Helldivers 2 Director Reveals How The Team Comes Up With New Stratagems

Helldivers 2 creative director Johan Pilestedt explains how the creative team goes about imagining and implementing fresh and exciting new Stratagems.

2 Helldivers characters standing beside each other holding guns with fire in the background

Summary

Helldivers 2
Stratagems are created using a mix of reality and fantasy, keeping gameplay fresh and exciting for players.
Embracing Stratagems is essential for surviving tough missions in
Helldivers 2
, encouraging players to use them liberally.
Arrowhead Studios continues to expand
Helldivers 2
with updates, like the recent addition of a mech suit.

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Helldivers 2 presents players with an abundance of different tools to eliminate the deadly armies of the Terminids and Automatons and Arrowhead Studios is giving fans some insight into how those Stratagems are created. One of the core components of the popular co-op shooter is the ability to call down equipment and support from the skies, most of which take the form of explosive air strikes or precision missile launches. They’re undoubtedly one of the most fun aspects of Helldivers and director Johan Pilestedt wants everyone to know how the team creates them.

Writing on the PlayStation Blog, Pilestedt noted that the process of creating Stratagems is rooted in reality and fantasy as Arrowhead often takes weaponry seen in films and series and tweaks it so it’s a little more grounded in the world of Helldivers 2. Perhaps more surprising is that the developers don’t necessarily have a massive list of Stratagems that want to add to the game as the director notes that the team introduces new ones whenever they get bored with the game. In this way, the roster of Stratgems stays fresh and Arrowhead’s staff are encouraged to get creative.

A couple Helldivers posing in front of the Super Earth flag. One is firing a rifle.

The Best Helldivers 2 Stratagems Are Sometimes Surprisingly Simple

Though high-tier Stratagems in Helldivers 2 are powerful and fun to use, sometimes the simpler options can be the best choice for certain situations.

Helldivers 2 Wouldn’t Be Possible Without Stratagems

Helldivers 2 soldiers fighting with bugs. — Custom Image by: Katarina Cimbaljevic

Helldivers 2 makes it clear from the start of the tutorial that players will not survive missions if they don’t embrace their Stratagems. The game’s enemies are tough and aggressive, meaning sustained fire from a standard primary firearm will work against a few but when a whole squadron is rushing a team, things get hairy very quickly. Since Stratagems work on a cooldown rather than as limited resources, Helldivers are encouraged to use them liberally, resulting in missions where the landscape is pockmarked with craters formed by Orbital Precision Strikes or Artillery Barrages.

Helldivers 2 Is Always Looking To Build On The Fun

Arrowhead Studios is a small team of developers but that hasn’t stopped them from continually growing Helldivers 2 with a series of well-received content updates in the weeks following the game’s launch. Recently, players were encouraged to liberate a particular planet, Tien Kwan, to unlock a mech suit that can be found while exploring the field. This was one of the first major updates to the game and its popularity shows no signs of slowing down as it’s still consistently one of the most-played games on Steam and PlayStation 5.

Source: PlayStation Blog