Summary
- Unintended friendly fire adds chaos, and it is an accepted part of the fun in Helldivers 2.
- Teamwork is key - shared weapons, laying sentries, and strategizing together are essential for success.
- Explore and collect rewards, but never abandon teammates; shared victory is the ultimate goal in Helldivers 2.
Since Helldivers 2 was released, it has been a hit that has sold over a million copies in less than a week. Multiplayer games can be ruthless, even PvE titles, but Arrowhead's hit seems to have avoided that fate. Rather than fighting against each other, a strong sense of camaraderie has developed within Helldivers 2 as recruits march toward the same goals.
Make no mistake, Helldivers 2 is not entirely void of griefers and selfish players, but they remain in the minority, in part because a few unspoken rules have emerged. The secret recipe lies in the seemingly minor gameplay elements Helldivers 2 features that have led to the creation of rules of etiquette that encourage teamwork.
Helldivers 2 Review
Helldivers 2 is an excellent sci-fi shooter that delivers one of the most unforgiving, and downright hilarious, co-op experiences gaming has to offer.
Dare to Die: Friendly Fire is Part of the Fun in Helldivers 2
Multiplayer games stop being fun for everyone when toxicity begins to leak into the community. This can be seen in games like GTA Online where it's possible to simply be a nuisance to others with very few consequences. It wouldn't be strange to predict that with friendly fire enabled in Helldivers 2, it would be a haven for bad-faith players, but that isn’t the case.
Helldiver 2's gameplay is chaotic and unpredictable. It's almost inevitable that one teammate will unintentionally fall victim to another's bullets, sentries, grenades, mines, or Orbital Strikes. However, this seldom fractures a team because the chaos is part of the fun, and that's largely due to the low tax on death.
Death Doesn't Spell the End for Helldivers
Dying is barely an issue. Dead players simply respawn via a Hellpod that lands with enough force to sometimes kill other team members (the dying never stops, it seems). Either way, death isn't the end of the action. This gives players the chance to try explosively daring strategies together. It's understood that unintentional friendly fire is no big deal, as long as Automatons and Terminids are getting destroyed in the commotion as well.
Intentionally killing teammates is still frowned upon, and it should be avoided.
In Helldivers 2, Gunplay is a Team Sport
In the pursuit of delivering democracy to every corner of the universe, there's a variety of guns and stratagems available for use. With the right loadout, it's even possible to tackle swarms of Terminids and Automatons solo. However, the game is best enjoyed within a team.
Some weapons can be used by two players. This includes the Recoilless Rifle, which has one Helldiver doing the blasting while the other reloads it. If a player is wearing a Support Pack, it's good manners to help out a fellow Helldiver wielding these weapons. Everyone wins, as weapons like the Recoilless Rifle are powerful enough to lay waste to the toughest vehicle armor.
Sentries are Powerful Stratagems That Can Help The Whole Team out in Helldivers 2
This isn't the only way to be a good team player. To keep an area free of foes for friends, laying down sentries is a must. They automatically target enemies, giving one's team a bit of breathing room to reload or get some more stratagems. This has to be done carefully, however, as sentries are capable of friendly fire. One of the best sentry for this purpose is the EMS Mortar Sentry which slows enemies down.
Lastly, weapon sharing is part of being a good team member. Handing a Helldivers 2 Guard Dog to a more skilled player may be the difference between a failed and successful mission. It's all about sharing the same goal, not being better than others.
Don't Abandon the Team for the Sake of Rewards in Helldivers 2
There's no use denying it - missions are played to gain XP, raise one's rank, and unlock new gear to purchase. Multiple forms of currency are available to collect, and it can be a challenge to keep track of it all. Medals, Samples, Super Credits, and Requisition Slips are all valuable. They can be found during missions, but this requires exploration. Straying from one's team isn't inherently rude or selfish, as it can yield great rewards that everyone shares.
With this in mind, it's equally important to ensure that neither bugs nor bots overpower a team. Leaving teammates to deal with a Terminid horde by themselves is poor etiquette, even if exploring leads to the discovery of Sample stashes. There's a balance that needs to be struck, but it's often easy to tell when the exploration should be ditched in favor of taking an offensive role. It's worth noting that exploring as a pair is often useful, as some bunkers with rewards can only be opened if two Helldivers work together.
Don't Forget About Extraction Shuttles
It's also important to get to the Extraction Shuttle when it arrives. If a player is left behind, all players will gain less XP. Though it's fun to explore and complete secondary objectives once the main objective is complete, it's polite to head to Extraction Beacon once a player has called the shuttle. On the other hand, it's also polite to not call for an extraction if the team is still accumulating Samples and seeing what the planet has to offer.
Helldivers 2 is one of those PvE games that isn't punishing for newcomers who don't have the skills and weapons of higher-ranking players. This is only possible if the rules of engagement are applied. All it takes is being a team player and recognizing that one person's victory is everyone's victory. If a player doesn't abide by the unspoken rules, it may be annoying, but it doesn't always strip away all the fun, as the game is at its best when there's mayhem.
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.
- 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
- Multiplayer
- Online Co-Op
- 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
- Metascore
- 83
- Platforms That Support Crossplay
- PC & PS5
