Helldivers

Day 61: Marriage is about surviving the monsters 

If you read this blog you know that First Person Shooters (FPS) are my least favorite video games.  There is plenty to get excited about in the gaming world during PAX East and by some twist of fate I was most excited about a co-op shooter.  I read an IGN review of Helldivers for the PS4 and the description of the plot had me at satirical riff on US imperialism and the write up mentioned playing with a romantic partner.  I included a quick video to give you an idea of what the game is like instead of writing an overview because I am being lazy. 

Stop Shooting your Wife

Co-op games are great for couples because you have to work together and stay out of one another’s way simultaneously.  We have only beaten one planet over the last few days.  I have had zero incidentals whereas the hubs has killed me 5 times.  In his defense, some of the fatalities were due to calling in air strikes and me not fleeing quickly enough.  Yesterday the kiddos watched us play and they actually think it is hilarious that their dad keeps shooting me, which is starting to bother me.  But I keep reminding myself that I play shooter games like a noob, and I haven't killed him yet, which brings me some comfort. 

Touch me gentle, push me hard.

For a lot of reasons I normally hate shooters.  One reason I actually sometimes like to play shooter games is for the ability to hold a trigger and spray bullets into monsters --it is so cathartic.  However, because the reload time is so long in this game, I try to be more conservative with my bullets.  Instead of my normal guns blazing strategy I have to tap R2 gently to only release one bullet at a time. 

Conversely, the left toggle has to be pushed and held hard to run.  Since my partner favors using a flame-thrower and keeps killing me, I had to learn to run in game.  I feel like pushing on my toggle so hard is going to break my controller but it seems fine.  The juxtaposition between a light right trigger finger and hard left thumb is hard to reconcile in my brain. 

Aspiring to be a Mec

Though I have detoured into the Buffy Board Game and Diablo, I am hoping to keep playing Helldivers until I can play as a mec.  This weekend gaming reminded me, never say never, when it comes to choosing a game title.  I still play PvZ daily but hated Garden Warfare; Normally I will never pick up an FPS but I am loving this one.  Each day we just drop in and try to make it out through the swarms of monsters, in this way, this game simulates our RL marriage.

Hubs on the Bugs 

I love this game, I love that the levels are short, that it's easy enough to play with Nate (the 6 year old), that it's hard enough we can't just breeze through it and that it's hilarious and goofy.  It's a fantastic dual stick shooter I love that they made it have friendly fire, it forces us to communicate with what we are planning. I can't just spray because I inevitably will shoot you in the back, I haven't in the last couple levels though! So now we have to say hey back up I will clear these guys, or hey call the drop ship I'll cover you! Or when you call in a turret we both have to run and hit the ground so we don't get shot up like the bugs.

Helldivers is just like a troubled marriage because sometimes you will see a bug and if you don't take it out immediately then more spring up out of the ground and it all turns to chaos as you start scrambling to survive.  To survive the swarm you have to communicate and work together and you will never succeed if one person is carrying the other and doing all the work.

I love the blog. I love the game. And I love my wife. Elbows.