Helldivers 2 Critic Reviews

I'm blown away by the feel of the game and just how much fun it is to play online by myself and with my brothers. The leveling up system, replayability, variety of the missions, and the story have made it worth dusting off my DualSense controller.

It is quite simply the best co-op experience i had, and a masterclass in how to handle a liver-service game in a good, honest and fair way.

Helldivers 2 delivers a streamlined, premium experience, features some of the most satisfying space marine-style combat I've ever played.

There's no getting around it - Helldivers 2 is a supremely fun, frequently unintentionally hilarious and bombastic squad shooter that builds upon its predecessor and deftly sets up a long-term future in the process. Though the lack of split-screen is keenly felt and Helldivers 2 is by and large identical to its predecessor in so many ways, Arrowhead Studios highly anticipated sequel nonetheless does a great job of repackaging a shooter that not nearly enough people played into a thunderous current-gen offering that sets a new bar for extraction shooters everywhere.

Helldivers 2 is a riotous affair, offering up best-in-class gunplay, a truly epic and often cinematic experience, mixed in with one of the best co-op gameplay romps currently available. Its present matchmaking issues hold it back from true glory, but when it works it really works, forcing you to feel a sense of patriotism for Super Earth as the score swells and bullets fly. Helldivers 2 is a hell of a lot of fun, and is the best laugh you and your mates will have on PS5.

Helldivers 2 is a refreshingly fun power fantasy, where mastery through teamwork breeds satisfaction. Diving out of a charging bug's way and firing into its exposed back or blowing up a machine dropship before it can deploy its forces feels incredible. The game's tone is finely tuned so that getting caught in a friendly airstrike and seeing your own character's limbs go flying isn't frustrating, it's a hilariously minor setback. All told, the modestly priced, always online game takes a measured approach to its monetization while being built entirely to bolster its main gameplay loop, making Helldivers 2 a shining example against $70 live-service titles that nickel-and-dime their players.

Helldivers II came as a surprise and marks a significant moment in PlayStation Studios' console and PC releases. If it has the right support, it will be a game remembered and played for years to come.

Helldivers 2 is a surprise hit, featuring some of the best moment-to-moment combat and a satisfying rinse and repeat formula.

Helldivers 2 is a testament to the power of teamwork and tactical gameplay, wrapped in a satirical package that's hard to put down.

All in all, Helldivers 2 is a fantastic co-op game with lots of content (and arguably the best structure to live service I’ve seen in a long time) wrapped up in a nice $40 package. The price point is right (even if you take into consideration the additional $20 “upgrade”), the content is plentiful and it feels like a game that respects your time. I genuinely have a hard time saying anything negative about the game, especially now that the servers are stabilized and the developers are active on Twitter (X, if you care about that detail) updating the community about game updates and stability hiccups. It is a bit on the difficult side if you’re not playing with at least a friend, but I highly recommend a full group of 4 for the best experience. There are a good few types of missions, and some of them are very challenging as a solo player. If you don’t mind a good challenge, however, or have friends you can party up with, Helldivers 2 is a fantastic time and I sincerely believe you will enjoy yourself.

Helldivers 2 is the rare modern multiplayer game that does almost everything right. It gives you a ton of freedom, feels fantastic to play, and has a smart progression system that doesn’t nickel and dime you or rely too much on a paid battle pass. It manages to keep its missions fresh by introducing a ton of enemies, modifiers, and objectives, and varying them in interesting ways. There are some matchmaking and performance issues that still need to be worked out, and you can only go so far by yourself or with random players – but if you’ve got a solid squad, it’s an incredible time, and certainly one of the most fun multiplayer shooters I’ve played in years. When I’m not Helldiving, I’m thinking about Helldiving, counting down the time until my next drop. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I’m going to pour myself a nice, hot cup of Liber-tea and get back at it. Those bugs and robots look like they could use some freedom, and Managed Democracy isn’t going to spread itself. For Super Earth!

Helldivers 2 is an exceptional cooperative experience, featuring a tight gameplay loop that is easy to pick up, and extremely difficult to put down. While its launch was plagued with issues, the title ends its first week as one of modern gaming's best multiplayer experiences. From the moment the opening cutscene rolls, players are engrossed in a hyper-militarized world that is just as rewarding as it is deadly. Whether players achieve a glorious victory or fail miserably, Helldivers 2 finds ways to make every mission truly memorable, by injecting its vast battlegrounds with a dark sense of humor, gratuitous gore, and uncapped replayability. After just one week, the title has proven itself a must-play experience on both the PC and PS5. With the majority of its universe still waiting to be explored, and the foundations of its story beginning to take shape, Helldivers 2 is sure to be an experience that keeps fans coming back for more.

While Helldivers 2 may look like a tropey action game on the surface, what lies underneath is one of the most fun co-op shooters I’ve played in recent memory. Endless explosions and unyielding foes makes for heart-pounding gameplay as you spread democracy across the galaxy one dead bug and bot at a time.

Beyond its refreshingly straightforward feedback loop, even more enthralling is how your personal success impacts the overall narrative. Helldivers 2 operates on a live map, with players around the world slowly liberating quadrants of planets, their actions influenced by Major Orders passed down by central control. In an already collaborative game, this compounds the sense of community, making you feel like you're part of something bigger than even the heady emotional beats of your squad's missions.

Crafted with intelligence and brimming with chaotic good vibes, Helldivers 2 sets the kind of tone many others in the action space should take notice of, overcoming some early tech issues by being a sheer delight to play.

Helldivers 2 is an amazing co-op shooter that deserves all the hype it’s getting. The shift from top-down to third person was an amazing choice which shifted the gameplay but kept the original feel of killing bugs and spreading liberty and democracy. However, the servers are still struggling to keep up with the high amount of people drinking liber-tea and trying to experience, in my opinion, a GOTY candidate.

A frantic co-op shooter that offers an unrelenting challenge. This chaos generator will delight friend groups who enjoy being pushed to the brink of failure.

Despite a complicated launch, Helldivers II has become one of the most fun experiences of the year. This is a clear example of how a game as a service can be positive.

Helldivers 2 is a spectacular, hugely entertaining, surprisingly tactical and brutal multiplayer game. Especially now that the server problems have largely been resolved, the game is practically indispensable for anyone who wants to have fun with three friends. Making progress in the battle passes feels a bit grindy, but because this is also the case for players who buy their in-game currency with real money, it continues to make fair progress for everyone. For Democracy, Liberty, and Freedom!

The gunplay is fantastic, the gameplay loop is satisfying, and the reward progression is consistent. Its live service plans are its biggest question moving forward, but right now, Helldivers 2 is a ton of fun.