Summary
Helldivers 2players are once again review-bombing the popular shooter on Steam following the release of its Escalation of Freedom update. The new patch was released on August 6 with a plethora of new content for players to jump into, but theHelldivers 2community appears to have taken issue with many of the weapon nerfs that were included with the update.
Back in May, Sony announced thatHelldivers 2players on PC would be forced to link their Steam account to a PSN account if they wanted to continue playing. The unexpected change resulted inHelldivers 2being review-bombed on Steam, followed by the publisher backtracking on the change and confirming that players would not be required to link their accounts to continue playing. The community was then kind enough to reverse review-bomb the game and returnHelldivers2to its original review score. But it looks like players are once again demanding change as the game has received a sudden influx of negative reviews.
On August 6, the same day that Arrowhead released theEscalation of Freedom update forHelldivers 2, the shooter received over 670 negative reviews in a single day. While this isn’t quite as bad as the 220,000 negative reviews that the game received on May 2 following the PSN account linking fiasco, it still indicates that a large number of players aren’t happy about the changes made in the most recent update. Many of the negative reviews praiseHelldivers 2for being a good game overall but blast the developers for “nonsensical” and “unnecessary” nerfs.
Helldivers 2 Players Outraged by New Nerfs
While the Escalation of Freedom update added plenty of new content to the game, such as new mission objectives, bigger enemy outposts, new bugs and bots, and more, it also included a bunch of weapon nerfs that many players believe weren’t needed. As detailed in the officialHelldivers 2patch notes for Escalation of Freedom, the following weapons and stratagems received substantial balancing changes:
Arrowhead attempted to justify the nerfs in a newblog post on Steam, explaining the studio’s thought process behind the decision to nerf many of these weapons and stratagems. When it comes to the SG-8S Slugger, which is often regarded as one of thebest primary weapons inHelldivers 2, Arrowhead says that the “increased spread and drag should compensate for the improved stopping power and enhance the fantasy of a powerful shotgun firing large caliber rounds, while limiting its viability beyond medium range.”
As for the SG-225IE Breaker Incendiary, which has been another major talking point in the community following its nerf on August 6, Arrowhead explained that the weapon was “overshadowing the other weapons” when it came to battling Terminids on the frontline. The studio then explained the increase in recoil and reduction in the maximum number of magazines should make the Incendiary Breaker “more demanding for good ammo economy.” But it looks like fans don’t see it Arrowhead’s way, as the negative reviews are continuing to roll in.
Helldivers 2
WHERE TO PLAY
Do you believe in freedom? Can you stand in the face of oppression – and defend the defenceless? Wage war for peace. Die for democracy.Join forces with up to three friends and wreak havoc on an alien scourge threatening the safety of your home planet, Super Earth, in this multiplayer co-op shooter for PS5 and PC from Arrowhead Game Studios.Step into the boots of the Helldivers, an elite class of soldiers whose mission is to spread peace, liberty and Managed Democracy using the biggest, baddest and most explosive tools in the galaxy.Helldivers don’t go planet side without proper backup, but it’s up to you to decide how and when to call it in. Not only do you have a host of superpowered primary weapons and customizable loadouts, you also have the ability to call on stratagems during play.Helldivers 2 features Arrowhead’s best cooperative gameplay yet. Collaboration will be vital: Teams will synergize on loadouts, strategize their approach for each mission and complete objectives together.1Enlist in Super Earth’s premier military peacekeeping force today. We are heroes… we are legends… WE ARE HELLDIVERS.
