After designing a Helldivers 2 Assault mission pitch "crazy similar" to one Arrowhead kicked around, fan returns with another concept that takes you right into the lair of the bugs

Helldivers 2 Democratic Detonation Warbond diving
(Image credit: Sony)

After dreaming up an in-depth Assault mission which Helldivers 2's director gave a big thumbs up to, a dedicated player has now theorized what an underground-based mission could look like.

'ThePengu' on Reddit is a fiend for Helldivers 2. In just the last few days, they designed a theoretical Assault mode for Helldivers 2, which the game's own director said was "crazy similar to a prototype objective from some years back," and gave a huge stamp of approval to.

Now, ThePengu is back with another banger: An underground mission. In the Reddit post below, the player theorizes that an underground mode could be themed around two Helldivers having to carry a payload straight into a Terminid nest at a specific "detonation point," defended all the way by their fellow two troopers.

Here's a concept for an underground mission that could™ work; carry a nuke with your bro :) from r/Helldivers

Crucially, the two players carrying the payload are limited to using a sidearm, which we've already seen in Helldivers 2 when a player is carrying a hard drive. Alternatively, one player could carry the hefty payload, but they wouldn't be able to use any weapons whatsoever.

Obviously, orbital Stratagems like Supply Drops and Orbital Strikes can't be used underground, which is what ThePengu posits would strengthen "team composition." The cavern is wide enough so that all four players can traverse is at once, but critically "short enough that it does not overstay its welcome."

Once the detonation point is reached, the Helldivers have two minutes to get the hell out of there and extract, but escape is optional to the mission's success. Finally, it's worth pointing out the entire map isn't set underground - just a relatively short portion of the mode once the troopers have secured the payload above ground.

This all follows after an Arrowhead developer revealed that underground maps for Helldivers 2 were "contemplated," but ultimately shot down because of the work required to get the "very different kind of gameplay" working. ThePengu's creation might be a direct answer to this, since it's set only partially below ground.

As Helldivers 2 players struggle with a brutal Major Order, dev says GM Joel secretly helps them out: "Short of handing you the win, there isn't a lot more we can do."

Hirun Cryer

Hirun Cryer is a freelance reporter and writer with Gamesradar+ based out of U.K. After earning a degree in American History specializing in journalism, cinema, literature, and history, he stepped into the games writing world, with a focus on shooters, indie games, and RPGs, and has since been the recipient of the MCV 30 Under 30 award for 2021. In his spare time he freelances with other outlets around the industry, practices Japanese, and enjoys contemporary manga and anime.