Helldivers 2's Illuminate faction was a game-changer from the start, and that only proves more true with time. As months pass, Arrowhead Game Studios adds more and more units to this alien threat; between Fleshmobs, Stingrays, and Leviathans, the Helldivers' missions against the Illuminate are more harrowing than ever. Thankfully, players' arsenals have also expanded to meet the threat. Among all the primary weapons players can choose from, the 
R-36 Eruptor Rifle stands out as a particularly good gun for dealing with the Illuminate in Helldivers 2 thanks to its unique design. However, that uniqueness does make the Eruptor a little dangerous for the player too.
Helldivers 2 and the Eruptor go way back. The gun was added only a couple of months after the game launched in February 2024. That said, despite being available to players for more than a year, it's still only one of two explosive primary weapons in the game, its only sibling being the 
CB-9 Exploding Crossbow. As a result, it has some clear advantages over other weapons, punching through heavy armor while catching lots of targets with its splash damage. This makes the Eruptor a top-tier gun against the Illuminate in particular, although anyone considering adding it to their loadout should weigh the risks as well.
To get the R-36 Eruptor Rifle, Helldivers 2 players need to unlock the Democratic Detonation warbond. The Eruptor is on page 2.
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Helldivers 2: The Eruptor's Pros and Cons Against the Illuminate
Upsides to the Eruptor
Helldivers 2's Illuminate units are an interesting bunch; they're a combination of mindless mobs and cutting-edge alien technology that rivals the Automatons. As a result, players choosing their primary weapon have an important choice to make: a gun that clears out the Voteless to protect the player's position, or a gun that can stand up to Illuminate machines that pose the greatest threat. The Eruptor works great in the latter case for a few reasons:
- The explosive rounds pack a punch against large single targets like Fleshmobs and Overseers while simultaneously clearing out nearby Voteless.
- It's invaluable against Harvester shields, clearing them out at a moment's notice.
- The Eruptor's good range and default 10x zoom scope allow players to pick off priority targets from a safe distance, which is especially useful when dealing with flying units.
Downsides to the Eruptor
However, there are a few good reasons that a player might not like using the Eruptor against the Illuminate as well:
- Players are just as vulnerable to the Eruptor's splash damage as enemies are, which means shooting an Eruptor at a Fleshmob or Voteless that's within arm's reach of oneself or a teammate can have catastrophic results.
- The Eruptor has an extremely slow firing rate and low ammo capacity, making it a poor choice for dealing with the large swarms of Voteless that are so common in Illuminate missions.
- This low firing rate and ammo also puts a lot of the onus on the player to aim carefully, since every shot has to count, which can be a frustrating contrast to Helldivers 2's hectic combat
The Eruptor Isn't for Everyone, But It Can Be Worth the Trouble
These particular downsides to the Eruptor can make themselves evident very quickly, and may immediately discourage a Helldivers 2 fan from giving it any second chance. Understandable as that is, they shouldn't be taken as totally disqualifying flaws. There are plenty of other ways to survive crowds and create enough space to fire an Eruptor accurately, like with the help of a 
A/G-16 Gatling Sentry, a Guard Dog backpack, or any number of Helldivers 2's Support Weapons. Ultimately, the player's stratagems can enable the Eruptor's playstyle in a major way.
It'll be interesting to see how the Eruptor's place in the Helldivers 2 meta changes over time. Maybe other weapons will get changes that make them better competitors against the Illuminate, or maybe other explosive weapons will get added to give the Eruptor a run for its money. For now, though, it remains a star among Helldivers 2's list of Primary Weapons when dealing with the Illuminate -- even if some players might find it a little too risky for their taste.
Helldivers 2
-
OpenCritic Reviews
- Top Critic Avg: 83 /100 Critics Rec: 91%
- Released
- February 8, 2024
- ESRB
- Mature 17+ / Blood and Gore, Intense Violence, In-Game Purchases, Users Interact
- Developer(s)
- Arrowhead Game Studios, Nixxes
- Publisher(s)
- Sony Interactive Entertainment, PlayStation Publishing
WHERE TO PLAY
- Engine
- bitsquid
- Genre(s)
- Third-Person Shooter, Extraction Shooter, Action, Science Fiction
