In Defense of Helldivers 2 Having Only Three Enemy Factions

Helldivers 2 made huge waves in the industry last year, as the third-person shooter kicked 2024 off with a bang. With its modest price and brutal action-packed gameplay, Helldivers 2 struck a chord with a lot of gamers, giving Sony an underdog hit. Helldivers 2 continues to bring in players, partly because of developer Arrowhead Game Studios’ approach to the live-service model.

Last year’s Game Awards ceremony was filled with a treasure trove of surprises, and among the announcements was the introduction of a third enemy faction to the game: the Illuminate. This race of humanoid aliens has proven to be one of Helldivers 2‘s most harrowing foes yet, and the surprise drop of the new enemy has made many wonder if a fourth faction is in the cards. While this is quite possible, Helldivers 2 may actually not need any more enemy factions, at least for a while.

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Helldivers 2’s Popularity May Warrant a Second Chance at its Predecessor Most Unique Feature

Helldivers 2 has proven to be a massive hit, offering an opportunity for the game to introduce new fans to the gameplay experience of its predecessor.

Helldivers 2 Now Has a Trio of Strong Enemy Forces For Players to Deal With

The Three Factions of Helldivers 2

• Terminids
• Automatons
• The Illuminate

Each of these enemy types has something unique to offer. The bug-like, grotesque nature of Terminids makes the alien race a force to be reckoned with. The sub-races of the Terminids shake up the battlefield, forcing players to be on their toes. Whether it’s a small Scavenger or a hulking Bile Titan, Terminids have plenty of diversity within their tanks, which could open the door for more types of the alien race to be introduced down the road.

Automatons serve as the game’s robotic enemy offering. Their machine-heavy build is a stark contrast to the biological bodies of Terminids and the Illuminate, once again bringing something fresh to the table. No matter which faction a player is facing, they are all completely different from one another, and this ultimately makes a potential fourth faction merely extra spice on top of something that’s already a strong experience.

Rumors of a Fourth Faction Persist

• Since Helldivers 2 launched, some players believe they have found clues of a potential human rebel faction waiting in the wings.

Anti-Super Earth radio broadcasts can sometimes be found in Helldivers 2, which has ignited speculation that rebels could eventually make their way into the game’s story. This is highly possible, especially with the surprise-heavy nature of the game’s post-launch content, but it’s not entirely necessary. These hints towards a rebel faction could simply be fun Easter eggs, but Arrowhead Game Studios has made it clear with the Meridia Singularity storyline that the developer has a lot of fun with planting seeds for future major plot points months in advance. Of course, more enemies to fight would be exciting, but having to face other humans when three unique and challenging options are present might make a rebel faction slightly disappointing.

However, Arrowhead Game Studios could surprise players with a special twist on such an enemy type, but that remains to be seen. As of now, Helldivers 2 has three enemy groups that are incredibly fun to take on in their own special ways. Helldivers 2‘s developers love surprising players, so there’s no telling what lies in store as the year continues.

Helldivers 2’s Second Year Could Bring More Surprises

What Arrowhead Game Studios has done with Helldivers 2‘s post-launch support has helped build it into a success, and it will be exciting to see what else the game’s developers have planned. A fourth faction is bound to shake up the gameplay even more, but right now, the trifecta of Terminids, Automatons, and the Illuminate bring plenty of harrowing battles for players to revel in.

Systems

Released

February 8, 2024

ESRB

M For Mature 17+ Due To Blood and Gore, Intense Violence

Developer(s)

Arrowhead Game Studios