Helldivers 2is officially back in form after the Omens of Tyranny update. Not only did the update officially introducevehicles and melee weapons, but it also brought the long-awaited invasion of the Illuminate. All of this was wrapped in a neat little bow and presented atThe Game Awards2024. This resulted in a massive surge in players,propelling the game back to the top of Steam charts.
While the Helldiversdefeated the Illuminate vanguard on Calypso pretty quickly, veteran players knew that this was but a fraction of the force the new faction would throw at them. Currently, another planet is already being targeted by the Illuminate, but chief creative officer Johan Pilestedt warns it’s going to get much worse.
On The Illuminate And Weapon Balances
In a conversation withPC Gamer, Pilestedt said that the devs are always trying to maintain the balance between a great experience for casual players and a challenging one for thrillseekers.The wave of nerfs which came a few months agowas a result of this, but Arrowhead quickly learned that this was not the best approach. It seems the Illuminate will provide the challenge that veteran players have been seeking.
“That’s sort of what’s at the heart of balancing for Helldivers,” said Pilestedt. “Of course, we know that there are a lot of players that want that challenge. The Illuminates are a step in that direction, and playing a high-difficulty Illuminate mission is going to be a tremendous challenge for even the most experienced players, I hope.”
As for the backlash that Arrowhead faced during the nerf period, he said that the devs understood why the players were frustrated – because it felt like “the guns aren’t doing what it says on the box.” This resulted in a60-day update planthat reworked a number of weapons and stratagems.
“We, of course, want to create a game where you are a Helldiver and have a destroyer in orbit that can call down awesome firepower,” explained Pilestedt. “At that point, some of the more challenging enemies, yea, they’re maybe not as challenging anymore, but at least they react appropriately to what it would be like to be hit by a 380-millimeter barrage.”
The game is currently going through an all-time high, as all the new content has seen a wave of players returning to active duty. Those Illuminate stand no chance.
Helldivers 2
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. Helldivers 2 features Arrowhead’s best cooperative gameplay yet. Collaboration will be vital: Teams will synergize on loadouts, strategize their approach for each mission, and complete objectives together.
