Helldivers 2 is a feast for the eyes when it comes to weaponry. Armed to the teeth with an arsenal that would make Rambo shed a tear, most of Arrowhead’s PS5 shooter is focused around, well, shooting things. But I think our interstellar battles could get much grittier with a more up-close and personal approach. That’s why this overlooked Helldivers sword needs to be resurrected.
I’ve been adoring every second of Helldivers 2 so far, easily one of the best PS5 games around. Much of that enjoyment is owed to the game’s array of weaponry, but it is severely lacking on the melee front. Sure, you can’t punch away Terminid critters in a moment of panic, but it doesn’t pack the heft I’m looking for. I reckon that the Saber, an underutilized weapon from the original Helldivers, could solve that problem.
Introduced with the Dive Harder edition of the space game, the Saber could be obtained through very specific circumstances. You couldn’t equip it before dropping into battle, or even deploy it via a Stratagem. Yet, looking at official artwork and brief gameplay of it, I’m left wondering why a weapon with such potential is currently sitting on the cutting room floor. I know that Helldivers 2 is still a pretty young new PS5 game, but considering we’re already three Warbonds deep, I’m surprised Arrowhead hasn’t added it already.
Since the game launched in February, we’ve had giant ass mechs, a wealth of powerful new weapons, and even more discovered through datamining. There have even been teases of stealth focused weaponry, potentially letting us harness our inner Solid Snake in the future. As much as I love obliterating stuff with bullets and bombs, I’m eager to see if I can spread democracy by taking on Terminids and Automatons face to face. The design of the Saber is less Star Wars and more Chivalry 2 in my eyes, and I can’t think of anything better than becoming a medieval space soldier to be honest.
And yes, it’d be highly impractical – at least it seems that way. Health isn’t exactly generous in the smash hit co-op game, and redeployment resources can dwindle away within the blink of an eye. Yet, Arrowhead continues to compliment the imagination of players with its fresh armor and weapon additions. Recent armor sets like the EX-16 Prototype 16 buff players with 95% higher resistance to arc damage, basically turning you into a walking conduit for electricity. That means your friends can shoot Arc Thrower bolts through you, impacting any enemies around you without a hitch.
It’s this kind of thinking that makes Helldivers 2 such a blast to experiment with, and I’m confident introducing the Saber – or some kind of melee weapon similar to it – would have the same effect. With a larger Automaton threat on the horizon, and another enemy faction waiting in the wings, now is the time to let us slice and dice our way to victory.
In other gaming news, one of GTA 6’s lead voice actors may have been found, and Star Wars Outlaws could be teasing a major The Mandalorian cameo.