Helldivers 2 Board Game: First Impressions

Last year, Arrowhead's Helldivers 2 became a standout hit in the multiplayer gaming world, captivating players with its mission to spread democracy across the stars through intense battles against aliens and robots. Now, following the successful release of their Elden Ring board game adaptation, Steamforged Games is bringing the fast-paced, frenetic action of Helldivers 2 to the tabletop. The board game is currently available for backing on Gamefound. IGN had the opportunity to play a prototype and discuss the game with designers Jamie Perkins, Derek Funkhouser, and Nicholas Yu, gaining insights into this exciting new tabletop adaptation.

Helldivers 2: The Board Game

17 ImagesDevelopment of Helldivers 2: The Board Game began shortly after the video game's launch last year. It successfully captures the essence of what made the video game so popular: tense firefights, chaotic surprises, and a teamwork-centric experience, while also introducing unique tweaks to the formula.

Helldivers 2 remains a cooperative, objective-based skirmish game where one to four players (with solo players recommended to control two characters) collaborate to complete missions while fending off waves of enemies and unexpected events. Each player assumes the role of a different Helldiver class, such as the Heavy, Sniper, Pyro, or Captain, each equipped with unique perks, action cards, and a powerful one-per-game "Act of Valor" ability. Players customize their kits with primary, secondary, and support weapons, grenades, and three strategems, with recommended loadouts provided on class cards, though experienced players can choose their own.

Gameplay unfolds on grid-based boards that expand as players explore, revealing sub-objectives and primary mission locations, such as Terminid hatcheries in the prototype. As the mission progresses, increasingly difficult enemies spawn, and a mission timer adds urgency, keeping the gameplay frenetic and tense. The final release will offer multiple objectives, and the base game will include two of the three main factions: Terminids and Automatons, each with 10 unit types. While not confirmed, an expansion might introduce the Illuminate faction.

A key aspect of the adaptation is how it handles the feeling of being overwhelmed and outnumbered. Unlike games like Zombicide, which rely on sheer numbers, Helldivers 2 opts for fewer but stronger enemies, fostering a more tactical, close-up combat experience.

Turns involve players and enemies adding action cards to a pool, which are shuffled and placed on an initiative tracker, similar to Steamforged's Elden Ring game. Combat is resolved through dice rolls, with weapons determining the type and number of dice. Damage is calculated based on the total roll value, with every five points inflicting a wound on an enemy. This streamlined approach to damage calculation enhances the game's flow, focusing on the impact of hits rather than complex modifiers.

A standout feature is the 'Massed Fire' mechanic, designed to replicate the video game's cooperative shooting experience. Nicholas Yu explained, "In the video game, you're encouraged to work together as a team. You have a heavily armored enemy, you need to flank and shoot at weak points if you don't have a support weapon. We implemented 'massed fire,' so when anyone shoots at a target, if it's within range of another Helldiver's primary or secondary weapon, they can also focus fire with you, incentivizing group play."

While players can explore solo, the 'Massed Fire' mechanic reduces downtime and encourages group involvement. Enemy actions, however, are more straightforward, with set damage or effects causing players to draw wound cards, each with detrimental effects. If a player accumulates three wounds, their character dies but can respawn based on the chosen difficulty level, fully restocked with ammo and resources.

One notable omission from the board game is the galactic war feature from the video game. The designers chose to focus on creating a unique experience, positioning the board game as a training simulation for Helldivers, as Jamie Perkins noted, "We're positioning it effectively as a training simulation. So you would get this board game as a Helldiver to learn how to be a better Helldiver."

Despite the new medium, the designers aimed to retain the essence of Helldivers. Nic emphasized, "We wanted to make sure that even though it had different mechanics, it felt like Helldivers – with unexpected things to deal with from turn to turn, stratagems that could go awry, and a dwindling pool of reinforcements." Derek added, "We knew we needed to keep the core loop of what Helldivers is with the mission objectives and the thrill of chasing the shiny, while also dealing with enemies trying to eat you."

Currently, the game's core mechanics are about 75-80% finalized, allowing for community feedback and potential adjustments. Jamie reassured that recent tariff concerns in the board gaming industry won't impact their plans, and they are moving forward as intended.

After playing the prototype, the systems in place, such as random events and the 'Massed Fire' mechanic, create epic moments. However, while the tactical focus with larger, stronger enemies is appreciated, there's a desire for more smaller enemies to enhance the shooting experience. Additionally, enemy attacks could benefit from more dynamic outcomes to match the game's overall chaos.

Looking forward, there's excitement about what other surprises Steamforged Games has in store for Helldivers 2. The prototype has sparked anticipation for new Helldiver classes, game types, and combinations with different enemies and biomes. The question on everyone's mind is: Where are we dropping next?

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