Helldivers 2 fans are pretty happy with the game following the release of its 60-day update. Every buff and change feels solid. However, the massive improvement in gameplay has meant that frustrations with one item from the latest Warbond feel bigger than they actually are.

The Chemical Agents Warbond was released in Helldivers 2 a few days after the game's 60-day update. It brought with it a slew of chemical warfare-themed items like armor that looks like a hazmat suit, toxic gas-based Stratagems, and a healing sidearm called the Stim Pistol. But this last item, one that should help players out in a pinch, has become a slight source of frustration within the community. What should be a life-saver is definitely a meme at this point.

Stims only work if they hit

The Stim Pistol will provide a Helldiver with enough of a healing boost to survive their next hit. Provided the next hit isn't a Charger running them down or a misplaced Eagle 500KG Bomb. However, the healing a Helldiver is trying to provide their teammates won't work at all if they can't land the shot, and that's the toughest thing to do with this sidearm.

The problem is that it feels impossible to land a shot with the Stim Pistol. You can be in first person, aiming down sights, and have a Helldiver running right at you, but you'll still miss. It's definitely possible to land shots because I've seen players in the post-mission screens peppered with darts, but I have no idea how those darts found their mark.

If you've picked up the Warbond and are trying it out for yourself, you'll know exactly what I'm talking about. If you're waiting to pick it up later, all you need to do is take one look at the Helldivers 2 subreddit to understand what's going on.

The Helldivers 2 community isn't worried about the issues with Stim Pistols, though. If this had happened before the 60-day update was released, it might have been the straw that broke the camel's back. With such a slew of buffs making the game as enjoyable as it was upon release, the Stim Pistol's inaccuracy fades into the background.

I have no doubt that developer Arrowhead Game Studios will fix the Stim Pistol in a future update. But nobody is that bothered about it right now. We've been spoiled with impeccable gameplay, a new Warbond, and even fantastic Superstore items. The game is in a great place at the time of writing, and you can see that in the community's reaction to weapon inaccuracy now compared to what it would have been just a week or so ago.

The post Helldivers 2’s most helpful weapon has created a frustrating problem appeared first on Destructoid.

The MLS-4X Commando is an anti-tank Stratagem in Helldivers 2 that may just replace the one you call your favorite. A laser-guided, quad-missile launcher, the Commando can chew through enemy big boys in the right hands.

The Commando is available for purchase via the Ship Management system for a mere 8,000 Requisition Points. It's a paltry sum for one of the best Stratagems you can add to your arsenal. Plus, its name is a movie reference! And as my editor will tell you with a heaving sigh, I can't get enough exhausting references from 1980s Arnold Schwarzenegger action flicks. Stick around... and learn how to best use the Commando.

How to use the MLS-4X Commando

The MLS-4X Commando is an anti-tank missile launcher. It provides its user with four missiles that, on impact, can wipe out most regular enemies. But it's more favored against armored elites, especially those of the Automaton variety.

With a 120-second cooldown timer, the disposable Commando does take longer to replenish than the EAT-17 (at 70 seconds). The latter weapon, though, only gives you two shots per drop. For the money, the Commando edges out its competition in several ways.

The missiles may be weaker than the EAT's rockets, but you can guide them toward enemies. To do so, hold your aiming button and line up an enemy with the blue laser beam. Once you have your target, pull the trigger and guide the missile as it flies. Keep the laser just ahead of your target if it's moving. The further away an enemy is, the harder the shot. Try and stay at a medium distance.

Following these steps, you should be able to master shooting the Commando. Though there are wrong ways to go about it.

Against many enemies, one missile is typically all you need. The Commando can stagger most enemy types as well, giving you ample time for a follow-up shot. It can take out Bile Spewers, Brood Commanders, and Devastators with a single hard slap to the face. But you'll likely end up using it against the Heavies, such as the Bile Titan and Hulk. So, how does the Commando fare?

Commando tips for Automaton forces and Elites

The MLS-4X Commando is best used against the vile Automaton forces of Helldivers 2. With slow-moving walkers with glowing weak points and flying ships, a laser-guided missile launcher feels right at home. Ignore most flak like the Automaton Trooper and save the Commando for the real bruisers.

One-shot kills:

• Berserker
• Devastator

  • Aim for the shoulder or head not covered by a shield when facing a Heavy Devastator.

• Hulks

  • Aim for the "eye" weak point to kill it with a single missile. Hitting the back vent may also destroy it in one shot.

Two-shot kills:

• Tanks

  • Two shots to the back vent should be all you need, but hitting the turret can also cause damage.

• Gunship

  • Striking the engine can destroy it in one shot, but it sometimes takes two.

• Dropship

  • These can go down in two or more shots if you aim at the engine pods.

The Factory Strider is a different kind of beast altogether. Its top-mounted gun can be destroyed by the Commando in two shots, which makes the weapon ideal against the walking beast. Dumping all four shots to its face seems to dish out a lot of damage, but it is somewhat inconsistent. It's recommended you hit the turret if you're at a distance or run up and fire into its belly when its Devastator bays are open.

The Commando can no longer destroy an Automaton Fabricator in one shot. One of the early selling points of the weapon was its ability to decimate a Fabricator with a single guided missile. This is no longer the case following Helldivers 2 Patch 1.001.100.

Automaton Fabricators have been reworked to have set health and armor values. Many heavy weapons with high penetration can destroy a Fabricator, but the amount of shots will differ. The Commando can blow up an Automaton Fabricator with two missiles. While it's not quite as effective against the bot-producing buildings, the missile launcher still does an admirable job.

Cannon Turrets can also be destroyed with two missiles without having to aim for the weak point, and Mortar Emplacements are gone with one shot.

Commando tips for Terminid forces and Elites

Sadly, the Commando is less consistent against the bug menace. But looking at the EAT and Railgun, that's pretty par for the course these days. Terminids do have a lot of large targets, though, making hitting your foes mostly effortless.

One-shot kills:

• Bile Spewer
• Nursing Spewer
• Brood Commander
• Hive Guard

  • Try hitting the softer points behind its shielded head.

Two or more shots:

• Charger

  • The Charger's key weak points are always its legs after removing the armor, but with the Commando you can kill it with one to three missiles by hitting its head.

• Bile Titan

  • The Bile Titan once more proves to be inconsistent with weak points. You can kill it by shooting it in the head with two missiles, but don't be surprised if you dump all four and still get barfed on.

• Stalker

  • Hate these things.

It's probably best not to take the Commando against Terminid Objective targets, as it can take multiple shots when a Hellbomb works better. It can destroy Bug Holes easily, though.

Flying enemies are also a no-go for the Commando. Instead, focus on the Heavies such as the Bile Titan and Chargers. You'll get enough of both if you play in Difficulty 7 and beyond.

Final thoughts

Overall, the MLS-4X Commando is an excellent Stratagem in Helldivers 2 and should be added to your armory as soon as possible. Given that it can destroy Fabricators with a single shot, the weapon is already in the top five. Naturally, it should be one of your top picks when it comes to facing Automatons.

It's useful against Terminids, but you won't get as much bang for your buck. Instead, you should still consider taking the EAT-17, as it hits harder than its younger cousin. You'll want that extra oomph when facing Bile Titans and Chargers, both of which can shrug off damage whenever they feel like it.

The post Helldivers 2: How to best use the MLS-4X Commando – Tips and strats appeared first on Destructoid.

There's no point in spreading Managed Democracy throughout the galaxy if you can't be fashionable while doing it. Okay, so all the armor sets in Helldivers 2 sport a clear purpose, but with that gear and cape, you can't argue that Helldivers have an immaculate drip.

Helldivers 2 has dozens armor sets to mix and match. They're separated into three types — Heavy, Medium, and Light — and come equipped with an Armor Passive that gives you a small boon. Developer Arrowhead Games is constantly delivering more armor sets via Warbonds and the Superstore, so be sure to keep an eye out for more ways to increase your style points.

All Armor Passives in Helldivers 2 and what they do

There are eleven Armor Passives in Helldivers 2 and each offers different buffs. Knowing what they do can help you survive longer on the battlefield.

All armor sets in Helldivers 2, their passives, and how to get them

Here are all the currently available armor sets in Helldivers 2. Keep in mind that some are locked behind Warbonds or need to be purchased in the Superstore, while others are no longer available.

Aspects such as Armor Rating, Speed, Stamina Regen can differ among sets in the same type. In those occasions, you'll see all three aspects are balanced to compensate for any difference. For example, the SC-34 Infiltrator has a higher Armor Rating than other Light sets, but that is matched with lower Speed and Stamina Regen. Keep the differences in mind when choosing your equipment.

Every helmet in the game comes with the standard issue stats of 100 Armor Rating, 100 Speed, and 100 Stamina Regen.

Arrowhead adds more armor sets all the time. The developer also tweaks armor values from time to time. We'll keep updating the list whenever the Armory changes.

The post All Helldivers 2 armor sets, including Passives and how to get them appeared first on Destructoid.

The Bile Titan is akin to the general of the Terminid army in Helldivers 2. It's a massive beast, towering over everything on four tall legs. There are multiple ways to kill the Bile Titan in Helldivers 2, one of which is quick. Sometimes.

The best way to kill a Bile Titan in Helldivers 2 is by turning it to mulch with a powerful Secondary Weapon or Stratagem. Weapons like the EAT-17 and Quasar Cannon do a ton of damage to the hulking monstrosity, especially if you aim at its head — the Bile Titan's primary weak point.

How to kill a Bile Titan in Helldivers 2

It's up for debate how much damage a Bile Titan must take before toppling over like a stack of lawn chairs. A couple of shots to the face with an EAT can do it, but the bug may need more before you can convince it to give up the ghost. No, you can't fire away with the Railgun until its head explodes — not anymore, that is.

As far as Stratagems go, the Bile Titan isn't a fan of the Eagle 500kg Bomb or the Orbital Railgun. The latter is a better idea if you want to go for the kill shot, but keep in mind that the Titan may shrug off the first slug. Yes, it's a bit inconsistent. My favorite methods are the 500kg Bomb and the Orbital Laser. Keep in mind that the bomb beacon must be dropped in the Bile Titan's path. You can be smart about it, though.

The best method to kill a Bile Titan with an Eagle 500kg Bomb:

• Get the Bile Titan's attention by shooting it or entering its view
• Allow the Titan to get close and prepare a bile spew
• As it begins the above, drop the beacon under the Titan and run

Helldivers 2: Bile Titan weak points

The Bile Titan is a Heavy enemy and, like the Charger, is coated in a heavy carapace that acts as armor save for a couple of squishy spots. For the Titan, the soft, green belly is a smart target for you and your team to take advantage of, and here's why.

The Bile Titan has two attacks based on distance. When close, the Bile Titan will stomp on you with its massive legs. If you're out of reach, it spews a jet stream of green bile that can kill you in seconds. That's why you'll want to target its belly to stop it from firing acid.

Use weapons to inflict damage to its abdomen. The Bile Titan's belly, or its green abdomen, has its own health pool. After damaging it for long enough, you can pop the belly like a water balloon. Doing so will remove the Bile Titan's ability to spew acid. Once the belly is gone, the abdomen gets a second health pool. Depleting its health will ultimately kill the Bile Titan for good. In other words, you can use contemporary weapons to kill a titan, but you'll need to aim for its soft spot from down below. Watch out for its "feet!"

Best weapons to use on the Bile Titan in Helldivers 2

Consider using these Support Weapons to kill the Bile Titan:

• EAT-17
• Quasar Cannon
• Recoilless Rifle
• Autocannon
• Spear
• Commando

Against the Titan's armor, the EAT-17 Expendable Anti-Tank works well. Try it as well as the Quasar Cannon, as they dish out the most damage quickly and reliably.

The sleeper hit from this list may be the Arc Thrower. It penetrates armor and can be fired from a considerable distance. The only drawback is that it can result in friendly-fire killings or prioritize smaller fries beneath it. You'd only want to use this weapon if the Bile Titan is by itself.

Do not use:

• Incendiary Grenade
• Stun Grenade

Do use the Thermite Grenade, which dishes out a staggering 2,000 points of damage. You can stick the grenade to any part of the Bile Titan to harm or kill it, but I suggest aiming for its soft belly. If you can't get a quick kill, you can at least remove its long-range attack.

Best Stratagems to use on the Bile Titan in Helldivers 2

The best Stratagems for killing the Bile Titan are:

• Eagle 500kg Bomb
• Orbital Laser
• Orbital Railcannon Strike
• Orbital 380MM HE Barrage
• Rocket Sentry
• Autocannon Sentry
• Patriot Exosuit

Other Stratagems that aren't listed here have reportedly worked for other players, but the ones here have been more consistent overall.

You can also take down a Bile Titan using a sentry and some good planning. A Rocket or Autocannon sentry both do work against the beast, but you'll need to drop them well outside of its acid range.

The Exosuit mech is equipped with a heavy machine gun and rocket launcher. Three to four blasts with its rockets can take down a Bile Titan with ease. If you're ever in a pinch and need some fast clearing, this glass cannon can be just what you need to turn the tide in battle.

Can you kill a Bile Titan with a Hellpod?

Killing a Bile Titan with a Hellpod isn't the best idea unless it has already taken significant damage or has exposed flesh. While the titan does take damage, if you don't kill it with that one shot you'll find yourself in acid and leg range. It's a lot to ask from a human cannonball.

What else works against the Bile Titan? Well, for one lucky Helldiver, a Charger is a potent projectile when used properly.

The post Helldivers 2: How to kill a Bile Titan appeared first on Destructoid.

The Chemical Agents Warbond is out in Helldivers 2, and for those who want to get the best items for it right away, we’ll have you covered. Note that while there are better alternatives out there, you can still turn the tide of battle with our selections.

The best items from the Chemical Agents Warbond in Helldivers 2

The best items from the Chemical Agents Warbond are the G-4 Gas grenade, the “Guard Dog” Dog Breath, and the P-11 Stim Pistol. The armor is also decent if you’re going to run a heavy gas build so that you won’t accidentally die in the process of suffocating your enemies.

G-4 Gas Grenade

This grenade mod will provide a lot of crowd control when thrown. If you trigger enemy reinforcements or you just have a big mob of stuff coming at you, chuck one of these. It’ll kill smaller fries and make the medium and heavy enemies attack each other relentlessly.

While you are sacrificing utility, like destroying fabricators and bug holes, this can get you out of a rough encounter by diverting enemy aggro.

“Guard Dog” Dog Breath

If you want to save your grenade slot for something like a Thermite, then the Dog Breath drone will be a powerful, passive, crowd-controlling tool. It’ll soften enemies up for you and even give them that gas effect to make them fight each other. 

This doesn’t have as much range as the other two drones, but it can help you escape a dicey situation much quicker. Don’t expect this to be your primary source of damage, though.

P-11 Stim Pistol

Lastly, the underdog of this Warbond has to be the Stim Pistol. It has its purposes, but mostly in settings where you’re actually communicating with teammates. In a squad full of randoms or playing solo, this will be a wasted slot.

With proper voice comms, you can safely heal someone who is getting swarmed or needs additional healing in a pinch.

Unfortunately, with all that said, the Sterilizer, or the gas equivalent of the Flamethrower, is not it. It’s a fun weapon, but compared to other things in this Warbond, it’s underwhelming. Stick to these three before getting that.

The post Helldivers 2: Best items from the Chemical Agents Warbond appeared first on Destructoid.

The big buff patch that arrived this week for Helldivers 2 apparently introduced a new bug that allows players to fly across the map. Man, what is it with emotes in Helldivers 2 and their ability to let players defy gravity with such confidence?

Players on the official Helldivers subreddit recently revealed the exploit. In a short video clip, a player rhythmically taps the Emote button to, well, teabag through the air with the greatest of ease.

According to the poster, the exploit was unintentionally discovered when they were trying to make use of a different exploit tied to emotes. In July, players learned that emoting while hurtling through the air may prevent lethal fall damage. It looks like it's not just the weapons that got buffed by the patch.

Arrowhead can work on the Jump Pack later

Anyone who has played games long enough will understand that updates and patches can lead to bugs. Helldivers 2 is certainly no stranger to the idea. The game typically experiences issues brought by patches, ranging from new bugs to crashes. In this case, the bug was likely introduced by the new emote wheel function that was added by the update. I'd take surprise flying powers over a new way for the game to crash any day, thanks.

The bug will likely get fixed eventually. Emoting to prevent fall damage is a glitch that has remained, likely due to the Arrowhead CEO enthusiastically endorsing it. But flying for free isn't something I can see remaining in the game. If anything, those averse to gravity will have to wait for a Jump Pack buff, which is in the plans according to creative director Johan Pilestedt.

Until then, I expect to see my fellow divers tea-bagging their way across the land to power-squat on Shrieker Nests with authority. If we can't win this war with weapons, we'll do so with Slavic intimidation.

The post Forget the Jump Pack, the Helldivers 2 buff patch is letting players fly appeared first on Destructoid.

With all the balance changes, things are finally looking up in Helldivers 2. We’re now getting new Warbonds on top of that. That being said, is the Chemical Agents Warbond worth it? 

Is the new Chemical Agents Warbond worth it in Helldivers 2?

It’s hard to say yes or no to the new Warbond just because there are only a few items that would be worth getting it for. If you have the 1,000 Super Credits to spare, then by all means, go for it. 

All the new buffs and balance changes overshadow the new items, especially with fire damage being back at its prime. On top of that, the weapons introduced in the Chemical Agents Warbond act just like the current flame weapons in the game. 

Gas does provide significant AoE effects like blinding and dazing enemies. Those affected will also start attacking one another, which has a lot of utility. It’s just that things that incinerate enemies will kill them a lot quicker. 

Aside from the new Stim Pistol and the cosmetics, you’ll still be way better off getting something like the Freedom’s Flame Warbond since most items there function the same as the ones here. 

This isn’t to say that the new gas tech here isn’t good. They have very good crowd-control potential. If you’re just looking to get additional things to play with, then by all means, go for it. This won’t break the meta like the newly buffed Thermite Grenades or the Orbital Napalm Barrage.

This will act as a good Medal sink if you have been sitting on 250 for quite some time now. The 300 reimbursed Super Credits are nice, paired with the other cool cosmetics. So, unless you have spare Super Credits to dump into this Warbond, you can probably skip it for now.

The post Is the Chemical Agents Warbond worth it in Helldivers 2? appeared first on Destructoid.

Helldivers 2 is an online PvE game, where the E part is generally made up of hundreds of pissed-off bugs or gun-wielding robots. It's a hard game for those who seek challenge, but the latest buff patch may be making things too easy for some players — and the CCO agrees.

Developer Arrowhead Games released the largest patch yet for Helldivers 2 on September 17, 2024. It reworked enemies and applied massive buffs across the game's vast array of weapons and Stratagems. Guns hit harder, and bugs die faster than ever. In an attempt to balance things out, Helldivers take more damage to their limbs and torso. But for some, the overwhelming power may be a bit much for even the hardest difficulty setting.

Helldivers 2 could get a new difficulty level following the patch

The CCO of Arrowhead and the Helldivers 2 creative director Johan Pilestedt agrees. Taking to X, he asked followers for their thoughts on the new patch. Many were elated, telling Pilestedt that Helldivers 2 is better than ever. But there was at least one who said the game needed an even harder difficulty.

"I agree," Pilestedt replied. As for the name of this proposed new mode, he posted replies that covered "Extra super helldive" and "Extra Super Duper Helldive," with the latter being his own suggestion. I'll throw my hat in the ring and vote for "Super-De-Duper Helldive."

The user isn't alone in this sentiment. Some in the Helldivers subreddit have said the patch makes the game easier for them. Naturally, this sparked a response from many who disagree, and think the game feels more balanced with Arrowhead's "glass cannon" approach.

Personally, having played some hours fighting bots and bugs in Helldive, I think the difficulty is at a good spot. While I'm not a big fan of getting RKO'd by a random Hive Guard from behind, the weapons and reworks feel great.

The game is also still difficult, at least in my experience. I have only won about half my missions since the patch. But I'm chalking that up to relearning the game more than putting the fault squarely on the update. Maybe when the Super-est Helldive arrives, complaints about the challenge will decrease. But who am I kidding?

The post Some Helldivers 2 players feel game needs a higher difficulty after the buff patch, and the CCO agrees appeared first on Destructoid.

Developer Arrowhead Games made good on its promise, launching the biggest patch yet for Helldivers 2. Weapons were buffed, enemies were reworked, and my precious Eruptor got its groove back (welcome back, shrapnel). But most of all, the community appears happy and players are returning.

"This is honestly the best patch ever," reads the headline of a post on the game's official subreddit. Such headlines have become more frequent, drowning out the cascade of posts written by frustrated community members. It feels like it's been a long time coming.

Members of the Helldivers 2 community have been vocally quite unhappy with how the game has been managed. In the last several months, many have bemoaned weapons nerfs and reworks. Players have suggested that the constant patches and updates harmed the effectiveness of weapons and stratagems, reducing their options when dealing with heavies such as Chargers. As disappointment reached a fever pitch, some players even decided to do the unthinkable: Turn treasonous.

What a difference it's been since the patch dropped.

Helldivers 2 players return, as memes replace discontent

Players on the community subreddit and X have been heaping praise on Arrowhead following the patch. The difference has been night and day. I visit the Helldivers subreddit several times a week and, until recently, it was mostly me doom-scrolling like I was punishing myself by hopping on X. It's quite the change, seeing angry posts get replaced by joyous applause.

Johan Pilestedt, the CCO of Arrowhead, took to X to ask for everyone's thoughts on the patch. While there was at least one saying it was too late, others' replies were certainly more positive.

"I haven't had this much fun with the game in months," reads a reply by X user Swany. "I think you guys really knocked it out of the park."

Things aren't perfect yet, however. Some are concerned that the game is easier now that weapons are more powerful. On a more serious note, there are still many countries that have been locked out due to a PlayStation Network account requirement. It's been months, and there hasn't been much word of a fix.

But, for the most part, things seem to be on the rise. Players are returning to the game, with SteamDB showing a steady rise to 68K players on Steam. It's a big jump from the game's lowest point of 15K players in early September. The in-game player count is even more impressive, with around 90K players reported the night the patch landed.

Things are looking up once again for the game. Today also marks the launch of the new Premium Warbond, Chemical Agents. So far, it seems like another hit for Arrowhead. Let's hope the momentum continues.

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When it comes to a galactic-scale infestation, it's best to bring the biggest can of bug spray you can find. Helldivers 2 brings what you need with its latest Chemical Agents Warbond, a content pack with everything you need to take on the universe's worst space roaches.

Chemical Agents is the latest in a line of Premium Warbonds for Helldivers 2. To access it, you'll need to purchase it via the Acquisitions Menu, which you access from aboard your Super Destroyer ship. As it is a Premium item, you must exchange 1,000 Super Credits (SC) for the pack.

Super Credits can be purchased with real-life cash, costing $10 for 1,000 SC. You can also find SC during missions. Once you have enough, scroll down the list to the Warbond and choose to unlock it.

Everything in the Helldivers 2 - Chemical Agents Warbond and their cost

Like with the Warbond before, Chemical Agents includes two new armor sets, vehicle wraps for the mech, shuttle, Hellpod, and more. There are no typical weapons, but two Stratagems. The third is a weapon you can equip as part of your kit, but it's technically non-lethal. By technically, I mean it's non-lethal so long as you choose not to bludgeon an enemy to death with it.

Stratagems

Grenade

Armor Sets

Chemical Agents comes with two new armor sets which include armor, a helmet, and a cape. The sets are equipped with a new Armor Passive called Advanced Filtration, which offers 80% resistance to gas damage.

Armor Passive: Advanced Filtration

• Provides 80% resistance to gas damage and effects.

Armor

Capes

• Standards of Safe Distance (Page 1) - 8 Warbond Medals
• Patient Zero's Remembrance (Page 2) - 20 Warbond Medals

Helmets

• AF-50 Noxious Ranger (Page 1) - 30 Warbond Medals
• AF-02 Haz-Master (Page 2) - 35 Warbond Medals

Victory Poses and Emote

• Ew (Page 1) - 8 Warbond Medals
• Natural Gas Extraction (Page 3) - 70 Warbond Medals

The emote, Natural Gas Extraction, is a "pull my finger" joke for those of us with a juvenile sense of humor. You better believe I'm getting ready to ask all my allies to do me a solid and experience the gas.

Super Credits

• 100 SC (Page 1) - 7 Warbond Medals
• 100 SC (Page 2) - 12 Warbond Medals
• 100 SC (Page 3) - 32 Warbond Medals

Player Cards

• Standards of Safe Distance (Page 1) - 2 Warbond Medals
• Patient Zero's Remembrance (Page 2) - 5 Warbond Medals

Player Title

• Expert Exterminator (Page 3) - 20 Warbond Medals

Vehicle Patterns (Skins)

Vehicle patters, or skins, can be applied to the Hellpod, Shuttle, or Exosuit. To do so, you need to enter the Ship Management menu while aboard your Super Destroyer. Next, navigate to the patterns tab, then scroll through the vehicles and choose the skin. You must have an Exosuit unlocked via the Stratagems menu to apply skins to it.

• Mustard Hellpod Pattern (Page 1) - 20 Warbond Medals
• Mustard Shuttle Pattern (Page 2) - 50 Warbond Medals
• Mustard Exosuit Pattern (Page 3) - 50 Warbond Medals

That about wraps up everything in the Chemical Agents Premium Warbond for Helldivers 2. Keep in mind that gas no longer behaves the same way following the big buff patch. While it still damages foes, it also causes confusion to enemies and fellow divers. The new Armor Filtration passive should help you and allies, however. But it won't make you immune to the damage and effects of the gas. Make sure you aim well.

The post Helldivers 2: Everything in the Chemical Agents Warbond and their cost appeared first on Destructoid.

The Chemical Agents Warbond has just dropped in Helldivers 2, but players are gushing over the new Sueprstore armor. Its design fits the Warbond really well, and as a lovely added bonus, it looks like something you'd see enemies wearing in a Wolfenstein or Warhammer 40K game.

The Chemical Agents Warbond adds all sorts of chemical warfare-based weaponry and cosmetics to Helldivers 2. It's a premium Warbond, meaning players must spend some premium currency to pick it up, but they see to be gravitating more towards the other new premium item that's been added to the game. A set of armor with a terrifying sci-fi gas mask and latex material that looks incredibly flammable but very good at keeping out lethal toxins.

The ultimate crossover

As a huge Helldivers 2 fan, this armor, the AF-91 Field Chemist set, is now my favorite in the game to date. The other options in the Chemical Agents Warbond are great, but this one, as has been pointed out by pretty much every player on the game's subreddit, feels like we're finally getting the crossovers with other universes that we've been after.

The gas mask looks like it would fit really nicely in Wolfenstein 2009 among the occult soldiers you battle. Of course, it could easily be inspired by the newer entries in the series. A gas mask on a soldier is part of the DNA of the Wolfenstein games, and I'll happily rock something that reminds me of them while spreading freedom for Super Earth any day.

The other type of soldier that this armor set reminds players and Warhammer 40K fans of is the Death Corps of Krieg. I've included an image of one of these soldiers above so you can see the similarities. To be clear, nobody is accusing Arrowhead Game Studios of copying here. The developer has just released the 60-day update for Helldivers 2 and has clearly been working on armor sets that lean into the other franchises fans like to reference in the game while keeping them in line with the Super Earth universe's visual aesthetic.

The flavor text on this armor set reads as follows. "This armor, together with its friendly-faced helmet, is instantly recognizable from the beloved children's show 'Jen Shriver the Science Diver'."

It deepens the Helldivers 2 lore and makes the set even better because it's obviously absolutely terrifying. But I can imagine Helldivers looking at each other and pointing because they're instantly reminded of a children's TV presenter and not a spooky monster from Doctor Who or some other bringer of death.

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There are a plethora of Stratagems for players to use to devastating effect in Helldivers 2. While heavy weapons and resupply drops are useful, sometimes the best tool for the job is a slew of shells from the Orbital 380MM HE Barrage on your Superdestroyer.

You'll unlock new Stratagems over time in Helldivers 2 as you play more missions and earn rewards from, hopefully, successful objective completions and extractions. While your basic weapons are fine and will net you a tonne of kills and help you support your team, sometimes you need something bigger to throw into the mix, like the Orbital 380MM HE Barrage or a Thermite Grenade. But none of these weapons are useful if you don't know what to do with them.

How to get the Orbital 380MM HE Barrage in Helldivers 2

To get the Orbital 380MM HE Barrage in Helldivers 2, you need to buy it from the Stratagems tab in your Superdestroyer's Ship Management menu. It costs 7,500 Requisition Slips, but that's not too much considering how much you usually earn while tackling missions for a Major Order. Following the game's 60-day update, the gameplay is in a much better place, so you should really be struggling with too many Requisition Slips, if anything.

How to use the Orbital 380MM HE Barrage to maximize kills in Helldivers 2

The key to using the Orbital 380MM HE Barrage to maximize kills in Helldivers 2 is waiting for the perfect time to use it. Once triggered, the Stratagem will cause your Superdestroyer to slowly fire massive shells down in the general vicinity you've marked with your targeting beacon.

The shots from the Orbital 380MM HE Barrage are devastating. They'll cripply Bile Titans and cause havoc for Automaton armies, but if you use them on a single foe, you're not going to rack up that many kills for a Personal Order or your squad.

I find that waiting until a huge horde of enemies is chasing you is the best time to use the Orbital 380MM HE Barrage. Chuck it down in front of you and then run over to it. By the time you reach it, the shells should be raining down, and they'll cause all sorts of trouble for whatever is pursuing you.

Another great time to use the Orbital 380MM HE Barrage is when you find a bug nest or an Automaton factory. Anywhere, there are lots of enemies clustered together, and more emerging all the time, which is great for racking up the kills. You'll also inadvertently close Bug Holes and destroy Fabriators, which are bonuses when you're not overwhelmed and ripped to shreds by the enemies of Super Earth.

Best loadout for Orbital 380MM HE Barrage in Helldivers 2

The best loadout for you in Helldivers 2 is one you're comfortable with and know well. Stick to the Stratgems you trust and have the timings down to muscle memory for, and you'll be able to complete any Major Order thrown at you.

That said, it can be difficult to determine which Stratagems best complement the Orbital 380MM HE Barrage in Helldivers 2. I've put together a good base for you to use below, but feel free to add in what works for you as you go.

• Orbital 380MM HE Barrage
• Stalwart
• Anti-Personnel Minefield
• Guard Dog Rover

The idea here is that you call down the Stalwart and Guard Dog Rover at the start of a mission or right after emerging from your Hellpod. The Stalwart is a solid heavy weapon with which to clean up enemies, and the Guard Dog Rover will have your back when there are loads of them around.

As I mentioned above, you need to use the Orbital 380MM HE Barrage around huge groups of enemies for maximum kills. This can be problematic if those enemies spot you and aren't caught in a shell blast. Use the Anti-Personnel Minefield to create a barrier so whatever isn't killed by all your other weapons will explode as it tries to chase you down.

As for primary, secondary, and throwable weapons, go with what you can use well. These change for every player, and they really don't add much into the equation when looking at your Stratagem loadout, so just use whatever feels comfortable and gets you loads of kills.

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Following the release of Helldivers 2's 60-day update, players seem pretty happy with the buffs and changes that have been brought to the game. The one weapon fans have latched onto isn't a primary, secondary, or Stratagem, though. It's the Thermite Grenade.

The buff to Helldivers 2's Thermite Grenade in this 60-day update sounds like a mistake, but I believe it's very deliberate. Prior to the update, the Thermite Grenade would attach to enemies, give them a little tickle, and warm them up with a spark of fire when it exploded. Now, it scorches foes before causing a colossal explosion that can crack open a Bile Titan's carapace and spill its gooey innards all over a planet's surface.

You're going to need sunglasses for this one

The official patch notes for Helldivers 2's 60-day update note that the damage for the Thermite Grenade has been increased from 100 to 2,000. It takes less time for the device to start sparking and dealing damage, and the time to explosion has been decreased slightly, too. While the carry capacity for the Thermite Grenade has dropped from 4 to 3, I think that's the most balanced thing about these changes, given its newfound power.

Regardless of where you look, Helldivers 2 players are talking about how powerful the Thermite Grenade is. Among the dozens of meme posts about it on the game's subreddit, the above post is my favorite because it shows how you can down a Bile Titan, the apex predator of the Terminids, with just one of these grenades.

I hopped into the game to see if the Thermite Grenade is really as powerful as fans are saying, and I can confirm that it is. This grenade, which is locked behind the first page of the Freedom's Flame Warbond, is fantastic.

Coupled with the increased movement and aiming speed and every other balance change in the 60-day update, Helldivers 2 feels like it did at launch once more. The game is fluid and lets you run across planets, killing hundreds of enemies with a vast array of futuristic weapons.

But it's also very good at reminding you that your absurd power doesn't make you invincible. Indeed, I used Thermite Grenades to close Bug Holes and create walking bombs among the Terminids I faced. I also got caught in the blasts of more than a few of my grenades, leading to two Chargers crushing me simultaneously when I landed after one particularly uncomfortably close explosion.

A few months, or even days ago, I would have said that Arrowhead Game Studios would be stepping in this week to nerf the Thermite Grenade. We're less than 24 hours into this update, though, and Helldivers 2 players adore this explosive and every other change they're experiencing so far. I'm hopeful this is the turning point the developer and community were waiting for, and we can get back to waiting for the Illuminate to rear their ancient alien heads and spark a new leg of the Second Galactic War.

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Folks, it's finally happening: Arrowhead Games issued a Helldivers 2 update that is, from the look of things, not all about nerfing fan-favorite gear. This hotly anticipated "experience shift" comes as part of patch 1.001.100, which buffs most things players wanted to return to relevancy again, and it's a hoot.

From day one onwards, balance has been one of the biggest problems the Helldivers 2 studio has contended with. After subsequent updates have repeatedly included nerfs after nerfs, players expected the first part of the ominous-sounding 60-day resolution plan to come up short, at the very least. The idea that hidden nerfs may sour things further was thrown around, too, and nobody really knew what to expect until very recently, when Arrowhead finally pushed out the patch notes and the update. And, honestly, it's a joy to behold.

Helldivers 2 update 1.001.100 delivers the major overhaul the game needed

If you're an experienced Helldivers 2 player, I highly recommend reading up on the official patch notes posted on Steam. They're appropriately hefty, but they go into substantial detail on what's changed and what hasn't. In short, though, the gist of it is that we're looking at nothing short of a huge balancing revamp that has so far been nothing but awesome. I've played through a bunch of matches both solo and with a small fireteam of others, and virtually every single item we've tested is now most excellent. Aside from Liberator Penetrator, mind, which remains underwhelming still.

Here's an extremely truncated list of some of the most important changes included as part of Helldivers 2's patch 1.001.100:

• Buffs for Liberator, Liberator Carbine, Knight SMG, Liberator Concussive, Tenderizer, Breaker, Spray & Pray, Scythe, Crossbow, Eruptor, Defender SMG, Liberator Penetrator, Diligence, Counter-Sniper, Blitzer, Torcher, Peacemaker, Dagger, Crisper weapons.
• Various Support item buffs and reworks for the Grenade Launcher, Laser Cannon, Arc Thrower, Railgun, Stalwart, Anti-Materiel Rifle, Machine Gun, Heavy Machine Gun, Commando Launcher, Flamethrower, and Autocannon.
• Substantial improvements for the Frag and Thermite Grenades.
• Long list of Stratagem buffs (including the Eagle 500KG bomb).
• Strategically important assets now appear on the Galactic War display, making it easier for players to organize onslaughts and operations.
• Various enemies have been rebalanced in a sensible way (e.g. Rocket Devastators now have a limited number of rockets, which they also need to reload).
• 14 different crashes have been resolved.

This is, once again, inexhaustive. The end result, though, is a meta in which way, way more weapons are viable virtually across the board. Of course, the Eruptor, the Railgun, and the Flamethrower are at last every bit as efficient and satisfying to use as they were before, but I fully expect the playerbase to end up finding new favorites, too. For example, the Thermite Grenade has been buffed from dealing 100 damage to 2000 (!) with its explosion alone. In practice, this means it can one-shot Chargers and even Behemoths if you attach it to one's head.

As for the weapons, Arrowhead hasn't been shy this time around. Many of them have even received fancy new attachments. The Liberator Concussive, for example, now comes with a 60-round drum magazine that fires rounds with improved stun effects. It is basically a lightweight support weapon now, and it's an absolute joy to use against the bugs.

I'm particularly thrilled by the fact that Arrowhead hasn't just buffed weapons themselves and called it a day. Instead, the enemies on both fronts are now more satisfying to engage across the board, and though they will run you over quite easily, you've got way more tools at your disposal to deal with them.

If this is how Arrowhead intends to balance the game moving forward, I'm all for it, though I worry that there may be some amount of overtuning present here just to pull players back into the game. We'll see how this pans out but, for the time being, it seems the developers have done an excellent job across the board.

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While most Helldivers 2 players are eagerly awaiting the game's 60-day update to see if it brings back lapsed fans and makes the game feel as fun as it did at launch, they still have a job to do. The Second Galactic War rages on, and we need to get back to strategizing about how we tackle them.

At the time of writing, the current Major Order in Helldivers 2 tasks players with killing 100 million Warriors and 45 million Bile Spewers in Terminid planets. This shouldn't be too tricky because, as a community, we've slaughtered 100 million Terminids in just 3 hours before. However, there's a secondary element to the Major Order that's split the community down the middle, and they're not making progress on either front.

While players could focus all their attention on the Terminid objective, the secondary objective is way too tempting. If they manage to liberate Tarsh and Mastia, two worlds currently under Automaton control, then they'll be given the Orbital Napalm Barrage Stratagem. I'm sure this is only for the duration of the Major Order, but that doesn't matter. I and many other players want to get our hands on that Stratagem so they can set Terminid worlds aflame and boss the Major Order goals.

Unfortunately, not every Helldivers 2 player wants the same thing. In fact, it seems as though some players aren't even aware that they could get this incredibly powerful Stratagem to help us clean up the rest of the Major Order.

It's been three days, and Tarsh and Mastia still require liberation. There are 8,000 Helldivers in the Automaton system trying to get this Stratagem, but there are 12,000 in the Terminid system just hammering the Major Order.

In the past, they've coordinated so well that we've been able to make Game Master Joel bend the rules in Helldivers 2 in the past. The community has also worked together so well that it's actively dodged Stratagems and inadvertently saved the game's fictional children from annihilation.

Now, though, when I log in to play or check out the Helldivers 2 subreddit, it feels like they couldn't plan a piss-up in a pub. The problem is twofold in my eyes. First, there's a genuine lack of coordination because there are fewer players in the game. That's a symptom of many waiting to see what the upcoming major update does to balance the game and make it enjoyable to play once more.

The second issue is pretty simple to understand. I even fall into this trap myself sometimes. Killing Terminids is just too much fun. Terminid missions feel easier, especially if you have an incendiary weapon as your primary. They explode in a satisfying fountain of green blood, and they don't have red lasers that light up the screen so much you can't see or flying drones that spawn camp your reinforcements.

I understand the pitfalls they're falling into as a community. Honestly, all I want to do is fight bugs and have a fun time. But we need to get out of this funk where we keep missing each other and just work together again.

With just over a day left on the current Major Order, my hope is that enough Helldivers 2 fans swoop in and free those Automaton planets so players have the ability to set an entire planet on fire with napalm and burn bugs faster than ever.

This Stratagem is more than just a bomb with more fire than you've ever seen in Helldivers 2. It's a symbol of our determination. This Major Order is deliberately awkward, forcing players into the two camps they've always been split between: Bug Divers and Bot Divers. Right now, players need to be Helldivers if they're going to be in a fit state for the major update patch notes on September 17, 2024.

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Developer Arrowhead Game Studios has announced a new Warbond for Helldivers 2 that launches on September 19, 2024. This one is called Chemical Agents, and it brings something to the game that it's been missing since it was first released: chemical warfare.

Helldivers 2's Chemical Agents Warbond introduces more cosmetics for your Hellpod, Guard Dog, and Exosuits. There are also two new Stratagems, both of which spray chemicals at enemies to kill them with damage over time, resulting in the worst kind of deaths imaginable. What might be my favorite thing from this Warbond is the new armor sets, both of which look like the kinds of hazmat suits you'd see in a horror sci-fi movie.

Toxic Helldivers

The items that I suspect most players will be excited about are the new Stratagems in the Chemical Agents Warbond. The first is the TX-41 Sterilizer, a chemical gas sprayer that'll deal damage over time. The AX/TX-13 “Guard Dog” Dog Breath does the same thing automatically while following you around and watching you mow down enemies with your primary and secondary weapons.

The G-4 Gas Grenade creates a gas cloud that does the same type of damage, though I'd expect the initial explosion to deal some additional damage too. As I mentioned, it's the two new armor sets that I think are the stars of this Warbond.

Each one comes with the Advanced Filtration passive. This blocks most of the incoming damage from the toxic gas clouds you'll be creating with all the new Stratagems, including the Orbital Gas Strike Stratagem, which sounds like a sci-fi dirty bomb.

In addition to some vibrant new cosmetics, there's also the P-11 Stim Pistol, which will help you provide a small healing buff to other Helldivers. It won't save you from a horde of Automatons, but it'll stop someone dying from a sudden rocket attack.

As with every new Warbond, Chemical Agents has a new Title to earn. This time around, it's Expert Exterminator, which feels like the perfect Title to be rocking when you drop onto a bug world to wipe out a few billion Terminids for oil to power Super Earth's Superdestroyers.

This Warbond comes at an interesting time for Helldivers 2 because fans eagerly await the 60-day update that should buff every weapon that's been steadily nerfed over the last couple of months. However, the update could be a double-edged sword with nerfs that ruin some other element we're not yet aware of.

Arrowhead Game Studios has a lot of work to do to regain the player base's trust. Warbonds are great because they give us more fun tools to play around with, but we need the fundamentals of Helldivers 2 to feel good again if the game is going to pull back the members of its community that it's lost.

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Helldivers 2 fans are getting daily updates about buffs coming to the game in its 60-day update. However, no matter how positive these buffs might seem on the surface, most fans can't let their guard down as they're worried about the sneaky, hidden nerfs that might be in the same update.

Leading up to the release of the 60-day update for Helldivers 2, so called because it comes 60 days after the Escalation of Freedom update that nerfed the game into a state players weren't happy with, developer Arrowhead Game Studios is sharing one of the update's buffs every day. However, fans on the game's subreddit can't help but feel skeptical about the update, given that all the previous ones have featured some sort of hidden nerf.

Warily welcoming wonderful buffs

User John_Doe_MCMXC has made the post that I resonate with most when it comes to the upcoming 60-day update for Helldivers 2. It's a little bit of fun, but also gets right to the heart of the matter that we shouldn't really celebrate this update until we're experimenting with all the weapons once it's live.

UmbreonQueen7 follows up with what I think everyone's reaction to the update right now should be. "This is a good mindset to have. Until the devs actually keep their word and make changes, we’re still stuck on square one."User Dry_Librarian_2087 has made a similar post that fans identify with.

With this post, fans are also discussing how the game should be updated in the future. Ultimately, they want weapons to feel great again with this update. That's always been the problem that fans have had with nerfs, because they make the game feel artificially difficult. Once weapons are back in a good place, fans welcome higher difficulties with even more insurmountable odds than Super Helldive mode.

User Wvtarheel said as much in their comment. "I think people will be complaining because this round of changes may make things a bit too easy. But, after they get the weapons feeling great, they can add difficulty 11, 12, go even higher. And let the challenge come from the difficulty you choose instead of the challenge coming from so many guns feeling so weak. That's the way forward in my opinion. But you are right, some people will complain no matter what."

Other fans like TheGoonKills are just happy that buffs are on the way. In their post, they and other fans celebrate the recent revelation that the Railgun will once again obliterate pretty much anything you so much as point it at.

I am with the majority of players when it comes to the 60-day update. I know it's needed, but I'll wait until it's live before I say whether it's a good or bad thing for the health of Helldivers 2. I still log in and have a great time with the game, but you can definitely feel that there are fewer players on the servers.

I hope that once the weapons are back to where they should be to get the player base back in after their holiday in Warhammer 40K: Space Marine 2, we can return to defending Super Earth together again. More challenging difficulties and even a new enemy faction are always welcome additions, but there's no point in new content while players are unhappy.

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Helldivers 2 developer Arrowhead Games has promised major changes for its live-service game, with full implementation within 60 days. Ahead of the big patch next week, the Helldivers 2 team will showcase daily previews of what's to come, starting with a Flamethrower buff.

A Flamethrower buff has been in high demand (a rebuff, technically), but so have many things regarding the game. The disgruntled Helldivers 2 community has bemoaned Arrowhead's handling of the game since its explosive launch. Weapon nerfs, bugs (no, not the crawly kinds), balance issues, more nerfs... the list goes on. Some Helldivers have even turned treasonous, stepping out of the way of enemy forces as they marched to Super Earth.

We still don't have that review bomb cape, which at this point is more a reflection of some players' general feelings toward the game.

Of buffs, bugs, and Bile Titans

In August, the developer laid out a 60-day plan to steer the ship around. The team promised fire damage changes, balance fixes, and full reworks. Patch 01.001.007 is bringing many of these changes on September 17. Today, CCO Johan Pilestedt paired up with Design Director Niklas Malmborg to share a preview of things to come.

In a short video posted to social media, the two developers confirmed that the patch will increase the damage of flame weapons, like the Flamethrower, by 33%. The Flamethrower will also be able to pierce armor once again, meaning it'll be useful against Chargers, Bile Titans, and other armored foes.

But it's been proven before that too much of a good thing can be pretty bad. Hopefully, Arrowhead can strike a balance with fire damage so we can avoid the matchstick incident from earlier in the year. I'd like to not go up like a fire tornado the moment my cape gets a bit singed.

The preview is but one of many more to come. Arrowhead is promising "a buff a day," showcasing an aspect of the patch until it launches on September 17. I'm crossing my fingers for my beloved Eruptor.

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Arrowhead Game Studios has posted an update explaining a little about what will be in the next major Helldivers 2 update as part of its 60-day plan after its first big expansion. For many fans, this update is a make-or-break moment for their future time with the game.

In a Steam announcement, the developer explains how this next update will rework armor penetration, anti-tank weapons, and enemy armor and health values. It'll also make almost all enemies more rewarding to kill instead of feeling like bullet sponges, improve weapons across the board, and bring the focus back the focus on player fantasy — feeling powerful despite the fragile bodies we control on the battlefield.

Will it be enough?

Perhaps the best part about this news post is that it confirms that the initial update, which forms part of Arrowhead Game Studios' plan to bring Helldivers 2 back in line with what players felt was a fun experience, arrives on September 17, 2024.

This means that by mid-September, the game should be facing the right direction for the developer to take it forward and restore the sense of fun and overall experience that fans enjoyed prior to the Escalation of Freedom update. We'll know more once this update has landed, partly because the developer needs more time to craft the following update and also because it'll want to see what fan feedback is for the next update.

This is the first update that I've seen Arrowhead Game Studios mention beta testing its updates. The developer explained, "We have conducted closed beta tests for the last two weekends. We’re starting small to ensure everything runs smoothly before expanding. They have been a testbed for the program and we intend to expand it in the future and invite a wider variety of testers to playtest our upcoming updates."

This is a great step in the right direction for me. Beta playtests always reveal how an update will actually feel for players when those testing it are outside of the main development team. The fan base will immediately jump on this update and test out every weapon to see what's been nerfed and what feels bad. If enemies are too tough, it's going to be a problem, so that, and the massive weapon nerfs, need to be rectified as a minimum.

I have kept playing Helldivers 2 since launch despite the weapon nerfs and updates that made enemies a lot less fun to fight. However, I'd love to see the game return to form and make its core player base happy enough to stick around for what the Second Galactic War has in store for the future.

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Helldivers 2 has turned out to be a way, way more complicated game to manage than anyone anticipated to be. This includes its developer, Arrowhead Games, with the team struggling to stay on top of Helldivers 2's problematic meta. A new update, though, is coming, and it's coming soon.

Notably, the current Arrowhead Games CEO, Shams Jorjani, has responded to one player's concerns about the state of the Thermite Grenade, telling them to "see how [they] feel in 2 weeks." This suggests that some manner of balancing will be dropping in within the next 14 days, which puts this potential update well ahead of Arrowhead's prior 60-day rebalancing plan. There's potential for this to be a majorly positive showing, if that's what's really up.

Arrowhead CEO suggests a balancing update is coming our way within the next two weeks

Now, the really intriguing bit comes from a little while ago, when the former CEO, Johan Pilestedt, held an impromptu Q&A session on that very same Discord. There, he promised a comprehensive rebalance of the Helldivers 2 meta in the coming weeks. Pilestedt's responses were obviously more far-reaching than anything that could quickly be plopped down into a balancing update. Yet, it's entirely reasonable to expect that the update Jorjani's hinting at would include some of the goodies Pilestedt himself talked about.

At the very tail end of April, Pilested also discussed how a future update would make for a big "experience shift" for Helldivers 2. The update's goal? To make the game feel more like it did back on day one, at the very height of its glory and popularity. "I have had a good time with the experience shift, and it is closer to the original intent of the game and what it was at launch," he said at the time.

All of this combines to make for a very promising update. At the same time, I'd recommend keeping a pinch of salt at hand, just in case. The Escalation of Freedom update looked like an absolute slam dunk at the time, only for it to end up tanking Helldivers 2's meta in a particularly painful way. As I said at the start, balancing Helldivers 2 is no mean feat.

Now, I recently took a look back at Helldivers 2 in the context of Magicka. Magicka was, for a long while, Arrowhead Game's most popular and beloved offering, but it ended up falling face-first into the mud. It's currently altogether brokend and an absolute crash bonanza if you're not using a community patch, and if we're being honest, many of the game's problems came about due to Arrowhead's inexperience in gamedev at the time. Thing is, Arrowhead is seemingly repeating many of those problems with Helldivers 2, too, and I can't help but wonder why that is the case. A staccato of solid, community-applauded updates could still turn things around, thankfully, and I've got my fingers crossed this is the start of it.

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I love Magicka. It's one of the most broken, poorly balanced games I've ever spent dozens of hours playing, and that's not a joke. Arrowhead Games' old classic actually shares a lot of DNA with Helldivers 2, and after looking into its development history, stuff's begun to make sense.

For context, I'm basing a huge chunk of my thoughts in this article on three different sources:

• My personal experience with Arrowhead's output (I was one of those who played The Showdown Effect)
• The community's experiences with Helldivers 2 which is extremely hard to miss if you frequent the game's main subreddit
• A 2011 postmortem of Magicka was posted on GameDeveloper, where the former Arrowhead CEO (and current CCO) Johan Pilestedt explained many of the team's mistakes.

The latter is an excellent article in general, but more specifically, it's just about all the insight you need into Arrowhead Games' production capacities. It's a mirror, too, of what's going on with Helldivers 2 at this time, as the game just keeps jumping from one world-ending crisis into another without a pause.

I'm not interested in kicking Helldivers 2 while it's down at all. I enjoy it quite a lot even today, even as a solo player, and I genuinely believe it's going to improve at some point. If you need a bit of hope in this regard, look no further than Pilestedt's own little Q&A that recently went up on Discord. It's good stuff, though it obviously remains to be seen whether Arrowhead can deliver all that.

That being what it is, I feel like it might be useful for those who aren't familiar with Magicka and Helldivers 1 to get a sense of why this game is having so many problems. Because, really, though it might feel like Arrowhead is a mostly unknown quantity from a casual, mainstream point of view, this really couldn't be further from the truth. Quite the opposite, in fact, as the studio is seemingly repeating some of the mistakes it did with Magicka in the late aughts.

Helldivers 2 is a repeat of Magicka in some key ways, and that's not a compliment

As I said before, you should read up on that interview with Pilestedt if you want to get into the nitty-gritty of what made (and broke!) Magicka back in the day. It's an excellent article, and I genuinely feel it will help readers understand what might be going on with Helldivers 2 in the background. Here are some pertinent facts to keep in mind if you don't have the time to do so, though:

• Arrowhead massively underestimated the amount of work it would take to make Magicka, by a whopping 700 percent.
• Magicka was being made to be a "niche" game, which allowed Arrowhead to easily "filter and dismiss "incorrect" feedback from certain well-established people that knew the industry better." Later on, Pilestedt admits that some of this advice had a bearing on their situation: "It was almost as if we were told about the exact position of all the mines in a minefield and we still, like some sort of imbeciles, were compelled to step on them."
• The game's instability wasn't apparent until it was released on Steam, where a "huge number of people bought it the first day" and encountered "severe bugs and crashes."
• There wasn't a grand plan for the production of the game, leading to the release of content that shouldn't have been pushed out: "All that existed was a timeline on the whiteboard with numbered weeks associated with levels and features. If a level slipped past the week to which it was assigned, we would just consider it "good enough" -- even though it was missing crucial gameplay features."
• Pilestedt adds that his team had a "tendency of having to experience mistakes before learning from them," which "kept haunting [Arrowhead] throughout the entire development process."

I'm sure you get the point by now. I'm not saying that Helldivers 2 is a scaled-up carbon copy of the problematic development of Magicka, but I am saying that the two games appear to rhyme in some key ways. What does that mean, exactly? Maybe nothing. Possibly everything. This is the same studio we're talking about, after all, with many of the same people spearheading its production pipelines and project management.

It's not too late to start playing Helldivers 2, not by a long shot, but Arrowhead has been burning through player goodwill at a frankly ridiculous rate. I'm wondering just how many times the CEO or CCO will need to explain themselves (again) and promise to do better, only for the next update to tank things further.

I still believe Helldivers 2 is a good game. Frankly, I still think it's one of the best releases of the year and beyond. It's just that it's turned out to be a bit of a hot potato for Arrowhead, and the studio seems not to have put on its gloves yet.

Unlike Magicka, Helldivers 2 still has a chance of rising beyond its problems

As it currently stands, Magicka is kind of toast. The game is thoroughly broken and unplayable without a community patch, and there's virtually no chance of it ever being officially fixed. There is Magicka 2, but it wasn't made by Arrowhead at all, so it's not relevant to my argument.

Helldivers 2, however, doesn't have to share this fate. It seems all but obvious that Arrowhead Games and PIlestedt himself have repeated some pretty big mistakes in developing this game. The team is now struggling to keep up with the community's demand for more content on top of having some questionable balancing choices. Both of these problems, though, can be resolved in due time.

I genuinely believe that the last couple of months have just been Helldivers 2's teething issues as Arrowhead scrambles to nudge itself into live-service operations mode. The game is simply too important both for Arrowhead and for Sony to keep driving it into the mud, and Pilestedt's outlined plan for the game's future updates is excellent.

For this to happen, though, I'm hoping that Arrowhead does end up looking back at what happened to Magicka. It's an excellent example of what can happen to a fun, funny, and zeitgeisty game if it's mishandled, and it really was Arrowhead's doing at the time.

The post Is Helldivers 2 repeating Magicka’s mistakes? appeared first on Destructoid.

Arrowhead Game Studio's creative director, Pilestedt, has given Helldivers 2 fans a little information on how the game's next update is coming. He says that he's been working closely with the team, testing the update all the time, and he's had a good time with the experience shift.

Pilestedt posted his update on the Helldivers 2 Discord server, which was then reposted to the game's subreddit. The key takeaway from what he's said is that the update will take the game's core experience back to feeling like Helldivers 2 did on day one, but without the server queues. It sounds like so much more than a simple fix to fire damage or a buff to the weapons that have seen a recent nerf. By prioritizing playfulness over challenge, of which there was always plenty in the game, I think the team could be onto a winner.

Take me back to the good old days

Pilestedt's full post reads as follows. "So, a quick update: I have been working closely with the team to look at the game experience (balance mostly) with the team. We are confident in the update that we are creating that will see a significant meta shift and bring the game into a state where the playfulness takes the front seat and the challenge is secondary. I have had a good time with the experience shift, and it is closer to the original intent of the game and what it was at launch."

I still really enjoy playing Helldivers 2. I'll admit that the nerfs, particularly to fire damage, have noticeably hurt a lot of players and made some missions much more difficult to tackle. But I still love the universe and the fact that each Major Order sees the community band together for a common goal.

However, the spark that got me excited to launch Helldivers 2 every day hasn't been as bright for months. The community used to work together to reclaim Procreation Permits for their brave Helldivers or save children instead of gunning for a new Stratagem.

More recently, though, players have not been as enthusiastic. I don't know if taking the core experience back and making it feel like the title did at launch will fix anything, but the idea of Helldivers 2 being focused on playfulness over challenge sounds right.

When I drop into a mission, I want to have a challenge, sure. But I don't want the challenge of battling bots or bugs to compromise how much fun I'm having. The best part of Helldivers 2 is the silly moments you can have with your friends or random players from around the world while fighting for managed democracy. If this new update can recapture that magic, then it's on the right track.

The post Upcoming Helldivers 2 update promises “experience shift” that downplays challenge appeared first on Destructoid.

The Helldivers 2 community is currently locked in against a Major Order requiring them to kill 750,000,000 Terminids and 500,000 Bile Titans. At the time of writing, players are just over 50% of the way through these, but one bug type is making life particularly challenging: Chargers.

Terminids are definitely the easiest of the two factions currently in Helldivers 2 for players to battle in missions. However, Chargers, the heavily armored tanks of the Termind's ranks, chase players down, ram them while they're standing still, and generally cause havoc with everyone's plans. With the current Major Order requiring players to focus so much on Terminid missions, players are sharing their frustrations with these behemoths as well as strategies for dealing with them.

Death to all Chargers

Fans on the Helldivers 2 subreddit have been sharing more frustrations than usual about Chargers because so many of us are hitting Terminid missions. This post from Sad-Needleworker-590 encapsulates many of the problems I've been having.

Chargers have absolutely no business climbing vertical cliffs, especially when we've just watched them fall off of those cliffs. In addition, this enemy hits so hard that they annihilate any sort of weapon emplacement such as machine guns, meaning unless a teammate can help you take them out before they reach you, you've got to bail out before the ensuing explosion.

Instead of sharing woes about Chargers, user Unoriginal_Burner shared a strategy for dealing with them. They show how the Aurburst Rocket Launcher, a heavy weapon Stratagem you can call down in missions, can tackle a Charger before it reaches you. This weapon is lethal in the wrong hands, killing teammates or the user. But in this case, it obliterates the biggest barrier to killing Terminids Helldivers 2 has to offer, so it should be an essential Stratagem for the current Major Order.

Chargers weren't so much of an issue in Helldivers 2 until the Escalation of Freedom update changed how fire damage worked in the game. Since then, the weapon that was best at dealing with Chargers, the flamethrower, hasn't been anywhere near as effective, giving Chargers a huge advantage when it comes to missions on Helldiver or the new Super Helldive difficulty.

Considering players have managed to destroy 100 million Terminids in 3 hours in the past, the current Major Order shouldn't be too much of a problem. Players have the entire weekend to complete it, and this usually brings a big boost to player numbers. My one problem with the Major Order is that it's yet more of the same because Arrowhead Game Studios still hasn't dealt with the exploits hackers use to ruin the other types of objectives the developer could be setting us.

The post Chargers are making Helldivers 2’s current Major Order much harder than it needs to be appeared first on Destructoid.

It feels like Helldivers 2 has been in hot water for this reason or the other basically from the get go. The infamous Escalation of Freedom update didn't fare all that well, either, prompting the former CEO of Arrowhead Games to talk to the community via an unexpected Q&A.

Pilestedt left his former position as the CEO to take up a more hands-on approach to developing Helldivers 2 as the new CCO. While the game hasn't really made good on all of its promises from that point onwards, Pilestedt has remained one of the community's favorite Arrowhead developers due to his penchant for discussing upcoming content and explaining the reasoning for why Helldivers 2 is going in the direction it's been going. His latest Q&A on Discord is no different, in that respect.

Arrowhead CCO Johan Pilestedt reveals lots about Helldivers 2 in recent Q&A

The full Pilestedt Q&A is far too long to be discussed in a short article, but I highly recommend checking out the featured Reddit post to sell all the items he talked about there. If you're interested in a short, to-the-point summary, though, I'm thrilled to oblige:

• Pilestedt says weapons "should feel powerful - as it says on the box"
• Arrowhead Games is currently operating at roughly 80% of capacity due to the recent vacation season in Sweden
• Helldivers 1-style boss encounters are "maybe" coming to Helldivers 2
• Review bombing cape is still on the docket, Arrowhead "don't want to release it until [they] get more clarity on the country [availability] issue; the game may yet return to sale in some countries
• There's some "tech instability" in regard to Helldivers 2's performance
• Arrowhead is working on a "color mod system" similar to the current vehicle customization feature
• Good chance of releasing weapons with infra-red and night vision optics in the "long-term"
• The current, nerfed version of the Flamethrower was "not iterated upon enough and the VFX looks like [Team Fortress 1]"
• A variety of Helldivers 1 content is bound to be released in Helldivers 2 down the line (e.g. LAS-13, AT-47, EXO-51, etc.)
• An experimental testing server for Helldivers 2 is coming "at some point," is currently being worked on
• Pre-saved gear loadouts are in the works
• Some manner of weapon upgrading and customization is coming
• Removing the Eruptor's shrapnel effect was "the wrong way to go"

That's a whole lot of information, of course, and the really impressive bit is that Pilestedt's interview goes into even more detail on each of these topics and then some. Seriously, I cannot recommend reading through the featured Reddit thread enough.

Keeping all of the above in mind, members of the Helldivers 2 community raised a very good point very recently:

Arrowhead Games is currently struggling to keep up with the community's demands, often delivering nerfs where players feel none are needed, as was the case with the Flamethrower, Eruptor, and Railgun weapons - among many others.

On August 14, Arrowhead promised to deliver a balancing plan within the next 60 days that should inform players as to what'll be happening with the game's meta in the future, but who knows how that might pan out once it's finally shown off. Further, even if the plan works out fine, can Arrowhead deliver upon its promises? Whatever the case may be, at least the game is fun as long as you stick to the lower difficulties.

The post Former Arrowhead CEO has an impromptu Discord Q&A about Helldivers 2 and beyond appeared first on Destructoid.

Developer Arrowhead Game Studios has pushed out Helldivers 2 Patch 01.001.004 this week to address feedback it received following the game's Escalation of Freedom update. While the patch hits at least one point of player concern, it doesn't even touch the weapon nerfs.

The patch notes for this update are short and concise. Among the most impactful changes is a fix for the explosions caused by the Impaler's tentacles, which have been causing Helldivers 2 players to be thrown 100 meters into the sky of whatever world they're on and furiously ragdoll before crashing back down and dying. The last update made flamethrowers far less effective, but this one fixes the particles that didn't affect enemies alongside allowing all players to detonate mines when enemies get close to them with their weapons.

A stable Helldiver is a happy Helldiver

Helldivers 2 Patch 01.001.004 also includes fixes for various crashes, including those that hit you when being kicked from a mission, dropping onto a planet, or hosting a mission. One of the best fixes is as follows. "Fixed a bug where the Impaler's tentacles could chase you indefinitely in some cases." This never happened to me, but I imagine it was a nightmare because Impaler's are absolutely no joke. Of course, this enemy was only recently added to the game, so it's understandable that there were some kinks to work out with it, given that even Automaton Tanks can send you flying.

This patch is a first step in the right direction, but Arrowhead Game Studios still has a long way to go. It's shown that it understands what players want from bug fixes and minor patches between updates by prioritizing the game's stability, fire damage from Helldivers, and making fights against the enemy feel challenging but fair.

However, there's still a long way to go. The Escalation of Freedom update ruffled a lot of feathers in the Helldivers 2 community, and Arrowhead Game Studios needs to focus on fixing the issues at the heart of the game instead of stemming the flow of chaos and negativity with flavor text and Major Orders.

The list of known issues in these patch notes shows that the developer is on the right path and working on the problems that annoy players and disrupt the game the most. We're still well within the 60-day plan to bring the game up to standards that Arrowhead Game Studios set out, and things look promising based on what this patch does.

The post Helldivers 2 Patch 01.001.004 fixes flamethrower particles, refines Impaler and explosion radiuses appeared first on Destructoid.

Helldivers 2 is a fantastic game that I've been playing pretty consistently since its launch in February 2024. Whenever an update buffed or nerfed a weapon, I never took it too seriously because the core gameplay is solid and enjoyable. However, the weeks following the Escalation of Freedom update's release have revealed a glaring issue with the game, and it stems from developer Arrowhead Game Studios.

When the Escalation of Freedom update was initially released, it was met with a lot of backlash from players who were angry about the weapon nerfs it brought. In fact, it caused such an uproar that Arrowhead Game Studios quickly responded with a 60-day plan to update the title and alter its balancing to bring it more in line with what players are after.

You'd think that would have been the end of it. The developer came out with its hands up, owned the fact that the biggest update to Helldivers 2 clearly didn't hit the mark, and is working to fix that. After all, the game's community is generally pretty positive outside of the review-bombing that occurred when Sony tried to make PSN accounts essential for all players.

But no, instead, those players who were miffed about the update, and what I imagine is more than a few bad actors, took it upon themselves to blatantly hack in items during a recent Major Order. So much so that Arrowhead Game Studios had to kill the Major Order before it was completed.

Hacking in Helldivers 2 is nothing new. It's been around since the game was launched, with hackers generating Samples and messing with weapons so they can unlock everything as quickly and efficiently as possible. I don't think that's fun, but it's obviously enjoyable to them. Until this recent Major Order, hacking hadn't been that prevalent in the overarching story of Helldivers 2.

Following this debacle, Arrowhead Game Studios released an in-game dispatch contextualizing the hacker activity. It states that the hacked Samples were counterfeit and proceeds to diminish what was clearly an exciting acceleration of a massive Terminid threat, a huge space spore cloud called the Gloom, with no concrete reasoning. It felt cheap, and while I know we're not being punished for the actions of others, the game's lore certainly has been.

The problem goes deeper, though. A further dispatch attempted to make light of what the hackers had done. It told us that they'd been sent to labor camps to work in gas production, and players were awarded a gas-based Stratagem for free to help battle the Automatons while pretending The Gloom, an intergalactic cloud that spreads colossal alien insects, isn't a threat.

But flavor text promises to change the way the game will be balanced, and making fun of hackers doesn't solve the core issue here. Arrowhead Game Studios now has a serious problem on its hands with Helldivers 2 that's growing every day. Sure, the hacking could definitely do with being stopped, but I'm talking about something that can't be fixed with anti-cheat systems. Even though the ones in place didn't stop the hackers this time around.

At the time of writing, over on the Helldivers 2 subreddit, you can't scroll for more than three posts without coming across one about griefers. The Escalation of Freedom backlash has given rise to actual splinter groups within Super Earth's Helldivers, and they're causing all sorts of issues.

You have Chaosdivers who are actively working against every Major Order players are given, Nerfdivers who constantly talk about the recent weapon nerfs, Crydivers who just complain about everything and Griefdivers who kill their own teammates in every mission.

As user Independent_Ocelot82 puts it in the post embedded above, "Remember when we all agreed we had the best player community?" Right now, Helldivers 2 has a virus, and these splinter groups are the symptoms of that virus. Arrowhead Game Studios might have implemented a new system to team kicking, but team killing is a much bigger problem there's just no solution for right now.

Complaints, conversations that talk down about the game, and an unpleasant player experience caused by players killing you just to ruin a mission will destroy the game from the ground up. The unfortunate reality is that this really isn't a direct result of anything Arrowhead Game Studios did intentionally. It balanced weapons in a way that was believed to be beneficial to players, and a portion of those players took issue with that.

It's nothing new to the world of MMOs, but Helldivers 2 is different. We created our own meme of avoiding Anti-Tank mines and ended up having the best time-saving fictional children from a race of evil sentient machines. we also all grieved the air those children now won't have purified when we were too lazy to complete another Major Order and dodge the Anti-Tank Mines one final time.

This is the lore of Helldivers 2. Players accidentally create phenomenal moments together. There's no place for serious griefing and prominent hacking in the community I know and love. But as long as Arrowhead Game Studios pretends everything is fine and uses flavor and nothing more to turn the tables, the problem at the game's heart is only going to fester.

The post Helldivers 2’s punishment for sample hackers fails to address the game’s systemic issues appeared first on Destructoid.

Less than 24 hours after developer Arrowhead Game Studios issued a Major Order to Helldivers 2 players to collect 70 million samples from missions over several days, it pulled the directive because hackers were making light work of it and highlighting a glaring flaw in the game's anti-cheat protection.

Players logging in to check on the current Major Order over the weekend are now instead being greeted by an in-game dispatch message that hints at what happened but leaves you with no overarching goal to complete outside of your Personal Order. While hacking samples is nothing new for Helldivers 2, some players believe the hackers did this as a way to protest the changes made in the recent Escalation of Freedom update.

Counterfeit Samples cost Helldivers their fish

Most Helldivers 2 players realize that this Major Order was being hacked, and that's why it was pulled early. Almost everyone on the game's subreddit is discussing how it's funny and how it will impact the game in the future. User Twad_feu says, "Gotta love an anti-cheat that work right? It apparently doesn't even have a check to stop glaringly obvious moves like this? I mean, if the max mission sample is 10.. maybe a line of code should raise a flag when it's 23000?"

When you launch Helldivers 2 now, the in-game dispatch that greets you is a poor follow-up to what came before. Arrowhead Game Studios had given us an ominous message about a Terminid spore cloud known as The Gloom, which causes Superdestroyers to cease all contact if they enter. The idea behind collecting 70 million samples was to ascertain what this cloud really is.

The new message, which you can read in the image above, addresses how some players delivered what's being called "Counterfeit Samples," and that those who have been caught have had their fish executed. Hinting at the fact that some players simply hacked them into the game. It adds that The Gloom has now mysteriously stopped spreading, so it doesn't matter that we deliver enough real Samples anymore, which feels like a loss for the game's lore. Even dedicated Helldivers 2 social accounts can't muster much enthusiasm about the news.

As I've mentioned, hackers have been able to glitch in Samples to Helldivers 2 since its initial launch in February 2024. The bigger issue, as user No_Shock_5644 hints, is that we'll probably never see this type of Major Order again. "So we'll probably never see major orders with samples again because of these clowns that like to ruin things for everyone."

The real question is why this was a Major Order in the first place if the developer has known about it since launch. User Keinulive posted a pretty damning comment it's hard not to get behind, "Remember guys, this cheat has existed since day 1, it's hilarious how they haven't found a solution to it, countless people complained that hackers managed to trivialize the farming during its first week so AH KNOWS about this bullshit."

I have to say, I love the idea that user lo0ilo0ilo0i put forward. "AH just baiting to pinpoint the cheaters, right? Right?!" Making this Major Order a hacker trap and subsequently removing hackers would be a great way to regain some faith with the community as part of the developer's 60-day balance plan.

The post Helldivers 2 dev kills Major Order after hackers obliterate 2 objectives in less than a day appeared first on Destructoid.

Stepping out of the chaos and smoke following the (most) recent balance outrage, the Helldivers 2 director has promised big changes are planned for the live-service game. And they'll be coming within the next 60 days.

Game Director Mikael Eriksson at Arrowhead Games took to Discord to lay out a roadmap for the next two months. In the message, Eriksson wrote that the team has been listening to feedback over the last week. After some reflection, the team agreed that changes needed to be made.

"In short, we didn’t hit our target with the latest update," Eriksson wrote. "Some things we just didn’t get right - and other more fundamental inconsistencies in our approach to game balance and game direction.

"All of that is on us and we are going to own that. As many of you have pointed out, and we agree, what matters most now is action. Not talk."

Helldivers 2 game director promises change within 60 days

The message arrives on the heels of two difficult weeks for Arrowhead. Following the anticipated Escalation of Freedom update, some in the community have been loudly protesting the patch's nerfs for a couple of popular weapons.

Players have criticized the developer for the changes, echoing prior befuddlement over similar weapon nerfs in the past. Arrowhead had promised better communication and a more thoughtful approach to weapon balance, which is something players feel the team didn't follow with the latest patch.

Eriksson has outlined a plan to not only improve the game but its relationship with the community.

Here's what the team plans to bring in the next 60 days (courtesy of Arrowhead Games):

• Continue to re-examine our approach to balance. Our intention is that balance should be fun, not “balanced” for the sake of balance
• Update how the fire damage mechanic works to tweak how the flamethrower serves as a close range support weapon. (A quick straight revert won’t work, as it would break other things)
• Rework gameplay to prevent excessive ragdolling
• Re-think our design approach to primary weapons and create a plan for making combat more engaging
• Re-prioritize bug fixes so that the more immediate gameplay-impacting bugs are prioritized
• Improve game performance (frame rate is a focus)
• Rework Chargers

Changes for the future

The team has plans for further down the road as well. Eriksson detailed a second list, which is being touted as a "bigger picture perspective." Arrowhead is considering offering interested players a "beta-test environment," much like an experimental patch that allows you to experience changes before they become official. Eriksson also promises better communication, while gathering feedback via forms and surveys (the former is already live). Better patch notes and additional blog streams on changes are also on the table.

It all sounds like good news. We have two months to see how well the changes impact the game. Hopefully, the plan will be enough for folks to try and keep the bots at bay. They're getting awfully close.

The post Helldivers 2 director lays out 60-day plan for balance refocus, fire damage changes, and Charger rework appeared first on Destructoid.

I never thought I'd see the day. Helldivers 2 players frustrated with the recent balance updates are considering treason. As Automaton forces draw near Super Earth, some are suggesting standing by and letting the invasion take place.

Currently, only 2,500 Helldivers are protecting their home planet of Super Earth from Automaton forces that are one sector away from a full-on invasion. The Kelvin Sector, sandwiched between Super Earth and the embattled Marsipa Sector, is the only safe space between home and the blood-thirsty bots. But that may change soon.

Helldivers 2 players voicing their grievance and citing prior weapon nerfs are now toying with the idea of treason and allowing the bots to march through unscathed.

The enemy within

Last week, developer Arrowhead Games launched Escalation of Freedom. The update brought more content to Helldivers 2, including new enemies, objectives, and more. It also introduced balance changes, nerfing the Incendiary Breaker and Flamethrower weapons. Angry players in the community lashed out against the changes, once again review-bombing the game on Steam.

Since then, that anger has seemed to simmer down to good, old-fashioned apathy. The Automatons are ready to march onto Super Earth's doormat, and some don't seem to care anymore.

Other players seem more curious than vengeful. Clearing the path for Automatons clearly goes against the point of the game, and tosses cold water on the ooh-rah roleplaying shown by divers since the game's launch. Letting the bots win could throw a wrench in Arrowhead and Game Master Joel's machinations. Will they send out emergency orders for the defense of Super Earth? Not every player cares for social media, so there should be plenty of divers willing to sacrifice themselves for their home planet.

We'll have to see just how things pan out. Arrowhead and Joel aren't likely to change the script (unless this is part of the script!), as the war isn't meant to end and restart over and over like with the first game.

Getting back on track

Arrowhead has responded to the issues. The team created a feedback form last week, allowing players to voice their concerns to the company directly. Arrowhead CEO Shams Jorjani has also taken to Discord to address concerns.

"I haven't spoken to everyone (on the team) of course - but many of us are disappointed on a few levels. On the one hand the update had a bunch of nice stuff that aren't getting talked about," Jorjani wrote in a response to a player. "Maybe deservedly so - as many aren't happy with the latest balance round. I think more broadly it also has us discussing the path ahead and what we can do to avoid this situation again. ie internal learnings, more changes in process etc."

Jorjani also mentioned that discussing changes with the community via Discord posts won't be the norm, and will work toward improving communication.

"[This] is a huge pain point for me personally as well," he explained. "Our official communication about the game should be via blogs, streams and vlogs - not me posting here. That's being worked on."

The post Disgruntled Helldivers 2 players turn treasonous in protest of recent balance changes: ‘let them invade Super Earth’ appeared first on Destructoid.

When a major patch hits Helldivers 2, the meta will shake up a bit. When it comes to the Escalation of Freedom update, things changed, admittedly for the worst. However, after some testing and dying a lot, here are the best weapons to use after the Escalation of Freedom patch in Helldivers 2.

Best weapons after the Escalation of Freedom patch in Helldivers 2

The following weapons have been tested on the Helldive and Super Helldive difficulties, so they’re probably the best we can get right now.

SG-225IE Breaker Incendiary

Despite this having its magazines and recoil nerfed, the Breaker Incendiary excels at taking out groups of small Terminids with ease. It’s also the best weapon to take Shriekers out with because of its very generous pellet spread. Using it on anything armored will be useless, so this is more of a small fries killer.

It’s also not recommended to use against Automatons.

SG-451 Cookout

The Cookout is a gun that may easily dethrone the Breaker Incendiary for its damage output and stagger potential. It doesn’t have the crowd-clearing effects like the previously mentioned shotgun, but what it does have is a decent ammo economy and stagger power.

You’re not looking to kill mobs of enemies quickly with this thing, but you can stop a Brood Commander and variants of medium-sized enemies in their tracks with a shot to the face. 

Much like the Breaker Incendiary, this gun is also not recommended against Automatons.

Arc-12 Blitzer

The Blitzer is the perfect answer for people who struggle with ammo upkeep. It’s also versatile enough to deal decent stagger against small and medium enemies both against the Terminids or the Automatons. There are some drawbacks like its effective range and inconsistent damage output, but the pros outweigh the cons here.

The neat part about this arc shotgun is that there’s never really a bad time to bring it into any mission. Just don’t expect this to be the DPS monster like others on this list. 

LAS-16 Sickle

If you prefer the more standard gunplay of an assault rifle, the Sickle is the answer to that. Practically having no recoil, this gun is great for hitting the weak points of both the Automatons and Terminids.

The only drawback to this gun is also its other strength. If you fire this gun too often, you will be forced to reload. Practicing trigger discipline will help you never run out of ammo.

P-19 Redeemer

This gun has flown under the nerf radar after so many balance changes. The Redeemer has been a consistent automatic pistol since its launch. Now, with higher difficulties having objectives like eggs, forcing you to only have one free hand, the Redeemer is almost a staple for your loadout.

SG-22 Bushwhacker

If you’re in a pinch and want to increase the distance between you and a deadly medium-sized enemy, the Bushwhacker is your best bet. This works similarly to the Cookout, but without the fire. The only difference is that this doesn’t have that great of a killing potential.

GP-31 Grenade Pistol

Despite its ammo economy nerfs, the Grenade Pistol is a utility weapon that’s still incredible. You’re not using this to kill enemies or soften them up. You’re using this to seal Terminid Hive holes and destroy Automaton Fabricators. 

Think of this pistol as a backup for when you run out of grenades and explosive call-down Stratagems to take these objectives out.

Best Stratagem weapons after the patch

With primaries and secondaries out of the way, you can call in bigger weaponry via Stratagem to complement your build or give you versatility against tougher enemies.

Spear

If you want to destroy heavies like Hulks, Gunships, Tanks, Bile Titans, or the many variants of the Charger, the Spear is the best weapon to use. Just lock onto something, aim for their weak spot, and boom.

This does use up your backpack slot, so you can’t carry something like a Jump Pack, Guard Dog, or Shield Generator. 

Quasar Cannon

Another weapon that has received some significant nerfs is the Quasar Cannon. Despite all that, it excels at doing what the Spear does, just with longer cooldowns, but a free backpack slot. 

This weapon tends to do better against Automatons, namely destroying gunships and the laser towers that shoot you from afar. 

Arc Thrower

Yet another weapon that has received some major nerfs, the Arc Thrower is once again a strong contender for being one of the better weapons of the Escalation of Freedom patch. It has massive damage output and stagger, being good for softening up enemy groups and slowing them down at the same time.

Now that it can consistently hit targets more often without randomly misfiring, you can never go wrong with this against Automatons or Terminids.

Heavy Machine Gun

Finally, yet another weapon that had its lethality toned down is the Heavy Machine Gun (HMG). This thing can pack a punch and destroy heavies easily, if you can control its recoil and quickly target down weak spots. It’s also a versatile weapon against all enemy types.

The only major drawback is the recoil and the need to reload in place. Other than that, this thing can shred big targets with ease.

These weapons aren’t meta-defining by any means. The game gets really tough as you climb up difficulties. If anything, this list has become more of a “what’s actually viable in the endgame” since more things get nerfed than buffed.

The post Helldivers 2: Best weapons in the Escalation of Freedom patch appeared first on Destructoid.