Most players will agree that Helldivers 2 is a pretty silly game when you get into it. Yes, this universe’s entire economy is built on war and extreme patriotism, but it’s all a big parody, and everything can be seen through a humorous lens. Everything that is, apart from the armor.
Recently, a Helldivers 2 player created a mock-up for a new helmet for the game. Unlike all the game’s other armor sets, this one is ever so slightly silly. It’s got cat ears, and the flavor text gives them a bit of context. “For optimal performance under any temperature conditions, this helmet has additional active cooling vents attached. Guaranteed to keep your head cool, even on Hellmire.” The number of fans infighting about whether they’d actually like to see this fictional helmet in-game on the community subreddit has become surprisingly heated.
Helldivers 2 doesn’t need funky skins, but still
This isn’t the first time this cat-eared helmet has appeared in the Helldivers 2 subreddit, but it’s the first time players have had such a visceral reaction to it. I find myself on the side of players who think it’s a funny idea, but only because the ears are contextualized as vents to help keep the poor Helldiver’s head cool.
User MakeStuffDesign even made up a perk for it. “Helmet Perk: “Managed Thermocracy” – On Cold worlds, stamina loss is reduced. On Hot worlds, stamina regeneration is increased.” User HeroDeleterA added to the contextualized fun with an idea for a squad the helmet can be assigned to. “Cooling Attachment Technology for Elite Armed Reconnaissance Soldiers. Or C.A.T E.A.R.S”
Of course, there are many players who never want to see this in the game. User MrThr0wAway666 said, “Plz no. This is one step towards Fortnite skins.” This really is the heart of why so many players are against the cat-eared helmet. It would set a precedent for funny skins in Helldivers 2, which so far has never had armor or helmets that look anything other than hyper-militarized. This is very much the game’s style, and I can appreciate why someone wouldn’t want that compromised when the universe feels so coherent without silly skins.
User Meme_Finder_General nails the heart of the issue that could arise were this a real Helldivers 2 helmet. “The only problem I see is this causing a conflict between ‘What I want to wear (because it’s cool)’ & ‘What I want to wear (because it’s optimal)’.”
I’ve been shot by fellow players for wearing the Malevelon Creek cape. I still don’t know why, but it’s a thing some players do. This helmet would create a similar problem, with those who dislike it mowing down fellow players for no reason and ruining missions.
Every mission on Impossible or Helldiver difficulty is challenging enough without friendly fire being an issue. We can’t afford to add silly armor to the game just in case it creates a problem. Thankfully, as we’ve seen with dynamic rewards like the Malevelon Creek cape and Warbonds like Viper Commandos, developer Arrowhead Game Studios has a fantastic sense of the style and lore of Helldivers 2.
The developer has shown no sign of a desire to add ridiculous armor and weapons to the game so far, and until it does, it’s unlikely we’ll see cat ears, armor with a tail, or anything remotely like them in the game for a long time.
Published: Jul 23, 2024 08:56 am