Summary
As co-op horde shooters both released in 2024, it’s inevitable forHelldivers 2andWarhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2to be considered natural rivals, or at the very least to have some kind of friendly competition. Ultimately, each game has its strengths for players looking for a particular experience, making both of them equally enjoyable.
With its boss battles, gory combat, and superhuman playable characters,Space Marine 2generally offers much more of a power fantasy thanHelldivers 2. Not to mention,Space Marine 2has several progression systems and customization options that give players short and long-term incentives despite having a somewhat repetitive gameplay loop. Meanwhile,Helldivers 2is a more chaotic co-op experience that can take a while between major events in the Galactic War to develop, but when these happen they tend to break the internet, rallying swarms of players to defeat a common enemy, unlock a ridiculous new weapon, or both.
How Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2’s Gameplay Compares to Helldivers 2
Between the campaign missions that followTitus’ story from the originalSpace Marinegame, PvP Eternal War, and PvE Operations,Space Marine 2’s Operations game mode is the closest toHelldivers 2’s one and only game mode, the Galactic War.Helldivers 2’s Galactic War may be moving along rather slowly so far, but there have already been some memorable developments with plenty more significant events on the way in due time.
Helldivers 2’s variety of planets, enemies, and objectives all blend together to provide practically infinite replayability, with no two missions being identical.Space Marine 2’s main gameplay loop of Operations, on the other hand, is typically more repetitive thanHelldivers 2’s Galactic Wardue to a limited variety of missions and the linear nature of each Operation.
Space Marine 2’s 2024-2025 roadmapwill add new Operations, a new enemy type, and a new weapon, among other things, free for all players who own the game, which should all help to address the game’s repetitiveness. At the same time though,Helldivers 2will also continue to grow over time with new content.
Also worth noting is thatSpace Marine 2has a PvP game mode, Eternal War, which shares progression with the PvE Operations, giving players multiple ways to unlock new rewards to make their characters stronger. Despite the mission structure being more repetitive,Space Marine 2also offers a much deeper character class and weapon progression system, as well as a massive amount of purely cosmetic customization options.
As Many Similarities As There Are Differences
Space Marine 2’s class-based buildcrafting may present more initial limitations thanHelldivers 2’s open-ended approach, but overall,Space Marine 2’s character and weapon progression systemsincentivize players to use a wider variety of weapons. In contrast,Helldivers 2often revolves around a small handful of meta loadouts with many weapons and Stratagems remaining underutilized, at least for the time being untilHelldivers 2’s weapon-balancing problem is resolved.
Ultimately, each game has its strengths for players looking for a particular experience, making both of them equally enjoyable.
Another thing to consider between the two games is thatSpace Marine 2is more accessible to solo players by nature of offering an offline mode, as well as filling in bots for open team slots whether players are online or offline. However, character and weapon progressions in the Operations game mode currently can’t be earned while offline.
Space Marine 2generally offers much more of a one-man-army power fantasy, as players control one of the strongest units from the Imperium of Man in theWarhammer 40Kuniverse, a space marine. These genetically engineered super soldiers are towering beings that can reduce small enemy units to puddles of blood just by running into them, while also being able to handle massiveXenos and Chaos boss battles inSpace Marine 2with a variety of weaponry, notably including melee weapons.Helldivers 2takes itself far less seriously, in the best way possible, offering a chaotic co-op experience where players may have a few over-the-top explosive tricks up their sleeves, but by design, Helldivers are far more expendable in the grand scheme of the Galactic War.
Helldivers 2
WHERE TO PLAY
Do you believe in freedom? Can you stand in the face of oppression – and defend the defenceless? Wage war for peace. Die for democracy.Join forces with up to three friends and wreak havoc on an alien scourge threatening the safety of your home planet, Super Earth, in this multiplayer co-op shooter for PS5 and PC from Arrowhead Game Studios.Step into the boots of the Helldivers, an elite class of soldiers whose mission is to spread peace, liberty and Managed Democracy using the biggest, baddest and most explosive tools in the galaxy.Helldivers don’t go planet side without proper backup, but it’s up to you to decide how and when to call it in. Not only do you have a host of superpowered primary weapons and customizable loadouts, you also have the ability to call on stratagems during play.Helldivers 2 features Arrowhead’s best cooperative gameplay yet. Collaboration will be vital: Teams will synergize on loadouts, strategize their approach for each mission and complete objectives together.1Enlist in Super Earth’s premier military peacekeeping force today. We are heroes… we are legends… WE ARE HELLDIVERS.
Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine II
Your Craft is Death.Embody the superhuman skill and brutality of a Space Marine, the greatest of the Emperor’s warriors. Hold at bay the horrors of the galaxy in epic battles on far-flung planets with your deadly abilities and devastating weaponry. Uncover dark secrets to drive back the everlasting night and prove your ultimate loyalty to humanity.Crush the Tyranid swarms. Defend humanity.Purge the relentless Tyranid swarms as legendary Space Marine Titus in a spectacular new campaign. Play solo or with up to 2 friends in 3 player co-op.Enjoy intense, gory and fast-paced third-person action with hundreds of enemies on screen, from the creators of blockbuster co-op shooter World War Z.Defend the Imperium as your own Space Marine in an endlessly brutal and replayable PvE missions up to 3 players featuring 6 classes, unlocking new skills and cosmetics.Wage eternal war on your enemies in ferocious 6v6 PvP matches and bring glory to your faction!
