In recent months, players diving into Helldivers 2 have faced some challenging decisions, as the ever-encroaching Meridia Singularity edges closer to Super Earth, leaving a trail of devastated planets in its wake. Although the Galactic War wages on, developer Arrowhead has run into a hiccup: gamers seem less than enthusiastic about battling the game’s third faction, the ominous, squid-like Illuminate.
The Illuminate arrived with a bang, making their debut with an unexpected announcement at the 2024 Game Awards. They quickly invaded the southern quadrant of the galaxy. While fans know the Terminids for their aggressive melee swarms and sturdy units, and the Automatons for their prowess in long-range combat with artillery, lasers, and flamethrowers, the Illuminate offer a unique blend. Their ranks include the Voteless, zombie-like creatures in overwhelming numbers but easily defeated, armored Overseers armed with versatile weapons, and fearsome ‘War of the Worlds’-style walkers, aptly named Harvesters.
This new alien faction brought a fresh and enticing concept, adding a new layer to the aliens-versus-human story alongside factions inspired by Starship Troopers and Terminator. Initially, players were hooked, eagerly diving into the new urban battlegrounds to fight this squid-like threat. In the game’s overarching narrative, the Illuminate stand as the gravest danger, having obliterated two planets and now setting their sights on Super Earth itself!
However, there’s a catch: their faction feels incomplete. Compared to the well-rounded squads of bots and bugs, the Illuminate’s lineup seems sparse. According to the game’s lore, they’re merely a vanguard scouting the galaxy before the arrival of more powerful forces. But for now, this limited roster results in repetitive battles, making them considerably easier to defeat than the fierce Terminids or Automatons. To add to this, all factions now battle over urban territories, eliminating any exclusive edge the Illuminate once had.
To complicate things further, the Illuminate don’t claim territory as the other factions do. Players only encounter them in time-limited defense missions on specific planets. After about a day, whether the planet successfully defends or loses, the Illuminate retreat, later resurfacing elsewhere. A Major Order that enlists players to repel multiple Illuminate attacks requires precise coordination and perfect timing—a tall order, especially when more thrilling engagements await on different fronts.
There’s hope, though, as Arrowhead is known for innovation in expanding factions and introducing fresh units. We’ve seen surprises in the past, such as the winged Terminid Shriekers or the impressively potent Automaton Factory Striders. Arrowhead also regularly spices up gameplay with short-term enemy variations, like the mutant Stalker packs under the Predator Strain or the recent enhancements of the Automatons, featuring stronger fabricators, a new Incineration Brigade, and the intimidating Stratagem Jammers-backed Factory Striders.
Presently, the Major Orders revolve around the Meridia Singularity, commandeered by the Illuminate, yet it’s apparent that Arrowhead values variety. Their recent Major Orders have revisited the two original factions, rebalancing the in-game dynamics. Initially, the Terminids were the easy foe and the Automatons less favored. As Arrowhead continues fine-tuning the game, it’s likely the Illuminate will eventually stand out on their own. Until then, they appear somewhat underwhelming and too repetitive. While I’m eagerly waiting to face their version of a Bile Titan, my focus remains on the battles against the trusty bots and bugs.
