Helldivers 2's Illuminate faction is a great demonstration of primary weapon versatility

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With the recent arrival of a third faction in the galactic war, Helldivers 2 Players have been working hard to deal with the latest threat to managed democracy. Dedicated hell divers have spent a lot of time testing Helldivers 2features numerous weapons and strategies to figure out how best to deal with the Illuminate enemies. Overall, the results were quite surprising.

When it comes to the meta surrounding the Illuminate, Helldivers 2 Players were pleasantly surprised to see that a variety of weapons work exceptionally well against the squids. Players have found it difficult to find a single overpowering or dominant weapon on the Illuminati front lines, with nearly every primary weapon currently in the game providing admirable utility when it comes to breaking through the hordes of the voteless and their Illuminati overseers. This is exactly what the future of this game needs.

Helldivers 2 Omens of Tyranny Update New Illuminate Faction Enemies Urban Legends Premium Warbond and Melee Weapons GAMERANT

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While having proper melee weapons finally available in Helldivers 2 is an important item on players' wish lists, the future of these weapons doesn't appear to be bright.

Helldivers 2's primary weapons are All Great Versus Illuminate units

The Illuminate allows players to explore different weapon options without feeling underpowered

There was a lot of talking Helldivers 2 Community about the state of the game and the importance of finding a balance between challenge and power fantasy. During a controversy over some Helldivers 2 Fans expressed their displeasure that the primary weapons were toned down to the point where they seemed more like pea shooters than real weapons of war. Arrowhead gave players all of these new and interesting weapons in War Bonds, and they didn't feel effective enough to warrant frequent use until the Illuminati came into play.

It's clear that Arrowhead listened to fans when designing the Squids, as there's hardly a primary weapon in the game that doesn't serve a purpose when dealing with the Illuminate faction. Shotguns and submachine guns work wonders when it comes to defeating hordes of the voiceless. Sniper rifles feature headshots of overseers and the “eyes” of Illuminati harvesters. Assault rifles usually strike a good balance between all three. There's a clear use for every available primary weapon in the game on the Illuminate front, and that's a real lifesaver for build variety.

Why build diversity is so important in Helldivers 2

Helldivers 2 The gameplay loop is the core of the game: drop by, wreak havoc, collect samples, extract, repeat. On the surface it's deceptively simple, but the variety of ways to complete objectives during missions is crucial in keeping players interested over time. The ability to change game plans ensures that the experience remains fresh after so many hours. By ensuring that the primary weapons all feel effective, Arrowhead allows players to choose this variety without feeling like it's actively hindering their chances of having an enjoyable game.

Of course there will be some exceptions. Firearms will never be as effective against Automatons as they are against the Terminids and the Illuminati, but keeping all other primary weapons in the game at a relatively even level gives players some choice that they will absolutely appreciate. Feeling beholden to a meta can weigh on a player, so it's great that the Illuminate front meta so far just seems to be what the player enjoys.

How Arrowhead can improve Illuminati balancing

Arrowhead really hit the ground running with the release of Illuminate, so hopefully there's room to extend some of that success to the other two enemy factions currently in the game. Admittedly, it may be difficult to change them too drastically since they're already so well established, but getting the Automata and Terminids to a point where players can start a match with almost any weapon and still feel like they're in control would go a long way towards the future of the game and keep it fresh for the veteran divers who have been battling the two factions for a year.

Since Terminids are generally melee attacks, shotguns and submachine guns already work wonders on insect missions. Perhaps the answer lies in adding more long-range units to their ranks to encourage the use of assault rifles and sniper rifles, or simply increasing the number of bile-spout-type enemies that attack at range. On the other hand, the Automatons are completely covered when it comes to long-range units, but the Berserkers, who are the Automatons' melee threat, do not spawn in large numbers to actively consider when planning loadouts. Increasing the frequency with which they come by might make players feel like the shotgun would be a viable choice over the rifle to keep the Devastators at bay.

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