recently attended this year’s Tokyo Game Show and held a Special Stage event for Death Stranding 2: On the Beach, its upcoming sequel to the 2019 action-adventure/courier sim. While there wasn’t exploration, combat, or stealth gameplay, the 90-minute panel provided several new details, including introductions to old and new characters.
As with everything director Hideo Kojima works on, there were plenty of potential hints and clues for the story. Let’s delve into ten big things revealed during the event and what fans can look forward to when it launches next year. Mild spoilers follow for the first game, so be warned.
Tarman
Though we’ve seen him before, we finally learned more about Tarman, voiced by Marty Rhone and portrayed by George Miller of Mad Max fame. He’s not only a doctor (as seen when working with Fragile in a previous trailer), but also a geophysicist and the pilot and captain of the DHV Magellan. Furthermore, just like Fragile and Sam, he suffers from DOOMS (level currently unknown). How exactly he’s manipulating the Tar – if that’s what he’s doing – is a mystery. However, a tar cat perches on Tarman’s shoulder, which is somewhat cute.
Traveling Through the Tar With the Magellan
The Tar from the first game manifested most frequently while Sam attempted to escape or battle Beached Things. However, the DHV Magellan’s navigation console offers a direct connection to it, allowing the ship to travel through the currents, submerging just beneath the Earth’s surface. As convenient as it is, the downside is that the crew is bathed in Chiralium.
Can prolonged exposure to this cause Chiralium Contamination? Not in DOOMS sufferers like Fragile, Sam, and Tarman, but potentially in other characters. We’ve seen Ellie Fanning’s character remaining outside the helm in some screenshots, listening unbeknownst from a distance, perhaps to avoid contamination (though there are other ways to deal with it). It’s hard to say, but it’s still something to note.
Also, since Tar is essentially the Beach, could the Magellan encounter unique locations while traversing through it or even run into BTs? There’s a lot of potential for surprises, and we’re all for it.
Dollman
Of course, it’s unlikely that Chiralium Contamination affects puppets, particularly Dollman. As the second new character in the sequel, he’s voiced by Jonathan Roumie and portrayed by Fatih Akin. Fragile reveals that Dollman used to be a mystic but became trapped in his current body and lost his abilities. While the rest of his past is shrouded in mystery, he accompanies Sam and even has a run-in with Higgs later, as seen in the previous trailer. Based on his reaction, Dollman isn’t too fond of the latter, contorting his face in monstrous ways.
Tomorrow
The Tokyo Game Show Special Stage event also offered our first look at Tomorrow, voiced and portrayed by Ellie Fanning. She’s from the realm of the dead, per Dollman. Of course, eagle-eyed fans will remember the title of Episode 15 from the first game, “Tomorrow is in your hands”, leading to suggestions that she’s a grown-up Lou. How did she escape from the world of the dead? Does it have something to do with how Higgs returned?
Rainy
The other new cast member is Rainy, voiced and portrayed by Shioli Kutsuna. Aside from being pregnant, we know pretty much nothing about her. When she joins Tomorrow, Sam, and Dollman in singing “Raindrops Keep Fallin’ on my Head”, it’s hard not to picture the Timefall, the rain which causes everything in contact with it to age. Perhaps Rainy’s connection to this is being named after the phenomenon but with a more sunny disposition. There’s also the question of the child’s father, which, as with many Kojima-related things, we’ll need to wait and find out for ourselves.
Heartman Returns
One of the bigger surprises from the reveal is that Heartman is back, that too, with heart-shaped glasses. What more could you ask for? Actor Darren Jacobs previously said he didn’t have a part to play in the sequel, but that seems to have been misdirection, as he returns alongside Nicolas Winding Refn, who lends his likeness to the character. This time, Heartman has a support unit – an exoskeleton of sorts which allows him to “sleep” standing up, meaning he can “die” as usual and remain in a safe position before being revived.
However, previous game players will remember that Heartman gave up visiting the Beach at the end, but here, we see him discussing an Upper Beach reference frame and providing coordinates. Perhaps there’s some new purpose to his beach visits. Either way, it’s also revealed to have been some time since he and Dollman interacted.
Photo Shoot Event
One of the more curious events in Death Stranding 2 is the Photo Shoot. Using what seems to be a Polaroid camera, Sam takes pictures of Fragile, Rainy, and Tomorrow in different locations. The three are just posing and having fun with some Cryptobiote plushies. While it may come across as something purely for laughs, Kojima said it can impact the story. How, as usual, is the question, but you have to admit – the animation work, lighting and shadows in the Photo Shoot are impeccable.
Separate Photo Mode Confirmed
Of course, there will be a regular Photo Mode, which is good news since the first game had to wait several months to get it in a post-launch update. Further details haven’t been revealed, but we have seen images where Sam and Dollman pose with Tomorrow, Fragile, and Rainy, though that could be part of the Photo Shoot event.
“Horizon Dreamer” and the Dancing Dollman
Another event involves Dollman and singer Daichi Miura. Essentially, if you go to a Private Room and perform a certain action, a group of Dollman will manifest behind the singer and dance together to the beat of “Horizon Dreamer.” The song has been created specifically for Death Stranding 2 and should be available on streaming services at this time of writing. It’s probably best to avoid questioning its purpose, especially given everything else in the game, but consider it a fun little interaction, if nothing else
Release Date Announcement in 2025
Of course, at the end of it all, one has to wonder: When is it out? Director Hideo Kojima addressed this, stating (translation via Gematsu), “While we haven’t announced the release date yet, we naturally already have one set. The plans are in place. Although production is progressing towards that goal, various factors could affect the timing of the release.”
While the exact window is unknown, he reiterated that it’s still coming in 2025. Furthermore, the actual date will be announced at some point next year. Kojima stated back in March that filming and recording are complete, with the title currently in the adjustment phase. At TGS, he confirmed, “Development isn’t done yet, but I feel confident, and it’s turning out to be an even weirder game than the first one. We’re making it with the sense of, ‘Is there really a game like this out there?’” Based on everything we’ve seen thus far, it’s safe to say that Kojima Productions has accomplished its goal.
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