Home News Helldivers 2 Board Game: Exclusive Hands-On Preview

Helldivers 2 Board Game: Exclusive Hands-On Preview

Author : Christopher Update : May 21,2025

Last year's breakout hit in the multiplayer gaming arena was Arrowhead's Helldivers 2, a game that championed the cause of spreading democracy across the stars through intense battles against aliens and robots. Riding the wave of their successful Elden Ring board game adaptation, Steamforged Games has now set their sights on translating the fast-paced and frenetic gameplay of Helldivers 2 into a tabletop experience. This board game adaptation is currently available for backing on Gamefound. IGN had the opportunity to play a prototype and delve into a discussion with the game's designers, Jamie Perkins, Derek Funkhouser, and Nicholas Yu, about their approach to this exciting new project.

Helldivers 2: The Board Game

17 ImagesDevelopment of Helldivers 2: The Board Game kicked off shortly after the video game's launch, aiming to encapsulate the elements that made the original so thrilling. The board game successfully recreates the intense firefights, chaotic surprises, and team-focused gameplay, while also introducing fresh tweaks to the formula.

Helldivers 2 remains a cooperative, objective-based skirmish game, playable by one to four players. The designers suggest solo players control two characters to enhance the experience. Each player assumes the role of a unique Helldiver class, equipped with a special perk, a set of action cards, and a powerful "Act of Valor" ability that can be used once per game. The demo featured the Heavy, Sniper, Pyro, and Captain classes. Players customize their kits with primary, secondary, and support weapons, a grenade, and three strategems, guided by recommended loadouts on their class cards, which can be adjusted once familiar with the game.

Gameplay unfolds on grid-based boards that expand as players explore, revealing sub-objectives and locations of primary objectives, such as Terminid hatcheries in the prototype. As the mission progresses, increasingly difficult enemies spawn, and a mission timer adds a sense of urgency, keeping the gameplay tense and exciting.

The prototype focused on a single objective of destroying Terminid hatcheries, but the final release will offer multiple options. The base game will feature two of the three main factions, the Terminids and the robotic Automatons, each with 10 unit types. While not confirmed, an expansion may introduce the Illuminate faction, given Steamforged's history with stretch goals.

A key curiosity was how the board game would replicate the video game's feeling of being overwhelmed by enemies. Unlike games like Zombicide, which rely on sheer numbers, Helldivers 2 opts for fewer but stronger enemies, fostering a more tactical and engaging combat experience as missions progress.

Turns involve players and enemies adding their action cards to a pool, which are then shuffled and placed on an initiative tracker, similar to Steamforged's Elden Ring game. Combat is dice-based, with each weapon specifying the type and number of dice to roll. Damage is calculated by totaling the dice roll, with every five points inflicting a wound on an enemy. This straightforward damage system simplifies combat, focusing on the amount of damage rather than hit chances or defense values. Friendly fire is a risk, particularly with area attacks, but reinforcements mitigate the impact of such mishaps.

A standout feature praised by the designers is the 'Massed Fire' mechanic, designed to replicate the video game's cooperative shooting dynamics. Nic Yu explained, “In the video game, you're encouraged to work together as a team. If you encounter a heavily armored enemy, you need to flank and target weak points. We implemented 'massed fire' so that when anyone shoots at a target, if it's within range of another Helldiver's weapons, they can also focus fire, explicitly rewarding teamwork.” This mechanic not only encourages cooperation but also reduces player downtime by allowing involvement during others' turns.

Enemy interactions are more straightforward, with damage and effects dictated by their cards, causing players to draw wound cards. Each wound inflicts a detrimental effect, and three wounds result in a character's death. However, players can respawn based on the chosen difficulty level, returning with a full loadout.

One notable omission from the board game is the galactic war feature from the video game. The designers considered including it but ultimately decided to focus on creating a unique experience. Jamie Perkins added a playful piece of lore, suggesting that the board game serves as a training simulation for Helldivers, enhancing their skills for real missions.

Despite the change in medium, the designers aimed to retain the essence of Helldivers. Nic emphasized, “We wanted to ensure that, despite different mechanics, it still felt like Helldivers. We included unexpected events, stratagems that could misfire, and a dwindling pool of reinforcements, all hallmarks of the Helldivers experience.” Derek Funkhouser added, “We focused on maintaining the core loop of mission objectives and the thrill of uncovering new challenges while fending off relentless enemies.”

Currently, the core mechanics are about 75-80% finalized, allowing for community feedback and potential adjustments. Jamie reassured that despite recent concerns about tariffs affecting the board gaming industry, Steamforged Games remains committed to their planned schedule.

From my experience with the prototype, the game's systems, including random events and the 'Massed Fire' mechanic, promise epic moments. However, I wish for more small-fry enemies to add to the chaos and a bit more complexity in enemy attacks to match the game's dynamic nature. Despite these desires, I'm excited to see what additional surprises Steamforged Games has in store for Helldivers 2. My friends and I are already eager to discover our next drop point.