HELLDIVERS has been on my to-play list since it came out in 2015. That said, I ran into the age-old problem with online focused games: I didn't have the time (or money) to play it when it came out and by the time it went on sale I was afraid the community wasn't large enough and I'd be stuck in a digital wasteland.
However, with the free to play weekend going on I figured I had no more excuses and grabbed it on Thursday night. I am glad I did.
Super Earth, its like, better than regular Earth.
I've been a fan of top down 360 degree move & shoot games since I was hooked on Crimsonland in 2003. It is bar-none one of my favorite genres. HELLDIVERS lives up to its Crimsonland standard in both controls and intensity, creating glorious battles and moments of tension that are pretty much unparalleled in this genre.
Crimsonland is one of the most iconic games in this genre, this brings back some memories!
The basic gameplay is simple. Select a planet to "liberate for democracy" and complete a series of tasks on said planet. Upon arrival most players deploy some gear and then get to work. The key is to wipe out patrol units, which call in larger, more dangerous enemies, before they spot you. The challenge is that if you aren't looking the right direction they'll spot YOU before you spot them thanks to some tight camera controls.
Anyway, complete the objectives then return to the extract point, where you'll have about 1 minute and thirty seconds of holding out as the shuttle runs.
The difficulty in the game largely comes from friendly fire. From being killed by friendly bullets to a buddy calling in an airstrike on top of me to deploying an auto turret that can barely tell friend from foe to simply dropping a mech on top of me (or stepping on me with said mech), probably 50% of my deaths are directly caused by a teammate.
Der Dutchman (me) to the rescue! Moments later that mech will be crushed by accidentally summoning a droppod on top of him. By me. Woops.It's in this chaotic maelstrom that the fun of HELLDIVERS emerges. In the chaos of enemy patrols, giant armored baddies, and friendly fire from all angles, you live and die as a team. Bonds are formed quickly among your brothers and sisters in arms, and you'll soon feel real bad as you jump into the extraction ship only to leave your new found friend behind to be eaten by bugs, cyborgs, and so on.
GET TO DA CHOPPAH!
But hey, war never changes and better him than me. Right?
Pick it up while its still on sale, especially if you have 1-3 friends to bring along for the wild ride. Get HELLDIVERS and have yourself a nice cup of LIBER-TEA!