Review: ‘Helldivers 2’ accomplishes what bigger-name games couldn’t

For the sequel, Arrowhead fleshed out that vision and reimagined the project as a squad-based third-person shooter. — Photos: Arrowhead Game Studios

In the first two months of the new year, one thing has become clear. Gamers want titles that offer fresh experiences but with a familiar hook. Palworld became an unexpected hit because it pushed forward a genre that Pokemon pioneered, combining monster taming and collecting and weaving it in a Minecraft-ish environment.

In the second month, Helldivers 2 has taken fans by storm because it has accomplished what many high-profile publishers have tried and failed to do: Arrowhead Game Studios has crafted a compelling four-player co-op franchise. That wasn’t a process that happened overnight. The team had a solid foundation, building the game from elements of the original top-down shooter.