Fellow Helldrivers 2 players, I think Super Earth might be lying about the Illuminate
It’s a tumultuous time to be a Helldiver. Not only are the cowardly Illuminate back after a century-long disappearance, but they are also kidnapping Super Earth citizens and turning them into horrific monsters known as the Voteless. This doesn’t even include the plans of the other two factions: the Automatons, who are creeping closer to Super Earth, and the Terminids, who are generating tons of mysterious, evolution-inspiring spores. But worst of all, I’m pretty sure we can’t trust anything Super Earth tells us. I think they might be telling a few lies.
The Illuminate appeared immediately after the conclusion of The Game Awards with a surprise drop, and Helldivers headed to the planet Calypso to battle them. This one world was under siege by the Illuminate, and players managed to fulfill the Major Order in the last few minutes of the campaign.
Super Earth then sent a small status update, which read:
The resurgent Illuminate have been repelled by the Helldivers. Order has been restored at CALYPSO. It is believed that a small cell of the Illuminate forces survived their extermination at the end of the First Galactic War and has remained hidden until now. Recent Democratic activity may have anticipated their discovery, precipitating the recent attack. (…) SEAF reconnaissance units will soon begin searching for any remains. Once located, they are eradicated.
A small cell? Well, that sounds reassuring. The Illuminate disappeared a full day after Operation Ancient Vengeance on Calypso, and Helldivers felt a sign of relief. But then we got a new set of marching orders in Operation Squid Game. This time the Illuminate attacks multiple planets, the most important of which is the world of Genesis Prime. Super Earth explained this with a mission text that reads:
It is unknown how they escaped detection over the past century; however, their ability to do so is indicative of the limited size of the cell. Their number is limited. This attack is an opportunity to complete the eradication of this xenophobic threat and secure the galaxy once again.
As I play against the Illuminate, I can’t help but notice something alarming. They have a much smaller roster than the other two factions, but there is also no equivalent to the Bile Titans or the Factory Striders. No matter what difficulty you play on, you get the same guys: Voteless, Overseers, and Harvesters. It seems quite likely that we will see more squid emerge. If you check the Illuminate ranks from the first Helldiversthere are some terrifying possibilities: the Obelisk, the Illusionist and the Great Eye could all appear in some form.
Super Earth seems pretty cold about this whole thing, but I can’t stress enough that I think they might be wrong. Hell divers 2 is full of narrative surprises, and I don’t see that changing. If you think the walking Harvesters are bad, hold on tight: I guarantee the Illuminate will only get scarier.