As fans praise the "unbelievable" and silly physics, Helldivers 2 director explains it's the result of "simulating everything and just accepting the outcome"

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The shooter's ragdoll physics are comedy gold

A screenshot from Helldivers 2 showing a player shooting towards a huge explosion.
(Image credit: Sony Interactive Entertainment)

Helldivers 2 fans are blown away by the game's physics, which, according to the game's creative director, results from "simulating everything and just accepting the outcome."

Helldivers 2 is one of the standout offerings of 2024, and with good reason, it's an incredibly well-put-together shooter that entertains in all aspects, from its satire-filled narrative to gameplay that wholly embraces chaos. Whether you're being taken out by a vicious Charger or a buddy not concerned about friendly fire, Helldivers 2 makes even your failure wonderfully amusing.

This is largely down to developer Arrowhead Games' use of over-the-top ragdoll physics. If you've yet to see how it brilliantly plays into the game's comedy element, you need to look no further than the video below posted by @Helldiversmedia. "The physics in this game is UNBELIEVABLE," the player says.

The clip was spotted by none other than Arrowhead Games' CEO and creative director Johan Pilestedt, who, in the comments, explains the team's approach when creating this sort of player-made comedy. "It's the philosophy of simulating everything and just accepting the outcome that creates these moments," he says.

It's not only fans who appreciate the game's impressive physics; developers from Naughty Dog, Infinity Ward, and Bulletstorm co-creator People Can Fly have also been full of praise for the animations and lack of clipping when those unfortunate Helldivers are flung around the battlefield.

There's plenty more potential for moments of comedy gold in the future, too, as players have discovered undeniable proof of flying Terminids as well blue lasers in the game. The latter seemingly hints at the return of the Illuminate faction, the notorious adversaries from the first game.

Helldivers 2 isn't just good co-op, it's a masterclass in designing comedy games.

Anne-Marie Ostler
Anne-Marie Ostler
Freelance Writer

Originally from Ireland, I moved to the UK in 2014 to pursue a Games Journalism and PR degree at Staffordshire University. Following that, I've freelanced for GamesMaster, Games TM, Official PlayStation Magazine and, more recently, Play and GamesRadar+. My love of gaming sprang from successfully defeating that first Goomba in Super Mario Bros on the NES. These days, PlayStation is my jam. When not gaming or writing, I can usually be found scouring the internet for anything Tomb Raider related to add to my out of control memorabilia collection.