Are you currently doing nothing in The Division 2 and longing for new challenges? Then you should dare to take on the Hardcore mode. It offers a very special experience and could revive the game for many agents, says our author Sven.
What is the Hardcore mode in The Division 2? Since the release of Update 6.1, there has been a new Hardcore mode in The Division 2.
Hardcore is not a new difficulty level – at least not directly. Hardcore means that your character has only one life; there are no respawns.
If your agent is down, meaning injured and on their knees, they can still be rescued by teammates or the drone stock skill with the appropriate mod. However, if they die completely, they are irretrievably gone – along with all their earned gear. Only acquired cosmetics like new clothing or patches remain account-wide.
Why you should try the Hardcore mode at least once
Nothing to do? This captivates me in The Division 2: Personally, I love hardcore modes. Whether in Diablo 3 or Path of Exile. If games offer me a permadeath mode, I play that – and only that.
And thanks to the new Hardcore mode, I have unexpectedly come to love The Division 2 again. I have always liked and enjoyed the game, but recently, like many players, I felt it was just losing steam:
Hardcore has changed that drastically; I am completely addicted to the game again – like a second love. I am also increasingly noticing: It’s not just me. Although this mode is definitely not for everyone, I still recommend everyone to at least give it a try. After all, The Division 2 doesn’t offer much right now anyway.
And maybe this new mode will bring you back to the game before further changes and fresh content arrive in February. So, you have nothing to lose except for one character, but you might discover a whole new side of The Division 2 – and perhaps even a whole new passion.
Hardcore is a much more intense experience
Many may ask: what is the appeal of Hardcore in The Division 2? For me, The Division 2 in this mode offers a completely different gaming experience – much more intense than in regular gameplay. Even re-leveling a character is a lot of fun.
Different playstyle: First of all, Hardcore encourages a different play style. In short – those who play recklessly and carelessly and just want to do everything as quickly as possible usually die quickly as well.
Whether in a group or solo, in Hardcore you are generally more cautious, approach tactically, and rush, if at all, only rarely through content. As a result, you are much more aware of the game world – at least that’s how it is for me. You notice many lovable details and things that you might have missed in regular mode when you were trying to fight your way quickly to the endgame.
Whether it’s some notable locations or the occasional cool story that you didn’t even notice. I experience all of this in Hardcore much more consciously, as you are almost forced to take more time.
Greater challenge: Additionally, the ever-present danger in Hardcore mode gives me a real kick. Death can lurk around every corner and actually matters here. Because even the weakest enemy can cost you your virtual life at the wrong moment. Enemies that would be laughed off in normal gameplay are always a serious threat here.
Every enemy encounter, every firefight that my group or I engage in feels really intense. Especially when it later involves stronger enemies. Even a normal shootout in the open world can sometimes lead to sweaty hands and frantic communication in voice chat. However, even normal enemies often cause excitement.
If you get surprised by a regular group of red enemies, it can quickly mean death – especially if they have Molotov cocktails or grenades or a flamethrower. I often took to my heels and fled from opponents I would normally have fought without a second thought. Anyone who has tried the story difficulty in Hardcore knows what I’m talking about.
Because in normal mode it’s: No problem, respawn and move on. You might be annoyed that you have to repeat part of the mission. In Hardcore mode, it means: Fury management, then possibly starting a new character right away.
Especially in the Dark Zone and in the challenging and heroic missions, the difference is noticeable. Content that I rushed through in normal gameplay takes much more time in Hardcore – even with good gear or in a group.
Different focus: Speaking of gear. Here too, the focus of the game shifts. While I was almost always focused solely on DPS in normal mode, that has changed in Hardcore. The choice of equipment becomes much more important, especially in the later stages (World Tiers) and in the endgame.
If you rely purely on damage, you run a much greater risk of losing your agent, into whom you have already invested numerous hours of gameplay. So builds and attributes come into play that you may have neglected in normal gameplay.
Additionally, coordination in the group becomes much more important – especially regarding the use of skills and skill mods.
In short: In Hardcore, it’s much more important to find the right balance between damage, armor, and skills. Those who play too one-sided usually encounter their limits sooner or later and often pay for it with the loss of their agent.
Few rewards, but what you are proud of: Hardcore is currently still in beta, which is why I hope that the mode will be further expanded by the developers and, in this process, will receive even more unique Hardcore rewards. Because there aren’t enough of them in my opinion right now.
However, the Hardcore rewards that exist still keep me entertained and set goals that I would like to achieve. So far, they are exclusively cosmetics like a Yolo cap for reaching level 2 and several unique arm patches
- for successfully completing the Capitol Fortress in Hardcore
- for successfully completing Tidal Basin in Hardcore
- for reaching a Gear Score of 500 in Hardcore
- for successfully completing the regular raid Operation Dark Hours in Hardcore
but I am currently more proud of no other cosmetic in The Division 2 than the one for the Capitol Building and for Tidal Basin.
Even though my regular agent has seen pretty much everything in The Division 2, nothing in terms of feeling or significance compares to the achievements of my still relatively young Hardcore agent.
Gear Score 500 doesn’t really entice me; however, my top goal for the near future is the Hardcore raid patch – basically almost a suicide mission. But the fact that this is achievable has already been proven by several agents. And that motivates me right now.
Technically flawless so far: In Hardcore mode, nothing is more frustrating than losing your character due to bugs or technical issues – for example, lags or suddenly respawning enemies.
However, even though the Hardcore mode of The Division 2 is still in beta, I am quite surprised in this regard. I can reassure anyone who is afraid. So far, all characters (3 of them) that I have lost have died through my own mistakes. The technology has worked perfectly so far.
Otherwise, I have not heard from my Hardcore agent buddies or from other sources that The Division 2 has a problem in this area.
Hardcore is fun but has a lot of room for improvement: All in all, I am currently having a lot of fun with the Hardcore mode. This mode is essentially solely responsible for my return to playing The Division 2 – and I am doing it really regularly and with so much motivation and enthusiasm, as honestly never before.
But Hardcore still has room for improvement. A lot of room. Initially, the current scope may suffice, at least for me. However, over time the developers need to offer more than just a cap and some exclusive patches. Currently, this is probably the biggest wish of many Hardcore players.
Many wish for further exclusive rewards or even seasons like in Diablo 3, which would then motivate them to continue playing this hardcore mode over a longer period of time – alongside general changes that players have been requesting for some time now.
Leaderboards, better drop rates for loot, and more character slots are also among the players’ wishes for the permadeath mode.
A few tips to conclude: If you want to play Hardcore, here are some tips that should make your early life easier.
- If you have 4 regular characters, you need to delete one to create a Hardcore character. If a HC character dies, you must delete it; otherwise, it blocks a character slot.
- Whenever possible, always play with at least two people! This has saved my agent countless times, just as he has saved others numerous times.
- Unlock the Reviver Drone and the Repair Drone first – especially if you are playing solo. This should save your agent more than once.
- Play generally slower, more thoughtfully, and strategically than usual and don’t rush. Every little enemy is a danger. 2 out of 3 of my characters died because I got overconfident and underestimated groups of regular enemies. Especially in the Dark Zones, PvE enemies hit really hard.
- If you play in a team, coordinate your skills with each other and communicate a lot.
- Pay attention to everything that grants status effects – grenades, fire, shock, etc. Avoid contact with gas especially.
- Don’t just build for DPS. Damage protection and armor should not be neglected. Skills also become important later on.
- If things get tight – run! It’s no shame to retreat back to almost half of the mission level. It’s still better than losing your agent.
- Don’t play Hardcore on autopilot. If a mission just doesn’t work, stop and try again the next day.
- Play rested and stop in time. This may sound silly, but it’s really not to be underestimated in Hardcore. I lost my first agent because I (like once in Diablo 3 with a 500-hour character) drifted off while playing.
- By the way, there is no PvP in Hardcore mode.
Have you already tried the Hardcore mode? What experiences have you had with it? Can this format keep you entertained during the current content drought? Or is it not for you? I for one am already looking forward to tackling the upcoming new content in permadeath mode.
