Helldivers

Helldivers is a top-down shooter 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, on March 3, 2015 in North America and on March 4, 2015 in Europe, respectively.[4] A version for Microsoft Windows was also released via Steam on December 7, 2015, making it the first game Sony published for PC.

For other uses, see Helldiver.
Helldivers
Developer(s)Arrowhead Game Studios
Publisher(s)Sony Computer Entertainment
Director(s)Johan Pilestedt
Designer(s)
  • Johan Pilestedt
  • Patrik Lasota
Programmer(s)
  • Anton Stenmark
  • Mikael Bauer
  • Linus Nilsson
  • Mikael Berglund
Artist(s)
  • Calle Schytt-Winberg
  • Jim Svanberg
  • Niklas Malmborg
  • Therese Jansson
  • Oskar Kuijken
  • Lucas Örström
Composer(s)Johan Lindgren
EngineBitsquid
Platform(s)PlayStation 4, PlayStation 3, PlayStation Vita, Microsoft Windows
Release
  • NA: March 3, 2015[1]
  • EU: March 4, 2015 (PS4)[2]
  • EU: July 8, 2015 (PS Vita)
Super-Earth Ultimate Edition (PS4)
  • NA: August 18, 2015
  • AU: August 26, 2015
  • EU: August 28, 2015
Windows
December 7, 2015[3]
Genre(s)Shoot 'em up
Mode(s)Single-player, multiplayer

It features both couch and online co-op, up to four players. Helldivers takes inspiration from military science fiction such as Aliens and Starship Troopers. While solo play is possible, it is often beneficial to play cooperatively, as this allows the players distribute the requirements effectively. This comes with its own risks, however, most notably friendly fire.

Helldivers received positive reviews from critics. A sequel, Helldivers 2, was announced in May 2023 and is scheduled to release on February 8, 2024.

Gameplay

In Helldivers, the player needs to coordinate their actions during chaotic combat in order to complete objectives and to avoid friendly-fire casualties.[5] The game pits the player against three different enemy species and tasks them with ensuring the survival of Super Earth. Gameplay takes place on procedurally-generated missions where players must accomplish a series of objectives. At the start of each mission, the player can choose their loadouts and deployment positions, as well as using the game's unique stratagem mechanic to assist additional options to best suit the map or the player's preferred playstyle. For example, the player may choose stratagems that focus on providing additional firepower or mobility, or give themselves supportive abilities like calling in an airstrike on parts of the map.

The game features a single difficulty option, though the player can then choose a hard or easy planet for their missions. This had 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

As with Arrowhead Game Studios's previous title Magicka friendly fire, the ability to harm teammates, is always on, and there is no way to disable the feature. 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. This requires the players to carefully plan their actions during the game's many chaotic combat sequences, or take preventive measures to mitigate these risks, such as upgrading turrets to stop shooting when players units enter the line of fire or choosing weapons that fire over allies.

There are tangible benefits to multiplayer, however, as teammates can help a downed unit 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 even possible to allow random players to join a mission in progress, though this feature can be turned off if desired.

Plot

The dystopian universe of Helldivers has mankind ruled by a 'managed democracy', an improvement of contemporary democracy where the outcome of elections are more predictable. The improved democracy has become more than a way of electing a government, it has become a creed by which the brainwashed inhabitants of Super Earth fight for - without fully acknowledging what it means.

Super Earth, the fictional futuristic Earth is beset on all sides by three hostile enemy races (the Bugs, the Cyborgs and the Illuminates) that, according to the government, in one way or another needs to be subdued. And while the Helldivers are a pure combat unit, they are often tasked with retrieving technology, activating oil-pumps or other activity that is deemed important by the government to preserve freedom and the Earth 'way of life'.

Reception

The game received "generally favorable reviews" on PlayStation 4 and PC, according to the review aggregation website Metacritic.[6][7] 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.[10]

IGN played the demo version of Helldivers at the 2013 Gamescom, and reviewed the demo positively.[23] 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."[24]

GameSpot's reviewer Cameron Woolsey noted that the PlayStation 4 version has "fantastic cooperative action" but "missions and story are lacking."[12] 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."[15]

In a review-based web series Previously Recorded, Rich Evans described the game as "stratem-up":

At face value one when I saw the video for this, it looked like it was just a twin stick shooter. I expected something extremely dumb but kind of fun, and what you get is kind of a lot deeper. I thought it was going to be a shoot'em-up, it's more of a strategy based-... It's a, it's a stratem-up! A "strate-shmup". Because it's not just shoot at things and dodge bullets, there's more to it than that.[25]

The game was nominated for "Action Game of the Year" and won "Handheld Game of the Year" at the 19th Annual D.I.C.E. Awards held by the Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences.[26]

Sequel

In May 2023, Arrowhead Game Studios and Sony Interactive Entertainment announced a sequel titled Helldivers II. Unlike the first game, the sequel is no longer a top-down shooter but instead is a third-person shooter. The game is currently scheduled to release for PlayStation 5 and Windows on February 8, 2024.[27]

References
  1. Hedström, Malin (February 13, 2015). "Prepare for War: Helldivers Launches March 3rd". PlayStation Blog. Sony Interactive Entertainment. Archived from the original on March 8, 2019. Retrieved September 10, 2022.
  2. Hedström, Malin (February 13, 2015). "War declared! Helldivers do battle on PS4, PS3 and PS Vita next month". PlayStation Blog. Sony Interactive Entertainment. Archived from the original on July 28, 2017. Retrieved September 10, 2022.
  3. Matulef, Jeffery (November 6, 2015). "Helldivers is coming to Steam next month". Eurogamer. Gamer Network. Archived from the original on September 10, 2022. Retrieved September 10, 2022.
  4. Farokhmanesh, Megan (August 20, 2013). "Magicka devs launching Helldivers for PS3, PS4, PS Vita and PC". Polygon. Vox Media. Archived from the original on August 5, 2017. Retrieved January 26, 2014.
  5. Cook, Dave (August 20, 2013). "Helldivers coming to PS3, PS4 and PS Vita, with cross-play over all formats". VG247. Gamer Network. Archived from the original on September 10, 2022. Retrieved September 10, 2022.
  6. "Helldivers for PC Reviews". Metacritic. Red Ventures. Archived from the original on March 2, 2016. Retrieved February 27, 2016.
  7. "Helldivers for PlayStation 4 Reviews". Metacritic. Red Ventures. Archived from the original on March 7, 2016. Retrieved February 27, 2016.
  8. Zimmerman, Conrad (March 3, 2015). "Review: Helldivers (PS4)". Destructoid. Enthusiast Gaming. Archived from the original on September 10, 2022. Retrieved September 10, 2022.
  9. Carsillo, Ray (March 3, 2015). "Helldivers review (PS4)". EGMNow. EGM Media, LLC. Archived from the original on May 16, 2019. Retrieved September 10, 2022.
  10. Romano, Sal (March 23, 2015). "Famitsu Review Scores: Issue 1373". Gematsu. Archived from the original on September 10, 2022. Retrieved September 10, 2022.
  11. Marchiafava, Jeff (March 3, 2015). "Helldivers Review (PS4)". Game Informer. GameStop. Retrieved September 10, 2022.
  12. Woolsey, Cameron (March 3, 2015). "Helldivers Review (PS4) [date mislabeled as "March 9, 2015"]". GameSpot. Red Ventures. Archived from the original on March 3, 2015. Retrieved March 3, 2015.
  13. Splechta, Mike (March 3, 2015). "Helldivers Review (PS4)". GameZone. Archived from the original on March 6, 2015. Retrieved September 10, 2022.
  14. Whittaker, Matt (March 25, 2015). "Review: Helldivers (PS4)". Hardcore Gamer. Archived from the original on September 10, 2022. Retrieved September 10, 2022.
  15. Ingenito, Vince (March 13, 2015). "Helldivers Review (PS4)". IGN. Ziff Davis. Archived from the original on September 10, 2022. Retrieved September 10, 2022.
  16. "Helldivers (PS4)". PlayStation Official Magazine – UK. Future plc. May 2015. p. 94.
  17. Ramsey, Robert (March 3, 2015). "Helldivers Review (PS4)". Push Square. Gamer Network. Archived from the original on September 10, 2022. Retrieved September 10, 2022.
  18. Perez, Daniel (March 3, 2015). "Helldivers Review: To Hell and Back (PS4)". Shacknews. Gamerhub. Archived from the original on September 10, 2022. Retrieved September 10, 2022.
  19. Rignall, Julian "Jaz" (March 3, 2015). "Helldivers PS4 Review: Hardcore Shooter". USgamer. Gamer Network. Archived from the original on September 10, 2022. Retrieved September 10, 2022.
  20. Appleton, Rory (March 3, 2015). "Helldivers is a challenging arcade-style bloodbath set in a boring universe". VentureBeat. Archived from the original on September 10, 2022. Retrieved September 10, 2022.
  21. Smith, Edward (March 13, 2015). "Helldivers (PS4)". The Digital Fix. Poisonous Monkey. Archived from the original on March 15, 2015. Retrieved September 10, 2022.
  22. Jenkins, David (March 3, 2015). "Helldivers review – I lost my heart to a Starship Trooper". Metro. DMG Media. Archived from the original on September 10, 2022. Retrieved September 10, 2022.
  23. Moriarty, Colin (August 24, 2013). "Gamescom: In Helldivers, You Probably Won't Survive". IGN. Ziff Davis. Archived from the original on January 13, 2014. Retrieved January 26, 2014.
  24. Reeves, Ben (August 24, 2013). "Helldivers (Preview)". Game Informer. GameStop. Retrieved January 26, 2014.
  25. "'Previously Recorded' Helldivers (TV Episode 2016)". IMDb. January 20, 2016. Archived from the original on February 13, 2017. Retrieved December 6, 2017.
  26. "Academy Membership Honors 19th D.I.C.E. Awards Winners" (PDF). Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences. February 18, 2016. Archived (PDF) from the original on February 20, 2016. Retrieved February 24, 2016.
  27. Stedman, Alex (September 14, 2023). "Helldivers 2 Gets a 2024 Release Date and New Look at Gameplay". Retrieved September 14, 2023.
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