Summary

  • Helldivers 2 retains the original game's chaotic and explosive gameplay, often leading to accidental friendly fire and orbital strikes between players.
  • Many important features in Helldivers 2 are left for players to discover on their own through experimentation or exploring the game's menus.
  • Baiting the acid-spewing Bile Titans to harm other bug enemies can be a difficult but life-saving strategy, especially in situations where players lack armor-penetrating weapons.

While the gameplay of Helldivers 2 mostly lends itself towards straightforwardly shooting, bombarding, or otherwise directing harm toward enemies (and often squates), the game still has room for plenty of creative strategies, including some that involve friendly fire that's between enemies instead of players. Though the game differs from the original 2015 Helldivers in perspective, being third-person instead of isometric, it still retains the original game's chaotic, explosive gameplay and its tendency to create situations where players will call down orbital strikes on each other's heads - accidentally or otherwise.

Although the tutorials give players the basic mechanics they'll need to function, many of Helldivers 2's important features are left for players to discover on their own, either through experimentation or digging deeper into the game's menus. Holding the reload button, for example, allows players to switch their gun's settings or turn on a flashlight, and the settings that can be changed vary from weapon to weapon - whereas the starting rifle can be switched between full auto and burst fire. Something like the Railgun can instead have its safety turned off, allowing the gun to be charged past its normal limit.

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Bile Titans In Helldivers 2 Can Kill Other Enemies

However, while most players will eventually figure out how their own gear works, fewer might think to instigate friendly fire between enemies - especially between the bug-like Terminids. But, in the missions where they appear, the acid-spewing Bile Titans can be baited into hurting other bugs, including large threats like Chargers and even other Bile Titans, in many cases melting their armor or killing them outright. Intentionally making use of this is difficult but can be life-saving in scenarios where players might be lacking armor-penetrating weapons.

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Bile Titan Friendly Fire Is Best As A Last Resort

Helldivers 2 soldier shooting at a Bile Titan.

While turning a Bile Titan's acid on other Terminids can be effective, though, the strategy is best saved as a last resort in situations where the squad is lacking in armor-penetrating options or facing down multiple large threats. Under normal circumstances, weapons like the Recoilless Rifle or the Railgun will be effective enough to take down Bile Titans and Chargers, while other options can keep the swarms of smaller bugs in check. For desperate situations, though, baiting a Bile Titan's acid towards other bugs can be an effective last-ditch effort to clear the field of other threats.

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The variety of weapons and the broad scope of mechanics in Helldivers 2 means that the game can reward creative setups and strategies in various ways - at least when those strategies aren't literally blowing up in a player's face. Baiting a Bile Titan's acid to take out other bugs might not be an "efficient" or "safe" option, but in a game like Helldivers 2, sometimes going for the less certain strategy can pay off in entertainment value, if nothing else.

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Your Rating

Helldivers 2
Shooter
Systems
Top Critic Avg: 83/100 Critics Rec: 90%
Released
February 8, 2024
ESRB
M For Mature 17+ Due To Blood and Gore, Intense Violence
Developer(s)
Arrowhead Game Studios
Publisher(s)
Sony
Engine
bitsquid

Franchise
Helldivers
Platform(s)
PC, PS5