Summary
- The Illuminate faction has been added, offering a new challenge with advanced technology
- Seven new premium Warbonds have been added, expanding the arsenal of weapons available
- New stratagems, like Exosuits and recon vehicles, provide diverse ways to tackle enemies and missions
Upon its launch in February 2024, no one could have predicted the huge success that Helldivers 2 would become. With updated gameplay, switching out the top-down shooter mechanics from the franchise’s first entry for the third-person action shooter was a stroke of genius from Arrowhead, providing a fun and addictive gameplay experience for players.
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With considerable hype, Helldivers 2 hit a player count of over 450,000 concurrent players. However, after the initial release, the hype died down and the player count began to fall. Still, with Arrowhead committed to continually improving Helldivers 2, many players who may have dropped off are being pulled back into war with the Terminids and Automitons and new enemies, the Illuminate. With all the updates since February, it’s hard to keep track of all the changes that have taken place, so for players getting back into the trenches or for new players wanting to experience one of the best games of 2024, what are the best ways the game has improved since launch?
1
New Enemy Faction
The Illuminate Have Returned To Destroy Super Earth
- The Illuminate have been added to the Omens of Tyranny update
- Originally featured in Helldivers, the Illuminate are a fearsome foe
When Helldivers 2 first launched, many players dove into the lore of the first game and were left perplexed by the omission of the Illuminate enemies. However, with a huge area of the galaxy left unpopulated on launch, many players assumed they would arrive.
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In December 2024, the Illuminate made their entry into Helldivers 2, providing a new challenge for players. With advanced technology like jetpacks, laser weapons, and drones, this enemy type provides a new challenge for players that have been around from the start or are just beginning their Helldivers 2 journey.
2
More Weapons
New Tools To Spread Democracy For Super Earth
- Arrowhead Game Studios has continued to add new weapons to the game since launch
- Added in through new Warbonds, players can upgrade their arsenal
As Helldivers 2 grows and expands, so does the arsenal of weapons available within the game. Since launch, seven new premium Warbonds have been added, providing new ways of dishing out liberty, one round at a time.
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Players have been invited to destroy the enemy factions and experiment with their playstyles in various updates since launch. Players have been able to continually find new experiences within Helldivers 2 when paired with the developer patches and tweaking the effectiveness of weapons.
3
More Stratagems
Blowing Up Hordes Of Enemies In So Many Different Ways
- With continual updates, players have been able to call in new stratagems to swing the war in their favor
- Exosuits, Anti-Tank weapons, and Recon vehicles have been added
When it comes to dispatching enemies, players have many different ways to deal mass damage. Stratagems featured heavily in the games’ marketing on launch, with the ability to launch massive weapons like the Orbital Barrage and the huge 500kg Bomb providing players with hours of fun and potential friendly fire.
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Since launch, players have been treated to new stratagems to take the fight to the enemy, such as the addition of Exosuits, allowing players to live their fantasy of squashing Aliens like Ripley in Alien. Alongside the big weaponry added, recon vehicles have allowed players to traverse planets rapidly, speeding up democracy one planet at a time.
4
New Mission Types
An Expanded Set Of Missions For Helldivers To Tackle
- Upon launch, Helldivers 2 had a limited mission count on the differing planets
- With continued updates, many new mission types have been added
Upon launch, Helldivers 2 had a limited number of mission types. Despite being fun to play, the repeated nature of the missions left some players feeling like they were always grinding out the same objectives.
Arrowhead has addressed this by adding multiple new styles of mission. Being added in April, defense-based missions like extracting high-value targets provided a welcome change of pace for players used to exploring massive open worlds, instead of being tasked with defending civilians as they attempt to escape.
5
Level Cap Increased
Only The Most Devoted Helldivers Will Reach The Highest Level
- Upon launch, Helldivers 2 had a level cap of 50
- Having been updated, the new level cap for the game is 150
Many players became enamored with Helldivers 2‘s addictive gameplay from the very beginning and found themselves climbing the ranks of Super Earth’s army rapidly. With the max level capped at 50, this meant many players hit the max level quickly.
Another way in which Helldivers 2 has changed since launch is with the increased level cap being tripled to rank 150. As the ranks progress, so do the titles that players unlock, with only those most dedicated to spreading Super Earth’s message of Freedom and Liberty being able to declare themselves a Super Private.
6
Tons Of Cosmetics
Increased Helldiver Customization Has Helped Improve The Game
- When the game launched, players had options to customize their character
- As each update and Warbond has rolled out, so have increased customization options
When first booting up Helldivers 2, players are greeted with a generic soldier and given the option to customize them for the battlefield. Upon launch, players were given lots of options to choose from when designing their character, with differing armors providing different boosts.
Players are now given a plethora of options to choose from and experimenting with different armor sets has provided increased variety to the game. With the balancing tweaks Arrowhead has been and continues to be making, the option to experiment to find the perfect build rather than focusing on what was considered the meta has improved Helldivers 2.
7
Arrowhead Continues To Work On Balancing The Game
Helldivers 2 Has Been Consistently Improving Since Launch When It Comes To Balancing
- Arrowhead Game Studios’ commitment to Helldivers 2 is the reason Helldivers continues to improve
- Changes to weapon balancing and difficulty have made the game better since launch
When Helldivers 2 launched, it was lauded for its rock-solid gameplay and stunning visuals. Its pick-up-and-play gameplay provided an addictive loop for players looking for their next new game to sink hours into and for content creators to create incredible clips.
Since launch, the solid gameplay has largely remained the same, but Arrowhead has continued to tweak the experience since launch. Changes to the game’s difficulty have provided an easier experience which has allowed players to tackle higher levels, without it feeling like the very first time players encountered a Bile Titan. These subtle changes have increased experimentation for players, being able to use weapons that, upon launch, felt unusable. Pair this with the addictive gameplay from when the title first launched, and players have a massively improved experience, well worth picking up for the first time or revisiting again and again.
