In recent months, players of Helldivers 2 have faced some tricky decisions as the relentless Meridia Singularity continues its march across Super Earth, leaving a trail of ravaged planets in its path. The ongoing Galactic War rages on, but there’s a hitch in the plan: Arrowhead is struggling to get players excited about battling the game’s third faction — the menacing, squid-like Illuminate.
This new threat made a big entrance, launching an assault on the galaxy’s southern quadrant following a surprise reveal at The Game Awards at the close of 2024. While the Terminids thrive on their powerful melee swarms and aggressive units, and the Automatons bring an effective mix of long-range artillery, lasers, and flamethrowers, the Illuminate finds itself somewhere in between these two foes. They have the Voteless, swarms of easy-to-defeat zombies, along with the well-defended Overseers equipped with a variety of weapons. Add the imposing War of the Worlds-esque walkers, known as Harvesters, and you’ve got a formidable force.
The idea is intriguing, and this fresh alien invasion vibe stands out when compared to the Starship Troopers and Terminator-styled factions. Initially, players were keen to dive into new urban maps and take on the squid threat. In the storyline, they’re presented as the most daunting challenge — having already obliterated two planets and now setting their sights on Super Earth!
The catch, however, is that the Illuminate feels like an incomplete unit. Their lineup pales in comparison to their mechanical and insectile counterparts. Within the lore, this makes sense—they’re merely the scouting vanguard before the major offensive begins. But for gameplay, this results in encounters that feel repetitive and less challenging than battles against Terminids and Automatons. Plus, urban maps are no longer their exclusive domain—every faction gets to brawl it out in city environments now.
Adding to the challenge, the Illuminate doesn’t hold any territory. Players can only engage them by participating in defense missions on a planet, which typically last about a day. Once either side claims victory or time runs out, the Illuminate vanish, only to reappear in another sector later. Major Orders that require players to fend off Illuminate attacks demand precise timing and coordination, which can be a nightmare to orchestrate—especially when other players are lured to more interesting battles elsewhere.
Fortunately, it seems Arrowhead has plenty of tricks ready to diversify these alien foes and introduce fresh units. Past updates have seen exciting additions, like the flying Terminid Shriekers and the menacing Automaton Factory Striders. Arrowhead has also spiced things up with short-term variants of existing enemies that significantly shift gameplay dynamics. The Predator Strain boosted the threat level of the already dangerous Stalker, while recent upgrades to the Automatons introduced tougher fabricators, a fearsome Incineration Brigade, and the intimidating Factory Striders equipped with Stratagem Jammers.
Currently, the major focus remains on the Meridia Singularity, under the Illuminate’s control. However, Arrowhead seems to understand the appeal of variety. The latest spate of Major Orders still brings attention back to the original factions. Initially, Terminids were seen as the easier target, and Automatons struggled with popularity. With Arrowhead’s ongoing adjustments, though, the Illuminate is poised to become a more formidable contender. For now, they’re just lacking in numbers and differentiation. I’m excitedly waiting for that powerhouse Bile Titan, but until then, I’m content to navigate the more familiar terrains of bots and bugs.
