Helldivers 2 has turned out to be quite a hit, with a great foundation of a co-op horde shooter that will only continue to grow over time. Some of the latest rumors and speculation about what future updates might bring to the game have been about what a fourth enemy faction in Helldivers 2 could look like. However, given the lack of an official roadmap, there’s no telling when and if a fourth faction will ever be introduced to the game.
If a fourth enemy faction isn’t in the cards for Helldivers 2, this shouldn’t be a cause for concern, since the game arguably has the perfect alternative to explore instead. More specifically, future updates for Helldivers 2 could instead explore combining the existing enemy factions within individual missions. This has been a highly requested feature among the game’s community for some time now, and it could prove to be a game-changer on multiple fronts.
The Pros and Cons of Helldivers 2's Lack of Roadmap
Helldivers 2 not having an official, public roadmap for future updates is admittedly a gamble that has both positive and negative consequences.
Helldivers 2 Already Has the Perfect Alternative to a Fourth Enemy Faction
From very early on in Helldivers 2’s lifecycle – back before the Illuminate enemy faction was introduced and there were only Terminids and Automatons – it’s been quite a common request among players for there to one day be missions where multiple enemy factions are present. As reported by N4G, despite the demand for this feature, the consensus is that the developers have experimented with this before, but it’s ultimately something that the game couldn’t handle at the time. Considering that players have already expressed interest in this, and it’s also something that the developers were open to experimenting with, making this happen arguably seems like it could be a recipe for success that would be worth the challenge of overcoming the technical issues.
Each of the three existing enemy factions in Helldivers 2 presents a unique challenge, which generally requires different playstyles to overcome. So, by combining two or three of the enemy factions within individual missions, this could be an experience unlike anything in the game so far.
Combining Enemy Factions in Helldivers 2 Could Be a Game-Changer on Multiple Fronts
On higher difficulties, this could give hardcore players the ultimate challenge, since players would need to more carefully coordinate Stratagems and weapon loadouts with their teammates to be able to handle a more diverse range of heavily armored enemies. Otherwise, if players didn’t know which enemy faction they would be fighting until after dropping into a mission, this could also put a unique twist on the difficulty of a given mission, testing players’ skill and adaptability.
A higher difficulty wouldn’t be proper without generously rewarding players, like a new player card or title, to display the achievement of overcoming this challenge.
Combining the existing enemy factions in Helldivers 2 could also lead to new hybrid enemy units that use technology from other factions, such as Automaton Hulks that use the Illuminate’s energy shields, or Terminid Bile Titans with mounted Mortar Emplacements. On their own, each of the three enemy factions in Helldivers 2 arguably has plenty of room to grow via new varieties of enemy units, but combining forces and technology from other factions could open up infinitely more possibilities for new enemies. This would also open the door for new mission types in Helldivers 2, or at least allow some of the existing mission types and sub-objectives that are currently exclusive to a specific faction to be present in missions with other factions.
Ultimately, the elements of randomness and room for growth from combining the existing enemy factions in Helldivers 2 arguably seem like a natural progression for the game to explore. So, future updates for Helldivers 2 should consider making this happen, since it could be well worth the challenge of pulling off.
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
- Engine
- bitsquid
- Genre(s)
- Third-Person Shooter, Extraction Shooter, Action, Science Fiction
