Helldivers 2 Doesn’t Need More Planets or Biomes, It Needs to Be Better at Using What It Has

Arrowhead needs to rekindle the game's novelty factor.

helldivers 2

SUMMARY

  • Players are starting to find Helldivers 2's content repetitive.
  • Most planets have a single biome that stretches over the entire landscape.
  • The game needs to re-introduce players to fundamental gameplay loops in fresher ways.
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Helldivers 2 is a game that seldom feels repetitive. At least, that’s what the developers intend when we think of gameplay and design philosophies. After all, there are only a handful of biomes and few enemy types to keep the game fresh forever.

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When a game is burdened with the idea of “less is more”, how does it turn its gameplay loop into a success? This school of thought has been entertained by many on the game’s Reddit community, and a player might just have the answer.

Helldivers 2 Could End Up Feeling Monotonous Unless It Chooses to Use Its Maps Wisely

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In a detailed Reddit post, user TampaxCompak highlights the game’s core issue at the moment: how repetitive Major Orders and other gameplay systems can feel, despite different biomes and enemies that exist in the game.

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A simple suggestion has been explored on the lines of “same planet, different biomes”, and this may just work for the game. But is it enough? Subjectively speaking, a fun experience can have a different meaning for each player.

Unpopular opinion: we don’t “need” more biomes yet, we need the current ones to rotate a lot more because the current frontiers are making MOs more or less repetitive.
byu/TampaxCompak inHelldivers

While some prefer to have different enemy types, others wish for weapons and stratagems that make it all feel fun. Few even focus on incentives that are earned after each mission.

A big problem pointed out by players has to do with how Helldivers 2 uses its planet’s biomes. Right now, a planet likely has one biome spread across the entire landscape. It would be better to experience different biomes on the same planet, although it may be more technologically demanding.

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Novelty May Be the Key Here

Helldivers 2 characters in a forest biome with guns.
Fresh cosmetics can distract players from the actual problem, but not for too long. Image Credit: Arrowhead Game Studios.

A live-service game’s consistency may be its boon or bane. Even though Helldivers 2 has continuously proven how well it uses the live-service model, it’s high time that designers try something new with its content. Or rather, re-introduce familiar things in new ways.

No matter how polished the game’s content might be, players eventually grow out of the novelty and demand for something new to look forward to. Few games try different game modes that work well in the context of team-based titles.

In the context of Helldivers 2, new Major Orders, weapons and enemy types may make all the difference. After all, each mission needs to feel like something players haven’t experienced before, and this can only be achieved by clever gameplay design elements.

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Destiny 2 is a title that does this well, often introducing new dungeons, raids, planets, and campaigns that give players a brand-new experience now and then. Perhaps Arrowhead can implement something similar, and focus on content that reshapes the game’s fundamental gameplay loops.

What are your thoughts on Helldivers 2’s current state? Do you have suggestions for the game’s content updates? Let us know in the comments below.

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Written by Tanay Sharma

Articles Published: 592

Tanay wears more hats than Red Dead Redemption 2 characters. He's a musician, writer, voice-over artist and adores interactive media. His favourite games are the ones with memorable stories and characters. He's pursuing a master's degree in Behavioural Sciences. No, he won't read your mind.