One of the new mission types in Helldivers 2's massive update is basically Death Stranding except you're transporting a kidnapped bug baby

News
By published

Bug Lou, is that you?

Helldivers 2 Escalation of Freedom
(Image credit: Arrowhead Game Studios / PlayStation)

The big Helldivers 2 update Escalation of Freedom is coming August 6, and among the new bots and bugs and other difficulty-ratcheting mayhem, the standout addition for me is easily the new mission type where you transport a jarred Terminid larva across planets. For science, I guess. 

I can only assume that developer Arrowhead was taking notes from Death Stranding, which is fundamentally a game about bringing a baby in a jar around the country. Also for science, I guess. But where Death Stranding was actually a pretty chill sci-fi delivery man sim most of the time, Helldivers 2's approach to the budding jarred baby transport genre looks to be a bit more intense. 

Your task in this new mission type is to recover and reclaim a Terminid larva that's been packed into a jar like an extremely screamy pickle, and its cries will bring waves of angry Terminids right to your door. I'm assuming this will translate to constant bug barrages that always know your exact location, throwing the stealthy approach right out the window. Ask any new parent who's ever tried to subtly leave a restaurant, movie theater, or wedding: it's hard to be stealthy with a crying baby strapped to you.

The good news is that the baby-saving bug squads will include new threats like the Spore Charger, which can stay hidden in a cloud of spores until you can practically see your distraught face reflected in its shiny armored shell. The fan-favorite Impaler tentacles from the first Helldivers are also back, and they apparently love to pop up in the direction of your retreat to cut you off. Finally, Alpha Commanders will call in souped-up reinforcements like Brood Commanders on steroids. Did I say good news? I meant worse. Worse news. 

Helldivers 2 tackles "grief kicking" in its massive August update: if you get kicked, you'll be the host of a new session with "all of the team's loot" intact.

Austin Wood
Austin Wood
Senior writer

Austin has been a game journalist for 12 years, having freelanced for the likes of PC Gamer, Eurogamer, IGN, Sports Illustrated, and more while finishing his journalism degree. He's been with GamesRadar+ since 2019. They've yet to realize his position is a cover for his career-spanning Destiny column, and he's kept the ruse going with a lot of news and the occasional feature, all while playing as many roguelikes as possible.