Your favorite weapon in Helldivers 2 has started to give up on you. As you discard the empty magazine, relying on your last grenade, you notice the Pelican starting to land in the distance. You look back over your shoulder, like the hero you are, even though anxiety is shaking you up. There’s a swarm of Terminids stomping their way toward you, wishing to rip you to pieces, obliterating any hopes of Managed Democracy.
As you toss the grenade without looking at the explosion (remember, you’re still a hero!), you give your teammate a nod, with a silver lining in your eyes. Even though they can barely see you through that battle-worn helmet visor. You dive through the Pelican’s rear doors as quickly as it lands. In the next few seconds, from a distance, you look over at a planet that’s perhaps 2% safer, thanks to you. Yet, it feels like 100% of your efforts were worth it.
That’s Helldivers 2 for you. The extremely popular co-op shooter by Arrowhead Game Studios has been climbing the ranks since its launch in February 2024, and there are several reasons why. Out of these, let’s take a look at the three core points that keep the game so fresh and enjoyable.
Millions of players, one objective
Co-op games usually fall into two categories. The ones that let you and your friends have those 3 A.M. shenanigans over several hours’ worth of matches in a game. This quickly lets itself whither into a joyful memory soon after. Or, the ones that make you want to come back so you can keep pushing the game’s core storyline in a shared sense of achievement.
Helldivers 2 does both of these and balances it nonchalantly. What may seem like a quickplay session with randoms, or planned missions with friends (good for you, Citizen) is actually a war effort that plays a huge role in the game’s ongoing narrative.
This isn’t explained through fancy cutscenes or forced cinematics. Instead, it’s highlighted through the progression screen before you fire up a mission, or through updates on social media thanks to Arrowhead’s transparent community management. Every other day, you’ll likely hear about the progress being made in this intergalactic war, as millions of players come together in hopes of keeping Super Earth free from an alien invasion.
Helldivers 2 holds the potential to be every sci-fi franchise you ever loved
Thanks to a generic plotline that includes a bunch of characters with slightly above-average intelligence (at best), players are thrown into a universe where fighting an intergalactic war is the next best pastime. Whether you’re buying into the ideals of Managed Democracy or calling it mismanaged propaganda, none of it really matters when you’re blasting your way through bullets, lasers, orbital lasers, flying limbs, and everything in between.
This is ‘ooga booga!‘ done at its best, and lets you think of all the possibilities that Helldivers 2 can hold. The most obvious one is a Starship Trooper simulator. Many have even compared the game to The Mandalorian. The jetpacks and capes gave it away, right? But, think of all the possibilities when you imagine Helldivers 2 as an open space that welcomes new collabs and sci-fi references from other fandoms.
Live-service games aren’t new to this concept, and the creative minds at Arrowhead Game Studios is aware of how the game’s popularity is being welcomed by fans of different franchises. Perhaps in the near future, we will see the game open its arms to sci-fi collabs.
Jack of all gameplay loops, master of one
First time playing the game? the visual quality and soundtrack might just keep you standing in one place. Second time? You’re understanding what kind of loadouts work for you. Third time? You’re finally not killing teammates ‘by mistake‘ and find yourself familiar with the game. All’s well until you realize that Helldivers 2 can be quite repetitive, and charmingly slow.
That’s the beauty of a monogamous relationship with a game that simply gets you. You’ll see each other every day, curious about how better you can do things this time around, yet never falling prey to something that’s tedious. Instead, the gameplay loops in Helldivers 2 reward you for getting better at something.
Moreover, the updates and balance changes are here to keep the spark alive, letting missions feel so unique despite having the same missions. It’s, ‘just one more game!‘ done well.
What are some of the things about Helldivers 2 that you enjoy the most? Let us know in the comments below.
