An Ultimate Guide To Playing Helldivers 2 Solo

by  John Uke

Helldivers 2 is certainly one of the main blockbusters of 2024 and a continuation of the original game’s story, where the Automatons robots penetrated from one side of the solar system and the Terminids bugs from the other, threatening humanity. Players, in cooperation with friends, must end the war and save their planet.

Helldivers 2 was designed to be a co-op multiplayer game because it has many challenges and dangerous enemies, making it a tricky game for a single player to survive. However, can you play Helldivers 2 solo? I’ve reviewed this game before and tried it both in the co-op and solo modes, and I am ready to shed light on all details.

Yes, you can play Helldivers 2 solo, making long story short. The game does offers a single-player mode for those who prefer to play alone. However it is very difficult to be played on your own.

Now let’s dive deeper into the issue and unveil all the peculiarities of the Helldivers 2 single-player gameplay.

Can You Play Helldivers 2 Solo?

Yes, as we’ve mentioned Helldivers 2 single player is available, but there are some caveats. Initially, the game was designed for you to play in co-op since there are a lot of enemies, and they are not so easy to deal with, especially when on high difficulties. So, Helldivers 2 is playable solo, without the help of other players, but in this case, the game will turn from an action into a stealth action for you. 

You will need to quickly run to the objective, do everything yourself, shoot at enemies along the way, and run away as soon as all the enemies in the area start running towards you. If you are a try-harder, you can even try to complete missions on high difficulties, as many Reddit community members did. There are videos on YouTube of how solo players complete missions on difficulty level 9, but, boy, it is definitely not easy to do. 

You can also start the mission solo and as soon as you feel that you can’t cope, you can enable the SOS beacon, and random players or your friends will join you to help. However, I simply must put a disclaimer here: the most spectacular and interesting way to play Helldivers 2 is in co-op. I know, I know, playing with other people can be tough, but what if you could find truly compatible teammates? Those that can really match your personality, and you’d be fully comfortable with. That is what GameTree is for! Our team enjoys this remarkable game, and we hope you can experience the same by finding like-minded people for your squad via our app.

How To Play Helldivers 2 Solo

Helldivers 2 is designed for four players, and the game becomes more challenging and intense as the difficulty increases. For this reason, the developers did not include the solo mode, and players will not find this option in the settings. So, officially, Helldivers 2 is not single-player. However, there is a workaround that allows you to play alone:

1. First, launch the game and open the Menu.
2. Select Options from the menu and go to the Gameplay tab.
3. With the Matchmaking Privacy option set to Public by default, you need to change the setting to Friends Only.
4. After changing the settings, simply launch the game and select any mission.

After these actions, when starting missions, you will be able to play Helldivers 2 as a single player, and random players will not be able to join you, even if you enable the SOS beacon. However, your friends can still join you if they wish.

Sharing My Helldivers 2 Single-Player Experience

Playing Helldivers 2 solo is an interesting experience and a completely different type of gameplay for me. In the company of friends or even random people, it is a whirlwind action, where everyone is constantly shooting, calling stratagems, and killing their teammates more often than even bugs. But when playing alone, the game changes its focus towards stealth. 

Firstly, in the Helldivers 2 single-player mode, I have a much smaller number of respawns, so there is less room for error. Playing alone, I act secretly and avoid patrols and unnecessary firefights to complete the mission’s main task on time. This is especially true at 5-6 medium difficulty levels. At difficulties 7-9, you will no longer have enough normal damage to cope with a huge number of enemies. 

Things I Liked

When playing alone, I constantly experience tension since I don’t have a friend to cover me, and I constantly look around so that no one accidentally sneaks up on me from behind. I also monitor the map to see from which side the enemies are attacking. I simultaneously complete the task, shoot back from the oncoming enemies, and quickly retreat as soon as the key goals are completed. A mixture of intense horror and stealth action can only be experienced when playing solo.

Things I Didn’t Enjoy Much

In the Helldivers 2 single-player mode, there is a feeling of limitation in firepower, and instead of simply strengthening enemies, the developers slightly nerf players’ favorite weapons, which makes it even more difficult to play alone. It’s a little depressing that there is practically nothing for a single player to do on difficulties above 6 since the problem will not be in the player’s skill but in the fact that their firepower will not be enough to cope with so many enemies. It will simply take you half the time to cope with one wave of bugs, and you may not have enough ammunition. In a cooperative mode, it will be a tense but rather ordinary skirmish. This limitation is currently the only reason why it doesn’t make much sense to play Helldivers 2 solo on difficulty above 6.

Tips For Solo Gamers in Helldivers 2

While playing in co-op with friends or random players, you have a very extensive arsenal and a wide field for experimenting with the choice of equipment. When playing alone, you are somewhat limited since now the main emphasis will be on surviving, quickly completing the mission, and running away, so mobility and your survivability will be a priority. Here are some recommendations on how to play Helldivers 2 solo:

• Prioritize Shield Generator Backpack: The shield is a must-have, and you should take it to increase your survivability. While bugs mainly pose a threat at close range, all Automatons can shoot from a distance very accurately, so you shouldn’t meddle with robots without a shield.
• Utilize Support Assets: You need to effectively deal with armored enemies, so it would be a good idea to take the Orbital Railcannon Strike, which copes well with tanks and Automaton structures. Since the slot on your back will be occupied, you need a second weapon that will not require a backpack and will be powerful enough to also resist armored enemies, so here we will have Arc Thrower, Railgun, or Quasar Cannon.
• Exercise Stealth and Caution: It’s better to avoid any unnecessary skirmishes and enemy patrols and act covertly.
• Emphasize Speed and Efficiency: Land, quickly complete the main task, and fly away. First, you complete the main mission, and then, on the way to the extraction, you can complete several minor ones if you have time.
• Opt for Lightweight Armor: You should opt for light armor as you will run faster, and stamina will be consumed more slowly and will recover faster. You should also give preference to armor with a passive 50% chance of not dying when taking lethal damage.
• Keep an SOS Beacon Ready: If things go badly in your Helldivers 2 single player session, you can always use the SOS beacon, and other folks might come to your aid, provided that you have enabled public in your matchmaking settings.

Stop Playing Helldivers 2 Solo! Try GameTree And Find Your Squad

Though playing Helldivers 2 solo is possible, the game was originally created for a co-op walkthrough. Playing with other folks is much more fun, as the game has so many great moments to cherish. If you don’t have a squad, launch the GameTree app. It’s a dedicated application for gamers that provides AI-based matchmaking. Thanks to our unique algorithms, we’ll pick the best possible squad for you in a couple of seconds. With our app, you’ll never play alone if you don’t want to!

So, Is Playing Solo Worth It?

In the solo mode, the game reveals a different side, and for me, as for most players, it is always a big plus when you can play a multiplayer game solo. However, playing Helldivers 2 with friends is still much more fun and interesting. Let me know in the comments which mode you enjoyed most, and in case you’re looking for other solo video games, check out our list.