Death Stranding 2would be a lesser game for the omission of a plethora of silly items that previously appeared in the original, such as the Santa Hat, Luden’s Glasses, and Otter Hood. Considering how theDirector’s Cut forDeath Strandingwas more than willing to expand upon the developer’s sillier side, fans can remain hopeful that the serious subjects in this upcoming title won’t hold back an occasional moment of levity.
With the heavy concepts thatDeath Stranding 2and its predecessor tackle, it’s easy for the experience to be smothered by melodrama and intense stakes. So many of the more light-hearted elements that Kojima Productions included in the originalDeath Strandinghelp to keep its mood from becoming too overbearing, with the Otter Hood being a shining example of these calming, silly designs.
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The Otter Hood and Celebrity Cameos in Death Stranding
While the Otter Hood isn’t the only point of levity inDeath Stranding, it’s the one that most fans might recognize when commenting on how silly the game can be. It’s a piece of equipment that doesn’t need to be reapplied after resting in a Private Room, not does it appear during most cutscenes to ruin the drama crafted aroundSam Porter Bridges and his traumas. This is little more than a redesign for the hood that appears in the rain and while swimming through rivers, therefore it rarely breaks the tension in the most intense moments.
On top of the Otter Hood’s appearance, getting a little bit of customization does little to harm the drama of the story as a whole. The Otter Hood is a reward for interacting with theConan O’Brien cameo inDeath Stranding. The late-night host and comedian is one of many real-world celebrities to appear throughout the original game, often as optional Preppers that can be visited to expand the Chiral Network.
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Returning Levity in Death Stranding 2
Director Hideo Kojima hasn’t yet revealed what the themes and storyline for this next title are going to be, leavingfans to theorize aboutDeath Stranding 2. However, while much of the upcoming story is difficult to pick apart from such little info, it appears to be taking an even darker turn than the original, as players will have to question whether or not connecting the Chiral Network was the right move. If the sequel is darker than the original, it could be even more important to make sure that there are light-hearted moments to keep the player going through their monotonous deliveries.
The Otter Hood is a great place to start, either by allowing returning players to keep whatever progress they might have earned in their original playthroughs, or by finding it again while out on delivery. It’s already a design that can help to make the space between Preppers and cutscenes more light-hearted, so there’s no point in replacing that when the current version already works. Instead, Kojima Productions should take a look at what has already appeared in the Director’s Cut andPC port forDeath Stranding, and then expanding it to include additional options.
Going the route of the Steam release, with new item based on properties from connected brands, could also lean into the nature of the cameos. A Cory Barlog or Eric Williams cameo that leads to Sam being able to grow out Kratos' beard would be exactly the type of thing that keeps the tone light while the story is able to dig as deep as it wants through elements like thereturn of Higgs inDeath Stranding 2. There truly is no limit to what Kojima could do here, and given his track record fans should have a lot to look forward to.
Death Stranding 2is set to release 2023 for PS5.
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