[h2] I would like to first point out that this game is NOT Helldivers 2. Helldivers 2 is the direct sequel to this game, and I will be comparing it to HD2 for that reason. However HD1 and HD2 are VERY different games. [/h2]
[h2] Camera: [/h2]
The camera is shared between all the players with it being centered between them. To move, all the players must move at once. You cannot go outside the cameras sight, unless you are downed for some reason. This can result in players being trapped behind a group of enemies, unable to escape even though a viable escape route is behind them, the camera simply does not allow it. A breakdown in communications between players can very easily lead to a TPK if "Camera real estate" is not managed properly. Stratagems aimed near the edge of the camera will kinda just flop to the ground at the feet of the helldiver, I have no idea why.
It is also very easy to lose track of where your player is. While you are looking at the other side of the map and shooting your player can wander off or other players can wander in, causing you to lose track of where your player is and you then walk off the nearest cliff while thinking you are actually a different player.
Accidental friendly fire can occur if a teammate walks in between you and the enemies you are shooting at on the other side of the screen, or you could walk into a teammates fire as well. You can only really look in one place at once, and you have to constantly look back and forth between you, the enemies and your crosshair to make sure your aren't about to shoot a teammate or get shot yourself.
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[h3] Extracting: [/h3]
If you die before you extract, you fail the mission even though you completed all your objectives. After you complete all the main objectives extract becomes an objective, so if you die you fail the mission. One of the few things Helldivers 2 does better is not failing the whole mission if you die before you extract. Having to repeat a mission 2-3 times can become incredibly frustrating and tiring when you keep dying at extract. There is also no auto RF, so if everyone dies without calling in a RF the mission ends and you have to restart.
[h3] Infinite enemy soup: [/h3]
It is incredibly easy to create an infinite soup of never ending enemies, especially on higher levels or Illiminate. New patrols will stroll into the ongoing battle and call in more enemies. This usually results in a death spiral, unless you run across half the map to let the enemies despawn.
[h3] Diving: [/h3]
Diving is a large part of HellDIVERS, but its kinda bad if I'm being honest. Diving takes has a super long recovery time, and can sometimes just not work. You will dive, and for some reason your helldiver will just get back up again with no input from you. You also cant use any weapon, even your pistol; even though you can use your pistol while downed. The only thing diving really does is move you out of the way of an explosion that you can easily just walk away from, or allow you to avoid gunfire from the ONE faction that uses guns(and then a hoard blueberry muffins walk up and beat you to death before you can recover).
[h3] Cursor: [/h3]
A minor thing: the cursor will turn into a crosshair wile ADSing, otherwise it is a transparent gray dot that is very easy to lose track of. IMO it should be a crosshair 24/7, or at least a regular cursor.
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[h2] Loadouts: [/h2]
[h3] Stratagems and stratagem complexity: [/h3]
The stratagems you bring actually matter a lot. The only meta is really still the supply pack, but barely. Your stratagem loadout allows you to bring multiple of the same stratagem, for multiple cars or offensive stratagems. Or just bring a full loadout of nukes if you want, its up to you. HD2 for whatever reason does not allow this, even though it 100% should. Let me call in 4 napalm barrages please, I don't care if it crashes my game let me do it.
Some of the stratagems, especially the more powerful ones have stupidly complex and unintuitive inputs. Some of them are seemingly random input spam. This makes throwing stratagems in a short time kinda impractical, and usually the enemies they are targeted against are gone or dead by the time the stratagem actually activates. HD2 fixed this by having an actual pattern to inputs for stratagems. This makes smaller "less powerful" stratagems really the only ones viable in combat, unless you can memorize the arbitrary inputs of the larger stratagems.
[h3] Weapon design: [/h3]
Weapon design is actually good and a lot of the weapons fill a specific role, and not just 5 variations of the same SMG. Upgrades for them actually matter, and actually make a real difference in how the weapon functions instead of playing the minmax numbers game with an attachment system.
Shotguns are overpowered as ♥♥♥♥ and actually clear hoards of enemies, and assault rifles are good at accuracy. The guns do feel powerful(even if the sound design needs a little work), and you can actually use them to clear without relying on stratagems(looking at you HD2 and devs). I have gone entire missions without using a single offensive stratagem, that's how good the weapons are. The only stratagems me and me teammates really need are quick area of denial or quick anti tank for tank chaff.
[h3] Boosters: [/h3]
The booster you pick is also important, and has a real tangible impact instead of providing a small boost to stamina or health, or giving you the supplies that you should have started with in the first place(I mean come on is it that hart to just give us supplies?), or make your Hellpod a little gassy and more of an inconvenience than a benefit.
Heavy armor slows you down, but protects you from a lot of chaff enemies. The stim boosts health recovery and recovery time. Stratagem priority drastically lowers stratagem recharge and call in time. All terrain boots prevents hinderance from snow and water. They actually make a difference instead of being a slight stat boost.
oh yea, you also get [b] 3 SAVED LOADOUTS [/b] for use on the different factions, so you don't have to select the same loadout every mission. Plus there is a random loadout option for extra XP gain.
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[h2] Repeatability issues: [/h2]
Missions consist of several objectives to complete, with usually a good spread of different objectives. Sometimes there can be up to 3 of the same objective in a mission. There are only about 5-6 standard objectives that are shared across all factions plus 1-2 faction specific objectives. This results in missions all feeling the same, especially on higher difficulties where you can have 7 or so objectives to complete. Objectives start to repeat over and over and the game feels like the same mission over and over again.
This is probably my main issue with this game.
HD2 missions have a single large objective to complete and some mini side objectives. The single objective takes usually most of the mission to complete, along with all the other side objectives. The side objectives also have an impact on the mission. SAM sites shoot down dropships, SEAF artillery can be called in, LIDAR reveals side objectives. Only one objective in HD1 really has any impact on gameplay, allowing the use of stratagems again within a small area. The rest of the objectives just turn into a long laundry list of things to do that have little to no impact on mission gameplay.
HD2 missions don't feel as repeated because it takes so long to complete one mission objective, while HD1 missions are a bunch of smaller objectives that take 30 seconds to a few minutes to complete with no overarching goal. HD2 missions feel like I accomplished something when I finish them. HD1 missions kinda start to feel like chore simulator after a while.
