Helldivers 2 could be vastly improved by adding a permadeath mode

Helldivers 2 isn’t the most punishing of titles, but adding a permadeath side mode would really make the in-game experience a nightmare like no other that sells the experience of being a single Helldiver against an unstoppable force.

At the lower difficulties, Helldivers 2 is an immersive and fun experience to share with your friends as you call in an explosive arsenal to instill freedom and democracy.

Conversely, on the higher difficulties, it’s equally immersive but a nightmare within itself as Automatons rain RPG and laser fire, or Terminid Bile Titans tower over your character before crushing them.

With this setup in mind, there’s one thing that’d really take the game over the edge: a permadeath mode.

Imagine a setup where you log into Helldivers 2, and a new Major Order drops from HQ: “Automatons have severed reinforcement supply lines. One life is all you get to complete your mission. Survive and scavenge in the name of Super Earth.”

As the MO implies, one shot is all you get to complete the objective, requiring a layer of coordination and determination like no other. Imagine the extreme levels of coordination public lobbies would deploy for a chance at victory or the threat of losing your friends and having to go on without them.

Additionally, Helldivers 2 has fallen victim to many players finding a meta loadout and sticking to it. Imagine how the game would change if you had no choice but to grapple with whatever weapons you can scavenge on a planet.

This idea is vaguely reminiscent of another game that benefitted greatly from taking resources away from the player and forcing them to grapple with the game’s mechanics: Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild.

Players who choose to venture to Eventide Island will have everything taken away from them and be reset to zero, yet many who have played fully through BoTW will remember this quest fondly. Considering how many weapons in Helldivers 2 go unused, forcing the player to use what’s already in the game could create an incredibly engaging experience.

With how overpowered players end up being in Helldivers 2, being forced to completely reset and put down the galaxy’s best weaponry could offer a new experience for players that really sells the grim reality in the Helldivers universe that, despite what Super Earth’s government will try to tell you, the humans are not winning the war.

Helldivers aplenty have spent time producing incredible feats that make a permadeath mode an interesting thought, such as one player’s achievement of flawlessly surviving six difficulty 7 missions in a row.

While there’s a certain element of badassery to having armor covered in the blood of your enemies, creating a mode that incentivizes the player to keep their sole Helldiver alive rather than burning through reinforcements over and over could completely amazingly change the game.

Now, would Arrowhead Game Studios do it? It’s a possibility given how active the developers have been when it comes to unique in-game scenarios, though it’s worth noting teamkilling in a mode like this could present some serious problems. There’s a long list of player-requested features, but a permadeath mode/modifier would be quite a pleasant surprise if done correctly.