Helldivers 2 is still crushing it. Despite some serious drop-off to its player base, the community is still going strong, with an average of around 40K divers diving at any given moment. The developer, Arrowhead Studios, even had to slow down adding new content to the game with their Warbonds, because players were still taking their time unlocking everything in previous ones. Helldivers 2 has committed to keeping players engaged with their game, and so far it seems to be paying off.Now, it’s time for their first big expansion. Escalation of Freedom which adds difficulty level 10, a new swamp map type, new enemies from both the Terminids and Automatons, and new mission types. Shaking things up is always necessary for any live-service game to keep up momentum, but what if looking to the game’s future meant looking to the franchise’s past? The original Helldivers was evolving and adding to it’s formula for years after its release in 2015, and while Helldivers 2 reworked and left out a few of the features from the first game to streamline gameplay and make sure their game was solid (which was obviously the right move), they now have an opportunity to slowly reinstate some of the ideas they had all those years ago to make Helldivers 2 even better.VehiclesFirst and foremost, Arrowhead should bring back vehicles. Motorcycles, APCs, tanks, and exosuits eventually made it to the original twin-stick shooter, and with the Patriot and Emancipator Exosuits already having made their way to the sequel, it wouldn’t be surprising if more mobility options follow.The larger size of Helldivers 2 maps compared to Helldivers 1 lend themselves even more to ways to get around them expeditiously. From the MC-109 Hammer Motorcycle for the lone wolves, to the TD-110 Bastion and M5 APC with their heavy firepower, there are tons of exciting ways Arrowhead could retrofit these vehicles from Helldivers 1 to fit within the gameplay context of the sequel.Not only would vehicles bring new ways for players to traverse maps more quickly, take down larger enemies more efficiently, and strategize in new and interesting ways, but the opportunity for hilarity cannot be understated. Social media (or at least my social media) has been full of people recording ridiculous moments of friendly fire, Stratagems gone wrong, or watching as their fellow Helldivers jump off cliffs just to showcase the amazing ragdoll effects the game has. It’s that physics engine that would make for even more laugh-out-loud moments with the addition of vehicles, as you accidentally run your friends over, tumble away as you attempt to exit a moving vehicle, or watch, powerless, as your teammate drives headfirst into a Charger, launching you both into the air. They could even go a step further and introduce something like a rideable rocket that requires your sacrifice, but allows for a truly targeted strike. Who knows! The possibilities are endless.Different StratagemsBut a rideable rocket would be less of a vehicle and more of a stratagem. Well, they’re all Stratagems, but you know what I mean. Stratagems for heavy weapons and tactical deployments are some of the game’s most interesting mechanics, and honestly the thing Arrowhead seems most keen to add more of over time. We’ve already gotten the two Exosuits, and the Airbust and Commando rocket launchers since launch. But there are still a bunch more from the first game and even some gameplay mechanics that have yet to be introduced in Helldivers 2.For instance, the TOX-13 Avenger was a support weapon stratagem in Helldivers 1 that spat toxic sludge like a flamethrower, giving the Terminids a taste of their own medicine. There was also the M-25 Rumbler mortar, which would give players control over their mortar strikes, and more emplacement turrets like the AT-47 Anti-Tank Emplacement and A/RX-34 Railcannon Turret. There were drones that healed teammates and boosted UAV signals, distractor beacons, and even an Eagle Airstrike variant that uses air-to-air missiles. Honestly, every one of these feels interesting and worthwhile for certain situations that would apply to Helldivers 2, and I hope that each of them make their way to the game eventually. Especially that last one, so I finally have a better way to deal with Shriekers and Gunships.More Weapon TypesWhile there are already a good, healthy number of weapons available to Helldivers in the second game, there are still a few from the first that could shake things up for the meta if implemented. For instance — HELLDIVERS 1 HAD A SWORD. It was called the Saber, and it was everything you could ever dream of. Please give us a sword, Arrowhead. But beyond that, there was also a flamethrower pistol, a double barrel, double trigger shotgun, and even a laser-powered submachine gun. But my favorite has to be the hilarious and useless M2016 ‘Constitution’ that’s just a copy of the classic M1903 service rifle from WW1 with a bayonet for melee attacks. There are a ton of fun ideas for weapons and I think we’re starting to see them get weird with it since the recent introduction of Throwing Knives.Another, smaller element that Helldivers 2 could improve upon with input from the first game is the idea of Loadouts. Having to manually equip everything from armor to guns to Stratagems and boosters for every mission is tedious, and a Loadout system would be huge. It’s a wonder why that wasn’t one of the features that made its way over immediately from the first game. Whatever the case, I hope they’re able to implement that one really soon.AND MORE ENEMIESIn terms of new enemies, that’s the one place where everyone is looking to the first game for answers. The Illuminate were the third faction of Helldivers 1, and were another robotic life form like the Automatons, but more sleek and sophisticated rather than Terminator-esque. They rode around in circular, floating vehicles and used energy- and electricity-based weaponry, as well as energy shields. They were difficult, and required players to change strategy (and Stratagems) in order to take them down. It’s this kind of diversity that will keep players coming back as new and intriguing things are introduced. The Illuminate, however, I could see being a further-off plan, one for an even larger expansion. Maybe a big “year two” type deal.In the meantime, there are ways to breathe new life into the Terminids and Automatons. In the upcoming Escalation of Freedom expansion, both the Terminids and Automatons will see new members join their respective factions, with the Impaler Terminid making its return from Helldivers 1. From what we’ve seen in the trailer, they’ve reworked the Impaler to better fit the context of a third person shooter, with tentacles that cut off escape routes and force you to stand your ground. So it’s already begun! More and more ideas from the first game get to make their way to the second. You love to see it.Ultimately, there’s also a lot in terms of inspiration that Arrowhead could take from games that share more modern elements with Helldivers 2 now that it has changed its formula in a few important ways from the original. Having larger enemies with weak points, or multi-stage boss encounters that evolve as the fight goes on is something that both of these kinds of games do incredibly well. Plus, Helldivers II has already shown some interest in this kind of design, with Chargers and their breakable armor, the Bile Spewers and their burstable backsides, among others. Doubling down on this design language would open up enemy encounters and encourage new, thoughtful strategies to emerge amongst players. It’s exciting to think about what Helldivers II could build on top of the already stellar foundation of their enemy design.With Helldivers 1 and 2, Arrowhead has showcased its incredible talents and creativity as a developer, and there are so many elements from the first game they can reinterpret for its successor. Their track record for making the right decisions about pricing, microtransactions, server issues, and patches has been rock solid so far, on top of designing a truly engaging video game. With the success they’ve now seen, I hope they are able continue making thoughtful and creative decisions that build the game into something even more engaging. I can’t wait to see what they come up with. And if I missed anything, let us know what you would like to see Helldivers II add in the comments down below.For everything else about Helldivers 2, check out our guide for all the best Tips and Tricks to get started.Tyler Robertson is a social media coordinator and producer for IGN.
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