New Helldivers 2 Update Has One Small Change That Makes Higher Difficulties Way Easier (2024)

The most recent patch for Helldivers 2 has given players a helpful new bonus which makes higher-level missions easier to complete. Helldivers 2 players have been quick to lament any updates that make the game more difficult, like when a particularly strong weapon gets nerfed. This latest update will likely come as a relief to some players who have been struggling with higher difficulties and are looking for new ways to approach their tasks.

More difficult missions in Helldivers 2 can tend to get out of hand very quickly. It is easy for players to get bogged down in seemingly endless fights and get off track of what they are supposed to be doing. This is especially troublesome when it comes to finishing a mission within the allotted time. While savvy players have already found some good workarounds for these issues, it will be a lot easier for all players thanks to the most recent update.

Stealth In Helldivers Is Now Easier Thanks To Vegetation Changes

Helldivers 2’s Latest Update Adds Detection Reduction To Certain Plants

According to the Helldivers 2 patch notes (via Steam) from June 13, 2024, it will now be easier for players to move around the map unseen by enemies. According to the patch:

“Vegetation that’s large enough to slow the player now has an extra function. When inside the vegetation helldivers will be harder to detect, reducing their detection range by enemies.”

Previously, these parts of the game’s environment were either a nuisance or even a potential danger to players. After all, getting slowed down by some bushes could mean the difference between getting away from, or being killed by pursuing Terminids or Automatons. Now, vegetation will be more helpful than it is harmful.

This update will also mean that Helldivers 2 players will likely be more deliberate about how they move across the map. Knowing that vegetation can provide cover means that squads can easily pick out areas to move between without being seen. This can allow for more precise movement with a clear location as the end goal. With a more precise endpoint for any move, players can also do a better job sticking close together while trying to be stealthy, minimizing the chances that they will be spotted by passing enemy patrols.

Being Stealthy Is An Integral Part Of High-Level Helldivers Missions

Helldivers 2 Has 9 Levels Of Increasing Difficulty

Players who have only tried Helldivers 2 on lower difficulties may not understand why increased stealth bonuses are such a big deal. When playing on any mode from Trivial to Hard, it’s perfectly acceptable to just stomp around with reckless abandon, confident that a squad of Helldivers can easily take out any enemies they encounter. However, once players begin playing on higher difficulties, it quickly becomes apparent how important stealth can be.

Higher-level missions, especially Impossible or Helldive difficulties, have numerous enemy patrols roaming the map. It’s very easy for an encounter with just one of these patrols to snowball into a fight that lasts upwards of 15 minutes, as more patrols and reinforcements keep getting pulled into the fray. This can lead to Helldivers wasting a lot of their precious time and resources fighting random enemies and not furthering the goal of their mission.

When any errant patrol can turn into a massive, and often fatal, battle, it becomes a lot more important for Helldivers 2 players to know how to avoid enemies. Since stealth is such an important strategy for Helldivers 2, an update that improves players’ abilities to be stealthy is going to greatly increase their chances of survival on the game’s harder modes. This update is also exciting because of how it interacts with existing stealth mechanics in the game.

Helldivers 2 Players Can Stack Other Stealth Bonuses With Vegetation

Players Can Get Bonuses To Stealth From Armor & Game Conditions

Increased stealth while hidden in vegetation isn’t the only exciting part of this new update. Again, from the patch notes, regarding the new vegetation mechanics:

“This effect stacks with other detection reducing effects such as nighttime, being crouched or prone, or things such as the scout armor passive.”

Because these stealth bonuses stack, players can easily take steps to maximize their ability to remain unseen. Players can even organize missions with these conditions in mind to ensure they are getting the maximum amount of detection reduction possible.

An organized group of Helldivers could ensure that they are all wearing gear with the Scout trait and that they are only taking missions that are at night. This, combined with a concerted effort to stick to the map’s vegetation between objectives, will allow players to navigate higher difficulties without getting in over their heads with giant unending fights.

While this type of organization can be difficult to pull off in Helldivers 2, especially when matching with strangers, it may quickly become second nature for many players. The more apparent it becomes that focusing on stealth is the most efficient way to tackle high-level missions, the more players will likely gravitate toward this strategy. The option to rush into battle is obviously still there for any players who prefer a straightforward fight, but it is nice to see Helldivers 2 presenting players with more options for how to approach their missions.

Source: Steam

Helldivers 2

Helldivers II is the follow-up to the 2015 multiplayer top-down single-player/co-op shooter from Arrowhead Game Studios. The sequel, which has shifted gears to a third-person shooter format, drops players into the boots of elite super-soldiers who fight to protect Super Earth from invading alien forces while taking the fight to those who threaten the "democracy of Super Earth."

Franchise

Helldivers

Platform(s)

PC , PS5

Released

February 8, 2024

Developer(s)

Arrowhead Game Studios

Publisher(s)

Sony

Genre(s)

Shooter

Multiplayer

Online Co-Op

ESRB

M For Mature 17+ Due To Blood and Gore, Intense Violence

Metascore

83

Platforms That Support Crossplay

PC & PS5

Number of Players

1-4

PS Plus Availability

N/A