Death Stranding 2 footage reveals photo mode, dancing dolls

Much of Death Stranding 2: On the Beach still remains a mystery despite it being announced back in 2022. However, Kojima Productions revealed a little more information at the Tokyo Game Show this past weekend, and it’s maybe weirder than you were expecting.

The studio released some game footage to X (formerly Twitter) following the show, giving us insight into some of the new characters, a realistic-looking photo mode, and a choreographed dance number with a sentient puppet. So, it’s classic Hideo Kojima fare.

The first clip introduces two new characters. The first is Tarman, played in a cameo by Mad Max director George Miller. This is the latest addition to the series’ collection of movie director cameos, which started in the first game with Guillermo Del Toro and Nicolas Winding Refn. The other character is Dollman, who is, you know, a doll. And it looks like we’ll be seeing a lot of him.

#TGS2024
PlayStation Presents “DEATH STRANDING 2” Special Stage!

First public release of game footage.
Part1: Dollman & Tarman Member Introductions.#DeathStranding2 pic.twitter.com/ci2QP57CbR

— KOJIMA PRODUCTIONS (Eng) (@KojiPro2015_EN) September 29, 2024

Next, we get a brief scene with Shioli Kutsuna’s Rainy and Elle Fanning’s Tomorrow — two of the game’s newest characters. The conversation sets up some Death Stranding lore weirdness

#TGS2024
PlayStation Presents “DEATH STRANDING 2” Special Stage!

First public release of game footage.
Part 2: Tomorrow & Rainy Member Introductions.#DeathStranding2 pic.twitter.com/ElGZ62zSEQ

— KOJIMA PRODUCTIONS (Eng) (@KojiPro2015_EN) September 29, 2024

After that, we get a glimpse at what Heartman (Nicolas Winding Refn) has been up to since the first game. Looks like he’s found a way to sleep standing up.

#TGS2024
PlayStation Presents “DEATH STRANDING 2” Special Stage!

First public release of game footage.
Part 3: Heartman TGS2024 Special Video.#DeathStranding2 pic.twitter.com/F0QlEPC6Dg

— KOJIMA PRODUCTIONS (Eng) (@KojiPro2015_EN) September 29, 2024

So far, we’ve seen example cutscenes from Death Stranding 2, but the next clip dives into the photo mode, which has gotten a big upgrade. It shows Fragile, Tomorrow, and Rainy cycling through various poses together in various locations while holding stuffed cryptobiotes (a food source from the first game). I was taken aback at first when I saw this clip since I thought it was real-world footage, not rendered in game.

#TGS2024
PlayStation Presents “DEATH STRANDING 2” Special Stage!

First public release of game footage.
Part 4: ‘Photo shoot event’ (Stuffed Cryptobiote also make an appearance).#DeathStranding2 pic.twitter.com/O3nrKcIvBW

— KOJIMA PRODUCTIONS (Eng) (@KojiPro2015_EN) September 29, 2024

Finally, we come to what you’ve all been waiting for: a short Dollman music video. It’s for the song Horizon Dreamer from the game, and also stars J-pop’s Daichi Miura. According to the post, this is an in-game event video, so maybe we can expect more of these in the final game.

#TGS2024
PlayStation Presents “DEATH STRANDING 2” Special Stage!

First public release of game footage.
Part 5: Dollman In-game Event Video.

The music of Daichi Miura that appears in the video “Horizon Dreamer” will be available midnight tonight, September 30th [JST]. Enjoy!… pic.twitter.com/iDVc9SmmXE

— KOJIMA PRODUCTIONS (Eng) (@KojiPro2015_EN) September 29, 2024

There might only be a few short clips here for a game that’s expected to release in 2025, but it’s the most we’ve learned about what Kojima Productions has in store since the 10-minute announcement trailer earlier this year. But if Death Stranding 2 is anything like its predecessor, there will be a lot of surprises being saved for launch.

Death Stranding 2 is just one of Kojima Productions’ current projects. The studio is also working on a horror game called OD, a live-action Death Stranding movie with A24, and a return to the stealth genre with Physint.