Helldivers 2’s trailer welcomed us with a familiar goofiness and charm we’ve been accustomed to, thanks to games like Fallout and Saints Row. The game may take itself a bit seriously but quickly puts that tone aside with its dialogue and voice acting.
Here’s what Helldivers 2 is: Earth has been successfully recolonized, and our new home is called ‘Super Earth.’ The inhabitants of Super Earth are regular people, and Helldivers patrol the galaxy eradicating insect-like aliens to keep them safe. Sounds like a promising plot for a AAA game? Let’s dive into it.
Galactic warfare – exciting or overdone?
Arrowhead Game Studios, the team behind Helldivers 2, explains the game’s core loop and what we can expect. You’ll take on the role of an elite class of soldiers here to liberate and sustain democracy using innovative and explosive tools in the galaxy. As you do this, you’ll also have to handle an ongoing conflict – Super Earth is under attack from an extraterrestrial epidemic, so band up with up to four buddies and wreak havoc on it.
While we may have seen a hero complex well stretched out over the course of live service models in games like Destiny 2, it’s constantly refreshing to see newer games with co-op elements that bring in their own take on the genre. However, the issue arises when gameplay loops become monotonous, and the narrative gets overwhelmingly predictable.
With some silver lining, we can assume that Helldiver 2’s gameplay elements make for a more significant sum of its parts – bringing in a few fresher ideas that grow large than alien invasions and co-op shooter and survival.
Tower defense with a pinch of overkill
A significant development from the first game is how the game looks and plays. In Helldivers 2, and immersive 3D enhancement for the sequel was confirmed by the over-the-shoulder camera shot used in the gameplay footage. Furthermore, this gives players a chance to take a jab at aliens from a switch in perspective while the core gameplay keeps things dynamic in their vicinity.
Borrowing from its predecessor, the more squadmates you have on your team, the more complex the mission might become. It’s a concept we’ve seen in games like Risk of Rain 2. The game’s difficulty and challenge upscale based on your actions. From the trailer, we are sure to have a variety of weaponry and power-ups becoming available to us as the player progresses through the game’s newfound systems and challenges.
Variety may be the spice to gaming subgenres, but sometimes a lot of it can either ruin a game’s potential or bring out its best ideas. In the case of Helldivers 2, it seems we’ll be wrapping our minds and firepower around base-building, tower defense, galactic adventures, and possible sci-fi drama, all synergized by co-op teamwork that can make or break the experience.
Later this year, Helldivers 2 will arrive on PC and PlayStation’s current-generation systems. Now is the time to add it to your Steam wishlist.
