Helldivers 2 Board Game: First Impressions

Last year, Arrowhead's Helldivers 2 took the multiplayer gaming community by storm, offering players a thrilling mission to spread democracy across the galaxy through intense battles with aliens and robots. Building on this success, Steamforged Games has now adapted this fast-paced, action-packed video game into an equally engaging board game. Currently available for backing on Gamefound, IGN had the opportunity to dive into a prototype and discuss the project with the talented designers Jamie Perkins, Derek Funkhouser, and Nicholas Yu.

Helldivers 2: The Board Game

17 ImagesDevelopment of Helldivers 2: The Board Game began shortly after the video game's launch, successfully capturing the essence of its popularity. The board game offers tense firefights, chaotic surprises, and a focus on teamwork, all while introducing unique twists to the original formula.

In this cooperative, objective-based skirmish game, one to four players (with solo players recommended to control two characters) collaborate to complete missions while fending off waves of enemies and unexpected events. Each player assumes a distinct Helldiver class, such as Heavy, Sniper, Pyro, or Captain, equipped with a unique perk, action cards, and a one-use "Act of Valor" ability. Players customize their kits with primary, secondary, and support weapons, grenades, and strategems, tailoring their loadouts to their preferred playstyle.

Gameplay unfolds on grid-based boards that expand as players explore, revealing sub-objectives and primary mission goals, such as destroying Terminid hatcheries. As the mission progresses, increasingly challenging enemies spawn, and a round limit adds urgency, ensuring that each session remains fast-paced and intense.

The prototype focused on destroying Terminid hatcheries, but the final release will offer multiple mission types. The game includes two main factions, Terminids and Automatons, each featuring ten unit types. While not confirmed, the designers hinted at potential expansions, possibly introducing the Illuminate faction.

One of the key aspects of the adaptation is managing the feeling of being overwhelmed by enemies. Unlike games like Zombicide, which rely on sheer numbers, Helldivers 2: The Board Game opts for fewer but stronger enemies, fostering a tactical combat experience that intensifies as the mission progresses.

Turns involve players and enemies adding action cards to a pool, which are then shuffled and placed on an initiative tracker, similar to Steamforged's Elden Ring game. Combat is resolved through dice rolls, with weapons determining the number and type of dice used. Damage is calculated based on the total roll, with every five points inflicting a wound on enemies. This streamlined damage system avoids the complexity of modifiers and defense values, emphasizing the Helldivers' precision and impact.

A notable new addition is the 'Massed Fire' mechanic, which encourages teamwork by allowing multiple players to focus fire on a single target within range, mimicking the video game's cooperative strategy. This mechanic not only promotes group play but also reduces downtime between player turns.

“In the video game, you're encouraged to work together as a team," Nic explained. "When facing a heavily armored enemy, you need to flank and target weak points if you don't have the right support weapon. We wanted to replicate this in the board game without complex facing and armor mechanics, so we introduced 'massed fire.' When anyone shoots at a target, other Helldivers within range can join in, explicitly rewarding teamwork.”

While players can choose to go solo, the 'Massed Fire' mechanic ensures active engagement during others' turns. However, enemy actions feel somewhat static, with fixed damage and effects, which may benefit from additional variability to match the game's dynamic nature.

One element not carried over from the video game is the galactic war aspect. The designers chose to focus on creating a unique experience, positioning the board game as a training simulation for Helldivers. This narrative adds depth to the game, aligning it closely with the Helldivers universe.

Jamie, Nic, and Derek have worked diligently to ensure the board game retains the essence of Helldivers, despite the change in medium. They've emphasized unexpected events, stratagem mishaps, and the dwindling pool of reinforcements, all hallmarks of the video game experience.

“We wanted to make sure that, even with different mechanics, it still felt like Helldivers," Nic said. "Unexpected challenges, stratagems that could misfire and hit allies, and the pressure of dwindling reinforcements are all core to the Helldivers experience.”

Derek added, “We focused on maintaining the core loop of mission objectives and the thrill of discovery, all while battling enemies trying to take you down.”

Currently, the game's core mechanics are about 75-80% finalized, leaving room for community feedback and potential adjustments. Despite concerns about recent tariffs affecting the board game industry, Jamie assures that Steamforged Games is moving forward as planned, ready to adapt if necessary.

After playing the prototype, I found the systems in place to be fun, with random events and the 'Massed Fire' mechanic creating memorable moments. While I appreciate the tactical focus with stronger enemies, I longed for more small foes to clear out, akin to the video game's fast-paced action. I also hope for more depth in enemy combat to match the game's overall dynamism.

I'm excited to see what other surprises Steamforged Games has in store for Helldivers 2. The prototype has already piqued my interest in exploring new classes, mission types, and combinations with different enemies and environments. My friends and I are eager to ask: Where are we dropping next?