Helldivers 2 exploded onto the scene in February to rave reviews, but a controversial decision by Sony saw it review-bombed, and then weapon nerfs got it more negative criticism. Now, reviews on Steam are finally back up to overwhelmingly positive.
The game was first review bombed back in May due to a surprise announcement that PSN accounts would be required, even for PC players. The problem is that about two-thirds of the world doesn't have access to PSN, so the game was delisted in 177 countries following the news. Steam even gave refunds to players with hundreds of hours of play time.
PlayStation walked back the requirement following the backlash, but the game still isn't on sale in those countries. It's a massive shot in the foot from Sony, because the game was selling incredibly well.
- After a year of PSN controversy, balance woes, and a 63-day recovery effort, Helldivers 2 devs say "we've been on a rollercoaster, but we're also in an extremely privileged position to be on this rollercoaster"
- "I think life should be interesting": Helldivers 2's game director explains why Arrowhead's "rollercoaster" year was a "privilege," not a curse
In August, things were looking up for Helldivers 2, but a series of weapon nerfs spoiled the fun for a lot of players. As a live-service title, the game is constantly being adjusted by developer Arrowhead, but nerfing weapons didn't fulfill the power fantasy we had all come to love. I'd just unlocked the extra fire weapon damage when the flamethrower nerfs hit.
After a massive 63-day patch dropped in October, many weapons and stratagems were rebalanced to prioritize that glorious feeling you get when you bring managed democracy to a terminid planet. This seems to have done the trick, as reviews on Steam are back up to overwhelmingly positive.
I played a lot of Helldivers 2 at launch, and have jumped back into the fray sporadically ever since, and I'm happy with where the game is at right now. I understand why some weapons had to be tuned down a bit, because they were dominating the meta and causing people to get kicked from squads if they weren't being used. But, in a co-operative shooter, it makes more sense to bring weaker weapons up to par rather than reducing the viability of the most popular ones.
Creative director Johan Pilestedt agrees that the game became less about "a fun, chaotic, challenging, emergent experience" and too much about "challenge and competitiveness." It's back on the right track now, though.
If you want to get stuck into the game again, check out our ultimate Helldivers 2 guide to help you rain down freedom on your foes.
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