“Helldivers 2” has risen from the dangerous depths of obscurity thanks to the final update of the 60-day plan.
Released Oct. 15 and dubbed patch 01.001.104, this update was part of Arrowhead Games Studios’ 60-day plan, a period in which the developers focused on vastly improving the game and taking player feedback into heavy consideration.
This update introduced more improvements to several primary, secondary and support weapons, changes and fixes to enemy behavior and “quality of life” improvements to the game to reduce occurrences of the game crashing.
After the release of the previous update, patch 1.001.100, the player base of “Helldivers 2” dramatically increased as many of the changes were requested by players and saw significant improvements to several elements of the game.
However, while the previous update revived much of the excitement players had for the game, many were hoping weapons and equipment such as the “PLAS-101 Purifier,” “P-11 Stim Pistol” and “LIFT-850 Jump Pack” would receive positive changes as well.
The “Purifier” now has the ability to shoot more rapidly, similarly to the “PLAS-1 Scorcher” but not as quickly, whereas before it could only be fired after charging it for around two to three seconds.
The “P-11 Stim Pistol,” a secondary weapon meant for healing teammates, had way too much spread and struggled with actually hitting them in the first place. After the update, the projectile speed is much faster allowing for easier contact with teammates.
The cooldown of the “LIFT-850 Jump Pack” was reduced and its range increased so players can dash more frequently and move farther distances.
Other changes were made to weapons such as the “AC-8 Autocannon” and the “GR-8 Recoilless Rifle” that granted them the ability to switch between different types of ammo, making these heavy hitters more versatile in different situations.
Various enemy types also received changes based on previous player feedback over the course of the month.
The “Automaton” faction’s “Heavy Devastator” unit was one such change as it no longer had the ability to fire as rapidly as before. Before the latest patch, the “Heavy Devastator” was able to lay down an intense volley of laser fire on players without giving them any room to counterattack.
This recent update now has a noticeable pause in between bursts of fire, allowing players to counter attack more regularly.
Various “Automaton” units also no longer have the ability to fire through walls.
Previously, if an enemy unit was close enough to a solid object or surface, they would sometimes be able to shoot through and eliminate the player when they thought they were safe. This has been changed and enemy units no longer fire when line of sight between them and the player is lost.
Thanks to the hard work of Arrowhead Games Studios in conducting the 60-day plan and taking in player feedback and suggestions, the game is full of life again and has a stable player base.
The game has a solid peak of around 50,000 to 60,000 players per day on Steam alone and, when combined with players on PlayStation 5, can reach up to 70,000 players on the weekend.
A player by the name of “ThePhantomPrince” commented on how they were around for the game’s highs and lows but is grateful the game is great again.
“I got this game fairly early,” they said. “Had its ups and downs, but the developers actually listened and turn things around. Game is really fun. There is room for different playstyles and for future expansion.”
A player by the name of “Binoches” posted a review of the update in Steam and spoke highly of the recent update as well.
“With recent updates, there is great build diversity in the game. Difficulty selection allows fun play for solo, duo or quads. Highly recommended.”
