Last week, I found myself in the midst of an exhilarating encounter with Cyborgs, and this week, I’m captivated by the Automaton’s remarkable capacity to generate seemingly endless Vox Engines. For those familiar with the galactic escapades of Helldivers 2, the recent events in our ongoing war are nothing short of extraordinary. We’ve battled against a massive Illuminate invasion of Super Earth, traversing city streets while Leviathans loomed overhead, unleashing torrents of laser fire. Our daring assaults on the Terminid Hive Worlds took us deep underground into dark, bug-infested mazes, armed only with the weapons strapped to our backs.
However, in my opinion, the current Machinery of Oppression update, featuring our offensive on the Automaton stronghold of Cyberstan, represents the pinnacle of the game’s evolution. And no, my enthusiasm isn’t solely due to the introduction of my cherished explosive hammer. The narrative kicks off with crafty clankers pilfering the blueprints for the ‘Star of Peace,’ a planet-destroying weapon intended for the Democracy Space Station. Ironically, we find ourselves playing the role of the Empire in this scenario.
New Challenges and Old Foes
One of the intriguing elements is the Bastion Tank, which, despite its name, is actually a Tank Destroyer. It’s amusing to ponder why Super Earth would deploy a World War II vehicle, but the combination of its formidable firepower and limited turret range fosters a unique teamwork dynamic between the gunner and driver as they coordinate to target enemies.
We also encounter familiar foes in the form of the Cyborg menace, presenting a formidable challenge as we strive to achieve strategic objectives while dodging shotgun blasts and roundhouse kicks. Adding to the chaos are the new colossal Vox Engines—towering weapon platforms that lumber through the battlefield, unleashing rockets, lasers, and gatling guns, all while blaring Automaton propaganda. Their primary vulnerability lies beneath them, compelling players to maneuver between their tracks, deploying explosives like a street fighter taking down a German tank in Stalingrad.
What truly excites me is the heightened difficulty of Cyberstan. For seasoned players, it’s arguably the most challenging phase the game has ever presented, raising the stakes to a thrilling level where victory feels uncertain.
The galactic campaign of Helldivers 2 is orchestrated by a cunning mastermind known as Joel, and since its launch, the team has expanded, enhancing the responsiveness of the game’s major order system. It resembles a tabletop RPG where the GM actively engages with players, introducing complications and keeping the gameplay dynamic. The current ‘Forces in Reserve’ system for our Cyberstan assault has elevated this experience even further.
As I pen these thoughts, our lives tally stands at 97,272,293 out of a staggering 410,000,000. Over 300 million divers have already perished in this assault, a number that continues to rise. The intriguing twist? Joel consistently provides us with opportunities to earn additional lives through ‘Strategic Imperatives,’ which are sub-objectives that divert players to eliminate Terminids or Illuminate forces.
One of my favorite missions involved relocating the Democracy Space Station to rescue 35 million frozen divers that Super Earth had seemingly overlooked on Fort Justice. However, this maneuver came at the cost of losing the support Stratagems provided by the DSS. It’s a delightful devil’s bargain, reminiscent of scenarios from Blades in the Dark or other tabletop RPGs. While defeating the Illuminate invasion of Super Earth felt like a foregone conclusion, the potential to exhaust our lives in the battle for Cyberstan has injected a sense of urgency and significance into our community decisions.
Over the past year, Helldivers 2 has demonstrated remarkable growth. As a guide writer covering various live service games, I can confidently say there’s nothing quite like it in the industry. Witnessing a major campaign like this draw players back into the fold, two years post-launch, is a testament to its enduring appeal. For those who relish the thrill of community-driven events, akin to waiting alongside fellow players to witness monumental moments in games like Destiny 2, Helldivers 2 offers a similarly captivating experience.
It’s rare to encounter a game so deeply rooted in community-determined events, where players not only witness but actively contribute to the unfolding narrative. The sentiment that resonates is, “You don’t know, man, you weren’t there.” While there may be an element of FOMO, it’s also an invitation—anyone with the game can participate in these unfolding events, whether defending the streets of Super Earth, navigating the shadowy tunnels of Hive Worlds, or battling through the industrial strongholds of Cyberstan. The outcome against the Automatons remains uncertain, but this update has undoubtedly become one of my favorites in the game’s journey.
