Helldivers 2 players in shambles as flamethrowers get nerfed just in time for the flamethrower-themed Warbond: "Not one single person is happy about this change"
Aug. 6, 2024Flame effects now “work more realistically”
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Helldivers 2’s huge Escalation of Freedom update is here, and while there’s plenty to be excited about withsocial menu fixes and an eerie new swamp planet, Super Earth citizens everywhere are baffled by a change made to the beloved FLAM-40 Flamethrower.
In the latestpatch notes, Arrowhead has confirmed that the third-person shooter’s flame effects have been adjusted to “work more realistically.” The developer explains: “It doesn’t go through various bodies/objects where bounce off would be the expected behavior, like on armors and static objects.”
What this means out in the field is that theHelldivers 2 Flamethroweris no longerthe Charger-cooking machineit once was. Previous buffs to the Flamethrower meant you could roast the enormous Terminid enemies right in their sturdy shells, but as has been pointed out by disgruntled players on Reddit, this is no longer the case. “Flamethrower can’t kill Chargers now. Doesn’t go through their leg armor anymore. It also feels like crap to use, weirdly high recoil,” one Super Earth soliderreports.
Another, who says “not one single person is happy about this change,” points out the strange timing of the nerf coming right before the release of theHelldivers 2 Freedom’s Flame Warbond, which, as the name suggests, is fire-themed and will add two new flamethrowers to the fray. “Why would I buy this Warbond if the weapon it’s designed for might as well be a squirt gun?” the playerquestions.
This sentiment has been echoed throughout the community, with another Reddit user saying that the timing “makes no sense at all.” Theyadd: “Why the f**k is anyone going to take the weapon now?”
Of course, we’re yet to get our hands on the new Warbond’s flamethrowers, so they might not have been as badly affected as the poor ol' FLAM-40. Still, nerfing the throwers just before a thrower-themed Warbond drops is a weird move - that’s set to release on August 8, so watch this space.
Oh god: Helldivers 2 doubles down on horror with an Automaton human processing plant in the Escalation of Freedom update.
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I’m one of GamesRadar+’s news writers, who works alongside the rest of the news team to deliver cool gaming stories that we love. After spending more hours than I can count filling The University of Sheffield’s student newspaper with Pokemon and indie game content, and picking up a degree in Journalism Studies, I started my career at GAMINGbible where I worked as a journalist for over a year and a half. I then became TechRadar Gaming’s news writer, where I sourced stories and wrote about all sorts of intriguing topics. In my spare time, you’re sure to find me on my Nintendo Switch or PS5 playing through story-driven RPGs like Xenoblade Chronicles and Persona 5 Royal, nuzlocking old Pokemon games, or going for a Victory Royale in Fortnite.
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