“Helldivers 2, developed by Arrowhead Game Studios and published by Sony Interactive Entertainment in 2024, is a cooperative third-person shooter, serving as a direct sequel to the 2015 top-down shooter, Helldivers. Released on February 8, 2024, for PlayStation 5 and Windows platforms, the game garnered positive reviews from critics and achieved sales of over 8 million units within its initial two months of availability. In contrast to its predecessor’s top-down perspective, Helldivers 2 adopts a third-person viewpoint. It retains the core gameplay mechanic of ‘stratagems’ from the original, encompassing cluster bombs, sentry guns, shield generators, and supply pods containing specialized weaponry, all with the constant risk of friendly fire.
While the previous installment offered shared-screen cooperative play, Helldivers 2 shifts to online multiplayer accommodating up to four players. Notably, it lacks a dedicated single-player campaign but introduces optional cross-play functionality between PlayStation 5 and Windows platforms. During the game’s early release phase, studio staff observed player behavior, influencing gameplay in real time. Introducing a battle pass system with no expiration date, players accumulate various in-game currencies, including ‘war-bond medals’ and ‘requisition slips,’ earned by completing missions and objectives, alongside ‘super credits,’ obtainable during missions or through microtransactions. Progression unlocks a diverse arsenal of weapons and stratagems, while mission completion contributes to the collective ‘liberation’ of planets, reflected in the Galactic Map’s displayed percentage.”
“Helldivers 2 unfolds a century after the victory of “Super Earth,” a managed democracy, against the Cyborgs, Terminids, and Illuminate as depicted in the first installment. The discovery of a valuable resource called E-710 from deceased Terminids prompts the establishment of farms on human-colonized planets. However, containment breaches lead to the release of these bugs, causing widespread chaos and destruction. Concurrently, a new threat arises from the Automatons, a mechanical army bent on humanity’s annihilation.
The game commences with a recruitment video for the Helldivers, an elite shock troop unit deployed from orbit to reclaim colonized territories. Throughout the gameplay, environmental storytelling plays a significant role, with players uncovering various logs, notes, and propaganda messages scattered across the game world.”
