Gazer

Overview

The Gazer is the most common BT (Beached Thing) enemy encountered throughout Death Stranding 2: On the Beach. These translucent, floating humanoid figures are the souls of the dead that have become stranded between the realm of the living and the Beach — unable to pass on, endlessly drifting through the timefall-soaked landscape. Gazers are visually ethereal and almost beautiful in their drifting motion, but their proximity to Sam Porter Bridges is an ever-present danger. Unlike some enemies in DS2, Gazers do not detect by sight — they are entirely sound-sensitive, making them one of the most distinctly avoidable threats in the game if the player respects the rules of their territory.

Behavior

Gazers drift slowly and somewhat erratically through timefall-affected areas, following loose patrol patterns that can shift unpredictably. They are entirely blind — their detection is purely sound-based, meaning they will not react to Sam walking in front of them so long as he remains quiet. However, any noise — footsteps at a run, falling cargo, or the sound of Sam's breathing — will cause nearby Gazers to alert and begin homing in on the source. If a Gazer gets close enough to make contact, it will grab Sam and begin pulling him down toward the tar, initiating a BT encounter that can rapidly escalate into a Catcher or worse. The Odradek scanner is an invaluable tool for tracking Gazer positions before they are within grabbing range.

Avoidance Strategy

The single most effective strategy against Gazers is silence. When a Gazer approaches Sam's position, stand completely still and hold the breath-holding button to suppress Sam's sound output entirely. A Gazer that has not fully locked on will drift past a motionless, silent Sam without incident. When navigating through Gazer territory proactively, crouch-walking dramatically reduces Sam's noise footprint and allows careful movement between Gazer positions. Plan routes by observing Gazer drift patterns with the Odradek before committing to a path. Timefall zones are the most reliable indicator of Gazer presence — if the rain is falling, assume BTs are near.

Combat Strategy

If a Gazer grabs Sam, blood weapons are the primary means of breaking free and dealing damage. Sam's blood is inherently toxic to BTs, and Blood Bags or Blood Grenades thrown directly at the grabbing Gazer will force it to release him. If the encounter has escalated to the point where a tar pool has appeared and is summoning additional BTs, throw Hematic Grenades directly into the tar pool — this is the most efficient way to neutralize the encounter before larger BT variants emerge. Once detected, combat is often the fastest resolution, but it comes with the risk of summoning boss-tier BTs if the situation deteriorates.

Variants: Adult and Infant Gazers

Gazers come in two primary variants: Adult Gazers and Infant Gazers. Adult Gazers are the standard humanoid form encountered throughout the game, while Infant Gazers are smaller, faster-moving versions that are equally dangerous despite their diminutive size. Infant Gazers' faster movement can make them harder to avoid if their patrol paths bring them into Sam's proximity suddenly. Both variants share identical detection mechanics — sound only — and the same blood weapon vulnerabilities. In areas with mixed Gazer populations, tracking both variants simultaneously with the Odradek is essential.

Tips and Tricks

Always keep the Odradek scanner active in suspected BT zones — the chirping frequency and directional behavior of the Odradek gives real-time proximity data on Gazers before they enter grabbing range, giving Sam the time to stop and hold his breath. Prioritize silence over speed in any area with Gazer presence; a lost few minutes of delivery time is far less costly than a full BT encounter that damages or destroys cargo. When planning routes through timefall areas, look for natural terrain features like ridges and elevation changes that can mask movement. Avoid sprinting at all costs in Gazer territory — the noise generated by a sprint will alert every Gazer in the vicinity simultaneously.