issues with Sony's PSN linking requirement didn't help the situation, the largest problem was the mostly unneeded nerfing of various weapons. For many, this removed a lot of the fun and ease from the game, and while this PvE title should have a challenge to it, mass nerfs are not the way to go.

The developers have tried other avenues to help bring the audience back but to lower results. The Escalation of Freedom update brought many changes that added a few new enemies, mission types, and a new difficulty level but did not have the player spike it was likely intended to bring. Warbonds have also been spaced out to give the development team time for better products, but generally don't draw heavy interest outside the occasional standout option. Helldivers 2's most promidate yet has recently seen weapon and Stratagem buffs across the board, and it makes the game worth returning to.

Weapon Buffs From The Latest Helldivers 2 Patch

Bringing Back The Firepower

Luckily, many fan-favorite weapons received buffs back to their original state or better (the full, very long patch notes can be seen on Steam). Primary-wise, almost every gun was either given a damage or magazine buff, which increases the damage they can put out. For Secondaries, the Peacemaker, Dagger, and Crisper all received some small buffs to help bring them up to the level of the Grenade Pistol. A large change to the popular laser weapons increased their damage, reduced their time to set enemies on fire, and removed recoil to the point where they feel like actual lasers.

A large change that affects weapons in all slots is the reversion of how fire damage worked before the Escalation of Freedom update. This update made it so the fire would bounce off all armor, making it pointless for anything medium armor or up. This change originally met harsh outcry, which is likely a big reason for the decision to revert it. Fire is back to being extremely useful against all enemies, though still not the top option against heavy armor targets.

This now-reverse fire nerf unfortunately coincided with the Freedom's Flame Warbond, which focused on flamethrowing weapons, thus nullifying much of the Warbond's appeal.

The most notable changes for Weapons come to the Arc Thrower and Railgun. The former gets a range, damage, and stun effect boost. Meanwhile, the Railgun returns to its dominant position with the ability to gain 250% overcharge damage. The Flamethrower is also back to being a top-choice weapon with fire damage changes. Lastly, each machine gun was improved in ways to either deal more damage or have more stagger while piercing heavier armor.

Stratagem And General Changes In The Latest Helldivers 2 Patch

A Slightly More Casual Experience

Weapons weren't the only thing that changed in this massive patch. A significant note is about the Thermite grenade. Originally one of the weakest options, the Thermite Grenade got its damage increased from 100 to 2,000. For those who like simple approaches, this has made the Thermite grenade a great choice for killing the ever-annoying Chargers. Simply stick one to the head or rear and watch the Charger run itself to death.

Stratagem-wise, while many received buffs, the most notable changes are for the 500kg Bomb, HMG Emplacement, and Emancipator Exosuit. The 500kg is a top choice for dealing with Bile Titans and Automaton Striders but seemed inconsistent with its radius, but this has now been fixed to properly deal damage in the radius shown by the explosion. The HMG Emplacement received the same buffs other machine guns did, which makes it a good choice for any enemy when holding positions. Lastly, the Emancipator Exosuit received buffs to damage, fire rate, and magazine size.

For the most part, every enemy in Helldivers 2 received some small nerfs. These take the form of armor or health decreases to help showcase the buffs or bring up the options that didn't get upgraded. The argument could be made that this was not needed, but it does help ease the game for the casual audience. The only other big change is that Automaton Fabricators have moved to a health system that can be damaged by heavy weapons.

Helldivers 2 Is Choosing The Right Path

A Powerful Arsenal

Balance is an important factor in video games, but some need much less. A game like Helldivers 2 is all about the power fantasy put into the player's hand, so when multiple fan-favorite weapons get nerfed for others to become viable, it ruins the whole experience. This is why this new strategy the developers have of buffing the weaker options is the best avenue. By making everything strong, players have more freedom of choice and build creativity as more powerful weapons are added to Helldivers 2, rather than using what is "meta."

Now, there still needs to be some challenge in the game, and while the enemy nerfs were realistically unnecessary, it's not a major problem. The top three difficulties are still appropriate challenges while keeping the chaotic fun Helldivers 2 has become known for. With this new buffing philosophy, future enemies will likely be stronger to compensate, and preexisting ones will get raised once more data is available. This will be seen best when the mysterious Illuminate faction finally makes its appearance.

Though this patch did not restore the PvE shooter to its former glory, it is a large step in the right direction. Especially when, to reach such heights again, the title will need a massive update akin to the size of when the game launched. Hopefully, the positive will show that this path is the one to follow for future balancing updates. As of now, Helldivers 2 is worth returning to as it slowly returns to being one of the best co-op shooters due to the massive buff patch.

Source: Helldivers 2/Steam, Arrowhead Game Studios/YouTube