Helldivers 2 Review Bombed Amid Super Earth Battle

The conflict for Super Earth rages on in Helldivers 2 as players struggle to repel the invading Illuminate fleet. However, a recent controversy tied to this invasion has sparked player frustration and a new wave of negative reviews.

To provide context, the recent "Heart of Democracy" update for Helldivers 2 delivered the climax of a storyline that had been building for months. The Meridian Singularity—a black hole created during a mission against the Terminids—was hurled toward Super Earth, serving as the vanguard for an Illuminate invasion. The "Great Host" fleet poured through the resulting wormhole, turning the planet into a warzone.

Since the update launched, players have been defending Super Earth's Mega Cities, which represent major real-world urban centers. For instance, York Supreme corresponds to New York, while Remembrance mirrors Buenos Aires. As the conflict has intensified, city after city has been overrun; currently, only Equality-On-Sea (Shanghai) and Super Earth's capital, Prosperity City (Stockholm), continue to hold out.

As the invasion reaches what appears to be its final stages, numerous developments have unfolded. Helldivers players often embrace their roles, rallying behind Major Orders and coordinating efforts to overcome challenges introduced by developer Arrowhead. For example, some players shifted from Super Earth battles to support new operations against Automaton forces. This move ultimately brought the DSS—a major orbital military station—back to Super Earth to reinforce its defense.

EOS. WILL NOT. FALL.
byu/Gabry2 inHelldivers

With Illuminate forces advancing and Mega Cities falling, the player base rallied around Equality-On-Sea for a final defense. During this period, a strong sense of cross-national camaraderie emerged. As reinforcements arrived to boost the city's defense percentage and fend off the Great Host, a surge of memes and supportive messages followed. Even as the Illuminate intensified their assault, players stood firm and continued their missions.

Some Chinese memes
byu/leoooooooow inHelldivers

The situation was largely encouraging and thrilling—an example of the emergent storytelling Helldivers 2 can create at its best. Here, developer-driven plots, player dedication, and community collaboration converged into captivating moments of cooperative warfare.

But Equality-On-Sea never reached 100%. At this point, the story becomes more complicated and contentious.

Despite a coordinated player effort to defend Equality-On-Sea, the ongoing arc concluded with the city's defense meter at 99.9783% (remember this figure). Typically, Helldivers’ Major Orders and missions follow a binary outcome—success or failure. However, there has been some confusion regarding the defense meter's meaning. Instead of "liberating" a captured city, players are tasked with "holding" it. This implies that achieving a full 100% defense might not be feasible while Illuminate forces continue their assault.

This issue, combined with theories that the war is converging toward a final showdown in Prosperity City, appears to be fueling a recent spike in negative Steam reviews. In the past 24 hours, Helldivers 2 has received around 2,312 negative reviews, compared to 324 positive ones.

Many negative reviews are written in Chinese. While machine translations are not entirely reliable, recurring themes are clear: frustration over narrative control, suspicions of developer interference, and repeated references to "99.9783%."

This game is being review bombed for not letting players liberate EoS
byu/ImpossibleWorld5563 inHelldivers

#Helldivers2 | #Helldivers

Here we go again! pic.twitter.com/z86PuaKvKd

— Helldivers NOW (@Helldivers_NOW) May 29, 2025

It’s essential, however, to view this in context. While there has been a notable increase in negative feedback, the scale remains far smaller than the infamous May 2024 review bombing, when thousands of negative reviews were posted in response to PSN requirements.

Overall, players’ frustration is understandable. This phase should mark a high point in Helldivers 2—the resolution of a long-running narrative and one of Arrowhead's most engaging in‑game events. Having fought on Super Earth myself, I can attest to the impressive atmosphere. Arrowhead has masterfully captured the tension of defending Mega Cities against overwhelming Illuminate attacks.

And because national identity is deeply interwoven with these events, the earlier spirit of global solidarity has been somewhat overshadowed. Despite calls from players, moderators, and fan accounts to avoid controversy, the situation has cast a shadow over what should have been a purely memorable experience.

As of now, Helldivers are still defending Equality-On-Sea and Prosperity City, with the former showing a higher defense level. The battle for Super Earth seems to be entering its final chapter, and the current order is straightforward: Hold Super Earth. Let’s hope players can stand their ground, achieve victory, and ultimately celebrate the positives of this epic confrontation.