Helldivers 2 has a bug problem. No, not that one, but a literal bug problem. The Terminids, a species of huge, homicidal bugs, have plagued the game since the very beginning. They’re the first enemies in Super Earth’s ongoing galactic war, and players have dropped onto planet after planet in the hope of curbing the galaxy’s bug infestation, but the Terminids have been fierce and keep breaking through their offenses. Among their ranks are the armored Chargers and towering Bile Titans, which have been spawning in increased numbers and causing problems for players on higher difficulties.Arrowhead Game Studios have heard their fans’ pleas (nee cries) for help and finally done something about it.
Helldivers 2’s latest patch addresses some of the frustrations players have been facing on the highest difficulties against Terminids by adjusting, among other things, the spawn rates of both the armored Chargers and Bile Titans. Recently, there have been spikes in their spawn rates that have made comically overwhelming situations into outright nightmares that spoil some of the fun. It’s enjoyable to surmount nearly impossible odds—but it’s not fun loading up a game and getting endlessly dunked on. Arrowhead notes that it isn’t necessarily nerfing the spawn rates and making the game easier, but diversifying what creatures spawn and how often they do. So even though you should run into fewer Chargers and Bile Titans, other enemy types will likely fill in the gaps that they’re leaving to ensure the highest difficulty levels are still tough.
In a move that will actually make things easier, or at least make an existing strategy more effective, Chargers have had their weak spot softened. Despite the community exploiting a “leg meta” to take them out, their intended weak point—their head—has had its HP reduced so that players can use weapons like the Recoilless Rifle and easily take them out with a well-placed headshot.
A new major order, which are daily and weekly objectives that often dictate narrative beats in Helldivers 2, has also arrived at the same time as the patch and coincidentally focuses on the growing Terminid threat.
Helldivers 2’s Umlaut sector is apparently home to something the forces of Super Earth are calling the Terminid Control System, which is supposed to eliminate the bugs once and for all. The cluster of planets in the Umlaut sector has been overtaken by the Terminids though, and helldivers are now being directed there in droves to stabilize the sector, activate the control system in a new mission, and potentially neutralize the bug threat for good. The order is clearly the next step in Helldivers 2’s ongoing interactive war drama, which just included the liberation of the planet Tien Kwan, allowing players to unlock mechs that were being mass produced on the planet.
Players have become savvy to the game’s narrative beats by now and are throwing themselves at the newest major order, but that hasn’t stopped others from theorizing that the playerbase is on the precipice of another catastrophic development.
The Helldivers 2 community is, as always, having a ball with this. One of the top posts on the Helldivers 2 subreddit features a number of comments casting doubt on the efficacy of the Terminid Control System and the promise of the Terminids’ eradication. One such comment says, “End the Terminid threat permanently you say? Nothing could possibly go wrong,” with a potent hint of sarcasm. Another dramatically reads, “I’ve got an extremely bad feeling about this. Containing the bugs, on week 4? Nah. We’re going to wake something up. This won’t end well.”
But my favorite might be one commenter who’s clearly playing 4D chess while the rest of us futz around with our childish Checkers games.
“Guys.. Exosuits, ‘cease bugs permanently’, tremors..? Shai-Hulud.”
Whatever’s actually going on in Helldivers 2, it seems like players dropping in this week are in for a rude awakening. Good thing those Charger headshots got buffed, since I think folks are going to need it this week. Watch those shots, and watch each other’s backs out there.
