Lou is not only a baby in a pod in Death Stranding 2: On the Beach, she is Sam’s lifeline, BT radar, and only source of relaxation and cuteness in a game where everywhere is ghost sludge, weird tentacles, and terrifying weather. But like any small baby human, Lou also gets moody, upset, and cries occasionally. And when she does, it’s not a good thing. That’s why soothing Lou in Death Stranding 2 is among the crucial tasks you have to do in your journey.
While Sam is running here and there to reconnect what’s left of the world, Lou is your regular companion, and taking care of her isn’t optional but important. Calming her down when she’s distressed can mean the difference between a clean stealth run and getting dragged into a BT death party. This guide covers how to soothe Lou in Death Stranding 2: On the Beach, when to do it, why it’s crucial, and what might happen if you ignore her crying for long.
Why Lou Gets Upset
Lou’s emotional state is connected to what’s happening around Sam. Get spotted by BTs? She’s crying. Take a tumble down a slope and bounce your gear like a jack-in-the-box? The baby is crying. Wade too deep into a river or get caught in a fight with MULEs? Tears fall again from Lou’s eyes. If it’s something that would make a grown man clench, Lou is not going to handle it well either.
Lou’s stress has an effect on Sam’s playthrough. The more distressed she becomes, the less reliable your Odradek scanner (the spinning radar that alerts you to nearby BTs) will be. If you don’t intervene, she’ll turn into a pulsating tentacle mass inside the BB pod. At that point, you lose your most crucial tool for dealing with the invisible threats in the world, and you’ll need to retreat to a safe room to reset her state. It’s not good at all when a lot of things in your surroundings want to drag you to the beach and eat your soul.
How to Soothe Lou in Death Stranding 2
When Lou cries in Death Stranding 2, you need to calm her instantly. To soothe her, hold L1, then press down on the D-pad to check on Lou. The screen goes into first-person view, where Sam holds Lou. From there, gently rack your controller up and down to soothe her using motion controls. If you prefer, go into Settings > Controls and switch to the left stick instead, then move it up and down to calm her.
Shaking the controller too hard or moving erratically will result in a worse situation, let alone calming down Lou. She wants comfort and you’ll know it’s working when the red stress meter starts to go normal, and eventually her little face in the UI swaps its frown for a smile. Make sure you’re somewhere safe when you do this. Sam goes into full parenting mode during the animation, and you’re vulnerable, which means trying to soothe Lou in the middle of a BT zone is a bold move unless you’ve got a death wish.
What Happens If You Ignore Lou?
The first thing is that Lou’s crying makes noise, and it alerts enemies in close surroundings. That alone is bad enough but if you keep pushing on and ignore her mood long enough, she’ll shut down completely. Her pod will darken, fill with black ooze, and in the end, you’ll see her replaced with a tangle of tentacles.
It’s unsettling, and worse, she’ll stop functioning entirely, which means you won’t be able to detect BTs anymore. Then, there’s nothing you can do except get to a private room and let her recover; It’s the only way to restore her state. Lou has preferences. She likes moving fast, and that’s a good way to make her happy. If you move on a Tri-Cruiser vehicle in Death Stranding 2, activate boost, and hit top speed, Lou laughs with joy and even gives you likes.
