TW: Source material features occasional blood and gore.
On February 8, 2024, a Swedish-based company, Arrowhead Game Studios, released Helldivers 2, a third-person shooter game featured on PS5 and Steam for PC.
The game is an intense third-person shooter, where players take the role of “Helldivers”, an elite intergalactic task force whose aim is to fight against foreign threats of democracy.
The worldbuilding is heavily inspired by an oversaturated, patriotic view of democracy. Much of the immersion is built upon the propaganda in almost every aspect of the game. Aspects including the lobby (aka Super Destroyer), in-game dialogue, the game’s introduction video, and even loading screen tips such as “If you notice a squad mate sympathizing with an enemy, report them to your democracy officer. Thoughtcrimes kill!”
Three main factions are threatening the ideals of democracy across the galaxy: the Terminids, “fascist” bugs; the Illuminates, mind-controlling alien squids; and the Automatons, communist robots. (I am not making this up)
Players are deployed onto a mission with a loadout of unlocked utilities, featuring primary firearms (i.e., assault rifles), secondary firearms (mainly pistols), throwable explosives, armor ranging from light to heavy, and “stratagems”. Stratagems are orbital support sent to aid players with hostiles or completing a mission, such as advanced weaponry/gear, vehicles, aerial support, and orbital coverage.
Especially in team play, one thing that quickly becomes apparent in the gameplay is the sheer chaos players will face. Bullets and laser pellets flying in every direction, explosions, and massive enemies just being menaces. Thus, teamwork plays and synergy becomes a vital asset.
For some players who regularly enjoy the game, the chaos is the main appeal. Online user CaptainLuffy34, who has been playing for “about a year or two,” testifies, “the gameplay is great, the destruction of everything is so exciting and gets you hooked…[however] that might discourage someone from playing.”
The gameplay is expected to be intense for an objective-based shooter, especially on greater difficulties. Being able to strategize on what you bring and mastering key mechanics are vital to survival.
At the end of each mission, players acquire experience for leveling up, gun experience, which allows players to upgrade or customize their primary gun, “requisitions”, the game’s main currency for purchasing new stratagems and gun upgrades, and medals for progressing “warbonds”.
Said warbonds are a key aspect of the game progression, with each one having its own unique theme, such as Polar Patriots, Chemical Agents, and Entrenched. Each one is unlocked with super credits, which can be acquired during missions or by progressing the default warbond, “Helldivers Mobilize”.
Each warbond awards players with new armor, weapons, and throwables, unique stratagems, and other useful utilities.
With the main motif of the game mentioned, the main vision of the game is omitted by Arrowhead Game Studios, the developers of the game. The main motto they have acquired over the years is “A game for everyone is a game for no one.”
Junior Michael Pollock, who has been playing the game since its launch, comments on this: “You have, on one hand, the [players] who ask for buffs and nerfs for [weapons] or all these different things…and on the other hand, people are trying to incorporate real-world ideologies and values…But Arrowhead didn’t want that because…they don’t want to cater to everybody.”
Instead of paying more attention to certain pockets of the game community, Arrowhead focuses its vision on what they enjoy about their own game and their own experience playing it in their own time.
However, as Pollock notes, this can result in a conflict of interests between the developers and players. “Arrowhead, they usually tend to listen to whoever’s the loudest, and that ends up with guns that are either broken or underpowered.”
Ultimately, each front, whether Illuminate, Automaton, or Terminid, requires its own strategy and set of weapons. Finding what best suits a player its best for one’s enjoyment of the game. While there is plenty of trial and error required to learn certain mechanics such as enemy weak points and when to use stims. If you can find a good friend group to play with, or don’t mind playing with randoms, this game is definitely worth considering.