Death Stranding 2: On the Beach sets out to bring forth the second chapter of Kojima Productions’ wild story to life. As the successor to Kojima Productions’ first release, Death Stranding 2 is bound to feature even more compelling and outlandish ideas. The story of Death Stranding can be difficult to digest at times, but its fascinating and strange post-apocalyptic world is easy to lose oneself in.
Antagonist Higgs Monaghan is one of the most compelling in Death Stranding. Portrayed by voice acting powerhouse Troy Baker, Higgs serves as a major obstacle in the story. The first trailer for the sequel revealed that he will once again be serving as an adversary to Sam and his companions. However, his return presents Death Stranding 2 with the difficult task of one-upping his boss fight in the original game.
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Death Stranding 2 Should Literally Be Full of Highs and Lows
Kojima Productions could shake up the level design in Death Stranding 2: On the Beach by filling it with highs and lows, literally.
Higgs’ personality is a larger-than-life persona, and his boss fight in Death Stranding matched the over-the-top nature of the character. In the second phase of the Higgs fight, he and Sam go toe-to-toe in an arcade-style brawl that feels like an homage to a past Kojima project; Metal Gear Solid 4. It’s an exciting change of pace that leans into the wonderful absurdity of Death Stranding. However, this approach to a boss fight with Higgs is unlikely to be revisited.
Sam and Higgs’ Next Encounter Needs to Feel Fresh
It’s clear that Higgs will have a role in Death Stranding 2‘s story, but to what extent is unclear. His presence in the trailer still feels quite villainous, as his obsession with Amelia has seemingly reached even greater heights. After the first game’s boss battle, Higgs seeking revenge against Sam and Fragile is the likely route, but only time will tell. If that is the case, though, Higgs challenging Sam once more will need to feel like a completely new experience. While the arcade-inspired gameplay in Death Stranding‘s Higgs battle was fun, utilizing the same approach with a second boss fight could run the risk of being disappointing, since it doesn’t hold the same surprise factor.
At the end of Sam’s fight with Higgs in Death Stranding, the former leaves his fate up to Fragile, who decides to leave him stranded on the Beach.
Thankfully, there are already some major changes to Higgs that promise fresh gameplay mechanics for the villain. In the trailer for Death Standing 2, Higgs dons an incredible electric guitar that also serves as a weapon. The full capabilities of this weapon remain to be seen, but it’s a fascinating concept that teases imaginative combat scenarios. Death Stranding 2 is set to continue the legacy of its predecessor, but there are also likely to be plenty of changes in store. Higgs’ guitar weapon is a clear indication of this, and it’s exciting to imagine what a boss fight with such a unique item would entail.
Much of Death Stranding 2 Still Remains a Secret
Despite the game being slated to arrive sometime in 2025, Death Stranding 2 is still incredibly mysterious. While a new cast introducing Elle Fanning and the likeness of George Miller is exciting, many of these new faces and their roles are unclear. The blend of original cast members combined with newcomers is intriguing, and it will be interesting to see how Higgs and his secretive new goals affect Sam and his growing team of allies.
Other new cast members in Death Stranding include Shioli Kutsuna and Fatih Akin.
As of now, the uncertainty surrounding Death Stranding 2 only makes it that more fascinating to think about. What direction the sequel takes is a huge mystery, but it feels nearly certain that Higgs and Sam will face off once again, and it will hopefully be an even bigger showdown.
