When it works, this top-down, friendly-fire-heavy cooperative multiplayer shooter does everything in its power to smash you and your comrades into a pool of blood and guts, and this is nothing short of outstanding. Difficulty seems to be celebrated again, and without this frustration renaissance, we might not have the opportunity to play hysterically difficult titles like Arrowhead’s Helldivers. Those seeking a punishing AAA title might lean towards Bloodborne or the Souls series a bevy of insane platformers, like Super Meat Boy and Spelunky exist to satisfy those looking to get their 2D on. Now that a great variety, and increased level of accessibility, exists across the gaming landscape, gamers looking for a serious challenge have a multitude of head-slamming masochistic endeavors. Sure, some may find challenge in the latest AAA game’s single player mode, and more power to them, but it seemed that those days of thrown controllers, face-palms and nights spent playing the same level over and over again were long gone. Titles like The Order: 1886 guide players along a central path, saving constantly in the background, while never attempting to overwhelm, even on their hardest difficulty. Now, we live in a time where games, for better and for worse, seem to hold your hand a fair bit more. From the simple to understand, yet generally punishing Mega Man games, to Ninja Gaiden, all the way to the infamously challenging Silver Surfer, tough-as-nails games were largely the norm. Back in the wonder days of the NES, an era that this particular editor admittedly was not on this planet to witness, games were heralded for their difficulty.

Is helldivers 2 player