Death Stranding 2 Eases the Stress: BB’s Crying No Longer Haunts Your Controller
If you played the original Death Stranding, you probably remember that one thing above all: the stressful sound of BB crying. Good news for anyone who found that sound a little too real—Death Stranding 2 seems to dial it back, making the experience way less nerve-wracking and a lot more enjoyable.
- Death Stranding 2 softens the most stressful element from the first game
- BB’s crying is less frequent and less harsh
- The game feels more approachable, especially for parents
- There’s a shift in how the player connects with the BB character
Less Stress, More Adventure
Death Stranding, released in 2019, was famous for its unique blend of frustration and fascination. As reviewed here, it was a game that made you feel a mix of emotions, not least because of the *constant sound of a baby crying* from your controller. For many players—especially parents—it was almost too real. Every time BB (the baby in Sam’s pod) started crying, the tension spiked. The sound came from the PlayStation controller’s tiny speaker, which, for anyone with a baby monitor nearby, could be downright confusing.
Why Was It So Stressful?
The original Death Stranding was almost prophetic about isolation and anxiety, mirroring the feelings many experienced during the early days of the pandemic. The BB’s cries were designed to get under your skin, triggering a primal response. Even players without kids felt the pressure. As one reviewer put it:
“Every time the BB started crying in the game — and it cried a lot — at least one of us would shoot a nervous glance at the monitor to look for the telltale flicker of its volume meter, heart sinking at the prospect of dragging our exhausted bodies off the sofa for another round of soothing.”
Death Stranding 2: A Kinder Approach
Jump to Death Stranding 2: On the Beach, and things have changed. The BB—now named Lou—still cries, but it’s just not as intense or frequent. Maybe the sound effect is softer, or maybe Lou is programmed to get upset less easily. Or perhaps the game is just a bit easier, letting you avoid those heart-pounding moments more often.
Why the Change?
There are a few possible reasons for this shift. The relationship between Sam and Lou feels more like a real parent-child bond, which might change how players react. Or maybe, after years of experience, players are just better at keeping Lou happy. Whatever the reason, it’s clear that Kojima Productions made a conscious choice to soften the harshest element of the first game.
The Emotional Connection Remains
It’s not just about stress, though. Death Stranding has always been about the connection between the player and the world. As the reviewer reflects:
“Like any work of art, my response to Death Stranding was shaped subjectively by my specific experience at the time. But the work has to have a spark of recognizable humanity to connect on that level in the first place.”
So, whether you’re a returning fan or a newcomer, Death Stranding 2 promises a less stressful—but still deeply emotional—journey. If you were worried about the BB’s cries haunting your living room again, you can relax. This time, Kojima’s world might just be a little kinder.
