MovieZine’s writer Lucas Mass has tested “Helldivers 2”, the long-awaited sequel to the Swedish shooter from 2015.
Sequels are not easy to make. Should one aim to recreate the first game but in a bigger package? Or should one change the format and hope that fans of the original are still along for the ride? “Helldivers” from 2015 was an addictive and challenging shooter where cooperation was the focus. Much inspiration was taken from various military-based sci-fi films such as “Aliens” and “Starship Troopers” – especially the satirical angle of the latter.
I ”Helldivers 2” you play once again as an elite class of soldiers with the mission to spread peace and democracy in the galaxy with the help of bombs and noise. The “Starship Troopers” vibes are thus stronger than ever and it’s hard not to cheer for the game’s satirical goals.
Arrowhead Game Studios, the developers behind the game series, invited MovieZine to test around two hours of “Helldivers 2.”
A completely new perspective
Of course, it feels ironic that a dozen or so Arrowhead employees (who have spent years painstakingly working on the game’s many details) now have to watch as a loser like me struggles with even the most basic features. This while trying to collect comprehensive thoughts on the game within two hours.
But what you immediately notice about “Helldivers 2” is that it is a much more ambitious project than its predecessor. In the first game, the camera’s viewpoint was fixed above the player in a bird’s-eye view. It was charming and created several creative limitations but also opportunities with the game’s design.
However, the sequel has chosen a more traditional third-person perspective, something that really opens up the worlds more. “Helldivers 2” feels like a completely new and more powerful experience. Mikael Eriksson, the game’s directorexplains the challenges of the new perspective:
– A third-person perspective was something we chose right from the start. Of course, it came with a lot of different challenges that you don’t have to deal with from a bird’s eye view. In the first game, it’s easier to keep track of your teammates because everyone is visible on the screen at the same time, but with a third-person game, your teammates can do things you can’t see.
– It’s another challenge for us still trying to promote a highly cooperative game, but I think we’ve solved it. The chaotic fun of friends is still there, only now from a new perspective.
Multiplayer is the focus
Like the first game, “Helldivers 2” focuses on collaboration. Mikael explains that it is possible to play solo, but that there are weapons that can only be used if there are two of you and that certain missions are easier to complete in a team. Even the equipment can be shared with anyone in the team. The game is designed to encourage cooperation and to be really engaging to play in groups.
Again, friendly-fire is also always on and a cause of many accidents. According to Alex Bolle, production manager for “Helldivers 2,” it’s a big part of Arrowhead Game Studios’ philosophy:
– We have always had a kind of friendly-fire in our games like with “Magicka”, “Gauntlet” and now the “Helldivers” games. It’s a pillar we’re really fond of. If we didn’t have friendly-fire, we wouldn’t be true to ourselves. It creates a lot of funny situations where teammates make mistakes and you might hate them for half a second but then you can just laugh.
Mikael: We want to create believable games and part of a believable game is that you can blow up your friends.
That was something that became particularly clear during my brief stint with the game after, near the end of a mission, I strategically fired an entire magazine right into a fellow player’s fragile head. But don’t worry, I’m sure we experienced huge tactical benefits from that decision.
Looking towards the future
Unlike the first game, “Helldivers 2” is released on PC on the same day as PS5. It will be a reason to celebrate for PC gamers who had to wait several extra months last time. Alex believes that it is important that the game reaches as many players as possible:
– Right from the start we made the game for both platforms, the goal was to be able to reach as many players as possible. There are also many PC players in the studio so it was a very natural choice for us. Since we made “Helldivers 2” with co-op in mind, of course we want all players to be united.
Something that remains to be seen is whether there is enough content and variety for “Helldivers 2” to endure in the long term. With the missions that the game has shown so far, there is a risk that they will become worn out after a while. Even with the two hours of gameplay I got to experience for myself, it started to feel familiar towards the end.
But there are good signs that Arrowhead has a lot of aces up its sleeves to keep all the helldivers coming back. Among other things, the introduction of controllable mechs will certainly make even the worn-out missions fun to revisit.
– It’s something fans have wanted. We saw many on Reddit, Twitter and even our official Discord server asking if there will be mechs. So they are on their way.
It also seems that mechs won’t be the only powerful tool the game has to offer. Arrowhead Game Studios is ready to deliver a grand experience for both old and new fans and so far it looks promising.
“Helldivers 2” is now available to play on Playstation 5 and PC.
