Helldivers 2’s new update Heart of Democracy finally adds urban city maps, SEAF redshirts to make you look cool, giant Illuminate sky worms, and civilians to protect from friendly fire

Helldiver—bad news, Super Earth is officially under attack. As theorised in a leak last week, the big weapon customisation update wasn’t the last we’d see out of Shams Jorjani and his team of professional trouser-browners. An official title update for Helldivers 2, Heart of Democracy, is now here.

With it come fully-urban city maps. These are a step up from the Illuminate townships we’ve seen before. We’re talkin’ skyscrapers, we’re talkin’ streets flooded with civilians, we’re talkin’ SEAF Redshirts who are just going to be there to make you look good—I mean, er, die in valor for the glory of managed democracy. Yeah.

“The worst nightmare of all those who fight for Managed Democracy has been made a grim reality,” reads an announcement on Steam.

“Despite the valiant efforts of our Helldivers to push back the fleet, the Illuminate have reached Super Earth. Now they are swarming our cities, terrorizing citizens, and destroying our infrastructure. It’s time to rise up and take arms and fight for the precious foundations and soil of democracy manifest. Helldivers, return to our planet and defend what is rightfully ours.”

The following sentence in the blog is very interesting: “Inside the city biomes, you will tackle operations and work to liberate cities together, having a significant impact on planetary campaigns.”

I wonder if this means that most planets will have city biomes—or whether Super Earth will always be under siege in some way, with planetary campaigns further afield being impacted. I’d wager the former rather than the latter, though it makes sense Arrowhead is using Super Earth as the testing ground before rolling out these missions galaxy-wide.

At present, these Super Earth missions have a new mission type—re-arming and activating our planetary defense cannons. I’m not sure why they were deactivated in the first place. Budget cuts, maybe. Those democratic parades aren’t cheap, you know.

Aside from the fresh new map type, seemingly complete with destructible skyscrapers, these Super Earth/City missions will also include two new factors: SEAF troops, who will help you mow down the Illuminate, and become “temporary backup as you navigate toward objectives”. You’ll need their help—because the Illuminate have some horrific giant worm monstrosity you’ll have to gun down, while we get, uh, helpless civilians:

“You must also be aware of the many civilians still roaming the streets, fearing for their lives. They may be panicked, Helldivers, but it is your sworn duty to keep them safe and they look to you as the ultimate protectors of liberty. Remember: any civilian lives lost from friendly fire will be punished.”

It’s a hilariously messed-up challenge to ask of players with the Illuminate in particular, thanks to the presence of the Voteless—mind-controlled democratic citizens who, in the thick of battle, will look very similar to a stampede of genuine patriots. The update is live right now, so you can hop in and start defending Super Earth—and practicing trigger discipline—immediately. Hoo-rah!