Helldivers 2 is the kind of game that has a tutorial but also doesn’t explain a lot of its nuances. So, today, we’re looking at five hidden mechanics Helldivers 2 doesn’t explain to you.
One reason Helldivers 2 is so compelling as a game is because of the way it doesn’t hold your hand post-tutorial. It’s the many details you discover along the way that make the moment-to-moment gameplay so rewarding.
Stims Are Multipurpose
In most games, Stims are a one-and-done kind of item. You use it to heal you and you move on with your life. However, in Helldivers 2, they don’t just heal you or your mates all at once. No, instead, they heal you over time, constantly. This means that for the handful of seconds that the Stim is active, you’re very hard to kill unless you get one-shot.
Beyond just healing over time, Stims also refresh your Stamina gauge. In fact, one of the best ways I’ve used Stims is to keep my health below max just so I can pop a Stim once my Stamina runs out. Then it gives you around four seconds of max Stamina, all while healing you constantly during that time. That’s how you can outrun enemies and patrols.
Hellbombs Scattered Around the Map
On most planets, and at difficulties higher than medium, you’ll find these smoking dark grey warheads buried in the ground, rock, or ice. At first, I thought they were simply visual dressing for the map. That was, until I eventually shot one, which created a tremendous explosion. .
Once you know where these tactical nukes are, you can lead a swarm of Terminid or Automatons following you toward it and then set it off. It will obliterate even the toughest of opponents or weaken them enough so that small arms fire will finish them off.
Broken Drop Pods and Cargo Containers Have Loot
Broken drop pods are something that you’ll occasionally find around Terminid nests. Look-wise, they are quite similar to the drop pods you and support weapons fly down in. Expect that they are broken and don’t fully open by themselves. Meleeing them does nothing, but if you shoot them, then you’ll be rewarded with support items.
Meanwhile, small cargo containers are a bit more hidden. They can be found in the various points of interest scattered across the map. What you may see and find are these seven by seven-foot walls in the ground. Meleeing and shooting them do very little, but if you use a grenade, it will blow the door wide open. Unlike the broken drop pods, the cargo containers, while small, can still house anything from requisition points to medals and even super credits.
Fog and Smoke Can Hinder Enemy Vision
In most shooters, it doesn’t feel like smoke or fog does much to hinder the enemy’s vision as much as yours. Helldivers 2, on the other hand, is different in that regard. While the Terminids and Automatons can spot you from a reasonable distance (if it’s a clear day), it can be easier to play stealthily if there is fog or smoke involved.
This is because enemies have a line of sight, and they aren’t magically going to sense you if you get past a certain radius. You can fully sneak up behind something if you’re quiet and unseen. Likewise, if you’re getting chased by a horde of Terminids, you can shoot a few spores or call down a smoke stratagem to block the enemy’s vision. From there, you leaving their line of sight should make it easier to outrun some or most of what was chasing you.
Spores can Bounce You to Safety
Speaking of those warm grey spores that are everywhere, they do more than just create a patch of fog when getting too close. They also explode! But not in a way that directly hurts you. This is because the explosion they emit is more like that of a burst of air than a fragmentation grenade. The result is that, if you’re too close when they pop, you will be sent flying based on how close you were and the direction you were relative to the spores.
There have been many times that I was knocked into the spores by a charger and then sent flying 20 or 30 feet in the air. When this happens to you, it is likely you won’t die from the fall, especially if you pop a stim right before it happens. That said, spores can be used in this tactical manner to quickly grant you some distance. Which would allow you the time you need to call in reinforcements or some powerful stratagems to turn the tide.
For more, why not check out our review of Helldivers 2.
