REVIEW: Helldivers 2 is one of the most fun cooperative games released for the PlayStation 5

In 1997, a science fiction film called Starship Troopers arrived in cinemas around the world. For some, it was nothing more than an excuse to go, sit in an armchair and fill up on popcorn, but for those who watched it more closely, they realized that it was an epic parody of the weapons and nationalist sense of countries like the United States.

In the decades that followed, numerous productions in both films and other fields of entertainment, especially video games, were launched, taking as inspiration the brilliant work of veteran Hollywood director Paul Verhoeven. helldivers 2 is the newest of these games, and the similarities with the director's work are not mere coincidences.

A brave soldier among many others

Developed by Arrowhead Game Studios, the team responsible for one of the most fun cooperative games of the last decade, the excellent Magicka, helldivers 2 continues what was planted in the first game, but now with the financial support of Sony, which bought the studio a few years ago. And the investment was very worthwhile for the PlayStation 5 manufacturer, because since its launch, the game has been one of the most purchased and played both on its own console, but also on Steam.

helldivers 2 takes place in a distant future, where the people of the planet have apparently reached an agreement, and are all governed by a single system, calling our home Super Earth. It is a friendly place, free from crime and suffering, for those who value above all the freedom and assisted democracy preached by its ruler.

Valorous space explorers, super-earthlings dominate practically the entire known universe and destroy other species that stand in their way, all to maintain the lifestyle they love so much. But not everything is easy for Super Earth, because damned giant insects insist on attacking systems inhabited by humans, wreaking havoc wherever they go.

That's where helldivers come into the picture. Elite fighters armed to the teeth and armed with an unshakable faith in the system, they are sent to the most distant battlefields, wherever Super Earth's dominance is being threatened. Does this remind you of anything? Yes, and not by chance, since the enemies are practically the same between both works.

Fun gameplay and just the right progression

The sarcastic and parodic tone of Starship Troopers is firm and strong in helldivers 2, and that's what makes it such a delightful experience. That and of course, the absolute mess of playing it in a group. You will die when playing. Often. It's good to get used to it. But with each bizarre death you suffer, the more you'll laugh and want to continue, because the rhythm of the game here is simply addictive.

Much of this is due to the simple fact that everything that occurs on screen has the potential to end your soldier's life, including and especially the actions of your colleagues and yours. There is no friendly fire in helldivers 2, only death being pointed in any direction, preferably away from yours. Much of this game's DNA is brought from Magicka, not only in the way it is very easy to kill your friends “accidentally”, but in the way the gameplay takes place at each moment of the action.

Each mission in the game gives space for up to four players to participate, and each one can bring a certain number of strategies, as weapons are called and different types of automated weapons and bombing are called. Every time you want to call up one of these advantages, you have to type a sequence very similar to the old cheat codes or even the fatalities de Mortal Kombat. All this amidst the general chaos around them.

Mission objectives also require these commands, repeatedly, and most of them, with developments that force you and your team to be flexible in managing them. It is in this environment, in this zone, that enemies are placed, in droves, at all times. Once the mix is ​​ready, all the action of the game takes place, resulting in a pulsating mass of the purest fun you'll ever have. this year.

Helldivers 2's main hook

It is difficult to say which element of helldivers 2 It's what attracted me most to it, enough to put in more than 50 hours in just over a week, completing all of its trophies on the PlayStation 5 in this game. Whether it's the playful theme of the adventure, the comings and goings of each phase, the interaction with other players, both friends and random ones coming from the group matching or progression function that the game has, as a “game as a service”.

For those who have never heard of the term, “games as a service” are titles that are played with your console or computer connected to the internet all the time, updated in real time with new content and generally have some type of post-purchase monetization. Destiny 2 is one of the main examples of this style of play, but unlike Bungie's FPS, helldivers 2 It can be fun to collect virtual gravel.

This is because the prizes are not as far away as they seem during your progression. With each new level, practically all of the game's different currencies are given to you at a fairly rapid pace, and new purchases are gradually more powerful, without it seeming like there was an attempt on the part of Sony or the developers to force the player to pay. to win, something very common in this type of game. 

Of course, everything you can win in the game takes time, but I can testify that even though I hate this type of earning system, I couldn't let go of it. helldivers 2 until I had my specialized character, with the armor I wanted and the weapons that best suited him. And even though I've achieved practically everything I could want, I still don't want to stop playing.

Chaos has never been so beautiful

All the fun of helldivers 2 It would be nothing if the game didn't run well, and in that department it really shines. No matter how many enemies or explosions may be happening on screen, the frame rate doesn't drop, and the particle effects that govern all the destruction around you, along with light simulations, give the battlefields a singular beauty.

Each planet you visit has its own flavor, some with unique atmospheric effects, like Turin, where there is a dense tropical forest and every now and then it starts raining knives, or the Ferrin desert, with its sandstorms. All the locations you pass through in this game are extremely well developed, and regardless of the game mode you choose, whether performance-based or which prioritizes visuals, you will have an exquisite audiovisual experience.

That said, the game's soundtrack is also incredible. Bombastic and triumphant, it helps keep you in the middle of the action, bringing all the exaggeration and forced pomp of the game's theme, without missing a single moment, whether in moments of glory or defeat. It's not a super creative sequence, but it gets the job done.

At all times you are also bombarded by instructors and lieutenants who praise your cause and reinforce that you are the best of the best, even after your 14th death. It's the type of dialogue that you can't help but laugh at every moment of the game, even more so when it's said in Brazilian Portuguese, since the game is completely localized.

That's right, helldivers 2 is another Sony game with excellent translation and adaptation work, bringing with it voices in our language, interpreted by professional voice actors and even funnier than the American originals.

Price and availability

helldivers 2 is available in digital and physical format on PlayStation 5 in two versions, the standard one, which costs R$199,50, and the Super Citizen Edition, which brings some special treats, for R$299,90. 

On PC, the game can be purchased for the same prices as the console version, but there is no physical media for now.

There are ways for players on both platforms to play together, but progress between versions still doesn't go from one game to another, but it has already been announced that this functionality will come in a future update.

Conclusion

helldivers 2 It's the kind of game where everyone leaves with a story to tell, and it's usually funny with a tragic ending for some or all of those involved. The mathematical calculation behind the sum of all the chaotic elements working together to generate an experience of the level of entertainment that this game carries is masterful. 

It's clear that Arrowhead knows what they're doing and put all their talent into this release, which is purely and calmly their best of the year. Don't waste your time thinking and join the battle, soldier. Super Earth is calling.

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Text proofread by: Pedro Bomfim