Summary
- Helldivers 2's recent update brought balance changes and new hazards but increased fire damage, to the frustration of some players.
- Fans have criticized the nerfs to the Slugger shotgun in the April 2 update, making it less effective compared to the Dominator.
- While new enemies like Factory Striders and Gunships have impressed fans, some players were left wanting more fire damage counters.
Helldivers 2 players have expressed their disapproval over a recent change that buffed incoming fire damage, which can often lead to quick and frustrating deaths. The damage adjustment came as part of a recent Helldivers 2 patch that introduced an assortment of changes.
Helldivers 2's April 2 update increased the level cap to 150, added hazards like blizzards and sandstorms, and made balance changes to missions, weapons, and enemies. Arrowhead Game Studios' recent update also added features not mentioned in the patch notes, like new enemies in Factory Striders and Gunships as well as a quality-of-life improvement to the Quasar Cannon. While most of these additions were well received, one change has not been popular among many Helldivers 2 fans.
Helldivers 2's Anti-Cheat is Unintentionally Hindering Disabled Gamers
A disabled player expresses his disappointment with Helldivers 2 after an anti-cheat protocol unintentionally took away his most reliable tools.
Reddit user raw_copium posted a thread to the Helldivers subreddit titled "The fire damage after the update is just stupid." They further explained that catching fire can result in what feels like an unfair death, especially when fighting a tough enemy who has a long-range flamethrower equipped. The new frustration is due to Arrowhead increasing incoming fire damage per tick by 50%, resulting in sometimes severe damage-over-time effects. At the time of writing, the Reddit post has accrued over three thousand upvotes with plenty of Helldivers 2 fans agreeing with raw_copium's complaint in the comments. Players explained that the usual counters to fire damage, like diving or healing, often can't be performed before a user succumbs to fire.
Seeing the significant outcry from Helldivers 2 fans regarding this issue, it's certainly possible that Arrowhead will partially roll back this change or add more counters to fire damage in future updates. One user called for a fire-resistant suit to be added to Helldivers 2's heavy armor category that would allow for 50% fire damage reduction along with other fire-related upgrades.
Some fans were also frustrated with the April 2 update's nerf to the Slugger, as the shotgun is now almost a pointless choice according to many players, especially when compared to the Dominator. The Slugger's nerfs included a reduction in damage, stagger effects, and demolition force.
Helldivers 2's New Enemies
While certain aspects of the recent update have been criticized, other changes like Helldivers 2's new enemies have impressed fans, although they are quite difficult to defeat. Factory Striders look straight out of Star Wars and are large, walking factories that target players with cannons and deploy Automatons. The update's second new enemy are Gunships, which are repeatedly spawned by nearby Gunship Facilities that can be destroyed.
Helldivers 2
- Released
- February 8, 2024
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.
- Developer(s)
- Arrowhead Game Studios, Nixxes
- Publisher(s)
- Sony Interactive Entertainment, PlayStation Publishing
- Franchise
- Helldivers
- Platform(s)
- PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S, PC
- Genre(s)
- Third-Person Shooter, Extraction Shooter, Action, Science Fiction
