Summary
- Higgs, a returning character in Death Stranding 2, stole the show in the recent State of Play trailer with his unique abilities and lightning guitar weapon.
- Hideo Kojima, known for surprise playable characters in his games, could make Higgs playable in DS2 to shake things up.
- Controlling Higgs in combat-heavy segments could add variety to the gameplay loop and combat the argument that Death Stranding's gameplay is boring and repetitive.
Not only did the wacky State of Play trailer for Death Stranding 2 give fans of the Kojima Productions franchise an official subtitle to work with, but it also gave the series’ community a lot more to theorize about. From a cat made of tar that also has a pair of wings to an airship flying out of a baby’s mouth to a puppet that moves at 10 FPS and will seemingly work like God of War’s Mimir, there were many standout moments. However, despite all the absurdity that can really only be found in Hideo Kojima’s work, it was returning character Higgs that stole the show.
Higgs being a Death Stranding 2 highlight may not be all that surprising considering how memorable he was in the first game. Deceiving players into delivering a bomb, surprising gamers with the hilariously weird pizza quest line, and providing a three-stage boss battle with an encounter reminiscent of Metal Gear Solid 4’s last fight are just some of Higgs’ contributions to the original entry in the series, all of which were elevated by Troy Baker's performance. However, the next entry in the series has a chance to take things a step further with Higgs, as On The Beach could make him a playable character.
Why Death Stranding 2 Making Higgs Playable Makes Perfect Sense
Hideo Kojima is No Stranger to Surprise Playable Characters
Fans of Hideo Kojima’s work will undoubtedly be familiar with his love for twists, something that extends to how he handles his protagonists. For example, Metal Gear Solid 2’s introduction of Raiden has become famous, as through the opening Tanker mission, fans had been led to believe that they would be controlling the beloved Solid Snake for the entire game. In reality, the rest of the game saw gamers filling the shoes of the brand-new character Raiden, and though it was divisive, this choice allowed for several interesting story moments. Then, Metal Gear Solid 5: The Phantom Pain saw players controlling a random soldier who was made to believe that they were Big Boss, with the twist revealed in the game’s final moments. This too was controversial, but regardless, it shows a willingness on Kojima’s part to shake things up with his established franchises.
Part of the controversy with the Metal Gear character surprises is that players had to control these characters for most of their respective games. If Higgs were to become playable in Death Stranding 2, limiting his gameplay to just a handful of brief segments would be the best way to avoid any complaints.
How Higgs Could Play in Death Stranding 2
Not only does the Death Stranding 2 State of Play trailer debut a look for Higgs that has players looking at The Crow, Joker, and David Bowie for inspiration, but it sees the villain wielding a fresh set of abilities. Instead of using his gold mask to summon large BTs from tar, this time around, Higgs moves like a Cyborg Ninja from Metal Gear Solid, sliding under enemies and delivering fast attacks with acrobatic movement. He also wields an awesome weapon that is essentially a lightning-throwing guitar sword, and watching Higgs in action likely had Death Stranding fans wishing they could control him.
When On The Beach launches, a playable Higgs should be more than a desire from gamers, as it is easy to justify this suggestion becoming a reality. Based on his fighting style in Death Stranding 2’s latest trailer, he would differ greatly from Sam, as his guitar swings have a level of finesse not seen when Sam is tossing around packages or throwing punches. Combat-heavy segments where players control Higgs could be a solid replacement for Cliff's battlefield missions from the original title, shaking up the gameplay loop and combatting the notion that Death Stranding is boring and repetitive. While Sam could just steal Higgs' lightning guitar after defeating him, it likely would not feel the same in his hands, as it would probably be made deliberately clunky to better suit Sam. Ultimately, with Higgs’ story role still up, it is hard to think of a barrier that would prevent him from being playable.
Death Stranding 2: On the Beach
- Released
- June 26, 2025
WHERE TO PLAY
Embark on an inspiring mission of human connection beyond the UCA. Sam—with companions by his side—sets out on a new journey to save humanity from extinction. Join them as they traverse a world beset by otherworldly enemies, obstacles and a haunting question: should we have connected? Step by step, legendary game creator Hideo Kojima changes the world once again.
