Summary
Helldivers 2has been one of the most talked about games of the year so far. Leading up to its launch, the third-person shooter slid under many gamers' radars, butHelldivers 2ended up being a smash hit once it was released. The game has been hailed by both critics and players as a strong example of how live-service titles should be handled, but it hasn’t all been roses.
SinceHelldivers 2takes a live-service approach, the game has received a series of updates. These updates are intended to improve the gameplay, but they don’t always go according to plan.Helldivers 2’s most recent update,Escalation of Freedom, went live on August 6, and it has proven to be a divisive update among players. Two popular weapons, the SG-225IE Breaker Incendiary and FLAM-40 Flamethrower, were significantly nerfed, leading some players to review bombHelldivers 2. Despite the nerf issues that have upset some players, there is still plenty of great content that Escalation of Freedom offers.
Helldivers 2’s Escalation of Freedom Changes Explained
New Enemies to Face
So far, five new enemies have made their way intoHelldivers 2, turning up the dial on the game’s already intense combat.The Spore Charger is one of the most harrowing additionsto the game, as normal Chargers were already a force to be reckoned with. With each new enemy that gets added to the battlefield, the more challenging the game becomes, and the new difficulty level turns up the heat.
An Even Harder Difficulty Level
Helldivers 2has a comical amount of difficulties for players to choose from, and the brand-new Super Helldive option presents players with a tenth option that is insanely challenging. It can be easy tofail missions inHelldivers 2, and ramping up the difficulty level with Super Helldive is for the community’s players who truly love to be put through the wringer.
New Objectives and Missions
There are two new secondary Objective types. For Terminids, players can capture baby bugs. Additionally, a new mission typetasks players with hunting Impalers, which is no easy task. The next secondary Objective involves the Automatons, as players will be able to attack Human Processing Plants.
A new grief-kicking feature that spawns the kicked player in a new session as a host with all the previous team’s loot has been added to stop kicking players from games.
Balancing Weapons and Stratagems
This is the most controversial of thechanges made toHelldivers 2. The aforementioned weapons that have caused some players to review bomb the game are a blemish on Escalation of Freedom. In addition to these nerfs, the CB-9 Exploding Crossbow is now a one-handed weapon, while the max ammo for the GP-31 Grenade Pistol has been reduced. On the bright side, Stratagems like the Shield Generator Pack and Shield Generator Relay can now block the effects of blizzards and sandstorms.
Honorable Mentions
The new Swamp biome makes the terrain ofHelldivers 2more diverse and treacherous. Furthermore, the larger enemy outposts contain high-value Super Samples as a way to entice players to use strategy and skill in order to break into the more challenging structures. Lastly, the UI and Social Menu changes have simply madeHelldivers 2easier to understand overall.
Despite the recent controversy,Helldivers 2has big plans for the futurethat will hopefully please some frustrated players. It seems like developer Arrowhead is taking player feedback into consideration, which will hopefully mean fewer unnecessary nerfs in the future. Until then, there is at least plenty of exciting new content to experience inHelldivers 2that mostly makes up for the game’s divisive weapon changes.
