I feel bad for not discovering this sleeper hit sooner until I became addicted to Helldivers 2. Despite many aspects being carried over to the sequel, the top-down perspective adds its own unique moment-to-moment gameplay scenarios while still maintaining the signature Helldivers experience of simplicity, chaos, and fun. My only issues with this perspective are that the shared camera can sometimes feel like a hindrance when players get momentarily side-tracked, taking cover can be frustrating as it immobilizes you, and not being able to move while viewing the map feels cumbersome.
If there is one aspect I prefer in Helldivers 1 over 2, it’s the progression system because it is more streamlined. You unlock new weapons, stratagems, or perks simply by leveling up or completing a planet, which adds to the sense of progression as you rank up. Additionally, collecting 10 samples gets you research points, allowing you to upgrade your arsenal and improve the usefulness of your tools, which Helldivers 2 lacks. It makes the weapon balance in Helldivers 1 more refined and encourages me to use multiple different primary weapons.
In terms of the presentation, Helldivers 2 outshines Helldivers 1. However, I won't be too harsh in this aspect, considering that Arrowhead was a smaller studio back then. More importantly, this game was released on the PS3 and PSVita, enabling crossplay with the PS4. So my expectations for the graphics weren't going very high. Nonetheless, I still want to give credit to the crunchy sound design and well-made music. The presentation is overall very good, but not that remarkable.
In summary, what I am trying to convey is that even though they transitioned the essential elements of Helldivers into a third-person perspective very well with Helldivers 2, Helldivers 1 remains distinct and not obsolete. It is evident that Arrowhead Studio already achieved its main goal remarkably well even with a few rough edges.
I still prefer Helldivers 2 overall, but I can absolutely see why others prefer the first game, which still holds up as somebody who just played it for the first time recently and came from Helldivers 2. Strong recommendation if you are looking for more fun co-op shooters and especially dig a top down perspective with twin-stick shooting.
If there is one aspect I prefer in Helldivers 1 over 2, it’s the progression system because it is more streamlined. You unlock new weapons, stratagems, or perks simply by leveling up or completing a planet, which adds to the sense of progression as you rank up. Additionally, collecting 10 samples gets you research points, allowing you to upgrade your arsenal and improve the usefulness of your tools, which Helldivers 2 lacks. It makes the weapon balance in Helldivers 1 more refined and encourages me to use multiple different primary weapons.
In terms of the presentation, Helldivers 2 outshines Helldivers 1. However, I won't be too harsh in this aspect, considering that Arrowhead was a smaller studio back then. More importantly, this game was released on the PS3 and PSVita, enabling crossplay with the PS4. So my expectations for the graphics weren't going very high. Nonetheless, I still want to give credit to the crunchy sound design and well-made music. The presentation is overall very good, but not that remarkable.
In summary, what I am trying to convey is that even though they transitioned the essential elements of Helldivers into a third-person perspective very well with Helldivers 2, Helldivers 1 remains distinct and not obsolete. It is evident that Arrowhead Studio already achieved its main goal remarkably well even with a few rough edges.
I still prefer Helldivers 2 overall, but I can absolutely see why others prefer the first game, which still holds up as somebody who just played it for the first time recently and came from Helldivers 2. Strong recommendation if you are looking for more fun co-op shooters and especially dig a top down perspective with twin-stick shooting.