When you start up Death Stranding 2: On the Beach, you'll be asked to enter your birthday, just like in the original game. The description for this doesn't tell you much other than it can "determine a person's experience of DOOMS" the condition that allows Sam to sense BTs. But while the original Death Stranding left it at that, Death Stranding 2 follows Metal Gear Solid 5 and leaves in a little surprise for your birthday.
As posted by Giant Bomb on Bluesky when you return to the DHV Magellan as Sam, you'll emerge on the bridge and see it's completely dark, before Dollman appears and says "happy birthday buddy" and the rest of your crew on the DHV Magellan emerge and wish you a happy birthday too… Including Sam, they're talking to you, the player.
Afterwards Heartman brings you a lovely cake which gets knocked over by Charlie's robot mannequin body emerging from the ground, and the party is ruined.
Except it's then that the game's primary villain, Higgs, emerges on the DHV Magellan, and sings happy birthday to you with the rest of the crew – who are unphased by their number one hater appearing on board their ship. Higgs and Sam then blow out the candles on the pizza Higgs brought, Sam slaps it out his hands, and then wakes up in his bed.
Of course this isn't the first time Hideo Kojima has played around with the player's birthday. In Metal Gear Solid 5 there's a famous scene where Venom Snake comes back to a deserted mother base, only to find out the crew have thrown a surprise party for him. Kojima must really like surprise parties.
Be sure to check out our Death Stranding 2 review while you're here, and when you've rolled credits, you can read our guide to Death Stranding 2's ending explained.
