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PaperclipPerfector  3d ago (text post)   2174 thread views

Friday Fun Thread for August 22, 2025

Be advised: this thread is not for serious in-depth discussion of weighty topics (we have a link for that), this thread is not for anything Culture War related. This thread is for Fun. You got jokes? Share 'em. You got silly questions? Ask 'em.

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Gaming subthread.

Been playing Helldivers 2 with some old friends. Lots of fun. I recall some mottizens complaining about it being a bad shooter, which is a sentiment I'm amibvalent about, or about it being a grenade-lobbing simulator, which isn't entirely incorrect, but ultimately I think the game just contains lots of mechanics to recommend itself.

  • You can generally make do with common-sense tactics and a little experience; finely honed twitch reflexes or esoteric game-specific knowledge aren't required.
  • The theme of "squishy humans attaining superiority through firepower" occupies a sweet spot in between power fantasy and challenge.
  • The game makes do with very little hand-holding. You can get killed by the smallest enemy when you don't pay attention. You can teamkill and there are no guardrails against it.
  • The game is exceptionally well-crafted, full of lovingly-implemented detail, little nods to realism and in-depth mechanics other games would simply elide.
  • There's no woke in the writing. The game's campy lore and plot can be played straight or seen as parody however you like; much like w40k but without the need to fit into a tabletop figurine merchanidse form-factor.
  • The game can be approached easily enough by my challenge-averse friends, and once they get into the groove I can slowly ratchet up the difficulty on them.
  • A level 1 player can be just about as effective as a level 150 player, give or take some very minor bonuses and, of course, experience. All the equipment that goes into loadouts is side-grades, and there is zero grind required to be able to contribute to a team. All the grind does is unlock more equipment variety.
  • Speaking of equipment variety, each and every item in the arsenal is useful. Some are more specialized than others, some are perhaps too niche or slightly underpowered, some are perhaps a little overpowered, but there is overall a good sense of balance in everything.
  • There are always multiple ways to solve a given problem, but my problem-solving-averse friends ("I already do that for work and don't need it in my free time!") can just pick the one they're most used to while I get to improvise and experiment.
  • You can play a mission or three in the evening and still go to bed well on time. It doesn't take a massive investment of time to play.

Helldivers 2 earned a ton of awards, and I'd say it well deserves them. It really is an unusually well-made game.

If any Mottizens want to go on a dive together (and our time zones aren't too incompatible. German time here, I usually play between 21:00 and 23:00), let me know.

You can teamkill and there are no guardrails against it.

Some of the most fun moments I've had with friends in HD2 involve hilarious team kills. From the accidental "Uh oh, got sniped and dropped the orbital bombardment on our present position" to the intentional "Why does someone always call a bombardment on our extract point as they get in the chopper, sometimes hitting stragglers?"

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