Helldivers 2 Review Bombed Over Super Earth Battle

The conflict for Super Earth rages on in Helldivers 2, with players desperately trying to repel the advancing Illuminate fleet. However, a new controversy regarding the invasion has sparked frustration and a fresh wave of negative reviews.

To provide context, the recent Helldivers 2 update—Heart of Democracy—has brought months of narrative development to a head. The Meridian Singularity, a black hole created during a mission against the Terminids, was hurled toward Super Earth as the vanguard of an Illuminate assault. The "Great Host" fleet surged through the resulting wormhole, transforming the planet into a warzone.

Since the update's release, players have battled to defend Super Earth's various Mega Cities, which are modeled after real-world metropolises. For instance, York Supreme is loosely based on New York, while Remembrance corresponds to Buenos Aires. As the invasion intensifies, more cities have succumbed; currently, only Equality-On-Sea (Shanghai) and the capital, Prosperity City (Stockholm), remain under player control.

As the conflict nears its apparent climax, numerous developments have unfolded. Helldivers players often immerse themselves in their roles, passionately supporting Major Orders and uniting behind various initiatives to overcome each new challenge from developer Arrowhead. Some players, for example, shifted their focus from Super Earth to engage the Automaton forces in another sector. This strategic move ultimately brought the DSS—a massive orbital military station—back to Super Earth to bolster its defenses.

EOS. WILL NOT. FALL.
byu/Gabry2 inHelldivers

With the Illuminate gaining ground and capturing Mega Cities, players rallied around Equality-On-Sea for a final stand. Throughout this, a spirit of international camaraderie emerged; as more players joined the fight to boost the city's defense percentage and hold back the Great Host, an outpouring of memes and encouragement followed. Even as the Illuminate concentrated their attack on the city, players stood firm and continued the fight.

Some Chinese memes
byu/leoooooooow inHelldivers

This has been a genuinely heartening and thrilling experience, showcasing the kind of emergent storytelling that defines Helldivers 2 at its best. It's a fusion of developer-crafted narratives, player dedication, and community collaboration, resulting in spectacular moments of cooperative warfare.

However, Equality-On-Sea's defense never reached 100%. From this point, the situation becomes more complicated and contentious.

Despite a coordinated player effort to defend Equality-On-Sea against the relentless assault, the current campaign phase concluded with the city's defense meter at 99.9783% (remember this figure). Most Major Orders and operations in Helldivers hinge on a clear-cut success-or-failure outcome. Some have noted a potential misunderstanding regarding the defense meter's function. Instead of "liberating" a recaptured city, players are tasked with holding it. Consequently, achieving a perfect "100%" defense might be unattainable, given the Illuminate's continuous invasion.

This, coupled with theories that the war is building toward a final confrontation in the capital, Prosperity City, appears to be the primary catalyst for a recent surge of negative Steam reviews. In the last 24 hours alone, Helldivers has received approximately 2,312 negative reviews compared to 324 positive ones.

A significant portion of the negative reviews are in Chinese. While machine translation may lack precision, several recurring themes are evident: frustration over narrative direction, a perception that Arrowhead is manipulating outcomes, and repeated references to the stalled "99.9783%" figure.

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 vital to maintain perspective. While there is indeed a new wave of negative reviews, and the volume is noticeably higher than the usual trickle, it currently remains far less severe than the infamous May 2024 review bombing, which was triggered by PSN account requirements.

Broadly speaking, player frustration is understandable. This moment should be a high point in Helldivers 2's history, marking both the climax of a long-running story arc and one of Arrowhead's most impressive in-game events. Having participated in the defense of Super Earth, I can attest it's a remarkable achievement. Arrowhead has masterfully captured the tension of holding the line in these Mega Cities against overwhelming and terrifying Illuminate forces wreaking havoc.

Because this conflict is deeply intertwined with national pride, the earlier sense of global unity has been somewhat soured. Even as players, moderators, and fan communities urge others not to dwell on the controversy, it has cast a slight shadow over an otherwise phenomenal gaming moment.

At the time of writing, Helldivers continue to hold their ground in Equality-On-Sea and Prosperity City, with the former maintaining a higher defense percentage. The battle for Super Earth seems to be entering its final stages, and the current objective is straightforward: Hold Super Earth. Let's hope players can endure, secure victory, and focus on the positive aspects of this epic struggle.