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On the surface, Helldivers 2 is a run-and-gun game where you shoot everything that moves and try and survive until the end of the mission. But, its mechanics are much deeper than they appear to be on the surface, and it requires a lot of strategy to complete missions, especially at higher difficulties.
As you put more time into Helldivers 2, you will likely figure out a lot of new tricks to effectively take down the Automatons and Terminids. Despite the game being three months old at this point, I am still learning new tricks, even basic things such as how to turn off your flashlight, which isn’t apparent initially.
U/Famous-Anywhere2868 took to Reddit to share some essential Helldivers 2 tips and tricks that every player should know but don’t. Most of these are very useful but never explained in-game and players have just figured them out as they play.
The first tip revolves around calling in extraction so it is ready to go when you need it. Many players immediately board the Pelican once it lands. But, as long as there is time left in the mission, it will just sit and wait for you. This means that you can go and loot the map without having to worry about surviving extraction later on. The Reddit user also gave a helpful tip in that if you run away from the landing zone as soon as the 2-minute timer is over, “Pelican one will hover above and provide POWERFUL covering fire around the landing zone until the end of the game.” It is worth noting that while in the air, it could take damage from Automaton weapons and will fly away if it gets too damaged.
Another useful tip if you are looting the map is to drop your Samples at the extraction point, that way if you get killed you won’t lose everything and have to fight your way through the hordes to retrieve them. Then you can just grab them right before boarding the Pelican.
Next, is making sure you choose the Stratagems suited for the mission and enemy type. The Reddit user notes that “mortars are always BAD for bugs unless it’s the missile launch mission AND guard dogs are always BAD for bots.” And finally, this is something I did figure out myself, “you can adjust the radar by yourself, there is a sound cue once you hit the right spot. if you are not sure, dial it back, then listen for it again.”
U/TacoWasTaken took to the comments to share their own useful tip on how to utilize stealth to stay alive in missions saying,
“Despite not looking like it, this game has stealth. Go prone and stay moving prone when near enemies and you can even get in melee range without alerting them if you’re looking at their backs. And if a random patrol with a hulk and 7 devastators happens to walk towards you, just go prone behind a rock, to break line of sight, and stay still and they will literally walk past you. You don’t need to shoot at everything you see. You can even lure out enemies from defensive positions by shooting at them, then reposition yourself without line of sight. Enemies will walk and keep shooting towards your last known position. Hard to pull off sometimes, but 100% doable.”
These tips could come in very handy for some players to help ensure victory in the next Major Order, which calls for players to defend four planets from the Automatons and Terminids. To make sure we don’t fail a third Major Order in a row, we highly recommend checking out our Helldivers 2 best weapons guide and best armor guide so you and your team can serve Liber-tea to the enemies and bring democracy to the galaxy.
