Sam

Lore & Background

The setting has shifted dramatically eleven months after the first game's conclusion. The United Cities of America (UCA) is fully connected, rendering Bridges defunct as the Automated Porter Assistant System handles deliveries with unmanned robots. Sam lives in isolation until Fragile recruits him to extend the network into Mexico and eventually Australia through mysterious 'plate gates.' In this new landscape, natural disasters like earthquakes and sandstorms frequently ravage the terrain, forcing players to find alternate routes. The Australian continent is overrun by bandits and hostile 'ghost mechs,' while ghostlike Beached Things (BTs) continue to evolve. Sam's journey involves navigating these harsh environments, balancing cargo weight, and utilizing vehicles that can be customized with batteries for extended use or gun turrets for defense.

In Their Own Story

Sam accepts Fragile's offer to link Mexico to the Chiral Network in exchange for a pardon regarding Lou. After successfully connecting Mexico, he discovers a 'plate gate' anomaly leading to Australia via Deadman's recording. Upon returning home, his shelter is attacked; while Fragile survives, Lou appears to be killed. A month later, grief-stricken Sam joins Fragile aboard the DHV Magellan, their tar-traversing ship hub, to traverse the plate gate to Australia. Onboard, he meets the Drawbridge crew and the mysterious President. As Sam expands the network across Australia, he confronts Higgs, who commands powerful ghost mech forces. He also experiences 'tarfall' anomalies battling a spectral soldier named Neil Vana. After defeating Neil, Sam learns Lou is his biological daughter, BB-00, secretly preserved by Bridges after surviving a voidout that killed her mother Lucy. Fragile reveals the empty BB pod allowed him to hallucinate Lou to process grief. The climax sees Higgs capture Tomorrow, an amnesiac girl with tar powers, while the President betrays them to isolate humanity on their beaches forever.

Reader's Guide

Sam operates in a third-person action-adventure world where he must deliver packages and connect survivors to the Chiral Network. Gameplay emphasizes balancing cargo weight while navigating difficult terrain affected by natural disasters. Players unlock vehicles early for faster travel, which can be upgraded with additional batteries or defensive gun turrets. A major shift from the first game is the increased focus on combat; weapons are non-lethal by default, preventing voidouts and allowing direct engagement without fear of devastating explosions. Sam can choose stealth, direct combat, or avoid enemies by taking rougher routes. His progression relies on an Automated Porter Assistant System skill tree divided into five categories: porter, combat, stealth, servicemanship, and bridge link. Attributes improve through ordinary actions; for example, delivering more packages enhances delivery skills. Players also rebuild infrastructure, constructing roads, bridges, and eventually a monorail system to transport goods efficiently between mines and cities.

Did You Know?

• Sam's adopted daughter Lou is revealed to be his biological daughter, the first successful Bridge Baby (BB-00), secretly preserved after surviving a voidout.
• The game takes place primarily in Australia and Mexico, featuring large open worlds connected by 'plate gates' that act as portals between continents.
• Unlike the original, weapons in Death Stranding 2 are non-lethal by default, allowing players to engage in direct combat without triggering devastating voidouts.
• Sam's main hub is the DHV Magellan, a tar-traversing ship used for resting, interacting with companions, and fast travel via the tar.
• Higgs returns as the primary antagonist, commanding 'ghost mech' forces that terrorize settlements across the Australian continent.