Helldivers

''Helldivers'' is a 2015 top-down shooter video game developed by Arrowhead Game Studios and published by Sony Computer Entertainment. The game was released for PlayStation 3, PlayStation 4, and PlayStation Vita (with cross-play) in March 2015. A version for Windows was also released on 7 December 2015, making it the first Sony-published game for personal computers since ''Twisted Metal 2'' and '' Jet Moto'' in 1997.

''Helldivers'' received positive reviews from critics and sold over 4 million units by May 2024. A sequel, '' Helldivers 2'', was announced in May 2023 and was released on 8 February 2024.

Gameplay

In ''Helldivers'', the player needs to coordinate their actions during chaotic combat to complete objectives and avoid friendly fire casualties. The game pits the players against three different enemy species and tasks them with ensuring the survival of Super Earth. Players engage with procedurally generated missions where players must accomplish a series of objectives. At the start of each mission, players can choose their loadouts (sets of weapons, equipment, and gear) and deployment positions. They can also use the game's stratagem mechanic to enhance their options, catering to the map layout or their individual playstyle. For example, the player may choose stratagems that focus on providing additional firepower or mobility, or give themselves supportive abilities such as calling in precise airstrikes.

The game has a single difficulty option, though the player can then choose a hard or easy planet for their missions. This changed over the course of development.

In each mission, the player must fight or sneak through enemy-controlled territory to complete the given objectives, then escape via a dropship. It is possible to fail some of the given objectives without immediately losing. It often benefits the player to avoid direct combat if possible, as the enemy has infinite reinforcements, and there are no in-game rewards for simply killing enemies.

The game keeps many of the mechanics common to the genre, like Fog of War and a map that shows any enemies the player(s) can currently see. The enemy will patrol their territory, impeding the player's attempt to complete the given objectives. Enemy units that come in contact with the player(s) will try to raise an alarm, which will result in continuous waves of enemy reinforcements for as long as the alarm remains active. The player can prevent an alarm by avoiding enemy patrols if possible, and can cancel one by defeating all units currently aware of the player or by fleeing the area.

Once all mission objectives are successfully completed or failed, the player is then required to call in a dropship and escape with all their remaining units. This takes 90 seconds and draws enemy attention to the landing zone, resulting in heavy fighting.
Entering the dropship completes the mission.

Multiplayer

Friendly fire is always active. This includes the players' personal weapons as well as other, less direct sources such as air support and deployed turrets. Supply drops or vehicle deployments can also crush allies, requiring players to carefully plan their actions during the game's many chaotic combat sequences or take preventive measures to mitigate these risks. Options include upgrading turrets to stop shooting when players enter the line of fire or choosing weapons that fire over allies.

There are tangible benefits to multiplayer as teammates can help a downed ally recover, as well as provide healing or ammunition. Several heavy weapons come with a backpack that allows a second player to help reload, and some resources can be pooled for the group to access. In online play, it is possible to allow random players to join a mission in progress through optional matchmaking.

Premise

''Helldivers'' is set in a dystopian universe where humanity is ruled by a " managed democracy", an alteration of a contemporary democracy where the outcome of elections are more predictable. The pseudo-democracy also acts a creed by which the inhabitants of Super Earth fight for without question, but without fully understanding it.

Super Earth, the fictional futuristic Earth is threatened by three hostile enemy races (the Bugs, the Cyborgs and the Illuminates) that the government orders to be subdued. As well as countering primarily through combat, the Helldivers are also tasked with retrieving technology or carrying out certain tasks deemed important by the government in an effort to preserve their freedom and way of life.

Reception

Critical reception

''Helldivers'' received "generally favorable" reviews from critics, according to the review aggregator website Metacritic. In Japan, where the game was ported for release on March 5, 2015, ''Famitsu'' gave it a score of two eights, one seven, and one eight for a total of 31 out of 40.

''IGN'' played the demo version of ''Helldivers'' at the 2013 Gamescom, and reviewed the demo positively. ''Game Informer'' also gave the demo a positive rating, commenting that it "isn't easy, but this throwback to classic top down shooters is still a good time."

''GameSpot''s reviewer Cameron Woolsey noted that the PlayStation 4 version has "fantastic cooperative action" but "missions and story are lacking." ''IGN'' said of the same PS4 version, "Brutal, focused, and mechanically rich, Helldivers is one of the best co-op action experiences you can have."

''Helldivers'' was nominated for " Action Game of the Year" and won for " Handheld Game of the Year" at the 19th Annual D.I.C.E. Awards held by the Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences.

Sales

''Helldivers'' had sold over 4 million units by 22 May 2024.

Sequel

In May 2023, Arrowhead Game Studios and Sony Interactive Entertainment announced a sequel titled ''Helldivers 2''. Unlike the first game, the sequel is no longer a top-down shooter, but instead is a third-person shooter. The game was released for PlayStation 5 and Windows on 8 February 2024.

Cameo

Some Helldivers soldiers feature in episode 15 of the '' Secret Level'' TV series.

References

External links

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2015 video games
Arrowhead Game Studios games
Military science fiction video games
Multiplayer and single-player video games
PlayStation 3 games
PlayStation 4 games
PlayStation 4 Pro enhanced games
PlayStation Network games
PlayStation Vita games
Sony Interactive Entertainment games
Video games about cyborgs
Video games about extraterrestrial life
Video games about insects
Video games about space warfare
Video games developed in Sweden
Video games set on fictional planets
Video games using procedural generation
Video games with cross-platform play
Windows games