Once I take into consideration the primary 12 months of Helldivers 2, I take into consideration the 150+ hours of enjoyable I had closing bug holes and scrapping Automatons with mates, and the way Arrowhead put the “stay” again in stay service by by no means telling us what was coming subsequent. However should you caught with Helldivers 2 all through 2024, you may additionally bear in mind a tough patch: Arrowhead applied a streak of controversial balancing modifications that ruffled the feathers of the sport’s loudest followers.
There was the massive Railgun nerf, the unlucky flamethrower modifications, and the rework of the overtuned Eruptor. Arrowhead needed to take care of Helldivers 2’s problem and encourage loadout selection by dialing again overpowered weapons, however some argued that “do not nerf, solely buff” was the best way to go in a purely PvE recreation.
Calm suggestions was finally outpaced by frustration, evaluate bombing, and outright toxicity towards Arrowhead builders for not tweaking the numbers the best way some gamers would like. In a current interview with PC Gamer earlier than the shock Omens of Tyranny replace, chief inventive officer Johan Pilestedt mirrored on this turbulent chapter of Helldivers’ debut 12 months.
“One of many controversies in the case of the balancing modifications we did was that gamers felt like this does not make sense anymore,” he mentioned. “It feels just like the weapons aren’t doing what it says on the field.”
Arrowhead’s response was a 60-day make-good plan that included a number of sweeping patches that buffed just about every thing. By the tip of the plan, injury numbers had shot by means of the roof, enemy armor had been diminished in order that extra weapons may reliably kill even the largest threats, and “overpowered” grew to become the brand new baseline for help weapons and stratagems.
They’re possibly not as difficult anymore, however at the very least they react appropriately to what it could be prefer to be hit by a 380-millimeter barrage.
Johan Pilestedt, Arrowhead CCO
Helldivers 2 was extra enjoyable as soon as weapons, cannons, and gargantuan airstrikes have been as lethal as they all the time appeared like they need to be, however the rising energy curve additionally made the sport considerably simpler by turning its largest enemies into pushovers. Pilestedt mentioned this pattern does not concern him.
“We after all wish to create a recreation the place you’re a Helldiver and have a destroyer in orbit that may name down superior firepower,” he mentioned. “At that time, a few of the more difficult enemies, yea, they’re possibly not as difficult anymore, however at the very least they react appropriately to what it could be prefer to be hit by a 380-millimeter barrage.
“That is type of what’s on the coronary heart of balancing for Helldivers. After all, we all know that there are plenty of gamers that need that problem. The Illuminates are a step in that path, and taking part in a high-difficulty Illuminate mission goes to be an amazing problem for even essentially the most skilled gamers, I hope.”
However the ebook just isn’t closed on Helldivers 2’s strategy to steadiness or its relationship with problem.
“That is one thing that we’re repeatedly long run: How can we create totally different experiences inside Helldivers for people who play extra socially versus people who play for mastery and really need that ability issue.”
