Heavy armor-penetrating weapons are generally the undisputed meta in Helldivers 2, as heavily armored enemy types are plentiful on higher-difficulty missions. Consequently, as Helldivers 2 continues to introduce new weapons and Stratagems, if these weapons don’t have heavy armor-penetrating capabilities then they are likely to be overshadowed by the existing meta. So, it might be for the best to shake up Helldivers 2’s meta with some new buildcrafting tools that could allow for a wider variety of weapons to shine.
With buildcrafting tools inspired by Helldivers 2’s Acid Storm weather effect, both existing and new weapons in Helldivers 2 could potentially give the heavy armor-penetrating meta some healthy competition. This weather effect lowers an enemy’s armor grade, which could allow weapons with medium, light, or no armor-penetration to finally be viable on higher-difficulty missions, opening up a whole new meta for the game.
Helldivers 2 May Have Shot Itself in the Foot By Shadow-Dropping the Illuminate
Helldivers 2’s arguably anticlimactic release of the returning Illuminate enemy faction may prove to be troublesome for the game’s longevity.
Helldivers 2 Adding Acid Elemental Weaponry Could Introduce a Whole New Meta
Acid Storms are arguably the most unique among the different weather effects in Helldivers 2, at least so far. Originally, this weather effect only reduced players’ and enemies’ visibility while active, similar to Rainstorms and Thick Fog. However, Acid Storms have since been reworked, now temporarily lowering all players’ and enemies’ armor grade to the next lowest level, bringing heavy armor down to medium, and medium armor down to light.
Since heavily armored enemies frequently spawn throughout the higher difficulty levels in Helldivers 2, anti-armor weapons are essentially the undisputed meta. Consequently, the rework to the Acid Storm weather effect has been a game-changer for the higher-difficulty missions. Despite having a noticeable impact, though, the temporary and unpredictable timing of Acid Storms triggering during a mission generally isn’t reliable enough for players to completely neglect to bring heavy armor-penetrating meta weapons and Stratagems in Helldivers 2. Instead, it’s more of a temporary reprieve that allows players to occasionally save a few bullets during fights at best, or cost a few extra Stims and reinforcements at worst.
Heavily armored enemies generally spawn at and above difficulty level four, and their variety and frequency grow with each subsequent difficulty level in Helldivers 2.
So naturally, having access to weapons and/or Stratagems that could consistently apply the Acid Element to some of the toughest enemies in Helldivers 2 could open up a whole new meta. This could allow light and medium armor-penetrating weapons to get their long-overdue turn in the spotlight, similar to what’s currently happening on the Illuminate front of Helldivers 2’s Galactic War.
Helldivers 2’s Illuminate Faction Proves It’s Time to Shake Up the Meta
There are bound to be more Illuminate enemy types added in the near future, but for the time being, the Illuminate faction in Helldivers 2 currently has a limited variety of enemy units. In the meantime, the absence of Illuminate enemies that have heavy armor allows players to use a wider variety of weapons when fighting the Illuminate on high-difficulty missions, which is arguably a refreshing change compared to how meta builds are a necessity for high-level Terminid and Automaton missions.
This new Illuminate meta won’t last forever though, which is a shame considering that many weapons will once again get overlooked due to their lack of heavy armor-penetrating capabilities. However, introducing Acid Elemental weapons and Stratagems inspired by the Acid Storm weather effect could be the key to keeping this new meta alive long after heavily armored Illuminate enemy units are introduced to the game. These kinds of buildcrafting tools could also open up countless new opportunities for underutilized weapons to finally shine on high-level Terminid and Automaton missions as well, giving the existing meta some healthy and welcome competition.
Helldivers 2
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OpenCritic Reviews
- Top Critic Avg: 83 /100 Critics Rec: 91%
- Released
- February 8, 2024
- ESRB
- Mature 17+ / Blood and Gore, Intense Violence, In-Game Purchases, Users Interact
- Developer(s)
- Arrowhead Game Studios, Nixxes
- Publisher(s)
- Sony Interactive Entertainment, PlayStation Publishing
WHERE TO PLAY
The Galaxy’s Last Line of Offence. Enlist in the Helldivers and join the fight for freedom across a hostile galaxy in a fast, frantic, and ferocious third-person shooter.
URGENT BROADCAST – SUPER EARTH ARMED FORCES
Freedom. Peace. Democracy. Your Super Earth-born rights. The key pillars of our civilization. Of our very existence. But the war rages on. And everything is once again under threat.
Join the greatest military force the galaxy has ever seen and make this a safe and free place to live.
BECOME A LEGEND
You will be assembled into squads of up to four Helldivers and assigned strategic missions. Watch each other’s back – friendly fire is an unfortunate certainty of war, but victory without teamwork is impossible.
LOADOUTS
Rain down freedom from above, sneak through enemy territory, or grit your teeth and charge head-first into the jaws of combat. How you deliver liberty is your choice; you’ll have access to a wide array of explosive firepower, life-saving armor and battle-changing stratagems… the jewel in every Helldiver’s arsenal.
REQUISITION
Super Earth recognises your hard work with valuable Requisition. Use it to access different rewards that benefit you, your squad, your destroyer ship and our overall war effort.
THREATS
Everything on every planet wants you dead. That’s what we’re dealing with. Each enemy has distinct and unpredictable characteristics, tactics, and behavior – but they all fight ferociously and without fear or morality.
THE GALACTIC WAR
Capturing enemy planets, defending against invasions, and completing missions will contribute to our overall effort. This war will be won or lost depending on the actions of everyone involved.
We stand together, or we fall apart.
- Engine
- bitsquid
- Multiplayer
- Online Co-Op
- Cross-Platform Play
- All platforms
- Franchise
- Helldivers
- Number of Players
- 1-4 players (online)
- Platform(s)
- PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S, PC
- Genre(s)
- Third-Person Shooter, Extraction Shooter, Action, Science Fiction
- OpenCritic Rating
- Strong
