Best Easter Eggs & Secrets in Death Stranding 2

Hideo Kojima loves his easter eggs and references, and Death Stranding 2 is filled with them. There are so many easter eggs and secrets in Death Stranding 2, and many of them reference other games and pieces of pop culture, and others feature secret cutscenes that most players might have missed in their playthrough.

The best easter eggs in Death Stranding 2 are still being discovered, but we’ve compiled some of our favorite finds that will have players desperate to jump back into Sam’s porter shoes to check out these easter eggs for themselves.

Kept You Waiting, Huh?

Despite cutting ties with Konami all those years ago, it seems that Hideo Kojima will never shy away from his baby. Kojima’s love for his creation of the Metal Gear franchise stands strong, and there are plenty of references to the series featured in Death Stranding 2. The most obvious example is that of Neil’s bandanna being an ode to Solid Snake, but it doesn’t end there. Higgs abruptly says “Kept you waiting, huh?” which is a line said by Snake across all games, and even better is Tarman saying “Phantom Pain”, which is a reference to a real-life condition, but it’s hard not to hear those words and not think of Invisible by Duran Duran.

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Hideo Kojima Watches Over You

Kojima-San is Quite Literally in the Stars

• ​​​​​​​How to Get: Star-gaze while in a Hot Spring

Hideo Kojima loves to reference himself, and his games always feature a cameo from him one way or another. Death Stranding 2 is no exception from the rule, and across the game, players can find plenty of references to Kojima Productions with graffiti, wall art, and even merchandise. However, it doesn’t stop there, as Hideo Kojima can actually be seen himself if players are to study the constellation of stars while resting in a hot spring on a clear night sky. Doing so will trigger Kojima’s face to pop up, showing how, despite his busy schedule, he’s always watching the player, even if they’re trying to bathe, apparently.

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Sam’s Nightmares

Experience Secret Terrors

• How to Get: Go back to sleep after waking up in private rooms

When aboard the DHV Magellan, Sam can head to his private room and crash out for a well-deserved sleep. However, if Sam decides to go back to sleep when he wakes up, there’s more of a chance for him to have a nightmare. These nightmares can be triggered by interacting with Lou’s Pod, Dollman, or even just by trying to return to the surface. Each nightmare is unique, and while some can be funny, others can be extremely terrifying. These nightmares can consist of Dollman hiding in Lou’s pod and singing, to seeing Charlie with arms and legs in the hallway, just standing there… menacingly!

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Breaking the Fourth Wall

A Kojima-Classic is Kojimatastic

​​​​​​​There are plenty of fourth wall-breaking moments in Death Stranding 2 that prove that, despite the genius of his writing and the fun of his gameplay, Hideo Kojima doesn’t take things too seriously. It’s part of his immense charm, and some of the best moments from the game come from these moments. The most egregious examples come from Higgs, who seems to know he’s in a video game. Higgs will often look directly at the camera and say things like “we won’t be having ourselves a boss fight this time. You see, y’all can’t win.” The fact that Higgs is directly addressing the player adds to his terrifying charm, but that’s just one of many examples of fourth wall breaks that make the game so fun.

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Happy Birthday, Sam!

The World Celebrates Your Birthday

• How to Get: Play Death Stranding 2 on the in-game set birthday

When players start a new game of Death Stranding 2, they will be asked to set a birthday. While this seems like nothing at the start, it actually provides players with a reason to come back and celebrate. Players are not only treated to a fun cutscene on board the DHV Magellan, but every interaction with porters and preppers will see everyone celebrate your birthday. Ghostly Sams will say happy birthday, and other preppers will celebrate the big day too. It’s cute and a lot of fun for players who want the very best birthday wishes.

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The Ghost Monorail

The Soul Train Down Under

• How to Get: Appears at night during clear skies

While not necessarily a horror title, Death Stranding 2 does have aspects of horror, proven by the Ghost Monorail. Porters have heard rumors of a ghostly monorail that flies through the sky with lost cargo, and if players look up at a clear sky during the night, they might see the Ghost Monorail. A screeching train on the rails that rides through the darkness, the Ghost Monorail can terrify the most cowardly of porters, especially when it’s described as stealing one’s soul if players watch it for too long, and that might be true, since if players do stare for too long, red charging BTs rush towards Sam to explode.

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Embracing Higgs

The Coffin Board Isn’t Just for Riding

• How to Get: Go to sleep next to a Coffin Board

Players can acquire a Coffin Board by fabricating one at any facility after Main Order 29. With the Coffin Board, players will have an extremely fun vehicle, but only when they are connected to the Chiral Network. However, the speed and joy of the Coffin Board isn’t the show stealer here, it’s the fact that if Sam holds the Square button to rest beside the coffin, Higgs might occasionally emerge from inside to surprise Sam, and then… embrace him with a tentacle sprouted from his mouth? It’s very odd, very Kojima, and true nightmare fuel that shows that it’s probably not the best idea to drift off to sleep next to a coffin.

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The Mask of Yotei

Become the Ghost of Yotei Before the Game Releases

• How to Get: Deliver any cargo to the Adventurer after connecting him to the Chiral Network in Main Order 37.

Despite not being out yet, it seems that the promotion of Ghost of Yotei has begun with Kojima Productions. With PlayStation titles having such great synergy with each other, and Hideo Kojima loving the video game industry, it’s no surprise that players can get the Mask of Yotei, the featured mask for Sucker Punch’s upcoming Ghost of Yotei title. This unusual mask provided by the Adventurer in the snowy mountains will block and reflect sunlight, but it won’t turn Sam into a dangerous samurai turned ninja.