Review of Helldivers 2: Life, liberty, and low-orbit operations

Platforms: PlayStation 5, Microsoft Windows

Initial release date: February 8, 2024

Developer: Arrowhead Game Studios

Mode: Multiplayer video game

License: proprietary license

Composer: Wilbert Roget, II

Genres: Third-person shooter, Indie game, Massively Multiplayer

Super Earth is a beacon of freedom and home to a lovely democratic civilization. However, enemies of peace lurk around the cosmos, scheming to destroy our way of life. When liberty is threatened, the Helldivers take action to protect it. With the galaxy at war, it is up to you to take up arms and help ensure democracy for all.

On the surface, Helldivers 2 may appear to be a cheesy action film, and to some extent it is. You’ve got over-the-top statements of freedom and democracy, comedy levels of friendly fire, explosions galore, and an army of baddies bent on destroying all life. But what truly impressed me about this game was how it managed to combine all of this humor into something that is both entertaining and has far more depth than one might assume at first appearance.

Within the galactic war on peace, there are two groups to fight: the Terminids and the Automatons, each with their own set of enemies to defeat. The Terminids are your typical extraterrestrial bugs, moving in swarms and renowned to exterminate individuals who value democracy. Sure, the small scavengers are easy to defeat, but as you start facing larger opponents like charges and spewers, the pressure builds quickly. And, if you confront the huge bile titan, make sure you have some rockets in your back pocket.

The Automatons are just as, if not more, dangerous than their insect cousins. It’s one thing when you’re surrounded by adversaries on all sides, but it’s a very different story when those enemies start shooting back. While the bots are armed with lethal melee weapons like laser swords and chainsaws, there are other variations with ranged weapons. Hell, there’s even a simple armored tank that can roll in and annihilate your team. In my experience, confronting the Automatons needed a different strategy than facing the Terminids, allowing me to switch up my loadouts based on the sort of adversary I was bringing democracy to.

Whatever adversary you choose to combat, it all starts with your Destroyer. This is the logistics center where you can select missions, connect with other Helldivers, change loadouts, and access the equipment store. Rather than developing your character, you will use the resources you collect on missions to strengthen your ship, giving you access to new stratagems and more powerful artillery systems. These upgrades need varying rarities of materials, so you’ll need to take on more challenging missions to find them once you start acquiring higher tier Destroyer parts.

When you select a mission, you and your squad will be taken to the Galactic War Map, a staging table where you can see how the war is progressing across the system. This displays not just the current liberation percentage of each planet, but also the number of Helldivers who are actively deployed on each given front. This works well as both an immersive UI feature and a tool for determining which missions you and your team should take on. Should you strengthen the main force on a highly active planet or expand democracy’s bounds on enemy-controlled territory? The option is yours, and being able to visit so many visually and topographically distinct planets was a blast.

When you have boots on the ground, the real war starts. Aside from splattering bugs and blowing up killer robots, you’ll be faced with a variety of missions to promote democracy throughout the world. These include rescuing citizens, activating missile silos, destroying outposts/nests, and more. There are also tiny side missions that can be uncovered as you explore, giving you the option to get more experience and gather additional resources if you’re willing to take the risk.

Missions are created with four people in mind, so while you can deploy with fewer, survival becomes significantly more difficult. Thankfully, there is a quick play mechanism to ensure you have some backup, but keep an eye out for friendly fire if you are not on comms. While playing alone is an option, I found it considerably more difficult than with even one more Helldiver. The coordination of hitting bugs, deploying stratagems, and, of course, resurrecting a teammate after an untimely death make this a simple sell for playing with a friend. After all, democracy is about more than just one individual.

Your Destroyer can only stay in orbit for a certain time, thus each trip to the surface is timed. This implies that if you exceed the timer, you’ll lose access to all of your stratagems and reinforcements, forcing you to flee or die. I really liked this mechanic since it encourages you to consider the time cost of almost everything you do while on a mission and keep track of your objectives in a strategic manner.

While attacking the enemies of freedom with traditional weapons is enjoyable in and of itself, the stratagems take the cake. These are exceptional powers that allow you to unleash a barrage of gunfire and support from your Destroyer in orbit. Perhaps you need a region pummeled with high-caliber gatling fire, a resupply of ammo and stims, or a 500kg patriotic payload delivered by your personal Eagle squadron. Stratagems will undoubtedly make or break your visits to enemy zone, and planning loadouts with your other divers is an essential component of any mission.

Helldivers 2, like many modern games, has a premium currency and an item shop, but it may be one of the most player-friendly microtransaction shops I’ve ever encountered. Now, at first appearance, it would be tempting to believe the reverse, as armor in this game does have advantages. When a premium currency shop sells gear with higher armor values or better benefits, it’s natural to assume it’s pay-to-win rubbish. However, you can earn premium currency just by playing the game. This means you don’t have to spend a dime to obtain that fantastic item from the shop you’ve been eyeing; simply play the game and save up your currency. I’ve already purchased two items from the premium shop with the currency I earned by completing missions, and I still have enough left over to purchase more goods when they become available. To top it all off, all of the benefits and bonuses on the shop armors have variants that can be obtained normally, implying that they are essentially redesigns rather than exclusives. I admire the developers for creating this microtransaction store model, and I hope that others follow in their footsteps in terms of monetization.

It’s been a long time since a multiplayer co-op game captivated me as much as Helldivers 2. Even if there are a few flaws (no, not those ones) that remain after launch, they are far outweighed by how enjoyable this game is. Whether I’m fleeing a horde of scuttling Terminids or blasting explosives into an Automaton dropship, the gameplay feels theatrical, as if I’m in an action film. Throwing a stratagem into a throng of foes (or my friends by accident) and witnessing bodies go in all directions only to be replaced by another horde 10 seconds later never gets boring. With so many upgrades to unlock and planets to liberate, I’m constantly thinking to myself, “just one more mission.” Even if you’re just playing with strangers, Helldivers 2 has some of the most volatile and entertaining co-op gameplay I’ve seen in a long time, so get out there and help spread democracy.

Review Overview

Gameplay – 88%

Controls – 86%

Aesthetics – 83%

Content – 82%

Accessibility – 80%

Value – 85%

Overall Rating – 84%

VERY GOOD!

Summary: Helldivers 2 takes the exhilarating, cooperative gameplay of the original and refines it into a more polished, intense experience. With a focus on teamwork, strategic planning, and fast-paced action, it offers a thrilling ride for fans of cooperative shooters. The game’s controls and mechanics are finely tuned, though newcomers might find the difficulty challenging at first. The visuals are sharp, and while the content is rich, some mission types can feel repetitive over time. Overall, Helldivers 2 is a strong sequel that delivers on the promise of life, liberty, and low-orbit operations, making it a must-play for fans of the genre.