Skip to main content
Join The Community
- Join our community
Commenting
Join the discussion
Exclusive Articles Coming Soon
Member-only articles
Weekly Newsletters
Weekly gaming & entertainment news
Member Badges
Earn badges as you go
Exclusive Competitions
Members-only prize draws
Curated Deals Coming Soon
Tech and gaming deals worth grabbing
GET COMMUNITY ACCESS QUICK
For the quickest way to join, simply enter your email below and get access. We will send a confirmation and sign you up to our newsletter to keep you updated on all your gaming news.
By submitting your information you agree to the Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy and are aged 16 or over.
FIND OUT ABOUT OUR MAGAZINE
Want to subscribe to the magazine? Click the button below to find out more information.
Find out more
GET Community ACCESS QUICK

Join the GamesRadar community for quick access. Enter your email below and we'll send confirmation, and sign you up to our newsletter.

By submitting your information, you confirm you are aged 16 or over, have read our Privacy Policy and agree to the Terms & Conditions. Geographical rules apply.

Welcome to GamesRADAR+ Community !
Hi ,

Your membership journey starts here.

Keep exploring and earning more as a member.

MY ACCOUNT

Earn your first badge
Read 1 article to unlock your first badge.
Keep earning badges
Explore ways to get more involved as a member.
Latest Games News

Latest Games News

Breaking gaming news and updates

Read Now
Latest Games Reviews

Latest Games Reviews

Expert verdicts on the newest releases

Read Now

See what you’ve unlocked.

Explore your membership benefits.

Explore
Member Exclusives

Stay Ahead with GamesRadar+

Get the biggest gaming news, reviews, and releases straight to your inbox.

Explore

Sign Out
GamesRadar+
US EditionUS CA EditionCanada UK EditionUK AU EditionAustralia
Sign in
  • View Profile
  • Sign out
  • Games
    • Game Insights
      • Games News
      • Games Features
      • Games Reviews
      • Games Guides
      • Big in 2026
      • Big Preview
      • Future Games Show
      • Golden Joystick Awards
    • Genres
      • Action Games
      • RPGs
      • Action RPGs
      • Adventure Games
      • Third Person Shooters
      • FPS Games
    • Platforms
      • PS5
      • Xbox Series X
      • PC
      • Nintendo Switch
      • Nintendo Switch 2
      • Tabletop Gaming
    • Franchises
      • Grand Theft Auto
      • Pokemon
      • Assassin's Creed
      • Monster Hunter
      • Fortnite
      • Cyberpunk
      • Red Dead
      • The Elder Scrolls
      • The Sims
  • Entertainment
    • TV Shows
      • TV News
      • TV Reviews
      • Anime Shows
      • Sci-Fi Shows
      • Superhero Shows
      • Animated Shows
      • Marvel TV Shows
      • Star Wars TV Shows
      • DC TV Shows
    • Movies
      • Movie News
      • Movie Reviews
      • Big Screen Spotlight
      • Superhero Movies
      • Action Movies
      • Anime Movies
      • Sci-Fi Movies
      • Horror Movies
      • Marvel Movies
      • DC Movies
    • Streaming
      • Apple TV Plus
      • Disney Plus
      • Netflix
      • HBO
      • Amazon Prime Video
      • Hulu
    • Comics
      • Marvel Comics
      • DC Comics
  • Hardware
    • Insights
      • Hardware News
      • Hardware Reviews
      • Hardware Features
      • Buying Guides
    • Computing
      • Desktop PCs
      • Laptops
      • Handhelds
    • Peripherals
      • Headsets & Headphones
      • TVs & Monitors
      • Gaming Mice
      • Gaming Keyboards
      • Gaming Chairs
      • Speakers & Audio
    • Accessories & Tech
      • Gaming Controllers
      • Tech
      • SSDs & Hard Drives
      • VR
      • Accessories
      • Retro
  • Deals
    • Toys & Collectibles
    • Lego
    • Dungeons and Dragons
    • Merch
  • Video
    • Videos
    • GR+ Replay - Submit Your Clips
    • G+RLS Podcast
  • Newsletters
    • Quizzes
    • About Us
    • How to pitch to us
    • How we score
    • Newsarama
    • Retro Gamer
  • Home
  • Games
    • View Games
      • Games News
      • Games Features
      • Games Reviews
      • Games Guides
      • Big in 2026
      • Big Preview
      • Future Games Show
      • Golden Joystick Awards
      • Action Games
      • RPGs
      • Action RPGs
      • Adventure Games
      • Third Person Shooters
      • FPS Games
    • Platforms
      • View Platforms
      • PS5
      • Xbox Series X
      • PC
      • Nintendo Switch
      • Nintendo Switch 2
      • Tabletop Gaming
      • Grand Theft Auto
      • Pokemon
      • Assassin's Creed
      • Monster Hunter
      • Fortnite
      • Cyberpunk
      • Red Dead
      • The Elder Scrolls
      • The Sims
  • Entertainment
    • View Entertainment
    • TV Shows
      • View TV Shows
      • TV News
      • TV Reviews
      • Anime Shows
      • Sci-Fi Shows
      • Superhero Shows
      • Animated Shows
      • Marvel TV Shows
      • Star Wars TV Shows
      • DC TV Shows
    • Movies
      • View Movies
      • Movie News
      • Movie Reviews
      • Big Screen Spotlight
      • Superhero Movies
      • Action Movies
      • Anime Movies
      • Sci-Fi Movies
      • Horror Movies
      • Marvel Movies
      • DC Movies
    • Streaming
      • View Streaming
      • Apple TV Plus
      • Disney Plus
      • Netflix
      • HBO
      • Amazon Prime Video
      • Hulu
    • Comics
      • View Comics
      • Marvel Comics
      • DC Comics
  • Hardware
    • View Hardware
      • Hardware News
      • Hardware Reviews
      • Hardware Features
      • Buying Guides
      • Desktop PCs
      • Laptops
      • Handhelds
    • Peripherals
      • View Peripherals
      • Headsets & Headphones
      • TVs & Monitors
      • Gaming Mice
      • Gaming Keyboards
      • Gaming Chairs
      • Speakers & Audio
      • Gaming Controllers
      • Tech
      • SSDs & Hard Drives
      • VR
      • Accessories
      • Retro
  • Deals
    • Toys & Collectibles
    • Lego
    • Dungeons and Dragons
    • Merch
  • Video
    • View Video
    • Videos
    • GR+ Replay - Submit Your Clips
    • G+RLS Podcast
  • Newsletters
    • Quizzes
    • About Us
    • How to pitch to us
    • How we score
    • Newsarama
    • Retro Gamer
Trending
  • Join our monthly RPG Club
  • Golden Joystick Awards 2026
  • Deal of the Day
  • Countdown to GTA 6
  • G+RLS Podcast
  • Submit your clips. Win prizes
  • RPG Hub
Jump To:
  • Tips and basics
  • Server issues
  • Weapons and Loadouts
  • Enemies and bosses
  • XP and Samples
  • Missions and objectives
Sign up to the GamesRadar+ Newsletter

Weekly digests, tales from the communities you love, and more


By submitting your information you agree to the Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy and are aged 16 or over.

You are now subscribed

Your newsletter sign-up was successful


Want to add more newsletters?

GamesRadar+

Every Friday

GamesRadar+

Your weekly update on everything you could ever want to know about the games you already love, games we know you're going to love in the near future, and tales from the communities that surround them.

GTA 6 O'clock

Every Thursday

GTA 6 O'clock

Our special GTA 6 newsletter, with breaking news, insider info, and rumor analysis from the award-winning GTA 6 O'clock experts.

Knowledge

Every Friday

Knowledge

From the creators of Edge: A weekly videogame industry newsletter with analysis from expert writers, guidance from professionals, and insight into what's on the horizon.

The Setup

Every Thursday

The Setup

Hardware nerds unite, sign up to our free tech newsletter for a weekly digest of the hottest new tech, the latest gadgets on the test bench, and much more.

Switch 2 Spotlight

Every Wednesday

Switch 2 Spotlight

Sign up to our new Switch 2 newsletter, where we bring you the latest talking points on Nintendo's new console each week, bring you up to date on the news, and recommend what games to play.

The Watchlist

Every Saturday

The Watchlist

Subscribe for a weekly digest of the movie and TV news that matters, direct to your inbox. From first-look trailers, interviews, reviews and explainers, we've got you covered.

SFX

Once a month

SFX

Get sneak previews, exclusive competitions and details of special events each month!


Join the club

Get full access to premium articles, exclusive features and a growing list of member rewards.


An account already exists for this email address, please log in.
  1. Games
  2. Third Person Shooters
  3. Helldivers 2

The Helldivers 2 guide to managing democracy

Guides
By Joel Franey
Last updated 16 October 2024

Our Helldivers 2 guides are all here, with gear, enemies, missions more

When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Here’s how it works.

Helldivers 2 helldivers reloading recoilless rifle in front of bile titan
(Image credit: Sony)
Jump To:
  • Tips and basics
  • Server issues
  • Weapons and Loadouts
  • Enemies and bosses
  • XP and Samples
  • Missions and objectives
  • Facebook
  • X
  • Pinterest
  • Flipboard
  • Email
Share this article
Join the conversation
Follow us
Add us as a preferred source on Google
Subscribe to our newsletter

Our Helldivers 2 guide hub contains all the info that a loyal soldier of Super Earth would ever need, with information on weapons, enemies, challenges, missions, tier lists and plenty, plenty more. It's worth keeping an eye on GamesRadar's guides content - Helldivers 2 is constantly in flux, with updates and balances changing what you can expect, but we're always keeping on track of things, with the most essential guides laid out below.

Basic Helldivers 2 guides

Helldivers 2 factions

(Image credit: Sony)

To start with, let's cover the real fundamental technicals, and the sorts of things that even prospective players might want to check before buying the game.

  • Can I play Helldivers 2?
    • Developers Arrowhead famously live by the mantra that "A game for everyone is a game for no one" - but does that include you? If you have specific needs from your games, we'll explain if there's Helldivers 2 crossplay and cross-platform compatibility, as well as answering the important question for lovers of Single Player: can you play Helldivers 2 Solo?
  • Before the fighting starts…
    • There are a few things you might want to be clear on before you start shooting down Terminids. Our Helldivers 2 tips should help you out as you go into your first few operations, but you may also be wonderinder where the Helldivers 2 rename ship function is, if you're not thrilled with the first title you christened it with. And if you want to be selective with your dialogue, where's the Helldivers 2 push to talk button?

Server Problems, Error Codes and Glitches

Helldivers 2 Devastators

(Image credit: Sony)

Helldivers 2 has not had the most stable reputation so far. Oh sure, the game itself is superb, at least when it's working. Unfortunately, what with server overload and a few other problems, there are moments where it isn't - and that's where our Helldivers 2 errors and server status page will help you out. One server error that has thankfully now been fixed involved Helldivers 2 not giving rewards after missions, and while it's no longer an issue, it might be good to know how to handle it in case similar issues occur in the future.

Latest Videos FromGamesRadar+
Watch full video here:

Weapons, Armor, Stratagems and Loadouts

Helldivers 2 best weapons

(Image credit: Sony)

Knowing what weapons, armor and equipment to bring into Helldivers 2 is essential, as your choice of guns and Stratagems will definitely mean the difference between success and annihilation.

  • Weapons and Guns
    • To start with, we'll explain how to unlock weapons in Helldivers 2, as it's not the most obvious process and all the great guns will require some work to obtain first.
    • Next, it's best to check out our tier lists for the three main weapon slots in your loadout and how they fare against each enemy faction. Knowing about the best Helldivers 2 primary weapons is important as it's the weapon you're going to be using the most, then you need one of the best Helldivers 2 secondary weapons as a reliable sidearm, followed by the best Helldivers 2 support weapons for especially tough foes.
    • As you up the difficulty of your missions Helldivers 2 armor-piercing weapons become even more important too, so it's good to know exactly how punching through armor works.
  • Armor, Stratagems and Equipment
    • Beyond that, there's plenty more to choose. Make sure you're dressed up in the Helldivers 2 best armor, for one thing, as well as equipping all the Helldivers 2 best stratagems, allowing you to call in superweapons or rain death about those damn automatons! Finally, you might've noticed all the Helldivers 2 Boosters, special perks you can equip - but how do they work, and are they worth the high investment price?

Enemies and bosses

Helldivers 2 Hulks

(Image credit: Sony)

The enemies of Helldivers 2 are all lethal in different ways, with some trying to swarm the player in hordes, while others unleash deadly barrages of ranged attacks - or even just soaking up damage before they club you into the floor with barely a scratch on them. Let's cover your foes, and how you can take them down.

You may like
  • Helldivers 2 solo player triumphantly returning to super destroyer in celebration after completing a mission with sparklers going off on either side How to play Helldivers 2 solo
  • Helldivers 2 helldiver running away from automatons with Eruptor weapon equipped Best Helldivers 2 Primary Weapons to use against the Terminids, Automatons, and Illuminate
  • Helldivers 2 helldiver running with Speagun support weapon Best Support weapons in Helldivers 2
  • Bestiary and factions
    • Yes, we went to the effort of assembling a full Helldivers 2 enemies list, with every foe and how to beat them explained here. Not only that, but we've also got the Helldivers 2 factions explained here, including theories about a future third faction!
  • Bosses and specific enemies
    • There's plenty of enemies either tough enough to warrant their own guide on how to beat them, or who have been tied to challenges where hunting them down earns you rewards. Here you can find out how to kill…
      • Helldivers 2 Bile Spewers
      • Helldivers 2 Bile Titans
      • Helldivers 2 Chargers
      • Helldivers 2 Devastators
      • Helldivers 2 Hulks
      • Helldivers 2 Hunters
      • Helldivers 2 Scout Striders
      • Helldivers 2 Stalkers
      • Helldivers 2 Tanks

Progression, XP, and Samples

Helldivers 2 Samples

(Image credit: Sony)

The Helldivers 2 progression system is a bit confusing at first, largely because it's essentially made up of several smaller systems that link in some ways. Earning XP by completing missions and objectives during operations is how you'll level up, unlocking new Stratagems and titles as you climb. However it's a slow process, so you might want to know how to level up fast in Helldivers 2 to get the best Stratagems ASAP.

As you unlock more Stratagems, you'll want to start upgrading these with Ship Modules, which you pay for with varying amounts of Common, Rare, and Super Samples. Learning how to farm Samples in Helldivers 2 can really speed up the process of unlocking these Ship Modules, as they're by far the hardest things to unlock the in game.

Sign up to the GamesRadar+ Newsletter

Weekly digests, tales from the communities you love, and more

By submitting your information you agree to the Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy and are aged 16 or over.

Missions and objectives

Helldivers 2 Transporting the Hard Drive to the Communications Relay

(Image credit: Sony)

Finally, once you're in the field - what do you do? How do you complete your objectives successfully? There's no shortage of challenges and missions to complete in the name of Super Earth, and we've explained all the ones that have given players the biggest problems. 

If you're trying to do some industrial sabotage, knowing how to destroy Fuel Silos in Helldivers 2 is crucial. If you've got to carry information across enemy lines, then you need to know how to Transport the Hard Drive in Helldivers 2. Finally, learning how to rescue science teams in Helldivers 2 and evacuate civilians will help you tackle one of the most infamously hard mission types in the whole game!

If you're also caught in the midst of a multi-week battle to save planets from encroaching enemies, you need to know what to how to beat these time-sensitive Helldivers 2 Defend Campaigns.

© GamesRadar+. Not to be reproduced without permission

CATEGORIES
PS5 PC Gaming Platforms PlayStation
Joel Franey
Joel Franey
Social Links Navigation
Guides Editor, GamesRadar+

Joel Franey is a writer, journalist, podcaster and Very Tired Man with a BA from Brunel University, a Masters from Sussex University and a decade working in games journalism, often focused on guides coverage but also in reviews, features and news. His love of games is strongest when it comes to groundbreaking narratives like Disco Elysium, UnderTale and Baldur's Gate 3, as well as innovative or refined gameplay experiences like XCOM, Sifu, Arkham Asylum or Slay the Spire. He is a firm believer that the vast majority of games would be improved by adding a grappling hook, and if they already have one, they should probably add another just to be safe. You can find old work of his at Eurogamer, Gfinity, USgamer, SFX Magazine, RPS, Dicebreaker, VG247, and more.

Read more
Helldivers 2 solo player triumphantly returning to super destroyer in celebration after completing a mission with sparklers going off on either side
Third Person Shooters How to play Helldivers 2 solo
 
 
Helldivers 2 helldiver running away from automatons with Eruptor weapon equipped
Third Person Shooters Best Helldivers 2 Primary Weapons to use against the Terminids, Automatons, and Illuminate
 
 
Helldivers 2 helldiver running with Speagun support weapon
Third Person Shooters Best Support weapons in Helldivers 2
 
 
Helldivers 2 Entrenched Division warbond
Third Person Shooters Best Helldivers 2 Warbonds to buy first and tier list ranking all 21 of them
 
 
Helldivers 2 Ironclad Democracy Warbond
Third Person Shooters All weapons and gear in the Helldivers 2 Ironclad Democracy Warbond
 
 
Helldivers 2 helldiver running away from Illuminate with de-escalator
Third Person Shooters Best Helldivers 2 pistols and melee weapons to use against the Terminids, Automatons, and Illuminate
 
 
Latest in Third Person Shooters
Arc Raiders: Frozen Trail
Third Person Shooters After asking "how am I not banned," Arc Raiders streamer gets hardware banned for aimbotting
 
 
Arc Raiders player holding grenade launcher
Third Person Shooters Arc Raiders player says Embark used ChatGPT to respond to them, sent messages intended for others
 
 
Arc Raiders vendor through viewing port
Third Person Shooters Arc Raiders devs know PvE has been "polarizing"
 
 
Helldivers 2 Siege Breakers Warbond helldivers using display of brawn emote, looking like an ape about to beat its chest
Third Person Shooters Helldivers 2 is getting new anti-cheat, targeting "modifications that create unfair advantages"
 
 
Helldivers 2 Scope of Authority
Third Person Shooters All weapons and gear in the Helldivers 2 Scope of Authority Warbond
 
 
Cyclops in Marvel Rivals
Third Person Shooters Marvel Rivals has "further escalated our penalties for speech violations," promises more moderation
 
 
Latest in Guides
Police Station in Modern Warfare 4 DMZ
Call of Duty How to find and loot Police Stations in MW4 DMZ mode
 
 
A robot cleaner runs off with a feather duster in hand in Clean Crew on Roblox.
Simulation Games All Clean Crew codes (October 2026) and how to redeem them for stickers and more
 
 
Traits in Modern Warfare 4
Call of Duty What are the best Operator Traits in Modern Warfare 4 DMZ?
 
 
Key art for Genshin Impact livestream 7.2 codes
Action RPGs Genshin Impact livestream 7.2 codes
 
 
An alien peeks round a door in a promotional image for Doors on Roblox.
Survival Games All Doors codes (October 2026) and how to redeem them for Stardust and Knobs
 
 
Dual Wielding in Cyberpunk 2077
Cyberpunk How to dual wield guns in Cyberpunk 2077 and become a futuristic gunslinger
 
 
LATEST ARTICLES
  1. Helen Chiang was with Microsoft for 21 years, but spent only 3 months as Xbox COO
    1
    Xbox COO and ex-Minecraft boss leaves Microsoft after just 3 months in the role
  2. 2
    The best thing Valve has added to Steam in years just graduated to "full feature"
  3. 3
    Blizzard finally sees sense and caves to Diablo 4 players, increases Prime Evil Splinter stack size by 9900%
  4. 4
    After Wednesday ends, Jenna Ortega will "probably be off the TV for a while"
  5. 5
    After asking "how am I not banned," Arc Raiders streamer gets hardware banned for aimbotting as Embark takes the kid gloves off

GamesRadar+ is part of Future US Inc, an international media group and leading digital publisher. Visit our corporate site.

Add as a preferred source on Google Add as a preferred source on Google
  • About us
  • Contact Future's experts
  • Terms and conditions
  • Privacy policy
  • Cookies policy
  • Advertise with us
  • Review guidelines
  • Write for us
  • Accessibility statement
  • Careers

© Future US, Inc. Full 7th Floor, 130 West 42nd Street, New York, NY 10036.

Please login or signup to comment

Please wait...