Take the fight to the ground with a new perspective, changing from a top-down shooter in Helldivers to a Third-person shooter in Helldivers 2.
Developed by: Arrowhead Games Studios Published by: Sony Interactive Entertainment Available on: Playstation 5 & PC Genre: Third-person shooter Modes: Single-player and multiplayer co-operative Release date: 8 February 2024
What is Helldivers 2?
Fight for freedom across a hostile galaxy in this frenetic third-person co-operative team shooter.
Join forces with up to three friends and wreak havoc on an alien scourge threatening the safety of your home planet, Super Earth, in this multiplayer co-op shooter.
Step into the boots of the Helldivers, an elite class of soldiers whose mission is to spread peace, liberty and Managed Democracy using the biggest, baddest and most explosive tools in the galaxy.
What to expect in Helldivers 2?
Helldivers don't go planet side without proper backup, but it's up to you to decide how and when to call it in. Not only do you have a host of superpowered primary weapons and customizable loadouts, you also have the ability to call on stratagems during play.
Major Orders consist of many missions, working together towards a unified goal. They are big long lasting goals that the community as a whole is working towards. They are pivotal to the story and there are ways that you can be a major contributor to changing the face of the galaxy.
Personal Orders are smaller goals for you and your friends to tackle, such as taking down particular enemies.
Operations are a number of missions that require you to complete a number of goals and quests to complete. You will also have optional objectives to gain even more rewards, such as medals found at points of interest.
Upgrading and Progression in Helldivers 2
- Collect requisition by completing missions.
Requisition is used to purchase Stratagems, powerful abilities you can call upon during missions.
- Find samples while on missions and extract with them to take them back to your ship.
Samples are used to purchase Ship Modules, which can affect things such as cooldown times of Stratagems.
- Discover medals while doing operations and completing orders.
You can use medals to customize your armor, helmet, cape, weapons and more via unlocks within a Warbond.
- Super Credits are pickups while in missions, found at points of interest.
You can use Super Credits to unlock Warbonds. They can also be purchased with real money.
Requisition is given to each player upon completion of missions.
Samples, Medals and Super Credits found by one person on a level will be shared with all players on that mission.
Microtransactions and the Store
Warbonds are this game's approach to a Battle Pass. They give you access to multiple pages of unlockable content that can be obtained in a couple of different ways. You can unlock new Premium Warbonds using Super Credits. Super Credits can either be purchased from the in-game store or discovered in missions by exploring points of interest.
You then spend medals to unlock your desired toys from within that Warbond, a certain number of medals need to be spent on every page of the Warbond to progress to the next page, but you are not stuck to a 'linear track' like Battle Passes you are, you can pick and choose what rewards you want on each page of the Warbond as you progress.
The game will launch with one free Warbond titled "Helldivers Mobilize" and one premium Warbond titled "Steeled Veterans".
An ingame store is also present in the game which will allow you to purchase unique customization options. However, a variety of armor sets can be unlocked just by playing the game but you can't change the color of them. Also it's useful to remember that only your main armor carries any stat changes, while Helmets and Capes are purely cosmetic.
Get to know the enemy in Helldivers 2
OK, here's the reality: everything, on every planet, wants you dead. This is the life of a Helldiver. School yourself on the diabolical Terminids and the nefarious Automaton Collective.
Terminids
The ravenous Terminids are guided solely by an instinctive urge to reproduce, spread, and destroy Democracy. They are a fast-evolving plague, a shapeshifting infestation that threatens to devour and disenfranchise every single child on every single planet.
The Automaton Collective
The Automatons are mindless, bloodthirsty robots, coded for nothing but murder and socialist violence. Their origins are a mystery, but their unthinking hatred of Freedom makes them a threat to all citizens of Super Earth.
Some burning questions about Helldivers 2
Do you need to play the original Helldivers first?
Helldivers 2 is built to be completely friendly to newcomers to the franchise.
Can you play Helldivers 2 offline?
Helldivers 2 requires an internet connection to play, so can not be played offline.
Can you play Helldivers 2 solo?
You can play solo but it is designed as a co-op experience. There are no AI teammates in soloplay though.
Does this game support Crossplay?
PC & PS5 players can play together (This feature can also be disabled)
Any PC specific features/settings?
Ultrawide monitors are supported, but not yet perfected. This may result in the encounter of a few minor UI issues. You'll also be able to alter your FOV and tweak graphical settings.
Great OT!
1 month ago this was a "buy if reviews are great" game for me as I don't usually do co-op multiplayer. But the previews and videos made me so excited for this, it just looks like a very good time. I have preordered and have it installed.
I'm looking forward to fight for democracy, one rocket at a time.
think i'm gonna rewatch Starship Troopers today in anticipation for tomorrow. the 4K Blu-ray's HDR is a bit torch mode at times but is otherwise a pretty fantastic transfer, would recommend. i'm doing my part!
Been as skeptical as others with the switch to third person and such, but if this manages even a fraction of the fun the first game me, I'll be chuffed.
That's a pretty great comparison actually, it is similar to EDF in some ways. I'd say Helldivers 2 is a even more open ended and less linear even than EDF. The game just lets you drop into this galactic war - take orders, select missions, partake in operations. There's no set path or campaign linearity - it's just a galaxy map and your choice to drop and go anywhere to bolster the warfront. The communities overall efforts will impact the game too, so overtime depending what happens in certain regions of the galaxy, enemy factions will move, retreat and flank different zones.
This is me sort of getting back into the groove... tried a clean, simplistic approach that still fit with the game's visual design lanaguge, especially its marketing materials and UI elements. I have something kinda weird and different planned for the Pacific Drive OT later this month. Got to cram that in between work, Helldivers and a heavy Lego building addiction.
Phase 1: go and work for Arrowhead
Phase 2: convince them to sell their studio to Sony
Phase 3: leak everything and become our best insider
Phase 4: ???
Phase 5: profit
There are some videos that make the game look bad (actually, graphics looked wash-out at every state of play) but the previews at 4k look amazing. Great art direction and use of colour palette as well.