Helldivers 2has officially landed on PlayStation 5 and PC, and it’s an absolute blast. It’s one of the best multiplayer games I’ve played in recent memory, and it’s made for those late-night gaming sessions with your friends. Liberating the galaxy from hostile forces has never been more comedic.
If you’ve watched Starship Troopers, you’ve almost played a Helldivers game. The galaxy is in need of a healthy dose of freedom and it’s up to you and your buddies to hand deliver it. The Helldivers are hailed as heroes, which is basically used as propaganda to encourage more people to join, though the reality of what they do is absolutely terrifying.
Take a look atHelldivers 2below
The game wastes no time getting you acquainted with the gameplay mechanics, and after a very quick tutorial you’re dropped off on your very own warship where you’ll do your part in the war against the bugs and the borgs.
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First things first: the game looks lovely. It’s not an overwhelming graphical showcase but I don’t think it’s really trying to be;it’s the gameplay that’ll keep you coming back, not the vistas. That being said, the planets do look quite pretty from time to time, and some of them can even be quite unsettling, like ones that are covered in a thick fog. When you’re in the heat of battle is when it looks best, as the entire screen quickly becomes a medley of shrapnel and luminescent guts.
When I found a game you could get into the action pretty quickly, and playing in a team of people, whether ones you know or random players, is clearly the way to go if you want to get the most out ofHelldivers 2. The only problem was actually finding a game. Frustratingly it took ages to find a game sometimes, even though I knew for a fact that there were thousands of people playing at the same time as I was. Sometimes after a particularly long wait I’d join a game only to have the host player disconnect, which boots you back to your own ship, and one time I was halfway through a game with other players when the game crashed.
Sony Interactive Entertainment
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At the time of writing there’ve been several recent patches addressing instability in the matchmaking, stuttering issues and game crashes, all of which I’ve experienced first hand during my time with the game. My most recent gameplay sessions have been far more stable and it’s been much easier to both find and connect to other players. There are still some technical hiccups here and there which I can’t ignore, as it can make playing the game a real challenge, but for the moment it looks like the major issues are slowly being patched out.
Sony Interactive Entertainment
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The mission variety can feel a bit repetitive, as even though they tend to be different the majority boil down to travelling to a certain point, killing bugs/bots before travelling to an evacuation point and killing more bugs/bot until your ride gets there. It’s a case of some missions shining brighter than others, but there is a time limit for each one which at least adds some pressure to get the job done reasonably quickly.
That being said, there are always plenty of bugs to kill, both on the way to the objective, when you get there, and when you’re getting the hell out. When their numbers grow to an overwhelming amount, your teammates are down and you’re low on ammo is when the game is at its best. It’s the kind of hectic fun that’ll have you screaming into your microphone as you beg for your teammate to help you, and scream more when they throw an orbital strike marker at your feet in response. It’s also worth mentioning the difficulty felt just right no matter which one you set it to.
Sony Interactive Entertainment
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Overall playing through missions was a lot of fun, even if you do get one or two repeated ones during your session. One of my personal favourites was travelling with my squad to find the launch key for an ICBM. Once found we limped over to the launch site, slapped the keys in, fought off wave after wave of insect abominations and watched as an enormous missile emerged from the ground and blasted off. You then get to watch that missile travel off into the distance before setting off an enormous nuclear explosion. What was it blowing up? Who knows, Helldivers certainly aren’t paid enough to ask/care, in fact I don’t think they’re really paid at all considering your earnings go straight back into buying new weapons and equipment.
When you return to your ship you can spend your points on gear or customisation, as well as take in the sights of the planet below. A neat feature is the planets being rendered in real-time, and if you have a peek out of the window you can sometimes catch a few explosions and orbital strikes down on the planet’s surface. According to the developers these are actual players completing missions, which really makes you feel like you’re part of a large-scale intergalactic war.
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Sony Interactive Entertainment
While the graphics aren’t really anything to write home about, the game oozes with style. Every match feels like it could be its own short film, the genre of which depends on what you’re doing and how well you’re doing it. While the gameplay loop is fairly small and repetitive it takes a long time for a session to get boring, and that time is extended dramatically when you’re playing and chatting with your friends. PlayingHelldivers 2almost makes you feel like you’re back in the golden age of online gaming, it’s pure, silly cooperative fun that offers a tailored experience for all kinds of players, whether you’re looking for something casual or your next big challenge.
Pros: Great fun in multiplayer, satisfying visuals and gameplay, plenty of loadout/customisation options, decent mission variety
Cons: Not ideal for solo players, technical issues make multiplayer inconsistent, gameplay could be too repetitive for some
For fans of: Helldivers, Gears Of War, Alien: Fireteam,
8/10: Excellent
Topics:PlayStation,Sony,PlayStation 5,PC
