Helldivers developer on why 'no two missions will be exactly the same' in its upcoming top-down shooter for Vita
Plus, more details on the single-player and multiplayer modes
Though you might not have heard of Arrowhead Game Studios, you'll have probably heard of its flagship game Magicka.
Oh, and you will definitely have heard of Gauntlet, the classic IP it's currently working on reviving.
So, you should be getting pretty excited for Helldivers, then, the studio's other game in development for PlayStation consoles.
I recently spoke with Helldivers designer Patrik Lasota, who spilt the beans about his team's forthcoming title.
In this interview, Lasota explains what this upcoming Vita game's all about, touches on the multiplayer elements, outlines the differences between each version, and hints at a universe in Helldivers with more depth than you might think.
Pocket Gamer: What exactly is Helldivers?
Patrik Lasota: Helldivers is a four-player co-op top-down shooter with a focus on co-op mechanics and team co-ordination.
In Helldivers, you have to be more than the sum of your parts to succeed in the hardest missions mankind has to offer. In addition, all players are part of the Galactic Campaign, a global effort to defend your freedom from the alien threats in the universe.
What sort of weaponry and skills will players have access to in order to level the playing field?Players can expect to see everything from your average firearms to the hi-tech weapons of sci-fi. In addition to their weapons, the Helldivers have access to Stratagems, a way to call in equipment and support in very short time frames.
While all the Helldivers' weaponry is extremely powerful, the players have to take care not to accidentally turn that power upon themselves or their friends.
We've also heard that the game features randomly generated levels. Is this the case, and is there a pre-constructed single-player experience, too?
Missions are indeed procedurally generated. With that, no two missions will be exactly the same.
You're launching the game on Vita, PlayStation 3, and PlayStation 4. What are the key differences between each version, and why would a gamer choose to play the Vita version over the others?We are really trying to make sure that Helldivers is as similar as possible on all three platforms.
On the PS4, we will have a bit more power to use. As such, the PS4 version will run at 1080p and 60 frames per second. The PS3 version, meanwhile, will be limited to 720p and 30 frames per second.
The Vita will offer a gaming experience as similar as possible to the other platforms, though we have to make some adaptations for it to run as well as we want it to on Vita.
This is mostly evident in the custom controls and UI, specifically adapted for the Vita.
What can players expect from the multiplayer portion of the game?
Playing with your friends will be as easy as starting the game, taking a look at the in-game friends list, finding a friend playing, and joining her. If you don't have any friends online, you can be matched against other players of similar skill and level.
All planets completed will count towards the Galactic Campaign, and playing with others will enable you to tackle harder missions with better rewards and higher impact on the Galactic Campaign.
Top-down shooters with immense challenge aren't often renowned for having great stories. Is narrative and world construction a major part of Helldivers?While the main focus of Helldivers is gameplay, we are hoping to convey the world and atmosphere to the player through the characters present on the player's ship, commenting on your performance and offering advice.
We also hope that players over time will realise what is going on around them and form their own opinion about the world of Helldivers.
