HELLDIVERS 2 Review for Steam

HELLDIVERS II is an extensively good game and really encapsulates a perfect co op multiplayer game that embodies the word “Fun”. The gameplay is built up from the third person shooter perspective that allows for a wider field of view and provide players a chance to see their character, and environment. Moreover, this gameplay is closely intertwined with the multiplayer and both are greatly impacted by the other with some benefits being more prominent when playing co-op. One key issue with the game is that it is reminiscent of older games in the past being complete in a sense. Arrowhead Game Studios has developed a wonderful game and with PlayStation PC LLC a subsidiary of Sony as the publisher really makes the game standout as a whole.

The gameplay can be attributed to being a fun third person shooter with some strategy elements that can turn the tide of a battle in a huge way impacting the overall shift of combat. It is in these shifts on combat that allow for some surprisingly hectic moments and enjoyable scenarios that make for some memorable moments. Moreover, in terms of playing the game the controls feel nice and fluid that it almost feels natural for both controller and on mouse and key board. As for how the game is played on controller it goes with the standard format that is present in a majority of third person shooters based off of the standard first person controls that is the gold standard. The same can be said for mouse and keyboard with some benefits due to mapping out how the player wants to play the game overall. The main thing that makes HELLDIVERS II a partial strategy game is the use of an in-game mechanic called, “Stratagems” that can make fighting easier or harder for the player(s). These “Stratagems” can come in the form of support weapons, orbital cannons, air strikes, support constructs, and defensive structures that all have their own functions and can make certain missions easier.

The support weapons take up the third weapon slot on the player and are all pretty strong with some being specialized to deal with certain situations better than others. By extension the idea behind these “stratagems” can be applied to all of them with some being more focused on doing certain things better than others. Furthermore, this makes the multiplayer aspect even more well thought out when making player(s) take on certain roles. This means that the gameplay can be seen as intrinsically linked to the multiplayer for the game.

The game can be played solo or co-op with other players to take on certain missions that provide different enemies, environments, and parameters that affect what they player(s) can do. These enemies come in the form of “Automaton” (robots), and “Terminid” (insects) that have pros and cons when engaging in combat. The “Automatons” are robots with some of the infantry units reminiscent of “terminators” from the Terminator franchise. With some of their units being mechanized and bring in vehicles that require the player(s) to think on how to approach the situation carefully. Moreover, the same can said for the bug although they lack some of the firepower that the robots have, they make up for it in sheer numbers with some enemy units specializing in acid damage slowing down the player and doing burn damage. Another key multiplayer aspect is that certain equipment can be shared between other players making for some solid teamwork moments to occur. As to address how many player(s) can participate is that the total player count for co-op is 4 which might not seem like a lot, but each player in a mission counts towards a total at max 20 respawns so each player can be seen as 5 people. Aside from that, the missions can be completed in a timely manner due to the number of player(s) participating. One major thing to take into account when playing with other player(s) is that friendly fire is on so the instance of team killing can occur. However, with the game being team based can curb some of the trolls as the only way to progress in the game is through the completion of missions.

The game overall while having some microtransactions can be played entirely for free as the currency that can be purchased can be found in game. This makes the game standout from the sea of games filled with microtransactions as pillar of what games used to be one point.

While this has made the game a fan favorite and generated a huge player base it is showcases that games like HellDivers II are something that people want to play. This player base is then rewarded with special mission on a daily basis that reward them with a reasonable amount of in game currency. That is then used for the free battle pass or allowing players to get new stratagems according to their level. Another, reason as to why the player base is interacting with the developers thus creating a good community is that the entire game can be summed up as giant strategy game. Where the developers have control on the major tide of battle with the community facing off against the developers in basic simplistic terminology.

Arrowhead Game Studios has made a solid 9/10 game and it really feels like a complete game due to the lack of oppressive advertisements to purchase microtransactions. The gameplay is solid and raises the bar for the contemporary games that have been released as of late. With the gameplay offering a unique take on the third person shooter genre by adding in some strategy elements. This is then tied into the multiplayer where the gameplay can be multiplied by a factor by up to 4 depending upon the number of players in game. HellDivers II by Arrowhead Game Studios and published by PlayStation PC LLC is a great game that should be picked up and the price is justified.

HELLDIVERS 2 is available for PC via Steam and PlayStation 5.

Related: Reviews by Kyle Manila