There is currently a topic in Helldivers 2 that is keeping the entire community busy and that is the new nerfs from the big update “Escalation of Freedom”. One weapon has even been hit so badly that it is now unrealistic.
Why is the community upset? There has been a negative mood on Reddit, Discord and Steam since the new major update of Helldivers 2 “Escalation of Freedom” was released. The reason for this is once again drastic nerfs that dampen the fun of the game.
The worst nerf is the one on the flamethrower, a powerful stratagem that players like to use against the bugs. The weapon was considered a top choice and even defeated the strikers with only small bursts of fire. The weapon was too powerful, Arrowhead saw that too and so the decisive nerf finally followed.
Not only has the weapon been nerfed, it has also been redesigned and now looks much more unrealistic in use than it did at release.
Helldivers 2 shows fiery democracy in the new war bond “Flame of Freedom”
More videos
Flamethrower was considered realistic, is now just a joke
What upset the fans? Generally the nerf policy. Helldivers is a PvE game in which you go to war against opponents of democracy and defeat them while completing missions.
Fans want to feel powerful in a game like this and wipe out large hordes of enemies – the flamethrower could partially fulfill this fantasy, especially when you were up against countless beetles.
Additionally, the weapon was also portrayed as a realistic combat tool, as confirmed by weapons expert Jonathan Ferguson from the Royale Armouries Museum (via youtube.com). Everything fit together, but Arrowhead deemed the weapon too powerful and nerfed it in its latest patch.
But the weapon has not only been nerfed in terms of its effectiveness in combat, the spray animation of the war weapon has also been adjusted and changed so that it no longer looks realistic. This is something that many players find annoying.
What do fans say about the nerf? They are angry because weapons that are supposed to be fun are being nerfed. The flamethrower in its first form was celebrated, but whoever made the decision to nerf it should play with these lousy weapons for a while to know how bad the decision was. The following can be heard on Reddit:
What do you think of the nerfs in Helldivers 2? Are you actively involved and does the nerf bother you or do you not care because you are looking for a challenge? Let us know in the comments! You can find out more about Helldivers 2 here: Player accuses Palworld and Helldivers 2 of low player numbers on Steam, calls them “flash in the pan” – developer counters: “Are player numbers even important?”