Helldivers II – First Impressions
I had intended to post a full review of Helldivers II this week, but that is not going to happen.
I have to say that I am somewhat disappointed. I was under the impression that Helldivers II was going to be a non-competitive, third-person co-op shooter. One that had strong overtones of Paul Verhoeven’s Starship Troopers. Except this one was actually funny and wasn’t trying to be a secretly brilliant film that you have to have an IQ that falls in a very specific range of above average but not too far above average to truly appreciate as an understated masterpiece of subtly and taste it truly is.
I admit my own distaste for the work was based on two things. First I was stationed on Okinawa and had been looking forward to my seeing it at the Hansen Theater, Mainside, and had to see it at Futenma instead (busted air conditioner on a jungle island). The second was my sweet summer child belief that Verhoeven was going to deliver a respectful treatment of Robert Heinlein’s military science fiction classic and that Denise Richards would show her boobs sometime during the movie. Did I mention I was in the Marine Corps? Mostly, I had gotten a little too optimistic about the storytelling quality based on Clancy Brown being cast. ”The Kurgan as Sergeant Zim? Awesome!!!”
In fairness, Clancy Brown delivered, and come to think of it Denise Richards would too eventually. Be careful what you wish for.
Nonetheless, I remain one of those snobs who didn’t really like the movie because I wanted to see a good version of the book and I’m not moving off that. Consequently, a game that was clearly making fun of it seemed like a perfect fit for me.
Imagine my disappointment upon discovering that Helldivers II was not a non-competitive, third-person co-op shooter but was in fact a battle royale where the objective is to outwait the other players trying to get a precious slot on one of the game servers.
I did get to finish my training mission without getting killed, ever since I tried Drake of the 99 Dragons I regard that as a mark of quality in a game. The music while waiting in the endless que seems appropriate to what I hope the game will be like. Movement in the training mission is quite smooth and I got a cape at the end of it, which I kind of liked.
I deliver a review of this game some day but today will obviously not be that day.
