Learning that The Last of Us Part 2 was initially inspired by Bloodborne has me wanting to play a game that doesn’t exist. One of the most interesting things about Helldivers 2 is how it portrays the Galactic War, the main conflict between Helldivers and the bugs and robots they’re taking on. As you complete missions on different planets to try and liberate them, you’ll see percentage meters going up representing how much of the planet has been helped by the efforts of you and other players, which is meant to show off the always-online world and the work everyone else is putting in. Over on Twitter, zrd92490 pointed out a really cool detail that you might have missed that makes it clear that there are a ton of other Helldivers out there fighting the same fight as you.
Before you jump into a mission and start trying to gun down bugs, you’ll find yourself in your own space station. If you head over to the viewing platform and look down at the planet below you, there’s a chance that you’ll see other players using their powerful Stratagem abilities, like being able to call in airstrikes and ask for ammo, all the way from space. You can also see lasers being fired down, Helldivers being dropped on the planet, and even some firefights if you look close enough. Another cool detail noted in the thread is that moving to a new planet actually causes your ship to start flying in that direction and hover over the location, proving that it’s not just a menu.
It’s hard to tell until you’ve put a bit of time into the game, but the blue and red beacons that you see scattered across the planets are all Stratagems that have been thrown out by players as they call in to ask for supplies and backup. It’s a neat detail that a lot of people will likely overlook, and one that adds a lot to Helldivers 2’s persistent online world.
