“It’s barely practical”: Helldivers 2’s Best Weapon ‘Looks and feels amazing’, but in Practice is a Powerless Waste of Time, And It Needs a Buff Now

A once-overpowered Helldivers 2 weapon has been nerfed into oblivion, leaving players frustrated and calling for a buff. Will Arrowhead listen?

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SUMMARY

  • A once-overpowered weapon in Helldivers 2 has been severely nerfed, leaving players frustrated.
  • The weapon, which used to be a staple in every loadout, now struggles to take down even mid-tier enemies.
  • With the upcoming Escalation of Freedom update, players are hoping for a buff to restore the weapon's viability.
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In Helldivers 2‘s ever-evolving galaxy, where democracy is spread one bullet at a time, the balance of power is always in flux. Weapons that once reigned supreme can find themselves relegated to the scrap heap, while previously overlooked tools of destruction suddenly become the meta.

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One such weapon, once hailed as the ultimate bug-squashing and bot-smashing tool, has recently fallen from grace, leaving many Helldivers scratching their heads and wondering, “What’s the point?!”

The Rise and Fall of a Helldiving Legend

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Helldivers 2 characters in a forest biome with guns.

The weapon in question is none other than the RS-422 Railgun, a sleek and powerful piece of technology that once held a place of honor in every self-respecting Helldiver’s loadout. But as one player has recently pointed out, this support weapon’s glory days seem to be long gone:

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Why does the Railgun exist?
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For newer Helldivers who were not around in the game’s early days, it may be hard to imagine just how overpowered the Railgun once was. With just a few fully charged and well-placed shots, it could make short work of even the toughest Helldivers 2 enemiesfrom Chargers to Bile Titans and even Automaton Tanks.

It was the ultimate all-purpose weapon, and no loadout was complete without it. But, alas, such power was not meant to last! Arrowhead, in their infinite wisdom, decided that the Railgun was simply too good at its job, and so they brought down the nerf hammer with a vengeance:

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It’s a sentiment echoed by many in the Helldivers 2 community, who feel that the once-mighty Railgun has been reduced to a mere shadow of its former self.

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A Plea for Railgun Justice in Helldivers 2

Helldivers 2: Escalation of Freedom screenshot shows the player helplessly staring at the new Impaler enemy's tentacles as they protrude from the ground.
Heldivers 2 players could use a pre-nerf Railgun in their loadout right about now. | Image Credit: PlayStation YouTube Channel

Now, players are left with a weapon that, while still visually and audibly impressive, feels more like a prop than a tool of galactic liberation:

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The community seems to agree that, in their zeal to bring balance to the game, Arrowhead may have overshot the mark by a considerable margin:

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But perhaps there is a light at the end of the tunnel yet? With the impending Escalation of Freedom update (set to go live later today!), Arrowhead has an opportunity to right the ship and bring the Railgun back into the fold.

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This major update promises to bring a host of new content to the game, including brand-new weapons. While we don’t know if the Railgun itself will receive any love in this Helldivers 2 patch, the introduction of new toys to play with could help alleviate some of the pressure on Arrowhead to buff the beleaguered weapon.

Of course, the best-case scenario would be for the much-awaited Helldivers 2 update to also include a much-needed Railgun reworkone that strikes a balance between the weapon’s former glory and its current state of uselessness.

But even if that doesn’t come to pass, the promise of fresh content and new ways to spread democracy across the galaxy is enough to keep the Helldivers community hopeful!

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What do you think about the current state of the Railgun in Helldivers 2? Do you agree that it needs a buff, or do you think it’s fine as is? Share your thoughts in the comments below!

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Written by Soumyajit Mukherjee

Articles Published: 121

Soumyajit (ign: LockDown) is a die-hard PC gamer with a passion for competitive FPS games, having played Rainbow Six Siege at a competitive level in the past. For nearly two years, he has turned his love for gaming and writing into a profession, delivering the latest gaming news and guides to his readers. And when he is not writing or dominating the lobby in Call of Duty or Valorant, you can find him in theaters watching the latest comic book films or binge-watching anime and thriller flicks!