Quick Start Guide

New to Helldivers? This quick start guide covers essential tips for completing objectives, using stratagems, and unlocking upgrades to help you succeed on your first missions.

Hey there, Helldiver! Just dropped into Super Earth and not sure where to start? Don't sweat it, this guide's got your back for those first few drops. You'll probably go through a quick tutorial first, but once you're on the bridge of your ship, here's the lowdown.

Use Stratagems to Complete Objectives

Your radio is your best friend in Helldivers. Seriously, get comfortable holding down L1 and punching in those codes. While blasting bugs and bots is a blast, the game is all about using your stratagems to tackle problems. Need ammo, gear, vehicles, or defenses? Want to call in airstrikes or bring back fallen teammates? That's all done with stratagems. Don't just charge in with your primary weapon!

Complete Objectives and Extract for Mission Success

Winning missions isn't just about racking up kills. When you hit Select, check the objective checklist in the upper right corner. The extraction point will be grayed out until you've completed all other objectives (or made them impossible to complete). Once that's done, your ship will drop a Hellpod with the extraction beacon. Head to it and call your shuttle. Survive for 90 seconds and get on board, and you've succeeded – no matter how many optional objectives you missed. This nets you planet rewards, often unlocking new weapons. You don't need to fight endless waves of enemies; if you see more bad guys showing up, usually it's best to break contact. Remember to hit L3 to run. You might need to take out a few fast enemies that keep up, but don't feel obligated to fight a huge group that's calling in constant reinforcements. Leaving enemies alive doesn't cost you experience points.

Succeed in Missions to Unlock Things

Perks, primary weapons, and even new outfits come as you level up. But to get new stratagems, you need to conquer planets. Most planets have two or three missions, marked with checkboxes. Clear all the boxes on a planet, and you'll get its reward. Head to the galactic map (that glowing yellow table on your ship's bridge) and look for low-difficulty planets that show stratagem icons as their reward. Unlocking more stratagems means you can start finding your own playstyle and get ready for tougher challenges and better rewards.

After Unlocking Things You Like, Upgrade Them

The first few levels in Helldivers come super fast, and you'll earn research points along the way. Some of the early items you unlock are actually some of the best to upgrade, so don't feel like you have to save your points for later, harder-to-get gear. If you get the UAV early on, upgrading it first is a great move – when fully upgraded, it makes samples visible on your radar. Next up, prioritize upgrading your Reinforce and Resupply stratagems. You'll use these constantly, they help your whole team, and missions just run smoother and faster with them improved. After that, consider a primary weapon, your pistol, and the Hellbomb. An upgraded Hellbomb drops faster and can take more damage before breaking, making it a solid investment. Since you use your primary weapon all the time and can't lose it, it makes sense to upgrade one of the early ones and start reaping the benefits. The Liberator, Breaker, Defender, Sickle, and Scythe all get a big boost from every upgrade point spent. And hey, your pistol is always with you, so why not make it as good as it can be?