In Helldivers 2, the veterans reflected on the good old days. Together, they realized that Helldivers 2 was much harder before the many balance patches. They wish to have that unfair experience back for the new recruits.
What do the veterans mean? When Helldivers 2 was released, many enemies, weapons, perks, and stratagems were not yet perfectly balanced, and the overall game balance was not cohesive. This early phase of Helldivers 2 may seem unfair to the players, who had little chance against some enemies, but in hindsight, many veterans apparently still enjoyed it.
On Reddit, the veterans are now discussing the good old days and wishing for those times to return for the new recruits of Helldivers 2. Starting August 26, 2025, many newcomers are expected with the launch on Xbox. A user shows what it looked like back then in a video on Reddit:
Why unfair can also be fun
Why do veterans wish for recruits to have a bad balance? For the veterans, Helldivers 2 has become much easier than it was at the beginning. Players have unlocked all weapons and gear, memorized all enemy attack patterns, and completed all types of missions. They know exactly how to play Helldivers 2.
For the recruits coming into this already perfected world, however, that is not the case. They have to find their own play style and learn what it means to be a Helldiver. The veterans believe that tough enemies help to really learn the game. When enemies are too strong, players must get creative and find solutions themselves.
What do the veterans say? On Reddit, the old veterans talk about the galactic war and which enemies really messed with them back then:
- Sabre_One: “Shriekers would take you out with a single hit back in the day if they tossed you around […].”
- Embarrassed-Tale-200: “The entire Meridia campaign was one of the best moments in Helldivers, alongside Malevelon Creek when it was new and stood out from other games, and the two arrivals of the Illuminates. And the battle on Over-Earth. I hope they continue to create such great events. This game has been an incredible hit for over a year now. The balancing is frustrating, but no one can deny that this game was one of the most entertaining to come out in the last decade.”
- tagnol1: “I remember that the gunship fabricators were always heavily guarded. We had to fight through hordes of bots to get close, place the hellbomb, and defend it until a teammate detonated it.”
- Somedude522: “And you had to pray it wouldn’t get destroyed before it exploded.”
However, there are also players who argue against this and are happy about the many patches in recent months:
- NK1337: “It’s funny to see positive comments about this now because I remember how loud people complained back then about how unfair and frustrating the event was.”
- RobertMaus: “That’s not something I ‘really’ want to see again. That’s just nostalgia speaking. No really good memories. It was terrible.”
- Terrorscream: “Not really, all these clips just show people fighting endless waves of enemies rather than being productive. The game should show that you can’t win a war of attrition. If you can’t eliminate the enemies before the next reinforcement is called, you have to leave. But many continued to fight and let the enemies pile up.”
What do you think, was Helldivers 2 “better” with a bad balance because it forced players to develop new strategies, or would you prefer a well-patched version with fair enemies? Feel free to let us know in the comments. With the launch on Xbox, the console war could also come to an end: The brave heroes of Over-Earth believe Helldivers 2 has ended the console war with its new trailer
