Helldivers 2 has been a [[link]] little softer on players recently thanks to a batch of updates that saw most weapons getting a buff, which is great for those wanting to expand their arsenal and take advantage of the bevvy of gear Arrowhead has been throwing at its players. Unfortunately, soldier, we ain't at boot camp anymore. Now drop to the floor and give me 20.
The Illuminate, a long-teased faction who were a scourge of the first game, are —along with a four-player vehicle, urban environments, and a freakin' stun baton to conk them over the head with, in the Omens of Tyranny update that released today. What's more, they're going to be tough to democratise, according to Arrowhead CCO Johan Pilestedt, who spoke to PC Gamer about the update earlier this week.
"We know that there are a lot of players that want that challenge … the Illuminate are a step in that direction, and playing a high-difficulty Illuminate mission is going to be a tremendous challenge for even the most experienced players, I hope."
Still, Pilestedt admits, liberty's strongest soldiers tend to have a trick or two up their sleeves, so maybe they'll find a way to neutralize Illuminates more efficiently than expected: "The community is so smart and so skilled at the game that they have a tendency to surprise us, to our delight … It's also something that we're continuously looking at long-term: How can we create different experiences within Helldivers 2 for those that play more socially, versus those that play for mastery, and really want that skill factor."
Omens of Tyranny was announced at The Game Awards and is available right away—so chances are high that by the time you've got eyes on this, dear reader, you can go and get slaughtered by the game's new aliens yourself. Or do donuts in a buggy, your call. (The new recon vehicle can be found on some maps now, but we won't be able to call it in ourselves until a certain Major Order is completed.)