The battle in opposition to the bots has been going shockingly nicely in Helldivers 2, regardless of one of the best efforts of the Automaton scourge. Gunships and large walkers have barely stopped the march of liberty from rolling over the machine worlds—there was a minor speedbump by way of the most important order to free Tibit, however issues have been going nice in any other case.
Nice sufficient, the truth is, that gamers have an opportunity to wash up that galactic scrapheap for good. The Automatons have been cornered in a tiny slice of the Severin sector, holding onto the piddly bastions of Maia, Durgen, and Tibit.
“All Helldivers are ordered to make an all-out push to utterly destroy the Automaton Legion. Regardless of the enemy’s losses, Automaton messages nonetheless embrace references to ‘The Reclamation’. They have to be annihilated earlier than this plan may be carried out,” reads an in-game dispatch.
It’s going to be a tall order, although. Helldivers solely have, on the time of writing, three days to liberate these planets. The primary push has ramped Maia as much as 43% liberation, and whereas Helldivers.io tasks it will be captured in a far-too-slow 15 hours, it is a positive factor that the liberation charge will ramp up as courageous troopers pour on this night, and over the weekend.
The introduction of the efficient LAS-99 Quasar Cannon has probably helped, since it will possibly knock the sport’s new gunships out of the sky—although I am personally a fan of the recently-buffed Anti-Materiel Rifle. There’s one thing very satisfying about two-tapping automaton hulks within the face, particularly after my many hours of terror by the hands of their flamethrowers.
The query stays, although: What occurs if we win? Can we really wipe out the Automatons?
The answer is a strong “possibly”, soldier. The galactic battle of Helldivers 1 operates in a by no means ending cycle—Tremendous Earth both wipes out the bugs, bots, and psychic aliens, or it will get conquered solely. Win or lose, a cutscene performs and all people resets to sq. one. It is like Groundhog Day if Invoice Murray had a rocket launcher. Or 50 First Dates, if Adam Sandler additionally had a rocket launcher.
There’s a very actual likelihood that developer Arrowhead Video games will repeat the identical gambit right here. Granted, we’re nonetheless ready for the arrival of the Illuminate faction which—regardless of Tremendous Earth’s greatest efforts to disclaim it—is certainly coming.
In Helldivers 1, nonetheless, these cycles would final round a month, which means you would not be disadvantaged of the enjoyment of combating a faction for lengthy. Helldivers 2 is pushing two months younger, and we’re nearly to snuff out the Automaton entrance. Assuming we nonetheless have a pair extra months of combating left, that is a very long time to take away half (quickly to be a 3rd) of the sport’s content material, even when it is short-term.
However, there’s additionally the Joel-fuelled nervousness. The Helldivers universe isn’t a sort one, and there is each likelihood that this approaching victory will solely be an opportunity for an additional shoe to drop. Whether or not that shoe lands within the type of an Illuminate horde or one other shock addition to the Galactic Map stays to be seen. Till then, you have bought the entire weekend to spill oil.