Helldivers 2 Review

Helldivers 2 sucked me in literally from the first minutes, and didn't let go for about a week. But at one point, the numerous repetitive battles didn't seem boring. And in general, their repetitive nature is exactly what you should expect from such shooters: break into battles as soon as possible, wreak havoc, then return to your ship and upgrade your equipment. And afterward? And afterwards, rinse and repeat! Co-op matches are the best way to enjoy Arrowhead Studios' bug-filled shooter. Although the game's challenges keep single-player fans at their screens too!

It's a fundamental concept that doesn't linger on the details, allowing you to dive into the game and get down to business almost immediately. After a brief tutorial, you'll receive a ship that you can give your desired name to, and then set off with the sole purpose of saving the world from the threat of invading Terminids and Automatons trying to conquer the galaxy. Choose the desired mission on the galaxy map and go on your way. At the same moment, thousands of other gamers will do the same.

Literally every step of the way there is a sense of unity with everyone playing. Statistics show how well the whole team copes with threats. In some tasks you have to destroy a bunch of insecticide eggs or kill a large monster. In parallel, you get many other tasks: for example, load rockets into a huge turret, prepare a rocket launch through a remote terminal or destroy various nests. Each mission has a time limit to complete. And while the focus is on the main objective, you can earn extra experience points and money for completing side tasks. You are also awarded medals, which are used to unlock new weapons, banners, equipment with special buffs and get credits that can be spent in the store.

Once you complete the main objectives, you will have to go to the evacuation point, from where you can call a ship that will take you back to the air base. But before you evacuate, a two-minute timer will start, and all this time you have to fight off several waves of insecticides. The tension is palpable in every mission, but the last 120 seconds are some of the best moments of my life in this game! Playing in co-op with other people and destroying countless hordes of bloodthirsty monsters together with them is difficult, but there are a lot of interesting gadgets and weapons hidden in your arsenal!

he reason Helldivers 2 is so good is the excitement you suffer in trying to earn more credits, find more materials to upgrade your ship and unlock new tactics. Arguably, this is really the best feature in the game. Before completing a mission, you'll be able to choose the strategies you want. For example, order ammo resupply, machine guns, anti-tank guns or rocket launchers, and a high-tech sniper rifle, all of which will be delivered via a large capsule that will be dropped from the ship. And then there are the orbital strikes and the container from which tons of remote mines are unloaded. But my absolute favorite is the scorching blow.

Some of these "techniques" have awesome special effects. Watching the battlefield glow with numerous explosions as the guts of the alien bugs fly off in different directions is incredibly cool. And everything looks as authentic as it ever could in humanity's war against giant cockroaches. Each new session is different from the previous ones, and each player has something new to offer thanks to a variety of equipment. A good mix of strategies is vital to winning, so playing co-op with friends or people you can chat with is the preferred option. That way you can agree and develop common tactics. Of course, not always everything goes according to plan. It is possible that in the middle of the battle you will accidentally draw friendly fire, but be prepared for the fact that everything will go wrong.

Fortunately, you can call in reinforcements to revive fallen comrades, but doing so while under attack from multiple enemy waves is problematic. At times you'll laugh out loud, at times you'll be annoyed, but rest assured that you'll enjoy every minute you spend in the game. Helldivers 2 is the service game I've always dreamed of. It's not cluttered with feature-rich menus, map markers, and modes. And even the elements from Battle Pass don't affect the percentage of enjoyment or immersion in the game in any way. Playing Helldivers 2, you'll enjoy every second of it, destroying insectoids and fighting the "coolest galactic killer robots in the west."

Despite some issues with player recruitment causing an inability to connect, I was eventually able to team up with a few like-minded players and enjoyed the multiplayer elements of Helldivers 2. The quick play proved to be the best option, but it's still fun to play single-player, although it's much harder to get through missions without support. Overall, the single-player experience feels more like suicide missions, and while you can change the difficulty according to your skill level, each mission is a tough journey to the goal. Teaming up with companions or other gamers is much better, especially if you can combine strategies, coordinate attacks, and are confident that each of your companions will risk their lives to revive a fallen comrade.