Summary
- Helldivers 2 has many orbital strike stratagems, but Arrowhead can innovate on them for more explosive fun.
- Orbital strikes are a crucial type of stratagem to keep fresh, since they can make a massive difference during missions and see lots of use.
- Arrowhead can enhance orbital strikes with new powerful options or by reducing existing limitations for higher-ranking players.
Helldivers 2 has been receiving plenty of new content, allowing players to create new ways to cause chaos. The inclusion of mechs, for example, can change the sway of a battle within a few seconds. These constant updates are appreciated, especially when they come with bug fixes as well.
There's one stratagem that has been neglected in Helldivers 2 updates so far- orbital strikes. There are many ways they could be innovated upon to provide more explosive fun. Hopefully, Arrowhead circles back to the orbital strikes and gives players more options.
Orbital Strikes are Helldivers 2's Bread and Butter
Orbital Strikes are blasts that come from Super Destroyers flying above. The following orbital strike stratagems can be called upon when players are in a pickle, provided they've been unlocked and equipped:
- Orbital Laser - A laser focused blast strikes
- Orbital Walking Barrage - Explosives are dropped going from where the stratagem was thrown
- Orbital Gatling Barrage - A shower of explosives is unleashed
- Orbital 120MM HE Barrage - Small missiles are dropped
- Orbital 380MM HE Barrage - Missiles are dropped over a large area
- Orbital Airburst Strike - Shrapnel is blasted over a large area
- Orbital Railcannon Strike - A priority target is struck
There is a good variety of orbital strikes to choose from. However, Arrowhead Games could do a lot more, not just with the number of orbital strikes available, but also how they function.
Using Orbital Strikes in Helldivers 2
Using these orbital strikes takes some skill, but they are incredibly effective when used correctly. For instance, the Orbital Gatling Barrage is good at attacking a large area of foes, but it can be dangerous to players and their teammates as well if they get caught in the strike zone. Certain Helldivers 2 missions can also be completed relatively quickly and efficiently with a well-aimed orbital laser.
Expanding Orbital Strikes in Helldivers 2
Currently, if players want to improve their orbital strikes, it has to be done through ship upgrades. This is achieved by purchasing Helldivers ship modules which are paid for using Samples. These are collected during missions and shared among teammates at the end of a successful mission.
There's a lot that Arrowhead can do when it comes to making orbital strikes as interesting as mechs and other Helldivers stratagems. The simple option would be to provide more powerful orbital strikes, which would come in handy as players rank up. Alternatively, it could add an orbital strike that uses a wide spread of homing missiles to replicate the effects of the orbital gatling barrage without all the chaos that comes with the chance of friendly fire. Another strike could deploy land mines to turn the battlefield into a dangerous minefield from a distance. Arrowhead could also get creative with things and offer elemental orbital strikes that blast fire or snow.
Is the Lack of Orbital Strikes a Matter of Game Balance?
As players rank up in Helldivers 2, they unlock more orbital strikes. However, there's usually a cost or downside to using these high-level strikes to keep things balanced, like a longer cooldown period. Perhaps the key to improving orbital strikes is not to add new ones but to simply buff the existing ones by reducing the limitations that are present. Players that are high ranking should be able to use their toys without having to wait for excessively long cooldown periods, given that it can leave them without any stratagems to use for a very long time.
With updates coming out regularly, upgrades to orbital strike stratagems could become a reality. Giving players more weapons to experiment with could ensure the player base is kept alive and the PvE doesn't meet an untimely demise.
Helldivers 2
- Released
- February 8, 2024
WHERE TO PLAY
The Galaxy’s Last Line of Offence. Enlist in the Helldivers and join the fight for freedom across a hostile galaxy in a fast, frantic, and ferocious third-person shooter.
URGENT BROADCAST – SUPER EARTH ARMED FORCES
Freedom. Peace. Democracy. Your Super Earth-born rights. The key pillars of our civilization. Of our very existence. But the war rages on. And everything is once again under threat.
Join the greatest military force the galaxy has ever seen and make this a safe and free place to live.
BECOME A LEGEND
You will be assembled into squads of up to four Helldivers and assigned strategic missions. Watch each other’s back – friendly fire is an unfortunate certainty of war, but victory without teamwork is impossible.
LOADOUTS
Rain down freedom from above, sneak through enemy territory, or grit your teeth and charge head-first into the jaws of combat. How you deliver liberty is your choice; you’ll have access to a wide array of explosive firepower, life-saving armor and battle-changing stratagems… the jewel in every Helldiver’s arsenal.
REQUISITION
Super Earth recognises your hard work with valuable Requisition. Use it to access different rewards that benefit you, your squad, your destroyer ship and our overall war effort.
THREATS
Everything on every planet wants you dead. That’s what we’re dealing with. Each enemy has distinct and unpredictable characteristics, tactics, and behavior – but they all fight ferociously and without fear or morality.
THE GALACTIC WAR
Capturing enemy planets, defending against invasions, and completing missions will contribute to our overall effort. This war will be won or lost depending on the actions of everyone involved.
We stand together, or we fall apart.
- 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
- Multiplayer
- Online Co-Op
- Franchise
- Helldivers
- Number of Players
- 1-4 players (online)
- Platform(s)
- PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S, PC
- Genre(s)
- Third-Person Shooter, Extraction Shooter, Action, Science Fiction
- Metascore
- 83
- Platforms That Support Crossplay
- PC & PS5
