Summary
Death Strandingis by far one of Hideo Kojima’s weirdest creations, but it is also one of his most compelling, as it offers players a world and gameplay loop unlike anything ever experienced before in a video game. Now,Death Stranding 2: On the Beachis expected to be just as abnormal, to the point that the footage shown so far for the game seems to indicate that fans may be seeing a different version ofSam Porter Bridgesthan they encountered in the first game.
Hideo Kojima is known for subverting expectations and playing with identity, perception, and continuity, so there are multiple ways in whichDeath Stranding 2’s Sam might be different from the one players knew before. That being said, the fact thatDeath Stranding 2’s subtitle is “On the Beach” suggests that Sam’s potentially different identity in the sequel could be directly tied to the nature of the Beach itself. If that isn’t the case, there’s also the fact that Sam opted for a life of isolation with Lou at the end ofDeath Stranding, and yet he is now back in the action for some reason.
Death Stranding 2’s Sam Might Not Be the Same
Death Stranding 2 Could Explore Parallel Versions of Sam
While there are certainly plenty of mysterious elements toDeath Strandinglore, one of its most mysterious is arguably the nature of the Beach.Death Strandingdelves into the nature of the Beach a bit, describing it as a metaphysical realm that exists between life and death — a purgatory of sorts where souls pass through before moving on to the afterlife. Additionally, every person has their own Beach that reflects their personal thoughts, emotions, and experiences. However, certain people called “Repatriates,” like Sam Porter Bridges, have a unique connection to the Beach, allowing them to return from death.
The Beach is a place where souls exist separately from the body, and since Sam has died multiple times and always comes back, it’s possible that his returns aren’t always flawless. If Sam’s soul and body somehow became separated upon his return, the Sam inDeath Stranding 2could actually be an entirely different version of him that was reconstructed, possibly missing memories or having his personality altered in some way. This would especially make sense, as the Sam inDeath Stranding 2’s teaser traileris much older and looks weary, and the fact that he even seems confused about what is happening is another strong indicator that he is a parallel version of the Sam fans knew from the first game.
Hideo Kojima is known for subverting expectations and playing with identity, perception, and continuity, so there are multiple ways in whichDeath Stranding 2’s Sam might be different from the one players knew before.
What is even more interesting is that the Sam in the teaser trailer has white hair and appears older, whereas the Sam in the2024 State of Play trailer forDeath Stranding 2has the same brown hair that he had in the first game. The simplest answer for Sam’s aging is the effects of Timefall, but that also seems a bit too obvious for a mind like Hideo Kojima’s. It could also be that the Sam who appeared in the game’s teaser trailer is still the same Sam and the scene in the trailer is simply in the future. PerhapsDeath Stranding 2’s story will be told in a flashback fashion, hence the different hair colors. However, again, that just seems too simple.
It Doesn’t Make Sense for Sam to Be Back in the Action
At theend ofDeath Stranding, Sam finally freed himself from the UCA and chose a life of isolation with Lou. However, the trailers forDeath Stranding 2suggest he is now back in the game for some reason. If Sam had truly cut ties with the UCA, it wouldn’t make sense for him to be called back into action — unless, of course, he is a different Sam.
It could be that theolder Sam featured inDeath Stranding 2’s teaser traileris the Sam players knew from the first game, and he is summoned after certain events have transpired with the younger-looking version of Sam shown in the State of Play trailer. In any case, time will tell whetherDeath Strandingfans are being thrown for a loop by what has been revealed so far or whether there truly are multiple versions of Sam traipsing around in the world ofDeath Stranding 2: On the Beach.
