Helldivers 2 Board Game: Exclusive Hands-On Preview

Last year, Arrowhead’s Helldivers 2 emerged as a standout hit in the multiplayer gaming world, captivating players with its mission to spread democracy across the galaxy through intense battles against aliens and robots. Building on this success, Steamforged Games, fresh from their acclaimed adaptation of Elden Ring into a board game, has now turned their attention to Helldivers 2. This new board game is available for backing on Gamefound. IGN had the opportunity to play a prototype and discuss it with the game’s designers, Jamie Perkins, Derek Funkhouser, and Nicholas Yu, who shared insights into this exciting tabletop adaptation.

Helldivers 2: The Board Game

17 ImagesDeveloped shortly after the video game's launch, Helldivers 2: The Board Game successfully captures the essence of its digital counterpart. It retains the video game's core elements: tense firefights, unexpected chaos, and cooperative teamwork, while introducing unique tweaks to enhance the tabletop experience.

Helldivers 2 remains a cooperative, objective-based skirmish game that supports one to four players. The designers suggest solo players manage two characters. Each player assumes the role of a different Helldiver class, such as Heavy, Sniper, Pyro, or Captain, each with unique perks, action cards, and a one-use-per-game "Act of Valor" ability. Players equip themselves with a primary, secondary, and support weapon, a grenade, and three strategems, with recommended loadouts provided on their class cards, though seasoned players can customize their kits.

Gameplay unfolds on expanding grid-based boards. As players explore, they add new sections, uncovering sub-objectives and the locations of primary objectives, such as Terminid hatcheries in the prototype. The increasing difficulty of spawning enemies and a mission timer heighten the game's urgency and excitement.

The prototype focused on destroying Terminid hatcheries, but the final release will offer various mission types. The game includes two primary factions—the Terminids and the robotic Automatons—each with ten unique unit types. While not confirmed, there's potential for future expansions, possibly introducing the Illuminate faction.

One key aspect of the adaptation is the handling of the overwhelming enemy numbers. Unlike games like Zombicide, which rely on sheer volume, Helldivers 2 opts for fewer but stronger enemies, fostering more tactical combat as missions progress.

Turns involve players and enemies adding action cards to a shuffled pool, which are then placed on an initiative tracker. For every four action cards played, a random event occurs, adding unpredictability and excitement to the game. Combat for Helldivers is straightforward, with dice rolls determining damage based on weapon type. Every five points of damage inflicts a wound on an enemy, simplifying combat mechanics while maintaining the game's intensity.

A novel feature, the 'Massed Fire' mechanic, encourages teamwork. As Nic explained, “In the video game, you're encouraged to work together as a team. You have a heavily armored enemy, you need to flank and shoot at weak points if you don't have a support weapon. We implemented 'massed fire' so when anyone shoots at a target, if it's within range of another Helldiver's primary or secondary weapon, they can also focus fire with you, incentivizing group play.” This mechanic reduces player downtime and enhances cooperative play.

Enemy attacks, however, are less dynamic, with set damage or effects causing players to draw wound cards. Each wound has a detrimental effect, and three wounds result in a character's death, though players can respawn based on the chosen difficulty level.

One notable omission from the board game is the galactic war feature from the video game. The designers chose to focus on a unique training simulation theme, positioning the board game as a tool for Helldivers to hone their skills.

Jamie shared, “We're positioning it as a training simulation. You would get this board game as a Helldiver to learn how to be a better Helldiver.” This creative approach adds a layer of lore to the game, enhancing the immersive experience.

The designers, Nic, Jamie, and Derek, have ensured that despite the new medium, the game retains the feel of Helldivers. As Nic noted, “We wanted to make sure that even though it had different mechanics, it felt like Helldivers—unexpected things to deal with, stratagems that could go awry, and a dwindling pool of reinforcements.” Derek added, “We knew we needed to keep the core loop of what Helldivers is with mission objectives and the thrill of chasing new challenges while battling enemies.”

Currently, the game is about 75-80% complete, allowing for community feedback and potential adjustments. Jamie reassured that despite recent concerns about tariffs affecting the board gaming industry, Steamforged Games is moving forward with their plans without delay.

Having played the prototype, I found the systems engaging, particularly the random events and the 'Massed Fire' mechanic, which created memorable gameplay moments. While I appreciate the tactical focus with stronger enemies, I would enjoy more smaller, weaker foes to clear out for a more authentic Helldivers experience. Additionally, the static nature of enemy attacks could benefit from more variability, perhaps through dice rolls determining outcomes.

I'm excited to see what other surprises Steamforged Games has in store for Helldivers 2. The prototype has me eager to explore new classes, mission types, and combinations with different enemies and biomes. My friends and I are already planning our next drop.

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