I’m not the biggest fan of live-service games, especially ones loaded with microtransactions, grindy battle passes, and FOMO-driven content distribution, so when a multiplayer game comes out that simply offers an enjoyable experience without subjecting me to the grind, it’s hard for me not to give a shot. Helldivers 2 is one of those games, and it’s much more than that. It’s a PvE experience that practically came out of nowhere, took me and everyone else by surprise, and continues to take up most of my hours with its excellent gameplay, and rewarding multiplayer mechanics.

Gameplay and Story

Helldivers 2 is a bit light on the story, and is essentially Starship Troopers: The Videogame, with a fairly similar premise too. You are one of the many Helldivers that have to spread managed democracy by going to different planets currently being infested by one of the two major antagonist factions; the Terminds (or Bugs), and the Automatons(or the killer machines from Terminator) and show them their place, by raging war on them, one mission at a time.

This is a PvE experience, and hurting another player is usually by a hilarious accident. Helldivers 2 thrives on these moments of cinematic comedy where you’ll unintentionally call an orbital strike on an enemy patrol, only to find out your friend was standing 5 feet away from them, and sharing the same fate. Nothing like dying for democracy for the greater good of humanity. 

You can try playing solo, and while it’s completely doable, even on higher difficulties, it’s not the recommended way to enjoy this game. Playing with friends, and randoms is the way to go, and the shared goal of obliteration only pushes you to work together, and help your fellow Helldivers in whatever way you can.

Most missions are pretty straightforward with main and secondary objectives, and you can choose different “stratagems” at the start while gearing up. These can either be used for offense, support, or even defense. Each of these has a cooldown period, and you directly call them in from your main ship by inputting a code. I love how this is something you have to stop and do because it not only makes the reward of calling in an airstrike all the more exciting, but there’s an element of risk involved as you call in something as simple as a supply pack, or as devastating as a mini-nuke. There’s also a lot to choose from. Airstrikes, mines, orbital strikes, smoke bombs, sentries, weapons, and so much more!

The gunplay is fantastic, has a lot of punch to it, and the impact of some of the larger weaponry is incredibly satisfying. You can feel the shockwave of the autocannon as it takes out a bug from a huge distance. While most of your time will be spent playing in third-person, you can also switch to first-person aiming, but only during combat. It’s a good addition that can help with accuracy. 

Something I really appreciate about Helldivers 2 is how dangerous it feels. There will be missions where some of your fellow teammates simply won’t make it, and even if you complete the main objective, there’s a chance you won’t be extracted. Fighting the bugs isn’t as hard, but the machines are bound to give you a nasty case of PTSD. It’s almost comical how different both factions feel, and it adds to the diversity of experiences Helldivers 2 offers.

Overall, I think Helldivers 2 has an incredibly focused and solid foundation. The gunplay is excellent, the co-op mechanics feel just right, the stratagems have tons of variety and the enemy factions are a blast to fight.  

Graphics and Audio

Helldivers 2’s visuals are a highlight, and I love how different each planet looks. The weather effects are perfectly implemented to create a diverse, and often hostile environment to continuously surprise players throughout the mission. I also like how the terrain has this realistic but almost alien-like quality, similar to Death Stranding where you’ll find natural formations of cover.

The explosions in this game are also fantastic. Every air strike has this anticipation period, followed by a barrage of missiles decimating the pinned location with appropriate sound, and graphical effects to support the destruction. The lasers from the automatons, and the acid sprays from Terminds, all effects are beautifully animated and have a lingering presence over the battlefield.

Feedback

Let’s address the thousand-pound Termind the room, the servers. As good as Helldivers 2 is, the servers are clearly under a lot of load, which means that running into issues with matchmaking is super common. I can barely get it to work, which is why I only play when I know my two other friends can join. It’s going to be a while before the server quality is improved, especially with how well the game continues to do.

Secondly, the post-mission screen is in my opinion, very long. There should be an option to skip through it, but you’re forced to sit through each part of it and watch the credits and XP rewards slowly pop up. It’s annoying and that shouldn’t be the case.

Verdict

Helldivers 2 is an incredible PvE title that offers an exciting, thoroughly engaging, and addictive multiplayer experience like no other live-service game on the market. It’s easy to get into, doesn’t require you to grind through endless daily tasks, and provides a gameplay loop that’s polished, full of exciting weaponry to wield, and threatening factions to fight.

It’s a great game to look at with some of the best explosions around, and its soundtrack effortlessly pumps you up to spread managed democracy. The servers aren’t in the best shape, and matchmaking is practically broken, but if you have a couple of friends, then you’re going to have a great time diving in hell.