Great! The Devs at Helldivers 2 Have Given The Bugs Wings

Helldivers 2 Adds Flying Bugs to Up the Challenge

The developers at Arrowhead Game Studios seem intent on inflicting as much frustration as humanly possible. As if the ground-based arachnids and insects weren't enough of a headache in the original Helldivers, now we have to contend with airborne annoyances.

Great, just what we needed

Do you remember those moments of sweet relief when you finally cleared an area of bugs during a challenging dive, only to have another wave descend from above moments later? Yeah, neither do we. But thanks to Helldivers 2, we'll get to experience the unbridled joy of fending off aerial assaults in between dodging plasma bolts and melee attacks from our eight-legged friends.

To make matters worse, these winged pests come equipped with ranged attacks, dive bombing us while spitting globs of acid that eat through armor. And you just know some levels will have environmental hazards like dense foliage or narrow corridors that provide the perfect cover for sneak attacks from above.

The developers claim flying units add "exciting new challenges and strategies" to the game. We call it cruel and unnecessary. Haven't we suffered enough? Must you continue to torment us so? At this point, we'd happily take a Helldivers 3 with nothing but melee units and a "turn bugs into kittens" option. But until the developers show us mercy, we'll begrudgingly take to the skies and swat these winged menaces from the air - all while cursing their names, of course.

How Flying Bugs Change the Gameplay Dynamics

If regular creepy-crawly bugs weren't bad enough in the first Helldivers, now we have to deal with the winged menaces in the sequel. Fantastic.

Pesky Aerial Assault

Those buzzing nuisances will swoop down from the skies to harass you during missions, dive-bombing your position or distracting you at the worst possible moments. Nothing like trying to hack into a data terminal while mutant mosquitoes are taking chunks out of your health bar. At least the flying fiends have predictable attack patterns, so keep your eyes on the skies, listen for the telltale buzz of beating wings, and be ready to swat them out of the air with whatever weapons you have handy before they can land a hit.

New Strategies Required

The airborne enemies require new tactics to defeat, changing up the typical run-and-gun approach of the first game. You'll need to lure the flyers down to ground level where you can fill them full of lead, or equip weapons with homing capabilities to take them out in mid-air. Teamwork also becomes more important, as someone in the squad should be on dedicated anti-air duty during firefights. If all else fails, you can never go wrong with a rocket launcher.

While the winged pests do add an extra layer of annoyance, they also freshen up the gameplay and force players to adapt new strategies. The flying foes fit right in with the over-the-top B-movie sci-fi vibe of the Helldivers universe. Now if only those strafing runs were a bit less accurate...

Tips for Dealing With the New Flying Pest Threat

Duck and Cover

The bugs in Helldivers 2 have sprouted wings, so your tried-and-true “stand still and shoot” tactics won’t cut it anymore. These winged demons will swoop in from above, cackling with glee as they rain down fire upon your poor, exposed head. When the buzz of fluttering wings fills the air, find cover ASAP. Hide under trees, duck into caves, do whatever you must to avoid becoming a human pincushion.

Swat the Skies

Once you’ve scurried to safety like the scared little space marine you are, whip out your gun and start firing into the air. Spray and pray, baby! With any luck, you’ll clip the wings off a few of those airborne annoyances and send them hurtling to the ground. At the very least, you might make them think twice about dive-bombing your location. Constantly swiveling your view to check the skies is tedious, but it sure beats having a fire ant dropped onto your head.

Bug Zappers for the Win

If all else fails, invest in some high-tech alien bug zappers to handle the infestation for you. Place them around the perimeter of your base or near locations where the flies tend to swarm. The satisfying “zap” of a bug frying itself on the electric grids will become your new favorite sound. Sit back, relax, and let the bug zappers do their thing. The only thing more annoying than airborne bugs are airborne bugs that have learned to avoid your amateurish gunfire. Time to bring in the big guns!

Flying pests in Helldivers 2 may seem unstoppable, but with the right strategies, equipment and a little luck, you'll be back to only worrying about enemies you can see. The trick is not to lose your head—unless a fire ant drops onto it, of course. Then all bets are off.