Helldivers 2 throws players into chaotic missions filled with endless hordes of enemies, but before new players can reach the absolute peak of what the game has to offer, they'll need to prove that they're up to the task first.
Higher difficulties are reserved for more experienced players, but if you think you're ready to change the difficulty in Helldivers 2 (or if you want a calmer experience), you can always switch between levels before diving into a mission.
Helldivers 2: All Warbonds, Ranked
Here are all of the Warbonds in Helldivers 2, ranked according to practicality to help players figure out which ones to get first.
How to Change Difficulty Level in Helldivers 2
Players can select a difficulty by approaching the Galactic Map aboard their ship. If you're just starting Helldivers 2, you should be able to see 1 - Trivial below the Quick Play button. This is where you choose your difficulty, but unfortunately, the higher difficulty levels will be locked.
To unlock new difficulties, you'll first need to complete an Operation in the highest difficulty available to you. For newcomers, an Operation refers to a set of missions, with each offering more Medal rewards than the last. Operations in lower difficulty levels are composed of just one mission, but as the difficulty increases, so does the number of missions. Thankfully, Operations can have only three missions at most.
After you complete a full Operation on one difficulty, the next one will automatically unlock. To increase or decrease the difficulty level in Helldivers 2, go to your Galactic Map and press Q/E on PC, or your controller's shoulder buttons if you're on console.
Take note that you won't always get matched into a mission on your chosen difficulty if you choose Quick Play.
What Changes Between Difficulty Levels?
Simply put, the higher the difficulty, the more intense things get. Enemies are more plentiful, new enemy types will start appearing, and more mission types become available.
Enemy health, damage, and accuracy values remain the same across all difficulties in Helldivers 2, which means individual enemies don't get any stronger. However, more powerful variants will start spawning during a mission, and they'll likely cause you more problems than usual.
Additionally, missions will have either one or two random modifiers in higher levels. These range from mild inconveniences to absolute game changers, so make sure to pay attention to what's active and plan your loadouts and strategies accordingly.
The good thing about how difficulty works in Helldivers 2 is that much of the arsenal remains viable even on the highest difficulty. Using the best weapons in the game is still ideal, but if you want an even bigger challenge, or if you simply prefer some weapons over others, you'll be glad to know that even the default level 1 loadout works well on Super Helldive difficulty (so long as you compensate with stratagems).
Helldivers 2
- Released
- February 8, 2024
WHERE TO PLAY
- 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
- Engine
- bitsquid
- Multiplayer
- Online Co-Op
- Cross-Platform Play
- All platforms
- Franchise
- Helldivers
- Number of Players
- 1-4 players (online)
- Genre(s)
- Third-Person Shooter, Extraction Shooter, Action, Science Fiction
- Platform(s)
- PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S, PC
- OpenCritic Rating
- Strong
