Helldivers is a demanding twin-stick shooter that pits you against endless hostile aliens. The bottom line? You're going to die a lot. However, we've compiled a list of helpful tips that should give you a brief respite from your next inevitable death.
Tip #1: Hold Your
Fire!
Look, I get it – in most twin-stick shooters there's rarely
a reason to take your finger off the trigger. Not so in Helldivers. Not only is
your ammo limited, but friendly fire is a constant threat that can't be turned
off. Do your squadmates a favor and line up your shots with care, and only fire
in short bursts to maintain accuracy. You're going to have a hard enough time
surviving the unending onslaught of enemies barreling down at you; you shouldn't
have to worry about the buddy standing behind you too.
Tip #2: Find The
Right Difficulty
This one is less about keeping you alive and more about
having fun. The first thing you'll want to do is home in on the right
difficulty for you and your crew, but that entails more than just the number
located next to the planet. Enemy type and terrain also have an effect on the
difficulty. Bugs are generally the easiest race, followed by Cyborgs and then
the Illuminate. On the planetary side of things, desert levels are easier than lake-ridden
jungle levels, while snow levels present the biggest challenge. Mission
objectives may also affect how difficult a planet is, so check out all of the
missions before pursuing a planetary reward. Keep tackling higher-level planets
until you find the sweet spot; you'll know you're there when you're
consistently battling through an entire level, but still managing to beat most
of the objectives.
Tip #3: Choose A Good
Drop Zone
One unique feature in Helldivers is the ability to select a
precise drop zone anywhere on the level before the mission begins. Take this
opportunity to study the map and coordinate the most efficient route with your
squad. That way everyone will know the order in which you'll be tackling the
objectives, and you can move quickly from one location to the next. If you land
close enough to a capture objective, you'll actually start securing the point
before you exit your pod, giving you a helpful head-start. However, since
enemies tend to congregate around objectives, most of the time you're better
off dropping into a more secluded area to give your crew time to arm up.
Tip #4: Watch Out!
Ambushing enemies and friendly fire aren't the only threats
you have to worry about. Helldivers' vast array of helpful strategems are
called down from orbit, and you don't want to be standing under one when they
land. Warn your friends when you're calling in armaments or reinforcements, and
remember that they don't land exactly on the spot you designate. Water and snow
severely limit your movement speed, so don't hang out too close to the landing
zone. Also, keep in mind that the dropship will also smoosh you faster than any
stampeding bug will – give it a wide berth as it comes in for extraction.
Tip #5: Bring The
Right Tools
You'll unlock a bunch of stratagems as you progress through
Helldivers, and although you'll land on a few favorites (see the next tip), you
should change things up depending on the mission. A good squad will coordinate
their stratagems before diving into the fray. Is one of your objectives hidden
on the map? Make sure someone is packing a helpful UAV. If you've got a lot of
ground to cover, have another friend pick the APC. Anti-personnel mines and
distractor beacons are great defensive options for getting enemies off your
back during escort missions. The higher the difficulty level, the more
important this kind of team coordination becomes.
Coming Up Next: What weapons and items to upgrade, the most valuable stratagem in the game, and a few more tips to keep you alive...