There’s been much discussion around the best Helldivers 2 weapons given how challenging and terrifying the new PS5 shooter can get. With horrifying hordes of creepy crawlies or waves of unfaltering automatons, many have jumped to the conclusion that the premium Helldivers 2 guns are the solution – though from my experience with the game, the real answer is hiding in plain sight. The best weapon in Helldivers 2 is, in fact, the SG-225 Breaker shotgun.
Yes, the allure of an explosive assault rifle or incendiary shotgun, unlocked in the premium Helldivers 2 Steel Veterans Warbond battle pass, is hard to resist. However, this shotgun is hiding out on page four of the free Helldivers Mobilize! Warbond is actually the stronger option if you’re ready to take on the harder difficulties in one of the best co-op games on PS5.
Given the SG-225 Breaker is unlocked via the standard, free Warbond, it’s easy enough to unlock. In fact, you could pick this weapon up by around levels 8-10 if you’re efficient (and lucky) with your Medal hunt. To reach page four, you’ll have to spend a total of 75 Medals, after which the Breaker can be unlocked for a further 20 Medals. For me, it took about 10 hours of gameplay to get to this point, so you really can get it very early on in your Helldivers adventures.
But, what makes the SG-225 Breaker so good? Well, the Breaker boasts a surprisingly tight spread, giving it much more range than you’d expect for a shotgun. This allows you to dish out high damage at range, which comes in handy against both hordes and tougher targets alike. Sure, it won’t beat out a marksman rifle at range, but it’s certainly able to hold its own against SMGs and assault rifles. I wouldn’t be too shocked if the Breaker got hit with a nerf soon.
Obviously, as a shotgun, the Breaker is also exceptional at close range. Packing a hefty punch, the Breaker is perfect for taking down mini-bosses like Chargers and Brood Commanders when you expose their weak spots. With its high damage and range, it’s also much more ammo-efficient than the competition – especially the Punisher. I’m genuinely surprised such a powerful weapon is made available so early on in the game, but for the sake of my missions, I’m glad it is.
If you’re not a fan of shotguns though, there are a handful of other guns I’d recommend using and spending your tokens on to unlock. Here’s my Helldivers 2 weapons tier list right now:
- Breaker – a devastating shotgun
- Liberator – the trusty starting assault rifle
- Defender – great for close-range DPS
- Machine Gun – a powerful support weapon
- Stalwart – a more mobile machine gun
- Railgun – punches through armored targets, especially in ‘unsafe’ mode
- P-19 Redeemer – a solid close-range sidearm
With the premium Steel Veterans pass containing unique weapons, there’s been much debate over the PS5 exclusive being pay-to-win. However, these premium weapons are lacking the firepower of even the free, starting weapons that all new recruits can wield.
So, get to work unlocking the Breaker if you don’t have it already, recruit. Then you’ll be well on your way to tearing up the harder difficulties while daydreaming about the teased Helldivers 2 raid mode that would be a perfect fit for the game. If you need a helping hand, check out these Helldivers 2 tips, tricks, and secrets that will give you the edge.