This is my war!
Super-Earth as well as the rights and values of Human civilization are threatened! Brave citizens engage in this great and noble fight against the enemies of Humanity and freedom, they are the HellDivers! Join them! *stylish effects and epic music*
The story of the game is quite simple. Large-scale Alien factions are found in portions of the Galaxy, and Humanity (or at least its leaders) sees them as a serious threat. It is therefore up to the HellDivers troops to go to different planets to eradicate these harmful entities. But the tone of the game is, like the first, very offbeat. A huge homage to various cinematographic works of the 90s, Starship Troopers first, but the Automatons faction has an air of Terminator, some punchlines could come from a Demolition Man, etc.
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So much for the scenario, minimalist, just to set the context and give a pretext to shoot lots of stuff, with lots of things!
And shooting at things is done this time in TPS view! Yes, change of point of view for this second episode. No more overhead camera, make way for a slightly offset rear camera. THE gameplay is quite classic of the genre. Buttons for movement, shooting (normal and secondary), running, possibilities to crouch or lie down for various uses (such as stabilizing aim), to jump, etc. Alone or with others, the game consists of deploying on planets, facing a whole bunch of enemies (really a lot), and accomplishing your mission.
Diving into hell
A mission corresponds to one or more main objectives on a portion of a given planet. These have varied biomes, depending on terrain type, weather conditions, and other factors. We will still feel a certain repetitiveness to the level settings crossed after a little time in the game, with environments that can be quite empty. When launching the mission, you must choose a landing zone for the Pod (with adjustment of the trajectory after entry into the atmosphere). A very open “small” game zone (which can be covered in one to two minutes of diagonal running) can then be explored, corresponding to the sector of the planet with the objectives to be completed, in limited time and reinforcements! In this sector is obviously the main objective(s), but also secondary ones, and a bunch of points of interest of varying importance. For primary or secondary objectives, this can be the simple destruction of enemy “structures”, the elimination of a powerful adversary, drilling operations, data transmissions to launch, etc. They can be in several parts, like codes to be retrieved to then launch a missile.
For points of interest, these are generally small groups of enemies, small structures to free, capsules to open, etc. The game encourages searching. This is where time and reinforcement limitations become very important. Because exploring takes time, and confronting enemies may require a respawn request. These are limited to 5 per player (not a big fan of the limit which was absent in the first game). Also knowing that the longer the mission lasts, the more numerous the enemies. Good time management and good judgment regarding the difficulties encountered are essential to achieving your objectives! Remembering that you must then ask to be extracted, and succeed! There are several levels of difficulty, obviously the higher the level, the greater the opposing power will be. But it is also in higher difficulties that the most valuable and numerous resources can be found, as well as a greater number of requisitions won.
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Each of the enemy factions is made up of various types of units. It ranges from a simple basic “soldier” of relatively human size, to something titanic, with varying sizes in between. Each has their own special moves and abilities, and weaknesses. Some require you to go around them, others to aim for a specific part on the front, etc. A somewhat limited “bestiary” perhaps, even if correct, that it would be good to expand a little. Besides, HellDivers II currently only has two factions, unlike the first.
All of these factors offer a very wide variety of situations, additionally impacted by the variables brought by each other player in the group.
Equipped to decimate
A HellDiver's standard equipment consists of armor (plus a helmet), a primary weapon, a sidearm, and a grenade. Plus a cape because it adds style. Armor comes in three types: heavy, medium, and light, with armor level, stamina impact, and special characteristics. Weapons have characteristics such as power, recoil, magazine size, etc., and special abilities. Knowing that there are things that are not clearly indicated in the description of a weapon, according to a member of the studio. A point to take into account, the choice of equipment should not be based solely on the numerical characteristics displayed. A downside to the fact that there is no weapon modification option, this was in the first game and allowed adjustments to be made.
To unlock more equipment, you must spend medals earned during missions. Currently, some of the equipment is present in a type of seasonal pass, called “War Bonds”, mainly skins. However, it is not limited in time. To see over time the content of the next “War Obligations”. But the studio's policy on monetization seems rather healthy.
Strategy is important
To help brave soldiers on missions, they can use stratagems! During a mission, it is possible to send or bring in various types of assets. This can be a “support” weapon like a heavy machine gun, rocket launcher, and others. Or get a backpack containing ammo, a drone, etc. It is also possible to place “defensive” tools such as a pile of mines, a mortar turret, and others. Attacks from above are also available, whether of the orbital type (a small suppression shot from space to clear your view) or at lower altitude (like a drop of napalm to warm up the atmosphere ). These important aids are controlled via combinations of directional keys (displayed), and obviously have a deployment and recharge time, or even a limited number of uses for certain stratagems. It is only possible to take four of them on a mission, to be chosen before launching towards the planet.
Limited in number at the start of the game, they are unlocked via one of the ship's consoles through a certain number of requisitions and resources found in missions. Unlocking them all, or even just the most advanced ones, can take quite a bit of playing time.
The right choice of stratagems for each mission is essential, as is their correct use at the right time outside or during clashes. It's really an important element of the game's gameplay and has a major impact on the progress of the missions. On the other hand, we may regret that in the current state of the game it is moving a lot towards the use of “massive” offensive stratagems such as aerial or orbital strikes, or turrets. Where the first allowed to do a lot of things with stratagems a little more on the scale of land combatants (fairly effective support weapons and enemies more sensitive or easier to neutralize with this type of thing than in the second). Well, we must admit that using big means in the second also gives quite exhilarating moments. To see over time with other stratagems, and balancing.
War effort
Strong point of the first game, still present for the second, the community dimension of the ArrowHead title. Beyond the multiplayer side with a team of soldiers, group cohesion and the attention to pay to your allies during missions (watch out for shots haha), the game has a massive aspect. In fact, each mission carried out impacts the war on a galactic scale, in a conflict in regular motion. Planets under Super-Earth control can be taken by the enemy, and vice versa. This therefore requires players to group together to launch numerous assaults on this or that planet in order to defend or liberate them. In addition, “Priority Orders” are regularly launched in order to mobilize the troops, with significant gains at stake, in addition to the satisfaction of common accomplishment. An important community dimension which had already proven itself on the first HellDivers and undoubtedly contributed to its success.
Engage yourself !
While there is reason to imagine a somewhat brainless multiplayer TPS, HellDivers II is in reality a little gem of fun, accessibility and demandingness. If the game is intended to be easy to learn, and relaxed to begin with, it can also be difficult and require real mastery, reflection and group cohesion. Simple but effective TPS gameplay, with technique that gets the job done. A few words also on the work done on “immersion”, with a bunch of little things like the character looking on his arm when opening the menu, seeing the ships of other members of the group in space, etc. . And all this while having a fabulous offbeat side. A game that aims to be designed over time, like its predecessor. A great success indeed to have managed to keep what was the essence of the first game and to transpose that, modernized, into the second. Arrowhead Game Studio once again proves its know-how in cooperative gaming. Perhaps not a game for everyone, and the studio accepts that, but a very good game highly recommended for fans of the genre, among others.
Test carried out by Zekkangel from a version provided by the publisher