Helldivers

Platforms: PS3, PSVita, PS4

Your team unleashes a flurry of bullets into the hearts of the never ending insectoid alien swarm. You clench your controller as you load the last magazine into your gun. You wonder if you will be able to make it until the dropship arrives—the slaughter continues. 

These exhilarating moments are not uncommon in Helldivers: a twin-stick shooter from Arrowhead Game Studios. The game is inspired by sci-fi franchises Alien and Starship Troopers. The game's story starts from Super Earth, a planet ruled by a new democracy. The Helldivers are assigned to "bring democracy" to the foreign alien lands.  The intentionally cheesy story fits the overall tone of the game, as well as providing comic relief in a bleak world. 

The game is 4 player co-op with single player also available, although such an endeavour is not encouraged as the game is extremely tough even with a full squad, especially on "Helldive" difficulty. Even if you do not have friends to play the game with, the online game list will quickly get into missions with other players. The game also supports 4 player couch co-op which is a big plus. 

Players have to co-ordinate with each other during missions. Friendly fire is as big a threat as the enemy so all players have to be cautious about where they move and shoot. The missions usually follow one outline. The squad leader chooses the drop point and from there, a number of objectives have to be completed in any order. Lastly, the whole squad must hold out at an extraction point until the dropship arrives. It is tough to carry out such high levels of co-ordination with online players which leads to disastrous results. But when you find a team of skilled Helldivers, it's a very rewarding experience. 

The gunplay is excellent as weapons sound and feel like they carry a lot of power. You have to take into account weapon spread if you spray and pray for too long.

The gameplay is bolstered with a decent range of weapons including shotguns, assault rifles etc. The Helldivers have the ability to call in various types of orbital air support, defensive turrets, vehicles, and mech-suits by means of drop-pods known as "Stratagems." Each player is limited to only 4 stratagems so it's best to select these according to what the team needs. While mech suits and vehicles are tanky and can do a lot of damage, they are not always the best solution as they have limited ammo and mobility. Proper use of stratagems is paramount to success in Helldivers and this adds a layer of fun complexity to the game and allows room for a lot of replayability as players can revisit missions with different stratagems and run different team compositions. 

The music is cheesy which is expected from such a game but the in-game sound effects more than make up for it.

Overall, Helldivers is a surprisingly enjoyable game of a lost genre. Its addictive co-op gameplay, interesting premise and overall presentation make for a must play for any gamer looking to shoot up some aliens. 

Shahrukh Ikhtear is a gamer who doesn't rage. A writer who doesn't read. A musician without a teacher. Full time procrastinator. You can reach him on twitter @sr_ikhtear and email: shahrukh.ikhtear@yahoo.com