In the world of Helldivers 2, players have found themselves wrestling with some tough decisions over the last few months. The relentless Meridia Singularity is on the move, sweeping over anything unfortunate enough to be in its path on its journey toward Super Earth. Yet, amidst the ongoing Galactic War, a curious problem has surfaced for Arrowhead – gamers aren’t all that enthusiastic about taking on the game’s third adversary, the creepy and tentacled Illuminate faction.
The Illuminate made quite an entrance, bursting into the southern galactic quadrant following a surprise reveal at The Game Awards, closing out 2024 with a bang. While the Terminids unleash chaos with their swarming melee units and heavy hitters, and the Automatons rain down destruction with their long-range artillery and lasers, the Illuminate occupy a unique niche between these two forces. They bring to the table endless hordes of zombie-like Voteless that are fragile yet plentiful, along with their armored Overseers and fearsome War of the Worlds-styled Harvesters.
This mix is an intriguing new take, giving the alien invasion theme a refreshing twist alongside the factions inspired by Starship Troopers and Terminator. Initially, players were eager to dive into the novel urban maps and take on the squid-like threat. On paper, the Illuminate are the most formidable foes, having already obliterated two planets, with their sights set ominously on Super Earth.
However, they seem to present only half of a fully fleshed-out faction. Their lineup of units is noticeably smaller compared to the bots and bugs. In the game’s lore, this is justified – they’re merely a vanguard force, scouting the galaxy before unleashing their full might. Nevertheless, this limited roster doesn’t bode well for gameplay, as battles against them tend to feel overly repetitive and lack the challenge posed by the Terminids or Automatons. Plus, all factions now vie for control over urban maps, diluting the Illuminate’s unique setting.
To add to the difficulty, the Illuminate aren’t interested in seizing territory. The only way to face them is through a defense mission on a planet, which vanishes in a day. As soon as the planet is either saved or time runs out, they vanish, only to reappear elsewhere later on. Completing a Major Order that involves fending off a series of Illuminate attacks requires impeccable timing and coordination—a formidable task when players are more inclined to seek out more thrilling opponents on different battlefronts.
Thankfully, Arrowhead has proved adept at innovating and diversifying its alien factions by occasionally rolling out new units. Over time, we’ve seen fresh units make an appearance, like the airborne Terminid Shriekers or the relentlessly efficient Automaton Factory Striders. Arrowhead also surprises us with temporary variants of known enemies that dramatically alter the dynamics of gameplay. The Stalker is dangerous normally, but with the Predator Strain’s mutated, swarming Stalkers, they become a whole new level of threat. The Automatons recently got a significant upgrade, including larger fabricators, an Incineration Brigade, and the fear-inducing Factory Striders equipped with Stratagem Jammers.
Currently, Major Orders remain focused on the Meridia Singularity, under the Illuminate’s control. Despite this, Arrowhead shows a keen understanding that variety is crucial. The latest array of Major Orders shifted back to the original two factions, as, in the game’s early days, Terminids were the more straightforward foes and Automatons were less favored. As Arrowhead continues fine-tuning and rebalancing, it’s likely the Illuminate will find their footing as well. Meanwhile, I’m holding out for their version of a Bile Titan. Until then, I’ll stick with the dependable chaos of battling bots and bugs.
