Arrowhead, the team behind the successful Helldivers 2 game, has released a highly-anticipated update known as Omens of Tyranny. The announcement and subsequent release of this update attracted the attention of the video game industry, particularly as it was made public during the highly-esteemed Game Awards 2024.
The Omens of Tyranny update marks the arrival of the Illuminate, an alien force. These extraterrestrial visitors originate from the galactic south and are seeking to invade the planets belonging to Super Earth. This update broadens the scope of Helldivers 2, introducing new opponents to battle and novel Super Earth colonies to explore and defend. Alongside the expanded universe, players will also experience the game’s debut urban environments, teeming with city streets full of civilians under the control of the Illuminate.
These mind-controlled citizens, known colloquially as the Voteless by the inhabitants of Super Earth, pose a unique challenge to the gamers. The Voteless behave much like zombies, creating a new threat by tirelessly attempting to dismantle the player’s team.
In a conversation with Awesome Radical Gaming, Arrowhead’s game director, Mikael Eriksson, shed light on the Illuminate invasion. He revealed that the initial alien force is the Vanguard Fleet from the Illuminate, suggesting they are only the vanguard of a more comprehensive faction. Yet instead of capturing planets right away, the Illuminate adheres to guerrilla warfare strategies.
Although the overarching purpose of the Illuminate was not fully disclosed, Eriksson hinted players would have opportunities to alter the trajectory of their invasion. This interaction forms part of an extended storyline designed to unfold over several months.
The director also underscored the primary distinction between combating the Illuminate and the bots, as well as the bugs. He pointed out that the battles against the Illuminate, particularly in the cityscapes, are more challenging and intense in comparison to the fights against Automatons and the Terminids in open, more natural environments.
The Illuminate forces are formidable, with colossal trip-pod adversaries called Harvesters that have the potential to decimate the player with a single attack. In addition, players need to contend with the hordes of mind-controlled civilians. To assist players in these challenging battles, the update introduces new tools to combat the Illuminate threat, the most notable being Helldivers 2’s inaugural vehicle, the Fast Recon Vehicle (FRV).
The FRV can accommodate an entire squad of players comprising a driver, two passengers who can lean out and shoot and one player operating the rear turret. The vehicle initially can be discovered in diverse areas across the map and will only be completely unlocked through a major order completion by the Helldivers 2 community.
Eriksson strongly advises players to utilize anti-tank stratagems that can destroy the Illuminate’s spawn ships, encounter ships, and harvester enemies, all of which are shielded. Moreover, supporting weapons effective against the horde are integral, and the director recommends using an assault rifle.
With the inclusion of the Illuminate in the Helldivers 2 universe, the game now boasts three distinct enemy factions offering a rejuvenated experience for fans of the explosive third-person cooperative action game. Despite having faced numerous controversies post-launch, Helldivers 2 has continued to thrive, regularly updating the game with new content and balance modifications that have seen a surge of positive reviews.
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