You didn’t play Death Stranding 1 or don’t remember what happened there? Now’s the time for a story recap before the release of Death Stranding 2

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Title Reframe: “Death Stranding 2: On the Shore – A Must-Play Sequel of the Year”

In Death Stranding 2: On the Shore, storytelling is a central aspect, much like in other games by Hideo Kojima. To fully appreciate this sequel, it’s beneficial to have knowledge about the original Death Stranding, as Death Stranding 2 serves as a continuation, expanding on both the narrative and gameplay. Our upcoming article aims to refresh your memory about the first Death Stranding, covering key characters, the overall storyline, and events leading up to the sequel. Whether you’re revisiting or starting anew with Death Stranding 2, reading our piece will fill you in on all the essential information needed for understanding the game’s world.

Death Stranding World

The storyline of Death Stranding unfolds in the not-too-distant future, set amidst a post-apocalyptic North America. A defining aspect of this universe is the coexistence of two realms – the physical world and what we call ‘Beaches.’ These Beaches can be thought of as individualized purgatories or gateways to the afterlife. Each person has their unique Beach, and upon death, they must traverse it to find eternal peace. While a person’s physical form (referred to as Ha) stays in the real world, their spirit (Ka) migrates to its corresponding Beach. Decades before the game’s events, a connection was formed between the real world and Beaches due to American government research.

In this scenario, the blending of the realm of the living and the realm of the deceased results in the resurrection of the departed souls, who inexplicably re-enter their former bodies. These reanimated corpses are referred to as “Beached Things” (BTs). BTs are invisible, hostile spirits confined in our world, with their essence consisting of antimatter while humans are composed of matter. When a BT consumes a human, the collision of matter and antimatter triggers an explosion known as a voidout. These catastrophic explosions wipe clean everything within a radius of several dozen kilometers. The term “voidouts” was given to these events following the merging of the worlds, which led to widespread destruction and is referred to in this context as the “Death Stranding.

In the passage of time, survivors of mankind reside within secluded fortresses and settlements known as Knotes. Areas devoid of life are teeming with BTs, making every expedition potentially hazardous. Upon death, each human corpse must be promptly cremated to prevent it from becoming a Beached Thing. A mysterious substance called chiralium, found on the shores, seeped into the atmosphere, turning rainfall lethal as it instantly ages everything it touches. The well-being of the remaining human settlements relies heavily upon messengers delivering crucial items and supplies. This chiralium breakthrough also sparked the invention of a chiral network, enabling instant data transfer between cities. Additionally, some individuals started manifesting DOOMS – a condition causing distressing dreams, yet also granting the ability to perceive or manipulate BTs.

The newly elected leader of what’s left of the United States, President Bridget Strand, has established an agency named “Bridges” to expand a network known as chiral across the entire continent. Researchers have found a method to circumvent BTs, which they refer to as “Bridge Babies” or BB, who are born prematurely from mothers who have experienced brain death and possess an uncanny ability to sense malevolent spirits. The Bridges team, led by Amelie, the president’s daughter who suffers from DOOMS, reaches the western coast of America but is defeated there by a group of nihilistic terrorists known as Homo Demens, intent on destroying what remains of humanity. Amelie is captured by the leader of Homo Demens, Higgs. The last hope for America lies with Sam, an adopted son of the presidential family who works as an independent courier. His mission is twofold: to reestablish a chiral network across the continent and rescue Amelie. Along his journey, however, he uncovers that Death Stranding is a natural occurrence linked to several past extinctions – the stranding affecting humanity was the fifth in history, and the sixth, final stranding, which will not only destroy humanity but the entire universe, is fast approaching.

Death Stranding Characters

  1. Sam Porter Bridges – the main character of the game. Former member of Bridges, independent courier and adopted son of the presidential family. He has a phobia of other people’s touch and suffers from mild DOOMS – he can sense the BTs, but he can’t see them. He is also a repatriate – due to mysterious events from his past, Sam is unable to permanently die and comes back to life after each death. He left Bridges after the death of his wife and unborn daughter in a voidout, which he survived thanks to repatriation, thus becoming the main suspect. He currently works as a private courier, isolating himself from society. Thanks to repatriations, his body is unnatural for the BTs, and his blood is able to send them back to the underworld.
  1. At the end of the game, we find out that Sam is actually a prototype BB and the son of Clifford Unger, who agreed to the tests in exchange for saving Sam’s life after his pregnant wife’s brain death. When he discovered what truly awaited his child, he attempted to rescue him from the research facility. Unfortunately, this resulted in the deaths of both him and Sam at the hands of President Strand. On his Beach, however, Sam was brought back to life by Amelie, which made him a repatriate, and later he was adopted by the presidential family. His unnatural existence brought Beach closer to the world of the living and ultimately triggered the Death Stranding. Eventually, he rebuilds the chiral network, saves the world and leaves Bridges again to raise Lou.

  1. BB-28 / Lou – Sam’s BB, which was assigned to him after the death of her original owner. During the game, Sam forms a paternal bond with Lou and eventually, against his superiors’ orders, he frees her from her capsule instead of euthanizing her. It’s a miracle that Lou manages to survive being removed from the capsule. Sam takes her with him, rebuilding the family he lost.

  1. Fragile – owner of the largest private courier company in America, Fragile Express, and former boss of Higgs. She suffers from serious DOOMS – she sees the BTs and can freely teleport herself and others between the world of the living and the Beach. Higgs used her company and couriers to secretly send contraband to various cities and planted a nuke in a package delivered personally by Fragile. This resulted in the destruction of a major city and severely damaged Fragile’s reputation. The woman managed to prevent the explosion of the second bomb, but she paid a high price for it – Higgs forced her to run through the rain wearing only a mask. Fragile therefore has a young face but an old, sick body. She joins Sam in seeking revenge on Higgs, and after defeating the villain and saving the world, she regains her reputation and position as the chief courier in the country.

  1. Higgs Monaghan – former courier of Fragile Express, leader of the terrorist organization Homo Demens and one of the two main antagonists of the game. He suffers from the highest possible level of DOOMS – can summon and control the BTs. After encountering the extinction factor and discovering the truth about the upcoming final stranding, he went crazy and became an apocalypse agent, determined to destroy the world. After the destruction of several cities and the kidnapping of Amelie, he stands to fight against Sam on her Beach, where he loses. The extinction factor punishes him for his failure, taking away his powers and leaving him at the mercy of Fragile. Despite his apparent death, the villain mysteriously returns in Death Stranding 2 in a robotic body, ready to seek revenge. Lover of ancient Egypt and pizza.

  1. Amelie – the daughter of the US president, Bridget, and the main target of Sam’s mission, imprisoned on the west coast by Higgs. In reality, she’s the second main antagonist of the game, the source of DOOMS, a separate part of Bridget’s soul, and the extinction factor, a being whose destiny is to destroy the universe through the last stranding. Knowing about the inevitable destruction and her own destiny broke her and convinced her of the need to quickly end the suffering of humanity. From the very beginning, she was the one giving orders to Higgs, trying to speed up the apocalypse. Eventually, Sam convinces her that despite the ubiquitous suffering and inevitable end, life and human connections matter. Amelie sacrifices herself and stays on her Beach before separating it from the rest of the world, preventing the last stranding for the next millennia, until the natural end of time comes.

  1. Clifford Unger is a soldier who occasionally attacks Sam in an attempt to kidnap Lou, believing it to be his child. He’s actually Sam’s father and a war veteran who was killed by Bridget while trying to save little Sam from experiments that would have turned him into the first Bridge Baby. During every meeting, he confused Lou with Sam. After the last fight with Cliff, the soldier finally recognizes Sam, and the realization that his son has grown up and is doing well allows him to pass on to the afterlife.
  1. Die-Hardman – director of Bridges, Sam’s superior during the game, and the unofficial leader of the USA after the death of President Bridget Strand. Once he was a soldier serving in Cliff Unger’s unit and owed his life to Cliff. He secretly helped him steal little Sam from the research facility, but despite his help, Cliff and Sam died, killed by Bridget with his own weapon, which made him feel incredibly guilty. Throughout the entire game, he hides his true goal, which is to kill Amelie to prevent the last stranding. Ultimately, after saving the world, he is officially inaugurated as the new president of the United States of America.

  1. Deadman – a doctor assigned to Sam’s expedition and a member of Bridges. He was created in a laboratory instead of being naturally born; therefore, he doesn’t possess a soul and is fascinated by the afterlife. One of Sam’s closest and most trusted allies, who over time also becomes attached to Lou, even though he initially didn’t perceive her as a human. Eventually, he helps Sam desert from Bridges, officially becoming his first real friend.

  1. Mama and Lockne – separated Siamese twins, creators of the chiral network. Mom was a surrogate for Lockne, but as a result of a terrorist attack during childbirth, she was trapped under the rubble of the hospital. Her child was ultimately born as BT and connected to her with a spectral umbilical cord, keeping her in a state between life and death. Sam fulfills her request and cuts off the connection with her child, which kills her. Her soul merges with Lockne, allowing both to live as separate entities in the same body.
  1. Heartman – the chief scientist of Bridges, who lost his family in a voidout while undergoing heart surgery. Even though the voidout didn’t reach him, it cut off the power to his hospital and the equipment keeping him alive. Heartman ended up on the Beach, where he saw his family and was separated from them when he was brought back to life by emergency defibrillation. Terrified by the vision of being separated from his family in the afterlife, Heartman began to temporarily stop his heart to search for the Beach, through which his wife and child had passed. Ultimately, it damaged his heart. Heartman is stuck in a cycle of living for 21 minutes and dying for 3 minutes.

  1. Bridget Strand – President of the USA and Sam’s adoptive mother. Dies of cancer at the beginning of the game, entrusting Sam to create a chiral network and find Amelie. In the past, a part of her soul separated from her and became a factor of extinction, taking the name Amelie. Bridget publicly treated her like a daughter. Unlike Amelie, however, she wants to stop the last stranding and connect the USA with a chiral network. For this purpose, she conducted research on BBs and killed Cliff when he tried to save his son from her experiments. She accidentally shot Sam as well, who was, however, resurrected by Amelie, after which Bridget adopted him out of guilt.

Death Stranding Plot

In the usual course of events, as I was making a delivery to the Central Knot, I stumbled upon an unusual task from none other than Igor, the local corpse disposer. It seems a Homo Demens terrorist had met his end in the city, and his body was found late in the day, verging on transformation into a BT. Seeing the urgency, I agreed to help Igor transport the remains to the nearest crematorium.

But our journey didn’t go as planned. As we were en route, Higgs, the head of Homo Demens, summoned a horde of BTs, and they swarmed us. In the chaos, Igor was devoured by these monstrous creatures, causing a catastrophic event known as a voidout that destroyed the Central Knot.

Miraculously, only two of us survived – myself and Lou, the BB assigned to Igor. With no choice but to press on, I took Lou with me, hoping to find some semblance of safety in the ruins of our once-thriving city.

In a secret hideout belonging to the Bridges organization, Sam finds himself unwillingly outfitted with tracking handcuffs, tying him to the group. Against his wishes, he consents to a meeting with the ailing president and his surrogate mother, Bridget, at the Capital Knot. Reluctantly, he pledges to carry on the Bridges mission and expand the chiral network not for national unity, but to rescue his sister Amelie, who is being held captive by Higgs in the Edge Knot, a western stronghold. With Lou, Sam embarks on their westward journey, linking more Knots, bunkers, and supply centers along the way. In the Port Knot, for the first time, he confronts Higgs and uncovers the truth about the catastrophic event that threatens extinction.

With Fragile’s assistance, Sam persists in bridging the continent and uncovers her history following his defusal of a nuclear device hidden within his shipment, courtesy of Higgs. Frequently, both Higgs and Clifford Unger pose threats to him. Along the journey, he forges bonds with Fragile, Deadman, Mama, Lockne, and Heartman, and develops a nurturing bond towards Lou. Additionally, he frequently experiences intense recollections of the still-living Clifford, as if viewing him through Lou’s eyes.

Sam arrives at the Edge Knot, where he confronts Higgs’ Battle Teams. Meanwhile, Higgs escorts Amelie to her Shore, followed by Sam and Fragile. In the ensuing battle, Sam overpowers Higgs, who is stripped of his powers as punishment for his loss. Deserted on an empty Shore with no escape route and a loaded weapon, Higgs takes his own life to evade eternal imprisonment.

Suddenly, Die-Hardman materializes at the shore, attempting to eliminate Amelie to prevent the last stranding. However, he is unable to harm her. Cliff then arrives to revive his former subordinate, Higgs, and Amelie expels Sam from her Shore.

It later becomes clear that it was Amelie who had manipulated Higgs all along. The chiral network, which brought the entire nation closer to the Shore, allows her to initiate the last stranding prematurely.

As a result, the messenger embarks on a journey towards the Capital Knot to reunite with his allies and thwart Amelie’s plans.

In their journey towards the Capital Knot, Sam encounters his ultimate battle against Cliff – a fateful duel that reveals Cliff’s identity as Sam’s father and his realization of his error. He had been searching for Lou instead of Sam. After Cliff passes away, Sam navigates through a colossal swarm of BTs, including a massive, airborne whale, before finally arriving at the Capital Knot. Alongside their companions, they are strategizing there to thwart Amelie’s plans. Eventually, Fragile teleports him back to her Beach, where Sam confronts Amelie in their final showdown.

In a heartrending realization, Sam understands that the final catastrophe can merely be delayed, not prevented. Meanwhile, Amelie views ending it quickly as a mercy, for both herself and all mankind. Overcoming his fear, he embraces Amelie, assuring her that amidst unending pain and an impending end, life remains valuable.

With a heavy heart, Amelie chooses to sever ties with the world forever, acting as the eternal guardian of the last catastrophe. Her departure leaves Sam stranded on his own shore. Contemplating suicide to flee from endless solitude, he is miraculously rescued by Mama, Lockne, Heartman, Fragile, and Deadman, who drag him back to life.

Following several weeks, the swearing-in ceremony for Die-Hardman as the new president of the United Cities of America occurs. During this time, Die-Hardman confides in Sam about Cliff’s demise and his feelings of remorse. Simultaneously, Sam receives grim news from Deadman – Lou’s life support system has failed, leaving her with no other option but to perish if removed. According to the law, Lou must be cremated, yet Deadman persuades Sam to defy this final command. Sam embraces Deadman, expressing gratitude for his assistance, and proceeds to the incinerator, where he recalls Cliff’s death during a series of visions. These visions lead him to believe that he was the bridge baby, not Lou, as he had previously thought.

In the incinerator, Sam decides against disposing of Lou and breaks free from the Bridges system by destroying his handcuffs. This act of defiance results in Lou’s survival and the capsule being opened for desperate resuscitation efforts. Miraculously, she lives on, perhaps with the aid of infant BBs that appear within the incinerator. Sam then adopts Lou and departs to live independently, renaming her Louise – a name he had intended to bestow upon his lost daughter.

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2025-06-24 12:33