Playing Helldivers 2 for the first time may surprise you with omnipresent explosions, life-threatening situations, and fire from all sides.
To such an extent that it’s extremely easy to miss its fascinating lore! Helldivers 2 is a highly replayable coop action game in which the titular soldiers fight in relentless battles against enemy forces.
Helldivers 2 Lore Explained: Super Earth’s Managed Democracy & Enemies
The title is known for its adrenaline-fueled nature, full of unforgiving confrontations with powerful enemies. But how exactly can one better understand its story? If you stumbled upon it while playing this thrilling game, you are probably curious to learn more about Helldivers 2 lore.
If so, welcome to our Helldivers lore explained!
Super Earth Managed Democracy
Once known as Earth, the Federation of Super Earth has developed its technology and governance to rise as a galactic powerhouse. Although life on the planet feels utopian, its ultra-authoritarian politics don’t tolerate resistance.
Challenging military operations against hostile factions threatening its power and freedom represents one of the Federation’s most important strategies. Since the accumulation of resources and territory is essential for its future development, constant confrontations with hostile factions are key for its place in the galaxy.
Fighting for the goals of Earth’s Federation is the most valued act a citizen can undertake. While military service is not mandatory, those who decide to join the ranks enjoy the greatest respect.
Even teenagers get their first gun on the day of their 16th birthday – that shows how important it is for the Federation to motivate people to participate in these brutal battles. The most admirable achievement is when one joins Helldivers – the elite fighting force of the Armed Forces.
Another interesting part of living on Earth is the complex voting system – the managed democracy. Although humans once had difficulty with choice-making, the managed democracy solved this issue by simplifying the process.
Instead of voting on available options, citizens of the planet answer simple questions, which the Artificial Intelligence then transforms into proper votes. Thanks to that, humans don’t have to bother with complex matters, focusing on serving the planet instead.
Unsurprisingly, some oppose the ultra-authoritarian approach, but such a behavior is treated as a final violation of citizen’s rights. The only acceptable reaction is to report such a citizen and execute them (even for criticism in discussion).
Enemies of Federation
In Helldivers 2, players get to confront two hostile factions. Although they hate humanity for different reasons, both do their best to annihilate their opponent.
- Terminids
The Terminids are an alien bug-like race that has evolved over millions of years and poses one of the greatest threats to the Federation’s fate. No one has precise information about their language, government, or intelligence – but it’s possible they were once not hostile to humans.
Once humanity learned they decompose into Element 710 (fuel) upon death, it likely began an invasion of the alien creatures’ home planet. In response, the race went into battle. When this war was seemingly over, humans decided to breed bug-like aliens for direct access to this valuable resource.
That ultimately led to the events of Helldivers 2, where the Terminids break free and launch an endless attack on human forces.
- Automatons
Automatons were once humans driven by socialist ideas. With constant technological advancement, they became robots desiring humanity’s ultimate downfall.
Many clues suggest they may be the ancestors of the Cyborgs from the first installation. Since Automatons are skilled in combat, Helldivers do everything they can to repel hostile forces threatening the Earth’s existence.
Conclusion
Here’s all the essential information you need to know before heading out on your next mission in Helldivers 2.
You can also explore more descriptions and fan theories about the game’s lore in dedicated communities like the r/Helldivers and r/Helldivers2 subreddits on Reddit. Who knows, you might even discover some valuable details while playing the game yourself!