Before you engage in a mission in Helldivers 2, you must determine the desired level of difficulty, with various options available.
Helldivers 2 presents a total of nine difficulty settings, though initially, only one is accessible, requiring you to unlock the others. Yet, determining the most suitable difficulty level for you and understanding if you’re overlooking anything by avoiding certain difficulties is crucial.
Helldivers 2: all difficulty levels
The nine difficulty levels in Helldivers 2, arranged from easiest to hardest, are as follows:
- Trivial (the default difficulty level)
- Easy
- Medium
- Challenging
- Hard
- Extreme
- Suicide Mission
- Impossible
- Helldive
The distinctions between each difficulty level are straightforward, with higher levels introducing tougher adversaries and larger enemy strongholds to conquer. Therefore, to tackle more challenging missions successfully, mastering the intricacies of Helldivers 2, devising optimal strategies, and equipping yourself with top-tier weapons, armor, and Stratagems are essential.
Helldivers 2 does not restrict mission types based on difficulty levels. Even if you solely opt for Trivial difficulty, you retain the ability to engage in every mission type. You can seamlessly switch between difficulty levels at the Galactic War console just before selecting your next mission. However, this adjustment alters the available missions and their respective locations. It’s important to note that once a mission is chosen, the difficulty level cannot be modified.
Which difficulty should you choose in Helldivers 2?
Selecting the difficulty level for your upcoming mission is purely a matter of personal preference. New players of Helldivers 2 are at liberty to progress through the game on the default Trivial difficulty, even after unlocking Easy. Nevertheless, while the game doesn’t compel you, it subtly encourages attempting higher difficulties. Completing more challenging missions yields additional Warbond Medals, providing more opportunities to unlock new weapons, emotes, and armor appearances from the free battle pass. There’s also a paid battle pass linked to Premium Warbonds, obtained exclusively through Super Credits trading.
As higher difficulty levels are unlocked by completing missions at the preceding level (e.g., clearing any Easy mission unlocks Medium difficulty), it’s advisable to experience each unlocked difficulty level at least once to gauge its suitability. You might discover that Medium and Challenging difficulties are less daunting than anticipated or even find enjoyment in the challenges they present. If a particular level proves too demanding, you can always revert to a lower difficulty setting. Collaborating with other players and coordinating efforts may provide an advantage in tackling tougher missions. Although Helldivers 2 can be played solo, it primarily emphasizes online cooperative gameplay, where adept human players are typically more dependable than AI-controlled allies.
