The opening of Helldivers 2 is a masterclass in world-building

They say brevity is the soul of humor, and Arrowhead Game Studios demonstrated that beautifully with the opening of Hell divers 2. There are two philosophies underlying it the story of the game: the first is that war is hell, and the second is that the authorities will lie to you that war is hell so that you are more willing to sign up. Instead of elaborating the point over multiple cutscenes and text logs left by other characters, the game starts with a one-two punch that drives home the point in a dark but memorable way.

Hell divers 2 starts with one piece of propaganda urging the outskirts of Super Earth to sign up for the war against the Terminid threat. After watching a typical nuclear family get absolutely crushed, we’re immediately presented with a solution: sign up to become a Helldiver, a frontline soldier in the never-ending space war. In return, you will be a hero, a legend, loved by the utopian Super Earth.

After the introduction, you’ll go through a short tutorial that will teach you the basics of combat: how to shoot, how to engage a friend, and how to shoot insects. Meanwhile, a recorded announcement showers you with praise and admiration for even the smallest achievement. “I’m not easy to impress,” General Brasch says, before noting that you don’t seem to be afraid of the training ahead. “Impressive!”

As I played, I felt pretty good about myself and this whole war thing. It seemed like things were under control! As Brasch put it, “Those thoughtless bugs never stood a chance against a super-genius mind like you. You are literally invincible!”

And then, with my heart swollen with patriotic pride, I entered my first competition with friends and was immediately slaughtered. It took me a while to realize that the heroic reinforcements weren’t clones; they were completely new people. Every Helldiver’s life is so cheap that they essentially perform the same function as a bullet.

This is an absolutely horrific start to a game, which is funny because Hell divers 2 is such a wonderful romp. But it also immediately establishes everything you need to know about the setting, and all the battle bluster that screams about freedom, democracy and justice backs that up. We know exactly what kind of war this is, and how each individual Helldiver is doomed to be dissolved by bile or exploded by a robot. But she I don’t know, and by the time the reveal is fleshed out, the whole thing becomes a wonderfully dark comedy.

Hell divers 2 is not entering uncharted territory here; clear inspirations have arisen from it Spaceship Troopers, Warhammer 40K, and other satirical pieces of military fiction. But Arrowhead Game Studios has done a great job setting the tone, and it’s part of what kept me lining up for matches – for freedom and democracy.