Why Lost Planet 2 Did It Better Than Helldivers 2

Upon its release in February 2024, Helldivers 2 gained immense popularity as its action-packed, high intensity gameplay mesmerized gamers all around the world. The core premise of the game was highly reminiscent of a much older game by the name of Lost Planet 2, which released back in April 2010. Although the latter did not sell nearly as many copies, the game was far ahead of its time and is arguably better than Helldivers 2. But it doesn’t hold as much presence among the gaming community as its newer counterpart. While both games have their strengths and weaknesses, they are both fun to play. Lost Planet 2 was, however, arguably better than Helldivers 2.

Striking Similarities

Both games share a surprising amount of similarities, allowing for a fair comparison between the two. Both center around a four-man squad completing missions on a planet overrun with hostile factions. They utilize teamwork, coordination, and strategy to ensure a flawless victory. Different types of missions have different end goals, allowing for some variety. It provides gamers with a relatively new experience each time. 

Both games also share the primary objective of protecting their home planet against hostile creatures. They go about it in entirely different ways. The end goal of the game is to protect Super Earth, for the people of Helldivers, and E.D.N. III, for the people of Lost Planet 2. 

The Category G Akrid known as Akrid X is one of the largest akrids found in the game

The primary faction in both games appears to be large bug-like creatures. They have some amount of armor and weak spots for players to target while engaging in thrilling combat. The “akrids,” as they are known in Lost Planet 2, hold valuable thermal energy. Players will need it to survive on the freezing planet. “Terminids” in Helldivers contain Element-710, which players speculate to have similar uses to crude oil in the real world. The basis for this theory is that the number 710 upside down spells out oil. In terms of lore, the bug factions in both games hold significance to the story. The other factions, however, do not have quite as many features in common.

Various Differences

The basic premise of the two games is nearly identical. But there are several distinct differences between them which differentiate the two and the level of enjoyment for each. It is in these differences where one can find the reasoning behind why Lost Planet 2 is better than Helldivers 2. 

Differences in Plot

The most noticeable difference between the two is that Lost Planet champions a well-written storyline that players follow throughout the game, whereas Helldivers has no proper story and focuses more on gameplay. The only plot revealed in Helldivers 2 is that the terminids attacked planet Earth and, after repelling the attack, players will need to continue fighting them to keep the galaxy safe and harvest the precious Element-710 from them.

Helldivers 2 Storyline

Upon getting further into the game, players will begin to realize that the “Super Earth” they are fighting for is actually a dystopian reimagination of the United States. In this satirical adaptation, the government has total control over the people. It brainwashes both civilians and soldiers alike into trusting their version of a managed democracy. Missions involve tasks like eliminating bug nests, mining resources, planting flags, and sabotaging “fascist” broadcasts, with a total of nine difficulty levels for players to choose from. Besides the terminids, there are also automatons, which are robots who are also under the influence of anti-democratic notions. This faction is entirely redundant, as they hold no real place in the story aside from the fact that they exist. Players feel as though they are simply an afterthought. 

Helldivers are sent on deadly missions for Super Earth under the pretense of managed democracy

Lost Planet 2 Storyline

Lost Planet 2, however, refrains from bombarding players with fictional propaganda, and instead has a different message to share with players. Following the events of the first game, the sequel alternates between different factions living on the planet, all of whom are struggling to survive on the harsh planet. They are at constant war with the akrids, and amongst each other, competing for the resource known as thermal energy.

They are eventually confronted with a threat that puts everything on the planet at the brink of extinction: an oversized akrid absorbing all the thermal energy it can find and consuming everything in its path. The once feuding factions must set aside their differences, and come together to defeat this monstrosity for the sake of the planet as a whole. The game offers a pleasantly satisfying ending to an interesting story, unlike Helldivers. In terms of the differing storylines, Lost Planet 2’s overall plot is remarkably better than that of Helldivers 2.

Differences in Gameplay

Helldivers Gameplay

There are also some slight differences in the gameplay. Helldivers offers more game mechanics for players to utilize in their battles against the opposing factions. With a myriad of stratagems, boosters, and equipment, it allows for a highly customizable experience to fit any team’s needs and play style. Enemies attack in waves in what sometimes feels like a battle of attrition. Players are essentially forced to team up, as many game mechanics require at least two people to function. Furthermore, the game’s difficulty is significantly impacted when attempting to play solo. Players are required to farm resources in order to improve their gear. This allows them to move on to more difficult levels of the game, a process which can prove to be tedious. 

Lost Planet Gameplay

Lost Planet 2 has a wide arsenal of weapons to choose from. Players would have to scavenge for them, as they begin each mission with the default machine gun. The weapons are not necessarily difficult to find, as they are mostly laid out in the open. Even so, players may be more concerned with fighting off approaching enemies as opposed to searching for a particular weapon. Players also have their choice of vital suits to fight with, ranging from small units of armor to large mechanized suits built for annihilation. A recent update to Helldivers 2 added on a mech suit for players roam around with. There is only one design for it and can only be activated once per mission. 

The game offers both campaign and online game modes. Players who choose to go alone can elect to have AI teammates accompany them on their missions, although the game mechanics do not require multiple players to function. There is no need to farm resources and players can simply play through the game on any of the three difficulty levels without being pressured to furiously upgrade their equipment. The focus is more on the story and experiencing the game rather than gathering resources and struggling to survive. 

Lost Planet 2 features various mechanized suits, called Vital Suits, which players can equip

Why Exactly Is Lost Planet Better Than Helldivers

Lack of Story

Now that the two have been sufficiently compared and contrasted, it is easy to judge which one is more favorable. Because of how recently Helldivers 2 came out, the overall game quality in terms of graphics, movement, and accessibility does beat Lost Planet. In terms of the game itself and overall enjoyability, Lost Planet is significantly better than Helldivers.

Having a proper storyline going makes the game more meaningful for players. They have a world they can immerse themselves into and a goal to achieve that goes beyond the individual tasks they accomplish in completing the game’s missions. It adds value to the gaming experience as a whole, and demonstrates the talent of game developers when they are able to construct a timeline of events that intertwines with fun gameplay to create an adventure like no other. It gives the player characters to relate to and grow fond of so that they may feel happiness or sadness, frustration or satisfaction as it relates to what occurs in the story. Without a story, it is simply a game. Although there is still fun to be had in simply playing a game, there is always more fun to be had when one can become emotionally invested in something. 

Excessive Difficulty Level

Moreover, Lost Planet is a game that fans can easily pick up and enjoy playing from the get-go. Helldivers 2 requires that players build up their equipment, gather a team, and master the game’s challenges. Only then will it become appealing. It requires putting in the effort to build up strengths and minimize weaknesses in order to overcome the difficulties and actually complete a mission. It takes time to get past the beginning stages of the game and get to a point where players can appreciate the gameplay, rather than farm resources and struggle against overwhelming odds. The difficulty spikes in Helldivers 2 are not balanced very well. Many players complain that the jumps between difficulty levels are far too large. 

Lost Planet 2 offers a wide arsenal of weapons without having to farm resources for them

More Freedom for Solo Players

Lost Planet 2 makes it easy for players to choose between going solo or composing a team. It also allows players the option to join matches with other players if they so choose. It does not take away from the gameplay nor does it affect the game mechanics in any way. Of course, some may find the game more fun to play with friends. This, however, is usually the case for most games. 

Helldivers essentially forces players to interact with others. There is no option to make a private game and play alone. Instead, there is a way to close the game off to other players and only allow friends to join, which the player can utilize and hope others don’t attempt to connect. Aside from that, some weapons in the game require one person to fire and another to reload. Some doors require two people to open. Even the flow of the game requires that there be multiple people involved in a mission simply because that was how it was designed. After a certain difficulty level, the game is practically unplayable for the average gamer. The way levels are set up was done with a four man squad in mind, severely limiting players who want to play unassisted. For those who intend to play solo, Lost Planet is much better than Helldivers. 

Possible Counterpoints

The Challenge Is Part of the Fun

Some people would argue that Helldivers is superior to Lost Planet. Helldivers proves to be a relatively challenging game compared to Lost Planet, which some players argue is the fun of the game. Many gamers pride themselves on beating the hardest difficulties and crave the satisfaction of overcoming the challenge. Most gamers, however, do not find it necessary to torture themselves with exceedingly difficult gameplay just for the sake of it.

Instead, the majority of gamers play to enjoy the game. A bit of a challenge here and there is normal, but if it is excessive, it can make the game frustrating and take the pleasure out of it. This is highly problematic, as we live in a world where many people lead already stressful lives. People often use video games as an escape from the stresses of daily living, and as way to wind down and relax after a long day. Games that are intrinsically difficult to beat or have repetitive, monotonous requirements contradict this way of utilizing video games as an outlet. 

A New Generation of Games

There is a large gap between the release dates of the two games. It is important to acknowledge that there will be some unavoidable differences between the two. While it may be tempting to argue that Helldivers is better merely because it is newer, it would overlook many aspects of what made Lost Planet so great. Additionally, it would provide an unfair advantage to Helldivers that the developers of Lost Planet didn’t have at the time. There have been many technological advances since 2010, and video games especially have come a long way. Graphics would be an obvious example to point out, but AI also has a role to play. Enemy movement patterns and behaviors have become much more complex thanks to improvements in their computer-generated, randomized activity. 

Lost Planet 2 was created with the PlayStation 3 console in mind. This means the developers tailored all the software towards the limits of the PS3. In contrast with this, Helldivers 2 was meant to be played on a PlayStation 5. That gave more leeway to the developers for what they could do with the game. They had more room to work with and more tools at their disposal to enhance the experience. If Lost Planet was remastered to fit the capabilities of a PS5, it would certainly play better than Helldivers. 

A Sense of Community

One interesting mechanic that Helldivers has, and which is lacking in Lost Planet, is a sense of community. Although players are mostly invested in their own individuals squads, they make a collective effort towards liberating different sectors. This motivates players to continue participating by allowing for some type of end goal in the game. It gives players something that that they can all work towards.

A similar mechanic can be found in Death Stranding, in which players work together to influence the environment as a collective. The game is played almost entirely alone, but players can place signs, bridges, ladders, and even shelters which will appear in other players’ games once they unlock the region. It also reinforces a sense of community for those playing the game because it fosters a sense of togetherness, also allowing players to work towards a common goal. This type of mechanic is characteristic of newer games. Therefore, it is an unfair attribute to judge Lost Planet 2 against. 

Ladders placed by other players in Death Stranding will appear on the map and can be used when needed

An Open World Adventure

Some would argue that there is more to explore in Helldivers 2 because of the open world aspect of the game. The maps are larger and there is a whole galaxy to explore. This can again be attributed to the fact that it was released much later than Lost Planet. Larger open world maps are becoming much more common in newer video games. Besides that, there is a lot more diversity in the different maps in Lost Planet.

The environments are drastically different from each other, thanks to the many settings in which the story takes place. Helldivers may have large maps to explore, and some varying environments, but the differences between them is minimal. What few differences there are holds little precedence over the game as a whole. The maps are primarily repetitive in terms of the scenery and visuals. The main variance is the randomization of objective locations and extraction zones. 

Lost Planet 2 featured several underwater levels

A Good Balance

Helldivers 2 is certainly a great game in its own way, but Lost Planet 2 simply has a better balance of all the elements that make video games so enjoyable. The former is severely lacking in several aspects, but the latter is of course imperfect in some other aspects. There may be more fun to be had in exploring all the different stratagems and weapons Helldivers has to offer, as there is more open world to explore. As it stands, the combined features of Lost Planet 2 as a whole are better than Helldivers 2. 

A good game has an intriguing storyline to complement exciting gameplay and enticing visuals. It tends to stay away from repetitive game mechanics and excessive and unnecessary difficulty. Helldivers, being a relatively new game, is still being renovated and new features are being added to it. It is possible that some of its shortcomings will be fixed as the developers continue to release patches and updates. 

Video games are, in fact, subjective. The concept of what a good game should be, or what a game even is, differs among people. What a game should or should not do, and what makes it enjoyable or not, means different things to different people. That is the beauty of video games. They can be enjoyed by many people for various reasons. That makes it difficult to analyze that which makes one game superior to another. Nevertheless, most people can agree on the fact that video games are a wonderful source of enjoyment, regardless of what or how one plays.