For some, it is secure to say the Helldivers 2 honeymoon is over. Yesterday Arrowhead launched its first steadiness patch, which lastly made orbital strikes extra constant and the Flamethrower a official powerhouse. It additionally nerfed the preferred gear within the sport, the Railgun and protect backpack. Guess how that went down with gamers who’ve been rocking the overpowered loadout for a month?
The nerfs sparked backlash from the vocal Helldivers subreddit and Discord server, who argued that, with out the killer combo, Helldivers 2’s highest issue ranges at the moment are unmanageable. Issues bought heated when an Arrowhead dev pushed again concerning the nerfs “ruining” the sport, and a Discord mod additionally bought trolly in a protracted sequence of responses. CEO Johan Pilestedt later apologized on behalf of the studio, saying “this isn’t a message that the studio stands behind.”
Whereas the Discord mod feedback had been immature, I hope Pilestedt stands behind a minimum of the spirit of the Reddit dialogue, as a result of that Arrowhead dev was completely proper. It is encouraging to see somebody from the studio confront the snowballing sentiment that Helldivers ought to be considered by means of the lens of a aggressive shooter—that feeding a “meta” is an all-important objective for a goofy co-op shooter about slaughtering bugs and robots.
We have had simply 24 hours to take a seat with these adjustments, and a few have already determined Arrowhead screwed all of it up. My impression after a couple of hours of helldivin’ final night time: The Railgun continues to be extremely deadly, I now worship on the altar of the Flamethrower, and I am glad taking up Chargers and Bile Titans now requires extra danger and finesse.
Just a few ideas on this mini controversy as Helldivers 2 enters its second month:
What are we truly complaining about?
Studying by means of a number of indignant suggestions on Discord and Reddit, it is fascinating what number of gamers appear to be having a foul time as a result of they refuse to play on something however the highest issue ranges. They argue that, with no Railgun that may kill something in three photographs and a backpack that ignores most harm, max issue is now mainly not possible.
Should not it’s? We’re speaking about parameters actually labeled “Excessive,” “Suicide Mission,” and “Unattainable.” It ought to be a miracle to outlive a dive that intense.
Many gamers appear to be having a foul time as a result of they refuse to play on something however the highest issue ranges.
Publish-patch, we’re in all probability experiencing what the very best stage of Helldivers 2 is meant to really feel like for the primary time, and the sport provides us all of the instruments we have to tune our expertise and play at an issue we get pleasure from. If the sport’s tougher now, then bump the issue setting down a couple of notches to discover a candy spot. For my associates, it is between 5-7 in the mean time. Sure, meaning barely fewer Medals and Req—a blow to individuals who wish to optimize each single second they spend within the sport to earn extra, extra, extra—but it surely’s one thing new to try for, and units the stage for what’s subsequent.
THIS IS NOT A DRILL! Our factories are underneath assault, halting all output. Helldivers have been deployed to liberate Tien Kwan! pic.twitter.com/NM4A26jZlhMarch 7, 2024
Learn the room: We’re about to get a significant, mech-sized improve
By all accounts, we’re hours away from unlocking a robust, everlasting addition to the Tremendous Earth arsenal: mechs. As soon as each helldiver has entry to an exosuit armed with shoulder-mounted missiles and miniguns, the facility curve is modified ceaselessly. It is virtually as if these larger difficulties are supposed to be unreasonably onerous with out this new tier {hardware}.
Additional down the highway, leaks recommend, are automobiles that may enhance our mobility tenfold. An armored APC with three mounted turrets, a buggy that may cross a map in a minute—these transformative instruments on the horizon have me questioning if Arrowhead will finally need to introduce ranges 10, 11, and 12.
Making an attempt to “beat” Helldivers 2 robs it of its finest qualities
If that is how each Helldivers 2 patch is gonna go down, we’re on a path that makes the sport much less fascinating. Helldivers’ magic comes from its thriller—we do not know the total image of Arrowhead’s enlargement plans, galactic warfare updates, and even what’s up with all these hidden gun stats. And I do not wish to know. I’ve spent the final eight years pouring over roadmaps and counting down till the scheduled finish of seasons in numerous different multiplayer video games, and I’ve forgotten how enjoyable it’s to be at the hours of darkness.
I’ve forgotten how enjoyable it’s to be at the hours of darkness.
Helldivers 2 is placing the “stay” in stay service in a method we’ve not seen for the reason that early days of Fortnite. It looks like something is feasible proper now, however as Arrowhead reels from its first important dust-up with followers, you possibly can see issues going one other method—”cautious” updates that will not rock anybody’s boat, unpopular adjustments instantly reversed to keep away from controversy, a content material schedule to appease gamers demanding extra.
In a kind of downvoted Reddit replies from an Arrowhead dev, one half stood out to me:
“We’ve not nerfed something into the bottom, I simply suppose it is a bit of too early to faux like the sport is discovered… The sport is barely a few weeks outdated, so earlier than we begin making sweeping adjustments we would like every part roughly the place we supposed from the beginning.”
They had been speaking about gun steadiness, but it surely applies to how we select to get pleasure from Helldivers 2, this once-in-a-decade co-op shooter that checks each field of a basic within the making. We are able to select to put up, proclaim, and cry “buff” till Arrowhead contorts Helldivers 2 into fun-by-consensus, or we are able to embrace the uncertainty of a younger sport with surprises up its sleeve and belief Arrowhead to be the dungeon grasp. In flip, it is also as much as Arrowhead to not kowtow to the angriest voices within the room and belief itself to make good on its objective to “shock and delight.”